Journey through Lent

(Photo by Luca Galuzzi at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. http://www.galuzzi.it/)

 

It was only after I’d booked this trip that I realised I’ll be flying out on Ash Wednesday, and will be away for the first 35 of the 40 days of Lent. That time when we are encouraged to take time out to reflect and prepare. In a way that is relevant to each one of us, we are encouraged to follow Jesus as he withdrew from everyday life and spent his 40 days in the wilderness preparing for Easter.

And so I am going to leave everyday life behind … my family and friends, my work, my home, my music … and setting off with as little as I can in a backpack to places where I will be physically challenged. Places where there is sometimes no hot water, no warm bed (not even a bed at times), no electricity, where it’s at or below freezing and where it’s hot and humid. Places where I’ll be emotionally challenged too … by the people and places we are visiting (I’ve read about the situation in the Potosi mines), and by fear - like being in the water with anacondas/alligators/piranhas, etc. But I also hope to experience much joy and rejuvenation from the adventure, the people and the wonderful places we are visiting (including some of the best tropical beaches on the planet).

Going back to reflect on Lent. When Jesus went out into the wilderness, it was after he’d been ‘active’ for 3 years. It’s been 3.5 years since I took on Christian Research. It’s been a challenging time with plenty of ups and downs, but at this particular point I am feeling more confident and comfortable than I ever have about the future of Christian Research. It feels like we’ve spent the last few years ‘getting ready’ and are now about to start work properly on realising our vision: to see a day when research is helping to shape the visions, strategies and activities of all those in our sphere of influence.

Jesus was in the wilderness reflecting and preparing for something spectacularly major. Whilst no-one else can claim to be about to change the world like he did, I am also preparing for major change on a number of fronts and was seeing this trip of mine as a time of reflection, preparation and regeneration to get ready for the year I have ahead. 

On the work front, we’ll be taking on two new full time members of staff (tripling the one we have at the moment!), so that is going to result in major change for me and for Christian Research. My role is inevitably going to change, I’m hoping to spend more time Directing than I do at present, and the scope of Christian Research will change with our new capabilities.

On the domestic front, although we celebrated 25 years of marriage a few days ago we also agreed (jointly) that our marriage is now at and end, even though we want to remain friends. So there’s a lot of reflection and preparation for all the changes that relate to us both starting a new life. 

There are other changes too (like our son graduating and coming back to live with us for a while) but these are minor compared with the two I’ve just described. 

As I’ve said, I didn’t plan any of this to coincide with Lent/Easter it’s just coincidental timing. But the fact that it all starts on Ash Wednesday has certainly made me think differently about the trip already.