Despite currently being a member of a non-denominational church, I have attended Baptist churches my entire life. As a Baptist, celebrating Lent is something we did not do. I don't remember how old I was when the practice was first brought to my attention, but I do remember wondering what chocolate, or caffeine, or pop (that's "soda" for you Southerners) had to do with Easter.
This past Christmas, I was given a renewed interest in the Advent, not in the traditional practices but in the setting a part of each day to focus on the upcoming holiday and why it is celebrated. So, when I read an article by Nancy Leigh DeMoss about using the Lenten season to set aside time to prepare for Easter, I thought it was an interesting idea.
This weekend I was away at a conference and spent some time at Barnes & Noble (What could possibly be more fun?). While browsing the shelves, I came across this book by John Piper. (You can actually download the book from his website.)
So, for the next fifty days...which will take me right to Easter...I will be borrowing the practice of Lent, and tweaking it a little, by reading "...fifty reasons. Not fifty causes, but fifty purposes - in answer to the most important question that each of us must face: What did God achieve for sinners in sending his Son to die?"
