We know that God is our source of security, but dependence is hard. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’re afraid to depend wholly on him, so we “hedge our bet” you might say. Fearful that he might not provide, we instead accumulate what we think we need to make us feel secure.

Having God’s Word sunk deeply in our hearts, like Jesus did, confronts the false reality that temptation offers. Our temptations are lousy substitutes for the things our hearts really long for; they never satisfy. By contrast, the gospel and the whole of God’s Word offer a defining picture of what a real, satiated life looks like.

During the Lent season, it's traditional to take Sunday as a celebration day.

Each of Satan’s temptations called into question God’s ability to provide and his sovereign ability to protect. Jesus understood that God is good and that he is enough so Jesus did not give in to temptation. But we struggle to believe those things deeply.

You and I are not tempted with something that we have no need for. We are tempted with things that we sense are a great need – what will either literally or figuratively fill us.

An intentional period of fasting then is purposely entering a wilderness - a digital wilderness for us - and into a time where one “detaches” in order to “attach” to God. Picture it like this: the physical giving up of something (“detaching”) severs the cord between your heart and that thing that might be ruling over you.

Fasting is commonly done by going without food. For this Lent season, you have been asked to fast from media in some way instead. In the absence of food (or in our case, media), we understand what, or who, truly fills our emptiness. It’s not until we get to the end of our resources that we really understand this.

Participating in Lent is something new to Calvary, but as our leaders and staff began preparing for Easter in January (yes, January!), it laid heavy on our hearts that this year, our church needs to do more than celebrate Easter. We need to prepare for it. Much like Advent prepares a Christian’s heart to receive the gift that Christmas represents, Lent can be a time to turn our wandering hearts toward the things of God.

Participating in Lent is something new to Calvary, but as our leaders and staff began preparing for Easter in January (yes, January!), it laid heavy on our hearts that this year, our church needs to do more than celebrate Easter. We need to prepare for it. Much like Advent prepares a Christian’s heart to receive the gift that Christmas represents, Lent can be a time to turn our wandering hearts toward the things of God.