Fat Tuesday

Whether you know this day as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, we all understand that it is a day of celebration before the traditional fasting and denial of the season of Lent.  You can read the history of the day in a variety of other places, and the way the day fits in to various theologies is not something I will try to explain.  Instead, let me try and give you a fresh take on Fat Tuesday.

Lent is all about remembering what Jesus chose to give up so that we could find sanctuary with God.  We will spend 40 days remebering His sacrifice as he walked the path to the cross and the resurrection.  But do we remember that Jesus left his Father and left his home in heaven to come be with us?  He left a place so amazing we cannot even begin to describe it to come die for our sins.  For me, part of the point of Fat Tuesday is to remember the unbelievable party Jesus left behind. 

So here's what I want us to do today.  We should confess our sins to God and repent of them so that our hearts are prepared for the season.  We should make our decisions on what we will "give up" during the 40 days of sacrifice.  And we should do something wildly symbolic of the party Jesus left behind when he came to save us.  Here is my suggestion: Find (or make) your favorite, most decadent dessert, and dig in!  Completely over-do it.  Share it with family and friends.  And as you do, remember this- Jesus gave up all "the good stuff" to come rescue us from ourselves by dying on the cross.  Make this Fat Tuesday meaningful in a whole new way.  Share a banana split with Jesus.  And prepare your hearts to follow Him to Calvary...

He Is Risen,