Ash Wednesday Service

Dr. Bud Bence spoke in the student chapel today, and his message was powerful and effective.  He spoke on the season of Lent and the different kinds of sacrifices people can make and for what reasons.  He broke the types of fasting into categories.  One was giving up things that are sinful during the Lent season.  This is when you sacrifice a habitual sin for the sake of showing God your level of commitment to Him.  Another category was giving up things that are addictions that aren't necessarily unhealthy.  This includes things like Facebook, video games, and things of the sort.  These are areas that are simply pleasures for some people, but for others these are areas that dominate a majority of their time.  These are the things that you automatically think of when you're lying in bed, sitting in class, or just spacing out.  The next category was the things that are pleasures to us.  They are things we really like to have, eat, or do.  I really like watching NCIS, Bones, and Psych on television.  It would  be the equivalent of me sacrificing those shows.  The final category was giving up those things that are precious to us.  Dr. Bence warned us against this unless we feel convicted.  He said that these are the things that people will describe as being "over the top."  They are "reckless" and "foolhardy."  I fell into the category of sacrificing an addiction of sorts that isn't unhealthy, but too much of it can be a little ridiculous and sacrifices time that I can use to do homework or be in the Word.  So I would appreciate prayers for strength to stay away from this and to use my time wisely during this Lent season.