Shortreads
Seek Me and Live! // Dust No. 4
Betsy A. Barber
Dr. Betsy Barber discusses her Lent experience.
Lent is a season of seeking: of remembering and returning to our journey toward the vibrance and brilliance of resurrection life. That journey suggests a turning inward. Contemplation, introspecting, coming into closer contact with our true selves. Betsy Barber, a research fellow for CCT’s year on Psychology and Spiritual Formation, reminds us of the goal of Lent: to live up to Christ’s offering of redemptive life. (She also recounts some encouraging advice for those of us fasting this season.)
The Table: Where do we find Lenten ideas in the Bible?
Betsy: Lenten practices are infused with the grace of God who always invites us to repentance and change, to healing and growth. God’s gracious words in Deuteronomy 30:11–20 ring in my ears during Lent: “This is not too hard for you, my words are very near you, choose life! Love me! Obey me! Hold fast to me! I am your life.” I also remember the repeated invitation from Amos 5: “Seek me and live!”, and the instructions on how to fast from Isaiah 58. In these passages, I find the meaning for the season of Lent, a season of re-turning and re-membering and re-pentance in order to receive and walk in resurrection life.
The Table: What are you reading during Lent this year?
Betsy: For this particular Lenten season, I am reading The Faith We Confess: An Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles by Gerald Bray (The Latimer Trust, 2009). This is an exposition of the traditional Anglican approach to basic Christian doctrines. These 39 Articles can be found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer.
The Table: What are you giving up for Lent? How do you practice penitence this season?
Betsy: One thing I am doing this Lent is based on something historical theologian Jerry Sittser said during his recent CCT visit. In speaking of the practices of the desert fathers and mothers, Jerry said that they advocated: “Gluttony is answered by fasting, and the best kind of fasting is just eating a little less than you want to!” Indeed!
LEARN MORE ABOUT BIOLA’S INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Betsy helps to lead Biola’s Institute for Spiritual Formation. Find out more about ISF here.
