Lent: It's not Rock n RollPete Greig - 24 Feb 2012

An interview with one of the co-founders of 24-7 Prayer Pete Greig.

During this lent season we're asking the hosts of the 24-7 Spaces (24-7's video podcasts) to answer a couple of questions about what Lent means to them. Pete Greig kicked things off this week leading us through the first chapter of John from “In the beginning…” to Nathaniel declaring to Jesus  “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel”.


Question 1: What does lent mean to you?

Lent means daring to enter the wilderness of my own heart. Lent is un-cool. It's not rock 'n roll. It's not gonna shift any units for Lady Gaga or Hello magazine. It's a forty day journey in a world of instant gratification. It's intentional dependency and self-denial in a world of self-gratification. It's about embracing a little plain-ness and ordinariness - I can sometimes even measure times of prayer and worship against how they make me feel; the quality of the music, the emotions I experience instead of the simple act of giving til it hurts. Henri Nouwen says Lent is a season when we simply 'make the effort to create some space for God to act'. I like that. Lent is about clearing a little space in a particuarly cluttered corner of my brain, to host God's presence. That's why we call our podcasts 'Spaces'.

Question 2: What are you giving up/taking up for lent?

This Lent I'm giving up slobbing in front of the television, and swapping that time for exercise in the gym where I can pray and worship on the appropriately named 'cross trainer'. I'm also getting behind the brilliant GUGA campaign www.giveup2giveaway.org to give clean water to people in the Developing World through Lent.

Question 3: What is your prayer this lent?



My prayer this lent is that Jesus would walk with me and my walk and talk would be more like His.

Next week's 24-7 Spaces will be hosted by the lovely Carla Harding. To find out more about 24-7's podcast series visit the Spaces page.