It’s Shrove Tuesday, known as Pancake Day. It is the commencement of Lent in our churches.

It is when the Jewish commemorate the days of plagues before the Passover.

Passover is the night the plague of the death of the first born struck, and the Israelites were instructed to put blood of the purest lamb that had been sacrificed over their doorways.

When the spirit of death saw this, it would ‘Passover’ their place and they were protected.

The Jews still celebrate Passover to this day, as do a lot of Christians on Holy Thursday.

Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast, and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year: Eggs ~ creation; flour ~ the staff of life; salt ~ wholesomeness; milk ~ purity.

In the Salvation Army we combine it with our missionary appeal and call it Self Denial.

We are challenged to give up or ‘deny ourselves’ something of luxury.

I know of people who have given up caffeine, eating out, sugar, soft drink, things that are luxuries and we can actually live without, but with our addictive natures, they will be a challenge for those who choose it.

With all the celebrations that Easter brings, could you sacrifice something for the weeks leading up to it, that you take for granted or consider a luxury?

It just might make you feel a little closer to where God wants you to be, using the sacrifice to pray more, consider God more, read His words more, love more.

I pray you will be blessed as you ‘deny yourself’ in this Lent period.

~ Contributed by Captain Sandra Walmsley of the Deniliquin Salvation Army, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.