Pancake Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent in which, traditionally, people used up all their rich foods (back in the day this meant eggs, milk, sugar etc), before the 40 days of fasting.
It was also the last day of confession; the means by which one could receive absolution for sins, before Lent.
During Lent the giving up luxuries is made as penance.
What about the Pancakes?
I love pancakes, swo it's a great excuse to eat them. Even if, as a reformed dude we believe Lent to be 'Papish' i'd point to Paul's words in Romans 14:17 and say that food isn't going to affect our stance before God.
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."We know from the Scriptures that there is one mediator between God & men (1 Tim 2:5) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). These in themselves take away the confessional, the fastings and penance as means of attaining forgiveness or of getting to God.
Jesus
It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ by which receive Salvation & Sanctification. This may mean we skip a meal or two; opting to spend time studying the Bible and praying instead of eating. It may mean that we confess our sins to a trusted friend, not for forgiveness sake, but for help in the daily struggle to pick up our cross and set aside sin. And it may mean we give up things because they are not helpful in our walk with God.
Our total dependence is on Christ.
Lets eat pancakes today and seek Christ in the days to come - if that means we use our time differently or waste less time on other things then that's fine and dandy. But don't focus on what we give up as meaning God 'owes' us. Focus on Jesus . . .
