2023 Lenten Devotions
READ ISAIAH 58:1-12
Most of us don’t fast anymore–not really. Not unless we have some surgery scheduled, or decide that we won’t eat chocolate during Lent. Catholics still refrain from eating meat on Fridays, but fasting? Not really.
The prophet in Second Isaiah didn’t like people who were all showy when they fasted.
“Look at me! I’m fasting! I’m righteous! Look how humble I am! I ROCK! Look at me while I fast!”
This is NOT pleasing to God, says Isaiah. Instead, the prophet says, God looks to those whose actions bring about a more just and righteous world as the kind of fast to emulate:
...break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts... sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the poor, and being available to your own families.
In this manner, let’s choose during Lent to fast or abstain from using words that cause harm to others...
Use words and metaphors which lift up and uplift God’s people as beloved and holy reflections of Jesus. Speak from the heart... a heart that seeks to dwell in the household of God, prayer-filled and mindful.
Let’s choose kindness above being unkind. Try to do what we have been taught by Jesus and love our neighbors. All neighbors. Even the ones that are really hard to! Let’s choose to be positive above negativity – when we find ourselves saying something negative – immediately try to think of a way to make it positive again.
WHAT in the WORLD will our lives look like when Lent is over if we practice these three things... along with prayer and reflection?!?!?!
Please use our Lenten Calendar to follow our Lenten Reflections and practices this year! We are constantly learning from Jesus and others who are a wonderful example of how we have been taught to live. GO OUT and be the example this Lenten season!
Ash Wednesday!
READ Psalm 51 and Ecclesiastes 3:20
On Ash Wednesday we use ashes to mark the sign of the cross on the believer’s forehead, symbolizing our need for salvation.
Prayer is an important part on Ash Wednesday. It is a time for reflection, repentance, and preparation for Lent.
Lent was traditionally a 40-day fast — referencing the time Jesus spent being tempted in the desert — that seeks to prepare the heart of the believer for the solemn remembrance of Jesus’ death. It concludes and is followed by a
joyous Easter Sunday celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
On Ash Wednesday, and during the Lenten season of fasting, prayer, and giving to the poor we renew our efforts to listen to Jesus’ call to pick up our crosses and follow him. We meditate and remember with Paul that we have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.
God says that the two greatest commandments are to love Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We speak the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection and His triumph over sin and death. We feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, take care of the widow and orphans.
PRAYER
Loving Father, have compassion for us. We confess our sins to You. We have fallen short of Your glory and without Your grace and Your mercy, we would be dust. We repent now. As we enter into this Lenten season, please be near to us. Help us, by Your Holy Spirit, to feel right conviction and repentance for our sin, and to have the strength to overcome the enemy. In Your name we pray, AMEN.
Week One! Beginning on Sunday, February 26th
READ
1 Peter 5:6
Psalm 118:25-26 1 Samuel 15:22 Matthew 4:1-2 Mark 1:12-13 Matthew 6:1 Philippians 3:10-11
Meditate and Pray for the week:
What can I do this Lenten season to focus on Christ? How can I honor the sacrifice of Jesus through my life?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Draw us closer to your heart, so that we might know you better and understand you more completely. We pray that we would not only give things up for Lent but also give you glory through Lent, Lord. May our actions reflect our hearts, and may we worship you through all that we say and do throughout the coming weeks. AMEN
My Notes & Thoughts:
Week Two! Beginning on Sunday, March 5th
READ
Luke 13:3
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Psalm 35:13
Psalm 42:1 Colossians 3:1-5a
2 Corinthians 5:17 Mark 7:7-9
Meditate and Pray for the week:
Is it important to you to observe Lent, rather than just go straight to celebrating Easter? Do you need a reminder of God’s grace? Do you want to realize more of God’s Spirit? Do you want to feel more joy?
PRAYER
Loving Father, May we see Your goodness and Your glory in new ways throughout this season of Lent. May we know the depths of Your love for us more fully. May we feel the pain You endured for our sake, Jesus, and may we rejoice when You rose to life again. AMEN
My Notes & Thoughts:
Week Three! Beginning on Sunday, March 12th
READ
Matthew 6:16 Colossians 1:27 John 20:17 Acts 10:2 Romans 5:8 John 3:16 Mark 15:3
Meditate and Pray for the week:
What unusual ways could you consider to shake things up in your faith? Has your heart been transformed and your life one that gives God glory and praise in every Way? How do we get closer in our hearts to God?
PRAYER
Jesus, You were scorned, beaten, mocked, and crucified - ALL for our sake. Thank You doesn’t really seem good enough for so much suffering and love. You are God’s one and only Son, the greatest sacrifice, our Savior and Redeemer. A gift that cannot be duplicated. We praise You and thank You with all that we are. AMEN
My Notes & Thoughts:
Week Four! Beginning on Sunday, March 19th
READ
Psalm 110:1 Daniel 7:13 Romans 10:6-7 Micah 7:8
Acts 4:33
John 3:16 (we will repeat this one for the week, it’s so important!) John 20:11-18
Meditate and Pray for the week:
Think about what it means for you that Jesus is the Son of God. What does the death and resurrection of Jesus mean for your own eternity? How could Jesus’ resurrection change your outlook on any of your personal circumstances?
PRAYER
Jesus, Your journey to the cross was so full of betrayal, grief, torture, and darkness, yet Your love for us, Your people, pushed You onward. Help us to comprehend just how powerful Your love for us is, that You would suffer such painful suffering and death to make way for us to be with You for eternity. AMEN
My Notes & Thoughts:
Week Five! Beginning on Sunday, March 26th
READ
Zechariah 9:9
1 Corinthians 11:24 Luke 22-24
1 Peter 5:7 Matthew 26:17-30 Mark 14-16
Hosea 12:6
Meditate and Pray for the week:
How have you seen Christ meet you in your dark days? How do others around you know that you are a follower of Christ? How can we turn our focus back to Christ when it begins to fade because we aren’t paying attention to our center, which is God?
PRAYER
Lord... May our praise never cease in this season. May our worship be unending. May our love for You find new depths. May this season bring new hope and new healing. Please help us as we journey toward the cross prayerfully and purposefully, even through the pain, doubt, questions, and searching.
My Notes & Thoughts:
Holy Week! Beginning on Sunday, April 2nd
PALM SUNDAY!
READ
Matthew 21:1-11, Psalm 118:1-2, Psalm 119:19-29
Meditate and Pray:
Lord God,
We give You thanks, for You are good, and Your mercy is endless.
Here we stand, at the start of this Holy Week, on a journey to the cross, Your Son Jesus’ suffering and death looming before us.
As Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem a crowd gathered around, laid palm branches and their clothes/coats across the road. It was a way of showing and giving Jesus royal treatment. The people shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Wonderful Father, Palm Sunday is an important reminder that the King of kings died for our sins. Jesus looked nothing like the Messiah Your people waited for. He spoke of peace while riding on top of a donkey. He didn’t come to conquer the government as a mighty military warrior. He came teaching us how to live and about Your will, in peace, not panic. He came to bring us His Peace. Sometimes we forget the Peace we possess in Christ! Even on the hardest day, please surround us with Your Peace.
We can get through because our Savior sustains us. He has already suffered and died to defeat the death we deserve. All of the pain we experience on this earth is temporary, for those who embrace Him as our Savior will be eternally with Him in heaven. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
READ also This week:
Matthew 21:10-17 John 12:1-8 Matthew 26:36-46 Hebrews 5:7-9
Maundy Thursday: April 6th READ
John 13:1-17, John 13:34-35
Meditate and Pray:
When we are called to wash feet, what will we say?
In the days of dusty roads and open-toed sandals, feet often became dirty, and it was the job of the lowest servants to wash the guests’ feet. But Jesus set an example of service by doing this job himself, despite the protests from Peter. The Disciples understood that Jesus was talking about real service, not a ritual. When Jesus said, wash one another’s feet, he meant, serve one another. Jesus is saying that we should humble ourselves and be willing to do even menial tasks for one another.
PRAYER
Lord God,
You sent your Son into the world, to grow and to thrive and then go out into the world to teach of Your love and care. He knew what was coming - and yet He did not run. He did not ask You to save Him. He did not hesitate what He knew had to happen. AND before His hour had come, He washed his disciples’ feet.
He had come from You, and would go back to You. The Son of God.
He knelt down on the floor, and washed His friends’ feet.
He was their teacher and their Lord,
Nonetheless... He washed their feet.
Lord, help us learn from His example; help us to do as He has done for us.
The world will know we are His disciples if we love one another and follow Your Word.
Strengthen our hands and our wills for love and service to You.
All glory be to Jesus, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and forever. AMEN
Good Friday: April 7th READ
John 18:1-40, John 19:1-42, Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53:1-12, Hebrews 10:16-25, Psalm 22, Matthew 17:1-6, Lamentations 3:1-9. Lamentations 3:19-24
Meditate and Pray:
Most humans try to avoid pain at all costs... there is nothing worse than pain and not being able to get comfort when we have pain. This is true of physical or emotional pain. We want to be safe and secure. Comfortable. Cozy even. God often asks us to get out of our comfort zones. He wants us to trust him, but we can only do that when we let go and obey.
Jesus subjected himself to being mocked by a large crowd, severe beatings, and one of the most horrific deaths the world has ever come up with. As the Son of God, he didn’t have to endure any of it! He didn’t have to be a prisoner of the Roman soldiers- he allowed himself to be. Even in those last excruciating hours nailed to the cross, he could have chosen to get out. But Jesus understood his suffering was not about him; it was the only way to restore sinners like us to our loving heavenly Father.
God doesn’t force us to follow him either. He doesn’t put the cross on us, but asks us to pick it up willingly. Our decision will cost us something; there’s heavy lifting, rejection, and personal interruptions. The only way to get the life we work so hard to protect is to give it back to God and trust him to take care of it.
PRAYER
Lord, Jesus cried out on the cross... He cried out to You, Lord...
“Why have You forsaken me?”
Many People stood at the foot of the cross, wondering where You were,
They watched Jesus being mocked and humiliated, and then killed.
Where were You, the people wondered.
Lord, We, too, ask where You are,
When there is trouble and suffering and death, and we cry out to You for help. We pray, oh Lord, for You to be near to us, and to save us.
Lord, We wait, on Friday, for the resurrection of Sunday...
Sometimes our lives seem like they are a succession of Fridays, and we cannot see immediately the light at the end... the tomb that will be empty.
Teach us to call Your name as Jesus did.
We see the suffering and Sacrifice of Your Son for us... We pray and contemplate that gift and what it means here towards the end of this Lenten Season.
In Your name we pray, AMEN
EASTER SUNDAY!!!!!! April 9th
ALLELUIA CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED!
READ
Matthew 28, Revelation 5:11-14, Psalm 118:1-2, Psalm 118:14-24
Meditate and Pray:
Imagine Jesus is saying your name. Imagine being in the height of your grief and pain, and Jesus found you and lovingly grabbed your shoulder and said your name in the most loving manner you have ever heard. What would hearing Jesus say your name aloud in one of your darkest moments do for you? Jesus is always standing right next to us, but we often don’t recognize Him. We need to open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds to the power of the Resurrection that is always with us. ALLELUIA!
PRAYER
Loving Father!
You loved this world so much, that you gave your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, that we might be called your children too. Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace Of Easter Sunday, every single day.
Let us have hearts of thankfulness for the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
Let us feel the grace You give freely, the love You envelope around us, and the care you give us by the plan You had for us to be forgiven.
We shout to the world today, this special day, the GOOD NEWS of salvation and Christs’ rising!
Christ is risen! He is risen INDEED! AMEN!
Read for Easter Monday, April 10th
Isaiah 40:28-29 Romans 6:8-11 John 14:6 Psalm 23:1-6