Have you ever wondered what someone is talking about when they say they’re “giving up something” for Lent?
Have you ever seen someone with a dark smudge on their forehead, pointed it out + had them respond, “Yeah, I know. It’s Ash Wednesday.”?
Maybe you’re like me, you didn’t grow up in a church that observed Ash Wednesday or Lent, so you’d really like to know what they mean, represent + are all about.
Here goes . . .
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40-day period (not including Sundays) that begins on Ash Wednesday (more about that in a moment) + culminates on the Saturday of Easter weekend. Sundays aren’t included in the 40-day count because Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, so Sundays are considered resurrection day or days of “feasting” + celebration!
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day set aside by many churches as a day of prayer, fasting, reflection + repentance. Traditionally, Ash Wednesday features a time of being “anointed” or marked on the forehead or hand with ashes in the sign of the cross. The use of ashes is a recognition of our humanity + frailty.
They’re a reminder that we are in desperate need of God’s grace. They’re also a symbol of mourning + repentance over sin. This symbol has roots that go all the way back to the Old Testament. The sign of the cross is a reminder of God’s amazing love demonstrated when Jesus died for our sin + in our place!
At A2.Church, while we appreciate the beautiful tradition + symbolism of marking people with ashes, we don’t observe this practice. Instead, we mark or anoint people with oil on Ash Wednesday because we believe that Jesus came to fulfill the promise contained in Isaiah 61:1-3.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
—Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday + provides a great opportunity for believers to deepen our commitment to Jesus, grow in our relationship with God + to surrender every aspect of our life to Christ.
During Lent, we step back from the busyness of life, turn off the noise, see through the superficiality of this present age, reflect on how we got here + refocus our attention on Jesus + all that He accomplished through His cross + resurrection.
Many writers see the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness (Luke 4) as being a model for what Lent is all about. During His wilderness experience Jesus prayed, fasted + was tempted, but ultimately emerged with power!
That’s why Lent is a time for 1) focused prayer, 2) intentional fasting, 3) personal repentance + surrender, 4) random acts of generosity + kindness (Isaiah 58:5-12) + an opportunity for breakthrough + increased spiritual power!
5 Reasons To Observe Lent
This Lent at A2.Church represents a great time for us to:
- Focus on all that Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Sometimes the speed of life, along with a myriad of competing distractions that vie for our time + attention, keep us from thinking deeply about all that Jesus experienced + accomplished on the cross.
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
— Luke 22:19-20 NIV
Don’t miss the last phrase in Verse 19 . . . “Do this in remembrance of me.”
In other words, Jesus basically said, “I don’t ever want you to forget what I’ve done for you. In fact, I’m giving you a memory tool to help you remember. Whenever you eat this bread or drink this cup, remember me. Remember Me!”
We are so prone to forget, but Lent gives us an opportunity to remember. In fact, this Lent, A2.Church has provided this RELENT devotional with daily readings focused on all that Jesus experienced during the week leading to the cross.
We believe that reading through + meditating on these events will deepen your love for + worship of Jesus. (By the way, this material has also been posted to our website, A2.CHURCH, so that you can invite your family + friends to join you in this 40-day journey.)
On top of all this, Christians have believed that by taking the 40 days leading up to Easter to focus on the cross, we’ll prepare ourselves to more fully experience + celebrate the miracle + power of Jesus’ victorious resurrection on Easter Sunday!
2. Make prayer + intentional fasting a vital part of your life.
- Prayer
In the self-help classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey asked one of the best questions I’ve run across. He asked:
“What one thing could you do, that if you did it on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your life?”
—Stephen Covey [1]
When it comes to growing + strengthening your relationship with God, the answer to that question is a no-brainer. Here’s what I believe:
Prayer is the one thing we can do, that if we did it on a regular basis—if we made it a habit + lifestyle—it would make a tremendous positive difference in our lives.
This is probably why the disciples came to Jesus one day after watching Him pray with this request:
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him + said, “Lord, teach us to pray…”
—Luke 11:1 NLT
Jesus wasn’t bothered by their interest. In fact, it was in response to their question that He gave them what we’ve come to call “The Lord’s Prayer.”
“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 + forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 + lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For yours is the kingdom + the power + the glory forever. Amen.
—Matthew 6:9-13 NIV
With that short, poignant + profound prayer Jesus taught us so much. He taught us that prayer is a conversation with our Father.
When we pray, we affirm our relationship with God (v 9), acknowledge His greatness (v 9), align ourselves with His heart (v 10) + access His resources + power (vs 11-13).
This is why I believe that:
Prayer is the one thing we can do, that if we did it on a regular basis—if we made it a habit + lifestyle—it would make a tremendous positive difference in our lives.
Lent is a terrific opportunity to make prayer a vital part of your life.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Pick a time. Schedule some time every day to be alone with God. If you currently don’t have a practice of spending time with God, start with fifteen minutes.
- Pick a place. I find that it’s very helpful to have a designated place in your home where you go to pray. For me, it’s a chair in my home office.
- Eliminate distractions. Turn off your phone, computer, television + anything else that distracts you. This is one of the reasons I love to spend time with God first thing in the morning. Nothing else is competing for my attention, which allows me to intentionally focus on time with my Father.
- Read + meditate on Scripture. I read God’s Word every day, not because I’m “spiritual,” but because I’m desperate. His Word helps to form, shape + guide the direction of my prayers.
- Be real + raw with God. C.S. Lewis once described it like this, “We must lay before [God] all that is in us not what ought to be in us.” [2]
- Take time to listen. Prayer isn’t just about talking to God, it’s about creating space for God to talk to you.
This Lent, make prayer a vital part of your life.
Weekly Gathered Prayer @ A2.CHURCH:
Wednesdays @ 6:30 a.m.
Sundays @ 8:30 a.m.
Throughout Lent, you’re invited to join us for gathered prayer every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. + Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in the worship room.
- Fasting
Historically, Lent is viewed as an opportunity to pursue the heart of God through fasting.
Maybe you’re asking, “What is fasting all about? Why should I do it?”
Here’s your answer . . .
Fasting is the classical spiritual practice of voluntarily going without food (or some other gift from God that you would normally enjoy) for the sake of focusing all of your attention on God + pursuing a spiritual goal you believe God has planted in you. For instance, to grow in your faith, a closer relationship with God, freedom over some self-defeating habit or healing in some area of your life. But ultimately, the goal of fasting is always God.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
—Psalm 42:1-2 NIV
Fasting helps us put God first, hear His voice, know His heart, receive His guidance, pursue His plans + receive His blessing. Fasting can also serve as a catalyst for spiritual growth + breakthrough.
When it comes to how you can fast, here are a few options:
A Complete (Full) Fast – This is when you abstain from food, but continue to drink liquids (mainly water or healthy, no-sugar-added vegetable + fruit juices).
The Daniel Fast – It gets its name from a fast that Daniel observed in the book of Daniel. During this fast believers abstain from meats, bread, sweets + wine + only drink water or healthy, no-sugar-added vegetable + fruit juices. While several variations exist, the Daniel Fast focuses primarily on eating healthy whole foods like vegetables + natural fruits.
The “Partial” or “Jewish” or “Sun-up to Sun-down” Fast – Yes, this is known by several names. It involves abstaining from eating any type of food from sun-up to sun-down. Some people determine specific times of the day to observe the fast. For instance, they fast from 6 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. But the general principle is sun-up to sun-down.
A Selective Fast – Traditionally, Lent is often associated with practicing a selective fast where we remove certain foods from our diet so that we can more fully pursue the heart of God.
As I indicated above, you may have heard someone say something like, “This Lent I’m giving up . . . Sugar. Chocolate. Desserts., etc.”
A selective fast can include giving up foods like dairy, sugar, artificial sweeteners, bread, grains, soda, caffeine, coffee, chocolate, ice cream, wine, alcohol, processed foods, or any number of food items that may exert a controlling influence over you. Believers prayerfully choose the foods they will eliminate as a means of more fully focusing on God.
A Non-Food “Fast” – It’s important to point out that in the Bible fasting always involves food. Always. While Scripture doesn’t describe “a non-food fast,” those with health issues that require adherence to specific dietary guidelines + restrictions may choose to honor God by implementing some kind of a non-food “fast.” This is a decision to limit or completely abstain from something in your life that may exert a “controlling influence” or where you may need to develop more self-discipline + experience growth + freedom. For instance, you may choose to stop using social media, viewing television, using Netflix, watching the news, playing video games, reading certain books, etc., for a specific period of time.
Sometimes even those who are observing one of the “food” fasts described earlier, will also fast non-food items, as well.
It’s important for me to point out, if you’re on medication, have a medical condition, are under the care of a physician, or you’re considering engaging in a prolonged “full” fast, I recommend that you consult your doctor before implementing a fast.
Why is fasting essential?
John Piper once wrote:
“The birthplace of Christian fasting is homesickness [or hunger] for God.”
— John Piper [3]
In Matthew 5:6 Jesus gave us this promise:
“Blessed are those who hunger + thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
—Matthew 5:6 NIV
Back to Piper. When I read the following lines in his book almost two decades ago, I was crushed.
“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen + a spouse (Luke 14:18-20).” —John Piper, A Hunger for God
All too often I’m tempted to anesthetize the ache in my spirit + soul with a piece of pizza, a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, a bucket of popcorn, a burger from Baha Burger, a glass of Diet Coke, or by binging some show on Netflix.
The list of possible substitutes is endless.
Fasting is an opportunity for me to lay aside every substitute or “functional savior” I tend to gravitate to + place myself before God in desperation admitting, “God, I’m desperate for You. In fact, I want You this much.” My physical hunger becomes a catalyst for + a reminder of my deeper spiritual hunger.
How hungry are you for God?
So my question for you at this point is, “How hungry are you for God? Really?”
Will you pursue the heart of God + the spiritual goal He has placed on your heart through fasting?
Several decades ago, A.W. Tozer, in one of his Christian classics, The Pursuit of God, wrote the following prayer.
“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness + it has both satisfied me + made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one + come away.’ Then give me grace to rise + follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” —A. W. Tozer [4]
Centuries ago, the prophet Jeremiah shared this promise from God Himself.:
“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me + want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.
—Jeremiah 29:13 MSG
Choosing your fast.
During Lent, you may want to observe one of the above fasts for the entire 40-day period, or you may want to use a variety of the options we’ve described. For instance,
- Week One: A Selective Fast
- Week Two: The Daniel Fast
- Week Three: The Sun-up to Sun-down Fast
- Week Four: The Sun-up to Sun-down Fast
- Week Five: The Daniel Fast
- Week Six: A Complete or Full Fast for 3 Days + the Sun-up to Sun-down Fast for the remainder of the fast
Finally, throughout Lent, even those of you observing a “food” fast, may also want to “give up” a non-food item like social media, news media, your intake of television or movies, video games, etc., so that you can more fully focus on God.
Get a partner. Life + fasting are better together.
One more thought on fasting. While fasting is a very personal decision + should never be forced or coerced, many people find that they’re better able to stick with their commitment + decision to fast when they bring an accountability partner into the mix. You might even want to make this a family affair or part of your weekly small group gathering. Life + fasting are better together.
Why not ask a close friend, family member, or your small group to participate in this journey with you?
Lent is a great opportunity for us to:
- Focus on all that Jesus accomplished on the cross.
- Make prayer + intentional fasting a vital part of your life.
3. Pursue God for the freedom + deliverance made available at the cross.
Maybe there are self-defeating, sinful habits that have held you in bondage for years. When Jesus stepped out of the wilderness, He stepped out with an announcement of freedom + deliverance.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners + recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19 NIV (Cf Isaiah 61:1-2)
The next forty days could represent a defining moment for you to believe God for complete healing, breakthrough, freedom + total deliverance! Your complete freedom really is possible!
Jesus also stepped out of His desert experience in the “power of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:14). This Lent, why not make yourself available to God to be filled with + empowered by the Holy Spirit?
Define your spiritual goal.
A great practice at the start of Lent is to define what you want to see God do during the next 40 days.
What is your spiritual goal? For instance, “This Lent, I really want to grow in my relationship with God.” Or, “This Lent, I long to see God transform my marriage.” Or, “This Lent, I’m asking God to save my lost son or daughter.” Or, “This Lent, I’m asking God for clarity in my life + direction for my future.”
Define your purpose. Intentionality makes all the difference when it comes to whether or not you’ll experience Lent in a way that transforms your life.
4. Seek God for personal direction + guidance.
Sometimes we can’t hear God simply because we don’t get quiet + still enough to listen. Lent is a season to “. . . be still and know that [He] is God” (Psalm 46:10).
The 40 days of Lent can be a great opportunity for you to ask God to fulfill His promise in Isaiah 30:21.
“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.”
—Isaiah 30:21 NLT
God loves giving guidance to His kids! He loves it! If you need direction + clarity in some area of your life, ask God for it + expect Him to provide it.
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, + won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.”
—James 1:5 MSG
5. Practice generosity + random acts of kindness.
Traditionally, churches that observe Lent have viewed it as an opportunity for Christians to increase their generosity.
This includes honoring God not only with His tithe, but with offerings above + beyond the tithe. It includes random acts of kindness like purchasing a coffee for the car behind you in the drive-thru at Starbucks, paying for lunch for the police officers in line at Chick-fil-A, sending an assortment of cookies from Cookie Fix to the teachers at your child’s school, or giving the pastor at A2.Church a gift certificate to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Haha! Just kidding. But, you get the point.
2 Corinthians 8-9 may contain the first “fundraising” letter written by a leader in the church. Paul was challenging the church to give. In those two chapters, He indicated that our example when it comes to generosity is none other than the amazing generosity + extravagant grace of Jesus.
“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”
—2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT
That’s why Christians throughout centuries have viewed the 40 days of Lent as an opportunity to increase their generosity + to share random acts of kindness.
We really believe Lent can represent one of the most meaningful church-wide experiences in the history of A2.Church + be a strategic opportunity for spiritual growth + breakthrough, as we:
- Focus on all that Jesus accomplished on the cross.
- Make prayer + intentional fasting a vital part of your life.
- Pursue God for the freedom + deliverance made available at the cross.
- Seek God for personal direction + guidance.
- Practice generosity + random acts of kindness.
Are you ready to join this journey of surrender?
RELENT: SETTING MY COURSE
Set your course + make a plan by answering these questions before you begin the journey:
- What is my purpose, reason, or spiritual goal for observing Lent?
- What kind of fast will I observe during Lent?
- Who will my accountability partner(s) be during Lent?
- Why is this the right time for me to pray, fast + pursue God’s heart?
- What areas—or issues in my life—do I sense the Holy Spirit challenging me to surrender totally + completely to God during Lent? (List every item where surrender has been an issue.)
A Prayer for a Gospel Saturated Lent
Pastor Scotty Smith [5]
I love the prayers of Pastor Scotty Smith of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. I’ll close this intro to Lent with this prayer from 2011.
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them + on that day they will fast.” —Mark 2:19-20 NIV
Dear Jesus, it’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. For the next forty days, we have the privilege of surveying Your cross + preparing for the greatest of all celebrations—Easter Sunday, the foundation of our hope + the fountain of eternal joy.
For Your glory + our growth, we ask You to inundate us with fresh grace in the coming weeks. We don’t want an ordinary Lent season, Jesus. Saturate it with the gospel. It’s all about You, Jesus. It is all about You, what You’ve done for us, not what we promise to do for You.
Sadly, I used to dread Lent like late summer football practice. A lot of striving + sweat mixed in with much uncertainty + fear. “What’s the coach think about my performance? Am I doomed to sit on the bench? Will I even make the team this year?” What a misuse of the season of Lent. What a complete misrepresentation of the gospel. What a dismal way to live the Christian life. We’re Your betrothed bride, not a beleaguered people.
Indeed, Jesus, we begin Lent today anticipating our wedding, not our funeral. Jesus, for You’re the loving Bridegroom who died to make us Your cherished bride. The work’s already done; the dowry has been paid in full; the wedding dress of Your righteousness is already ours; the invitations have been sent out; the date has been secured; You’ll not change your mind! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Over these next 40 days intensify our hunger, assurance + longing for the Day of Your return—the Day of consummate joy, the wedding feast of the Lamb. In light of that banquet, we choose to deny ourselves (fast) certain pleasures for this brief season. But we’re not looking to get one thing from You, Jesus, just more of You. Fill our hearts with Your beauty + bounty, so very Amen, we pray, in Your holy + loving name.
My Heart for You!
I’m looking forward to observing Lent with the A2.Church family + extended family this year. Yes, I really mean that . . . I’m actually looking forward to it!
I’m excited about the potential + possibility of our entire church family participating in this experience that has deep roots in church history + is so focused on Jesus.
As we participate in this journey together, I want you to know that I am praying with you + for you:
- that you will be better able to “fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer + perfector of your faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
- that you will grow in your relationship with God.
- that you will be filled with + empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- that you will surrender every aspect of your life to Christ.
- that you will experience breakthrough, especially when it comes to the spiritual goal(s) you are pursuing +
- that Jesus will become the magnificent obsession of your life.
[1] Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, p. 163, Kindle Edition.
[2] C.S. Lewis, Letters To Malcolm
[3] John Piper, A Hunger for God.
[4] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, p. 5 of 32. Kindle Edition.
[5] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scotty-smith/a-prayer-for-a-gospel-saturated-lent/