Ash Wednesday begins the Church’s observance of the Lenten season. It is a space in time in which we are called to return to the Lord. The prophet Joel declares, “Yet even now, says the Lord, repent and return to me with all your heart” Joel 2:13.
Traditionally, this season focuses on ways we can more intentionally enter into the disciplines of prayer, self-examination and repentance. Many Christians choose to include some sort of fast, or even a withdrawal from a portion of regular daily life. The Lenten season is also marked by celebration in remembering the compassion of Jesus, the servanthood of Jesus and the indescribable sacrifice of Jesus – Himself becoming our sin, paying our debt and making atonement for our sins and then overcoming sin and death through His victorious resurrection.
This year at Sanctuary, instead of focusing on self-examination and withdrawal we are going to lean in, we are going to move toward, the truth that we believe.
We believe the truth of God’s Word. We believe Jesus made atonement for our sins. We believe He suffered, died, and was buried, and we believe He was resurrected from the dead. We believe these truths and stake our lives their foundation.
This season we want to live more fully into what we believe.
To help us journey through this season together Sonny, Matt, Brent and Heather have joined me in creating a daily text devotional. The devotional will follow along with the Lenten sermon series and give you daily encouragement to live as if these truths were true.
Our hope is that you’d lean in with us this season and participate in the daily devotional personally, and with a small group of people, either at Sanctuary or maybe even in your office, classroom, or neighborhood.
Each devotional will include a portion of Scripture, a short reflection on the text, a few questions for reflection, and a prayer offered to bring rest. Devotionals on Saturdays will be prayers from Scripture or from our staff team. We trust these devotionals will be another way of being transformed by the Gospel to live and love like Jesus.
Honored to celebrate this season with you. “May it begin in me. Right here, Jesus. Right now, Jesus.”
Craig Bowler
