As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.”
- Mark 2:19-20
Lent is meant to be a time of preparation, modeled after the 40 days of fasting Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry. It’s a time to humbly lament our sin, survey the cross, and anticipate the explosive joy of Resurrection Sunday. From beginning to end, we celebrate the fact that, as disciples of Jesus, we have no condemnation hanging over us. But many will choose to fast from certain pleasures during Lent to clear distractions, to focus on Christ, and to increase our hunger for him. Giving up something and replacing it with prayer and worship gives way to a deeper relationship with God and helps us more deeply experience the joy of knowing him.
This Lenten season, please join us in prayer and fasting as we look forward to celebrating Christ’s victory over sin and death at the resurrection and, ultimately, to the consummation of his kingdom at the wedding supper of the Lamb.
Lent Weekly Prayer Card
WEEK TWO
This week our focus is salvation.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Thank you, Father, for choosing us to be your people and for adopting us as your children. We know that we could never do this on our own – salvation is a gift of grace through Christ Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for being willing to suffer God’s wrath so that we could be restored to relationship with you.
This week, praise God for the present and future hope we have in Him!