Starting Lent 2020
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If you are looking for ideas and inspiration about how to use the season of Lent, here are a couple of things I have come across:
LIVING LENT
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The Methodist Church, working with the URC, the Baptist Union and the Church of Scotland, has some practical suggestions about how we might change the way we live, such as avoiding single-use plastics, going meat-free, looking for alternative forms of transport, reducing our energy usage, buying locally and trying to do buy nothing new until Easter. More information and support about how we might change our lifestyle for the sake of God's planet is available on the Living Lent website - www.livinglent.org
LENT CHALLENGE 2020
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Take up Bible memorisation for Lent! Bible Society has picked 40 inspiring verses of Scripture for us to try and memorise over each day over Lent. They invite you to store up in your heart and share with others as you prepare for Easter.
Yesterday's was "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3.16).
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And today's is "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3.5-6).
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You can discover more on their website - https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/landing/lent-challenge-2020/
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LENTEN BIBLE READINGS
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Friday: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7.7)
Saturday: ‘Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.’ (Psalm 1.1–3)
Week 2 – March 1 – 8
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Monday: I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15.5)
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Tuesday: ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41.10)
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Wednesday: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8.26)
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Thursday: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2.20)
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Friday: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15.13)
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Saturday: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.’ (Psalm 46.1–3)
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Week 3 - March 9 - 14
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Monday: ‘The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.’ (Psalm 23.1–3)
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Tuesday: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5.22–23)
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Wednesday: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8.28)
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Thursday: He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1.13-14)
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Friday: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1.3)
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Saturday: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4.6–7)
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Week 4 - March 16 - 21
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Monday: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46.10)
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Tuesday: For I desire steadfast love, and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6.6)
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Wednesday: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5.16–18)
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Thursday: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8.1)
Friday: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5.17)
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Saturday: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 16.24-25)
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Week 5 - March 23 - 28
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Monday: ‘The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.’ (Psalm 103.8)
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Tuesday: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6.8)
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Wednesday: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51.10–11)
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Thursday: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6.10–11)
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Friday: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8.38–39)
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Saturday: ‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.’ (Jude 24–25)
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Week 6 - March 30 - April 4
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Monday: ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!’ (Psalm 139.23–24)
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Tuesday: The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3.17)
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Wednesday: 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.' (John 11.25–26)
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Thursday: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10.9)
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Friday: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12.9)
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Saturday: And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2.8–11)
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Or if you are doing something else for Lent then please let me know, so we can all encourage and support one another.
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Best wishes,
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Rev Ken
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