LENT 2020: LEGACY
Through the Lenten season, we hope to explore some historic ways Christians have practiced Lent including learning the practices of prayer, fasting, serving, living simply, and giving. Each Lenten reflection is accompanied by some suggestions of ways that you and your family might experiment with the practices of Lent. Today, we look at the discipline of Prayer.
PRAYER
Prayer may generally be described as that activity in which we are drawn closer to God in contemplation and communication. Prayer is our half of a conversation with God. That means that prayer is not only speaking, but listening as well. Jesus prayed (Mark 1:35), Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Luke 11) and the Scriptures say that the church is built on the prayers of God’s people (Acts 2:42).
The discipline of prayer during Lent is two fold:
First, Lenten prayer is a prayer time of self-examination. This is central to the traditional Lenten observance. Use these 40 days to ask yourself honestly before God some hard questions about your spiritual life and your spiritual maturity. If you don’t have a small group or a mentor/accountability partner, Lent might be a good time to pray about initiating such a relationship. Parents might use Lent as time to ask God to help them understand each of their children’s particular spiritual struggles and for help to provide them with leadership and encouragement. With all this emphasis on self-examination, however, it is crucial to keep your focus on Jesus: All of us are more sinful and helpless than we would’ve ever dared admit, yet in Christ we are more accepted and forgiven than we would’ve ever dared hope. Be careful that your self-examination is centered on this good news. There is always the danger of falling into unhealthy introspection, which can lead to despair over your own spiritual health and to a harsh legalism toward others.
Second, Lent can be a time of rededication to the life and habit of prayer for the things God calls all believers to prayer for: the church, the world and ministry of the Gospel and the coming kingdom of God. To assist and aid you in this endeavor we have created a LENT 2020: LEGACY prayer calendar that will give some prayer topics through Easter.
THE PRACTICE
Take home a calendar and join Grace Sacramento in daily prayer for our church, our community and our world and the LEGACY season of giving this Lent. Here are some additional resources to help you in this discipline of self-examination and rededication.
Teach Us to Pray: Scripture-Centered Family Worship through the Year
Lenten Booklet Featuring Church Fathers
Prayers for Lent [Calvin Institute of Christian Worship]
Holy Week Prayer Walk [Calvin Institute of Christian Worship]
We Wonder: Lent - Contemplative Podcast for Families