what is lent?
Lent is the span of time in the church calendar that starts with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word “lengten,” which simply means “spring.” As the days lengthen and the new life that has been underground, hidden during the dormant winter months, shows that the winter has not been wasted because spring bursts forth with newness of life. Lent is a time in which we intentionally cultivate and anticipate the victory of the life of Christ over the barrenness of sin and death. In the Lent season we are training ourselves in the eternal truth that in His Kingdom suffering and death never have the last word; they are not the end, spring is always coming. Zechariah said it beautifully in Luke 1 and it is as if he is still speaking to us who are in the cold night of winter, “the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
It is our prayer and desire that you would take this journey with us from Ash Wednesday to Easter. We want all of Jesus for all of life, so this yearly reminder trains us in the pattern of grief, loss, hope, and victory which is so central to the Christian message and life. You will be reminded of the reality of broken humanity, but as days grow brighter, you will also experience with greater abundance the hope of God’s redeeming grace.
And so, just as we carefully prepare for big events in our personal lives, such as a wedding or commencement, Lent invites us to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is patented after Jesus’ forty days of fasting in the wilderness, and it serves as a yearly reminder of our humanity and our need of God’s salvation.
Lent is generally observed as a time for Christians to reflect, repent, and pray as a way of preparing their hearts for Easter. It is commonly observed by many Christian denominations—Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and others—although not every Christian church or denomination does so. Because Lent is not officially instituted in Scripture, observing it isn’t in any way a “requirement” of Christianity. However, the Jewish people had their feast days to remind themselves of who they are in light of God, and we still need reminders of who we are in light of who God is and what He has done.
How does one observe Lent? It differs from person to person and church to church, but some of the things Christians opt to do to observe Lent include:
The choice to observe Lent is a personal one—the whole point is to focus your heart and mind on Jesus during the journey to Easter. There’s no requirement to observe it, nor should you feel guilted into participating. However, millions of Christians around the world do observe Lent each year; if you’ve never done so, why not give it a try? Whether you observe Lent in a small or major way, you’ll be amazed at what happens when you devote a part of each day to reflecting on Jesus Christ and God’s Word.
We invite you to take a look at the resources below and consider ways that you and your house can deepen your relationship with Jesus over the coming weeks. Whether you call it “Lent observance” or “daily devotions” or something else, time spent reflecting on Jesus Christ is time well spent!
Read through the Gospels in 40 days
Download
Kids Paper Chain for LENT
Download
50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die: a free download by John Piper
Download
Lent Resource from the late Tim Keller. You can sign up to receive a daily Lent devotional.
Download
It is our prayer and desire that you would take this journey with us from Ash Wednesday to Easter. We want all of Jesus for all of life, so this yearly reminder trains us in the pattern of grief, loss, hope, and victory which is so central to the Christian message and life. You will be reminded of the reality of broken humanity, but as days grow brighter, you will also experience with greater abundance the hope of God’s redeeming grace.
And so, just as we carefully prepare for big events in our personal lives, such as a wedding or commencement, Lent invites us to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is patented after Jesus’ forty days of fasting in the wilderness, and it serves as a yearly reminder of our humanity and our need of God’s salvation.
Lent is generally observed as a time for Christians to reflect, repent, and pray as a way of preparing their hearts for Easter. It is commonly observed by many Christian denominations—Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and others—although not every Christian church or denomination does so. Because Lent is not officially instituted in Scripture, observing it isn’t in any way a “requirement” of Christianity. However, the Jewish people had their feast days to remind themselves of who they are in light of God, and we still need reminders of who we are in light of who God is and what He has done.
How does one observe Lent? It differs from person to person and church to church, but some of the things Christians opt to do to observe Lent include:
- On the first day of Lent (Ash Wednesday), some Christians mark their foreheads with ash as a symbol of sorrow and mourning over their sin, as well as a reminder of our human condition that is frail, temporary, and in need of a Savior. (See Job 42 for an example of ash used as a symbol of repentance and Genesis 3:19 for the reminder of the frailty of human nature.) I am sure you will see people around town who have observed this tradition. We will have a prayer time on Ash Wednesday at 6:30, but we are not planning an Ash Wednesday service.
- Some Christians choose to give up a habit or behavior during Lent as an exercise in prayerful self-denial. This might range from something as simple as not drinking soda or fasting from social media to a full-blown program of fasting during Lent. The purpose would be to stir up a hunger for God.
- Some Christians commit to a special devotional activity during Lent—for example, daily Scripture reading, regular prayer for a specific person or topic throughout Lent, or volunteer work in their community.
The choice to observe Lent is a personal one—the whole point is to focus your heart and mind on Jesus during the journey to Easter. There’s no requirement to observe it, nor should you feel guilted into participating. However, millions of Christians around the world do observe Lent each year; if you’ve never done so, why not give it a try? Whether you observe Lent in a small or major way, you’ll be amazed at what happens when you devote a part of each day to reflecting on Jesus Christ and God’s Word.
We invite you to take a look at the resources below and consider ways that you and your house can deepen your relationship with Jesus over the coming weeks. Whether you call it “Lent observance” or “daily devotions” or something else, time spent reflecting on Jesus Christ is time well spent!
Read through the Gospels in 40 days
Download
Kids Paper Chain for LENT
Download
50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die: a free download by John Piper
Download
Lent Resource from the late Tim Keller. You can sign up to receive a daily Lent devotional.
Download