When I was growing up in a small town and attending a Protestant church that didn’t observe Lent, I was curious about students who came to school on what seemed to be a random Wednesday with a cross marked on their forehead in ashes. Now that I attend an Anglican church, I know about Ash Wednesday and Lent.
When Is Lent?
The date of Ash Wednesday is determined by the date of Easter. It’s 40 days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday. There are many references to 40 days in Scripture, notably the 40 days that Jesus spent praying and fasting before He began His ministry. Sunday is always a feast day, a day of celebration, as that is the day of Jesus’s resurrection. So we fast for six days but not the Sabbath.
My Lenten Devotions
This year I will be following a Bible reading plan from Bible Gateway. My daily plan for the year is from YouVersion. Both have some excellent reading plans–everything from a few days to a full year. I vary my readings each penitential season, not only the plan but also the version of the Bible.
During Lent, I will read the Scriptures listed for that day’s plan. Then I will write a brief meditation and a prayer. I have done this for years for my own personal use. Several years ago, I started publishing the devotions, first on my blog, then as a PDF, and in recent years as a print book that I’ve sold to raise for missionaries our church supports.
Lenten Devotional for You
This year, because of my illnesses in recent months, I didn’t have time to publish a print book, but I am offering a PDF devotional. This is my personal devotions from Lent last year. The PDF is free. You may read it online, and you are welcome to print as many copies as needed and distribute the PDF electronically as much as you like.