Our Lenten Journey 2024

Lord,

I confess my sins and failures to you and I am very sorry for having sinned against You.  Give me the strength to seek and accept Your forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, you poured yourself out completely and died for me that I would have eternal life and I claim that wonderful and indescribable gift of salvation.

Create a clean heart in me and renew me in mind, body and spirit.

I consecrate myself to you Lord and ask that you use me according to your holy will.

I pray in Jesus name.

Amen

Isn’t fasting and prayer supposed to be a secret? You've started this journey with others who have been fasting and praying along with you. Many calls to pray and  fast in the Bible were corporate fasts called by authority figures for a whole group to participate together. The purpose of this season of Lent is to turn back to God and to get back on track. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus was asked about prayer and fasting and he was straight to the point: Do it in private; for an audience of one so that your motives are clear and not just a show for others to see.

In this time of self examination we need to ask some questions: "Am I doing this for me or for God?"

What has been my motivation to enter this time? "Has it been to become more focused on God or more focused on self? In other words: It's all about me and what I want. Praying and fasting in private can raise our level of self awareness especially about our thinking and relationship with God. Why then are we doing this? Is it to be an encouragement to others or receive support or sympathy?" Here's a tough one: Is there some secret wish to be seen as holy or spiritual by others?

Only two people know the answer to this question, you and God.

As you approach the mercy seat of God's presence in prayer, God helps you uncover the motives for your new commitment to prayer and fasting. Seek Him with humility in your heart.

May your time today be one of renewal and redirection as you focus more on what God wants for you rather  than on what you want from others and God. 

When done right you will come to understand that all this time God has been making it all about you.

Read: Matthew 6:5-18