February 21st, 2021
by Denee Bowers
by Denee Bowers
Sunday, February 21
The First Sunday in Lent
Easily the most popular rule in the official Lent rulebook is the one that tells us we can break our fast on Sundays during the season.
Ok, there’s not really an official Lent rulebook. Instead, there are traditions and ways of engaging Lent embraced by generations of Christ followers that we get to join in. One of those common practices is to set Sundays aside as special days where you break your fast. As the traditional day of worship, Sundays are the day when we remember and celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Some even refer to Sundays during Lent as ‘mini Easters.’
In this devotional we will also set aside Sundays as a day without assigned scripture readings. You can use it as an opportunity to catch up on reading if you fell behind during the week, or just use it as a day of rest.
Here’s another encouragement. It’s not too late to begin a Lent fast. There have been many years where Ash Wednesday has snuck up on me, and despite my best intentions I haven’t come up with an intentional way to mark the season. Tomorrow is the start of a new week, and it can also be the start of a fast or a new practice in your life.
Just as there is no official Lent rule book, there is also no Lent scorecard. While checking off each day between now and Easter is appealing, too much emphasis on completing the task of Lent can cause us to miss the larger point. A perfect 40 days without coffee (or sugar, or social media, or you get the idea) will not necessarily draw us any closer to God than 33 days without coffee and a heart and mind set on God.
A practice to try this week:
Be mindful of how your fast affects you. Notice how many times you reach for the thing you have given up. Are you more dependent on it than you thought? Less? Ask God to meet you in the empty space.
The First Sunday in Lent
Easily the most popular rule in the official Lent rulebook is the one that tells us we can break our fast on Sundays during the season.
Ok, there’s not really an official Lent rulebook. Instead, there are traditions and ways of engaging Lent embraced by generations of Christ followers that we get to join in. One of those common practices is to set Sundays aside as special days where you break your fast. As the traditional day of worship, Sundays are the day when we remember and celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Some even refer to Sundays during Lent as ‘mini Easters.’
In this devotional we will also set aside Sundays as a day without assigned scripture readings. You can use it as an opportunity to catch up on reading if you fell behind during the week, or just use it as a day of rest.
Here’s another encouragement. It’s not too late to begin a Lent fast. There have been many years where Ash Wednesday has snuck up on me, and despite my best intentions I haven’t come up with an intentional way to mark the season. Tomorrow is the start of a new week, and it can also be the start of a fast or a new practice in your life.
Just as there is no official Lent rule book, there is also no Lent scorecard. While checking off each day between now and Easter is appealing, too much emphasis on completing the task of Lent can cause us to miss the larger point. A perfect 40 days without coffee (or sugar, or social media, or you get the idea) will not necessarily draw us any closer to God than 33 days without coffee and a heart and mind set on God.
A practice to try this week:
Be mindful of how your fast affects you. Notice how many times you reach for the thing you have given up. Are you more dependent on it than you thought? Less? Ask God to meet you in the empty space.
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Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 3Explore - Week 4God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23SENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
March
Lent Devotional Day 8Lent Devotional Day 9Celebrating BEYOND // M-Note 3.3.2023Who Is Jesus: BONUS Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 10Lent Devotional Day 11Lent Devotional Day 12Who Is Jesus: Week 1 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 13Lent Devotional Day 14Lent Devotional Day 15Lent Devotional Day 16Lent Devotional Day 17The Evening Service is BACK!!! // M-Note 3.10.23Lent Devotional Day 18Lent Devotional Day 19Who Is Jesus: Week 2 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 20Lent Devotional Day 21Lent Devotional Day 22Lent Devotional Day 23The Most Important Sunday of the Year // M-Note 3.17.23Who Is Jesus: Week 3 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 24Lent Devotional Day 25Lent Devotional Day 26Lent Devotional Day 27Lent Devotional Day 28Lent Devotional Day 29Lent Devotional Day 30The Power of Easter and Invitation // M-Note 3.24.23Lent Devotional Day 31Who Is Jesus: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 32Lent Devotional Day 33Lent Devotional Day 34Lent Devotional Day 35Lent Devotional Day 36Lent Devotional Day 37You Can't Miss This Part // M-Note 4.1.23Lent Devotional Day 38
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