Lent Devotions 2021

Read: Mark 16:6-7 Reflect: What a glorious victory Christ has won! Death could not hold Him down. He is alive and reigns! Let us not look for Christ in the tomb, for He is not there anymore. Let us ask God to speak to us, to meet us where we are and to honour Him as Lord of all. Let us join with Christians around the world proclaiming “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Respond: Lord Jesus, you have overcome death and was raised to life again. May my whole life testify that you are risen indeed! Alleluia! Remind: "The message of Easter is that God's new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you're now invited to belong to it.”  ~N. T. Wright~ Photo by   Xan Griffin   on   Unsplash

Read: Mark 15:45-47 Reflect: A time of waiting is mostly, in my experience, a very difficult time indeed. The Saturday between the heartbreak of Good Friday and the joyous victory of Easter Sunday can seem like a difficult time because we know what’s coming, but we’re not there yet. It’s a quiet time. Like tombs usually are. It can feel like nothing is happening; no movement. It can feel like time is standing still. Rest assured that God is still in control, even in the times of waiting; the times when it feels like we’re in limbo. Maybe today will be a good day to be intentionally quiet and just listen, watch and wait for the coming victory. Respond: Lord Jesus, thank you that your burial was also not the final chapter in the story of redemption. Thank you that we can look forward to the promise of a victorious resurrection and that you are with me in the quietness of waiting. Amen. Remind: ”It is in the course of our feeble and very imperfect waiting that God Himself, by His hidden p

Read: Mark 15:37-39 Reflect: The curtain in the temple was there to hide the most holy place in the Jewish temple. The high priest would go behind the curtain once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people for the year. With Christ’s death the curtain is torn and the holiest of holies is exposed, open for all to see and experience. The heart of God is exposed to all. Through Christ’s sacrifice the loving heart of God is revealed to the world, and the world is welcomed in to experience it for themselves. Nothing and no one else would have been able to make this happen. Only Jesus. Respond: Lord Jesus, thank you for your willingness to reveal God’s love through your sacrifice on the cross. Thank you for inviting me into a relationship with you not dependent on anyone but me. I come to you now and bow in your presence, for you are here with me. Amen. Remind: ”God waits for you to communicate with Him. You have instant, direct access to God. God loves mankind so much, and in a ve

Read: Mark 15:33-34 Reflect: At this dark moment in history - when Jesus is about to die and is forsaken by His Father - it is hard to remember that Jesus is the Light of the world which darkness has not overcome (John 1:5). At this very moment in time it seems like this is the end. The end of hope. The end of joy. The end of peace. It must have been terrifying. We, in hindsight, know that the darkness only hid the victory, not extinguish it. This was not the end. May we, whatever darkness we are facing today, remember and remind ourselves that this too is not the end. The Light will shine in the darkness again, and it will not be overcome. Respond: Lord Jesus, thank you that the darkness is not the despairing end of our story, but the prelude to your victory. Please help me hold on to you, especially when it is darkest around me. Please fill me with your love, peace, joy and hope that I may shine your light to those around me. Amen. Remind: “All the darkness in the world cannot exting