Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Preface for this Year's Lenten Devotional Guide

The following is the preface for a Lenten devotional guide prepared in 2009 by my mother, Patience Nave, for her church family in Florida. Starting on Ash Wednesday -- March 6, 2019 -- each of her entries will appear on my blog. I hope you can imagine my mother's voice and sense her passion for the Scripture in these daily entries. May God bless you as we enter into the Easter season.
Patience (Fort)

To my Homosassa UMC family,

Your encouraging words about what I had written for the Advent devotionals for 2008, prompted me to begin another devotional, this time for Lent 2009. I enjoy studying the Scriptures and writing about what I have found. Thank you for allowing me to do this!

Lent is 40 days, six days each week excluding Sundays. So you will have no devotional in this book for the Sundays in Lent. Pastor Mark’s sermons, your Sunday morning Bible classes, and your own personal devotions will be a guide to your Lenten thinking for those Sundays, but you’ll find here some thoughts for each of the other 40 days, plus one extra for Easter Monday.

I’m doing something a little different this time. As I began to explore the Scriptures and to think about passages to use, I realized that the verses were falling into four categories. They then began to form a pattern for our Easter thoughts. This little book now contains four sections. First we’ll look at God’s seeking us and our seeking him, then at his incredible Word and how that influences our lives and thinking. Next we’ll read many names and descriptions for Christ that help us understand who he is, and finally we will enjoy the last days in praise and thanksgiving for who God is and what he has done in us through Jesus Christ!

Easter is such a perfect time to bring a freshness to our spirits, as we think seriously about the crucifixion and resurrection and how different our lives are because of all Jesus did! I pray this devotional encourages your faith.

Patience (Nave)




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