Prayer Ministry

From the Prayer Corner – A Prayer for Lent

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Sometimes we don’t really acknowledge this 40-day season of Lent, much less appreciate it. (No shame if that's you, too!) But we have an opportunity each year to come to see the beauty and richness that come from intentionality in our faith.  We might first think that Lent is just about giving up junk food or vowing yet again to create healthy habits in our lives, but can we discover a much deeper and more powerful purpose behind the weeks leading up to Easter?  And maybe see if the Lord might be stirring in our own hearts as this Lenten season begins? Perhaps this prayer will echo prayers on our hearts, and perhaps this season will be one we come to appreciate in new ways, too.

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of this season. Thank You for knowing our hearts and our need for rhythms in our lives, and for drawing us into a deeper communion with You throughout these coming 40 days.  May these weeks leading up to the tragedy of Good Friday and the glory of Resurrection Sunday remind us of who You are, how You love us, how much You want to spend time with us, and who You have created us to be as Your followers.

 

May we walk through this season intentionally, removing distractions that take our gaze away from Your glory. May we quiet the noise that pulls us from adoration of You and puts our attention on lesser things. May we simplify where we have been stressed, may we surrender what has been burdensome, may we repent of what has been sinful.

 

May we see Your goodness and Your glory in new ways throughout this season of Lent. May we know the depths of Your love for us more fully. May we feel the pain You endured for our sake, Jesus, and may we rejoice that You were victorious and conquered every bit of evil when you rose to life again. 

 

Draw us closer to Your heart, that we might know You better and understand You more completely. We pray that we would not only give things up for Lent, but that we would give You glory through Lent, Lord. May our actions reflect our hearts, and may we worship You through all that we say and do throughout the weeks to come.  Jesus, the journey You took to the cross was full of betrayal, grief, torture, and darkness, yet Your love for us, Your people, propelled You onward. Help us to comprehend just how powerful that love is, that You would suffer such a cruel death to make a way for us to be with You in glory forever. What a gift, Jesus. What a gift.  May our prayers and our praise never cease in this season. May our worship be unending. May our love for You find new depths. May this season bring new hope and new healing. May we journey toward the cross prayerfully and purposefully, even through our pain, our doubt, our questions, and our searching.  May we find resurrection life springing up from this old dusty ground, and may we be surprised by joy in all of it. May Easter be a day of complete celebration as we rejoice in our risen Savior and praise our gracious Father.  Thank You!  Amen!