On February 22nd, also known as Ash Wednesday, the Lent season begins.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 4:1-2 CSB
Lent commemorates the days that Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. It’s a compound word that means ‘a change of mind’. When we repent, we change our minds about our ways. We recognize our sinful nature and are filled with remorse. But we don’t just sit in feelings of despair, we turn. We reorient ourselves to God’s truth. We commit to obeying His word. We strive to do better the next time.
While change may seem daunting, we don’t do this alone. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
S. Enoch
The Lent season invites us into a place of reflection and intimacy with God. By fasting, we weaken our flesh. In prayer, we access the Heavenly realms. With repentance, we encounter God’s mercy and forgiveness. It’s a time of preparation for Resurrection Sunday and renewal of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. It’s a season to reflect, repent, and experience God’s restoration.
6 Surely you desire integrity in the inner self,
and you teach me wisdom deep within.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.10 God, create a clean heart for me
Psalm 51:6-13 CSB
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach the rebellious your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Whether you’ve chosen to formally observe Lent or not, we welcome you to join The Restored Orchard as we journey through 40 days of scripture and reflection. Each day, we will meditate on scripture with the goal of reorienting ourselves to truth and identifying areas in life with opportunities for breakthroughs. Each scripture will have an accompanying question designed to evoke reflection. We challenge you to grab a journal and dig in!
