Asheritah Ciuciu - Uncovering the Love of Jesus: A Lent Devotional

2020 by ASHERITAH CIUCIU

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W hat are you giving up for Lent?

The first time I heard that question my freshman year of college, I shrugged it off.

Lent? Huh? Isnt that something other denominations observed to practice penitence? Why would students at this evangelical college care about that? And anyway, I had grown up in a church where we didnt do that sort of thing. We believed that salvation is a free gift of God. No self-sacrifice required.

But I was surrounded by friends who were all giving something up for Lentsugar, Facebook, The Bachelorand this ancient tradition became a rite of passage for young adults who were breaking the shackles of their conservative upbringing, eager to make their faith their own.

So I caved in to the peer pressure, and I gave up sugar.

Im not quite sure what I expectedperhaps a renewed spiritual vigor or a deeper understanding of Godbut by Easter, I had experienced none of that. I had simply lost five pounds that quickly reappeared after a few days reacquainting myself with donuts and Mountain Dew.

It was quite the letdown.

Despite the resurgence of interest in rituals and traditions among evangelical millennials, Lent is not new, nor does it belong to any particular denomination. Historical records reveal the church has been observing a period of fasting and preparation before Resurrection Sunday since the time of the apostles, though it wasnt formalized as a universal practice until the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325.

Over time, some turned Lent into an obligation rather than an invitation, and others responded by violently rejecting rituals that hinted at works-based salvation, leaving us hundreds of years later scrambling for some semblance of rhythm that will ground us in our Christian walk.

Too many of us feel like Easter kind of sneaks up on us, and were left spiritually and emotionally unprepared to celebrate this most glorious of all celebrations: Jesus death and resurrection as victorious King.

Is it possible, then, that we might reclaim this season of Lent to focus our hearts on Jesus in preparation for Easter Sunday? Can we leave behind the trappings of ritual that weigh down our souls and reimagine what Lent could look like for twenty-first-century Christians who sincerely love Jesus and want to seek Him with all their hearts?

I believe we can.

Lent itself will not bring you closer to God. But in the hands of our heavenly Father, Lent becomes an invitation to uncover the love of Jesus, in a far greater way than we had ever imagined.

My hope is that as you read this book, you will uncover the deep love of Jesus poured out toward you personally in a whole new way, and that you will be a conduit of His love poured out toward those around you.

You will find some creative ideas to observe Lent throughout this devotional, including:

Daily DevotionsThe daily devotions throughout this book invite us to reflect on Jesus personal interactions with people from all walks of life. We will look at some of the ways in which Jesus lived out love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Well reflect on how Jesus loved others when He walked this earth, and how He demonstrates His love toward us today. Each day begins with a theme verse or two, followed by Read the Story, an indication of where you can open your Bible to read that days narrative from one of the Gospels. At the end of the devotional, youll find a challenge to help you apply what youve learned of Jesus love that day, as well as a prayer to respond to Him, and verses for further study.

Family CelebrationsThe beginning of each weeks devotions begins with a family celebration because Sundays are meant to be celebratory even in the midst of this otherwise somber season of Lent. These celebrations include a prayer each week, a suggested song to sing together, and other ways to worship. As Lenten Sundays traditionally do not have weekly themes associated with them, Ive framed the weekly celebrations in the form of questions and answers surrounding the purpose of Jesus death. There are many reasons Jesus came to die; Im hoping the eight reasons Ive listed throughout this book will provide a springboard into your own personal study and deeper conversations on this topic.