Life is busy. Most Christians want to grow in their faith, yet making time is a challenge. The Season of Lent gives an opportunity to put a special focus on spending time with God and following Jesus more closely.
Spending Time With Jesus
Plan to spend some extra time with Jesus in the Gospels. How long does it take to read the Gospels? The average person can read Matthew (the one we’re following in worship this year) in 2-3 hours. Starting this Sunday there are six weeks in Lent. Read 4-5 chapters of Matthew in a week and you’ll only need to find 4 minutes per day, or 25-30 minutes each week. If you’re looking for a guide for your reading you can get a copy of N. T. Wright’s excellent and easy to read Matthew For Everyone.
Meditating on the Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is our worship focus until Easter, so another option would be to focus in on these chapters during Lent (Matthew 5-7). You can read the whole sermon out loud in just 20 minutes or again take just a few minutes each day to read a small portion and reflect on what Jesus is saying to you today. The Sermon was also designed for memorization, so you could try committing some (like the Beatitudes) or all of it to heart.
Praying With Jesus
One of the earliest guides on the Christian life recommends praying the Lord’s Prayer three times each day. Set aside enough time to pray through the Lord’s Prayer slowly and reflect on the words that Jesus has given us. If you would like a guide, you can find one in the resources below.
Other Spiritual Practices for Lent
A variety resources for prayer and Bible study and are available from the church office or on the St. Andrew’s website: http://standrews.ws/learning/resources/
