Lent Day 42, Tuesday, April 15, 2025
“Pray About Stewardship to Your Church”
Since our dreaded tax day has arrived during Holy Week, it seems only fit to consider our stewardship to God’s Church. Are we doing what we can, or are we doing what we should?
The words “Should” and “Can” are important because there’s a big difference between the two. Some of us give what we are supposed to give to the Church, no matter what. That law, written on our hearts, is a spiritual discipline. It is strong, powerful, and useful. It’s very important and sets an example that others can recognize and understand.
Others of us give what we CAN to give to the Church. This is different from the above because it represents our capability and potential rather than an expectation. For example, the ideal in scripture is to give 10% of our income to the Church. Are we able to do that? If not, what can we give?
Then, there are those who always give what they “Should” give and then add on what they “Can” give. In other words, they’re always giving their 10%, but when more is available, they give more. When the additional is not available, they still give their 10%.
These above examples of what “Should” and “Can” give are important benchmarks. Less than 2% of church attendees give what they should. Much less give what they can. Shall I be more specific? The average church attendee gives $17 per week. For some of us, that’s a lot. Most of us, however, can easily do more. We can go to see a film in a theater for that same price (of course, refreshments cost much more). Maybe we consider a film to be more entertaining, but what can God do with that same amount?
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to spend some time with God regarding our giving to the Church. Whatever church you call “Home” is yours, but remember that each church also belongs to God. That’s why we say that we are giving to God when we give to the Church: It is both ours and God’s, something that God established for us to share together. I think that’s cool, but even better than that, it’s incredibly powerful.
Look at what God accomplishes for the world with $17 per week. I wonder…what would God accomplish if I increase that amount to what I should and can give?
“Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7, The Message)
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Lent Day 41, Monday, April 14, 2025
“Conserve Today!”
As Holy Week 2025 arrives, we encounter a different kind of Lenten Challenge. Today’s task is to conserve everything we possibly can.
What does this mean in the context of our Lenten Challenge? It’s simple: Don’t create any unnecessary waste today. Paper, wrappers, boxes, and tin foil are all items that we can recycle. This is included in our conservation.
Fresh water should also be high on our list of conservation today. Let’s not waste water when we brush our teeth, bathe, or drink. Let’s not waste fresh water unnecessarily while cleaning our dishes or waiting for the hot water to arrive. Fresh water is a blessing, and we can do our part to conserve it.
Food is also on our list of things to conserve today. Most of us recognize that wasting food is a terrible tragedy that can have a far-reaching impact, but today, we’re going to focus on it. If we eat out, we don’t order more than we can consume or save for later. If we cook at home, we should focus on the same thing by not preparing so much food that we’ll be throwing any of it out.
Sure, coffee grounds aren’t so easy to conserve. Neither are eggshells, peanut hulls, or fish bones. But guess what? They can be recycled into compost. Dig a hole, drop it in, and cover it up. Done.
We can drive slower to conserve fuel (or ride a bike instead). We can turn off lights, TVs, and electronic devices when we leave our rooms, homes, and businesses. We can adjust our thermostats and use ceiling fans to help conserve electricity, and we can do plenty of other things if we think about it.
The purpose of Conservation is to protect this wonderful world that God created. God relies upon us to take care of it as best we can. We already recognize that we must take care of the planet for ourselves and future generations, but today, we should be intentional in doing our part.
Conserve. Recycle. Repurpose. It all counts today, but it counts even more tomorrow!
“God named the dry land Earth, and he named the gathered waters Seas. God saw how good it was. God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened. The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was.” (Genesis 1:10-12, CEB)
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Lent Day 40, Sunday, April 13, 2025
“Invite Someone to Church”
Today’s Challenge is perfect for this Lenten Season! Our Challenge is to invite someone to church.
There are no restrictions to this Challenge. As long as you officially invite someone to church, you will have successfully completed the Challenge. But just in case this one sounds a bit odd, let’s consider a few things.
First, inviting someone to church is sort of like inviting someone to become part of a family. The Church was founded on the principles of caring for one another out of the most sincere desire to help.
Second, we are supposed to be a part of a church family, and so is everyone else. Many people can be super faithful and not be involved in a church, but over the last two thousand years, we’ve learned that not being a part of a church family significantly limits one’s ability to understand a much bigger picture.
Third, we are supposed to invite other people to join us. The Church’s mission is to grow, which means we need the people who do not yet attend. Doing our part to get those invitations out is imperative for the church to complete its mission. It’s our responsibility to issue the invitation! Once we issue the invitation, the rest is between the other person and the LORD. It’s not our burden to make someone say, “Yes.”
Finally, most people who don’t regularly attend a church will say “Yes” if they are invited by a friend or acquaintance. The most recent polls show that over 80% of the people who are invited to church by a friend will attend. That’s some incredible odds in our favor, so I wouldn’t be too worried about getting turned down.
Now, if they say, “Yes”, or rather when they do say “Yes”, offer to pick them up. Or, if that’s not a good option, set a specific time to meet them in the church parking lot. The fear someone experiences in a new place is real, indeed. Eliminate it by agreeing to meet them and walk them in, show them the ropes…you get the drift.
Today, invite someone to church! Churches all over the world will be hosting special worship services all week long, so pick out a few you like and start inviting!
“Then Jesus said to them, 'Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my brothers that I am going into Galilee. They will see me there.’ ” (Matthew 28:10, CEB)
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Lent Day 39, Saturday, April 12, 2025
“Just Say No: No TV, Social Media, Streaming or Video Games”
Holy Smokes! What Gives? The reason lots of us are participating in the Lent Challenges this year is that some of the tasks are super easy! Now, after a 24-hour fast, no TV?
If you’re planning to watch The Master’s, I’m sorry! The only thing allowed today is radio, streaming music, and similar. So, if you are a golf fan, it looks like you’ll need to tune in by streaming radio for the next 24 hours. Relax! You’ll get to watch the final day!
For the rest of us, we shouldn’t be heartbroken that we can’t do visual media for 24 hours. I mean, really... Just 30 years ago, much of this stuff didn’t exist. Sure, we had TV, but we could’ve dodged TV for a day, no problem. But no internet surfing? No watching my favorite animals do cute things? That’s right. Not today.
Fortunately, just about all of us remember the days before smartphones and computers. It wasn’t that long ago that none of it existed. In 1994, I received my first cell phone (0.6 watt flip phone). It cost a small fortune, and the monthly fees were even worse, but I was working for a large international bank that paid for it. I was the only person I knew who had a cell phone. I also had a digital pager, but no cell phone texting my friends, as none of them had a phone. It wasn’t that long ago…
Today should be good for us. We need to experience other stimulations! If your work requires the computer, that is fine! (Just don’t fall for clickbait that lures you to start scrolling tempting websites!) Calling a friend on the phone would be great. The radio is fine. Reading is wonderful. Walking outside is beautiful. But, for sure, fishing is the best!
Take some time and thank the LORD for all the things we can do!
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display God’s craftsmanship.” (Psalm 19:1, NLT)
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Lent Day 38, Friday, April 11, 2025
“24-Hour Fast”
Yep! It’s finally arrived! This is the first of two 24-hour fasts we will face in our Lenten Challenges this Season.
For those who are new to the whole fasting concept or those who won’t try to fast, please allow for a very brief explanation. Don’t worry. I’m not going to provide some inspirational speech that will motivate (or guilt) you into doing something you don’t want to do. Fasting is something that has been around for thousands of years, and it is practiced by nearly every religion that has ever existed. Fasting is nothing new to the world, and, in some places, fasting is a part of daily life.
Fasting, as a spiritual discipline, is not intended to show us how much weight we need to lose, nor is it intended to show us how much food we waste every day. Fasting is not intended to make us hungrier when we break the fast at the end of our 24 hours. Instead, a one-day fast is intended to show us that we are much more capable of accomplishing something BIG than we might think.
For instance, if you haven’t eaten anything today, then don’t! No food today. But guess what? Drinks are okay. Whatever drinks you want are just fine, though smoothies would be kinda’ breaking the rules. So would a cheeseburger in a blender. Don’t do that. If you have a special event or meal today and you need to eat, go ahead. You can start your 24-hour fast after that or just start it tonight after dinner.
Think you can do this? Can you go 24 hours without eating food? Now, if the doc says you can’t do this Challenge, don’t! Use your brain! If your doctor says you gotta eat, follow the doctor’s orders. Instead of eating, spend an hour with the LORD today. Break your hour up into pieces if you want, but give at least 1 of your 24 hours to God today. For the rest of us, let’s give it a shot. We can lean on God and focus on the LORD when it gets tough.
You got this. I got this, too. But most importantly, God has both of us.
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16 -18 NIV)
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Lent Day 37, Thursday, April 10, 2025
“Check In With Loved Ones”
It’s time for a wellness check! Where are your loved ones? At home? On the water? In the woods? At the beach?
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to make contact with our loved ones. Phone, text, and email are fine. The point of this challenge is to get a response from your loved ones so that you know they are safe and well.
Don’t shrug your shoulders. Maybe you already know they are doing just fine. You may also know exactly what they’re up to right now, but it never hurts to let someone know that they haven’t been forgotten by their loved ones.
Who is it that needs to be contacted today? God may have already whispered in your ear to let you know, and if your mind is generating a list of names, write them down so no one is forgotten. You may be surprised to hear what your special people are up to!
“Care about others as much as you care about yourselves.” (Phillippians 2:4, CEV)
Lent Day 36, Wednesday, April 9, 2025
“Listen!”
Are you the one in the group who always talks? Are you the person who always leads the discussion? Are you overly eager to share your knowledge and experience with everyone? Do you normally carry the conversation, and do you already know about most of the things that will happen today?
If you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions, then this Challenge for Lent is for you. Today’s Challenge is to “Listen”.
Today’s Challenge is not a vow of silence. Instead, today’s Challenge is about paying close attention to our environment. One of the best ways to learn is to listen. The more we talk, the less we learn because the only person we can hear is ourselves. We really need to be better listeners, don’t we?
In our Lenten Challenge today, talking and speaking are fine, especially if our job and vocation require us to do so. Becoming a good listener is not easy. It takes lots of practice. To be good at it, one really must work at it.
We have to train our brains to slow down long enough for our ears to catch up, especially if we are high-energy people. Since this is how God made us, it’ll be especially difficult, but we must try! Today’s Challenge is to Listen! We can do it!
“Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.” (James 1:19, The Message)
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Lent Day 35, Tuesday, April 8, 2025
“Read (or Listen to) An Extra Devotion”
Today’s Lenten Challenge is an easy one, but it is also a very helpful one. Today’s task is to “Read (or Listen to) An Extra Devotion”, which simply means that we need to find a devotion (other than this one) and read it or listen to it.
The reasoning is simple: More opportunities for absorbing good stuff can only help. God speaks in many ways, one of which includes the voices and thoughts of others. Oh, it’s not that people who write devotions are “Holier Than Thou.” In fact, it may be just the opposite. Folks who write are likely taking some time to think and pray about a way to help someone else.
It’s really simple. The devotion I’m writing now is little more than a thought and prayer that began about eight weeks ago as our Lenten calendar was being prepared. Among the questions I was asking myself was, “Am I doing enough to help ME, let alone someone else?” One of the things I recognized is that I needed more intentional time exploring God’s Word through other people. I have lots of friends who write devotions, plus I know plenty of more prominent authors who do the same. All of them are doing their best to share their own exploration of God’s work in their lives, which is just one more way that God may be using to teach and lead me.
Where will you go for an additional devotion today? Here are a couple you might find interesting, but you can find your own as well. I’m sure other folks might be willing to share their favorites in the comments below.
“Jesus replied, ‘But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’ ” (Luke 11:28, NLT)
Father Mike Schmitz, Bible in a Year Podcast - Day 98: Israel Asks for a King — The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
D365 - Daily devotions to read - D365.org
The Upper Room Daily Devotional - The Upper Room
Billy Graham Daily Devotion - Billy Graham Daily Devotion: What Makes Christianity Different?
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Lent Day 34, Monday, April 7, 2025
“Help A Neighbor”
Our Lenten Challenge today is to help a neighbor. Throughout this Lenten Season, we’ve encountered several Challenges focused on helping other people. This time, the focus is someone who lives close enough to be considered a neighbor.
The help we provide could be any kind of help, taking any amount of time. The only requirement is that we pay attention to our neighbors so that we are able to recognize the opportunities to help. If we don’t pay attention, we may not be able to see how we can help. So, a big part of this Challenge is simply paying attention.
The Bible is filled with strong suggestions (or even commands) to love our neighbors. The Bible is also filled with stories and examples of neighbors helping neighbors, to the extent that we are reminded that neighbors are also responsible for each other. Why? The answer is simple: neighbors are community.
We work out our lives in community. We live together, we shop together, we pay taxes together, and we shelter from storms together. Without neighbors, life can be very challenging, as all of us recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let’s not take it for granted that we have neighbors around us. Find a way to help one!
“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Galatians 5:14, NLT)
Lent Day 33, Sunday, April 6, 2025
“Go the Extra Mile for Another”
As we begin the fifth full week of Lent, our Challenges again focus on our relationship with God and each other. How do we respond to the needs of others? How do we respond to God’s needs for those around us? When we do good things for each other, we represent the hands and heart of God. When we turn away from helping each other, we might also be turning away from God.
That’s the point of today’s Lenten Challenges and the focus of this upcoming week: to focus on the needs of others. How can we bless others? Is there something we are already doing, but we know that we could do more? Where does someone need me? Where does God need me?
The answers to these questions are sometimes obvious, but not all the time. This is part of the thought process that we often call “discernment”, which is a fancy term used to describe how we consider God’s needs above our own. Trying to figure out what God may need might seem to be impossible, but really, it’s often quite easy. We simply need to be aware of our surroundings and attentive to those around us and those we encounter. God is often speaking, but unless we take some time to be in quiet peace, we may never hear or understand it.
Where do we feel God leading us to help others? It may not always be at a convenient time, but that’s the point: When someone is in need, their need is immediate. When people are hungry, promising food next week won’t help. They are hungry now! Today’s Challenge is to “Go the Extra Mile” for someone else. Let’s pay attention today and this week.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38, NIV)
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Lent Day 32, Saturday, April 5, 2025
“Walk or Play Outside”
Today’s Challenge, to spend some time outside, arrives at a time when our state is experiencing storms and poor weather. For local readers, we probably won’t be out much today, but we can still do something for God.
Yes, the Challenge is actually to “Walk or Play”, but the intent is just to encourage us to spend some time recognizing the majesty in God’s great world. Crack your window a bit to breathe some fresh air. Do you hear the birds in the stillness before the rain? Do you see green growth in the plants and grass from the last few days’ rain, in spite of the volume? Do the storms slow you to the busy of the week you might have planned? All of this counts for today's Challenge, as long as we can take some time to recognize what the LORD has provided.
The Saturday Challenges are usually a bit easier for the Lenten Season, so don’t let this one slide by. Offer a prayer today for those affected by storms in our state and our country. Give thanks that God uses the heavy rains (literally and metaphorically) to bring a new creation. Listen to the sound of the rain be still for what God may be speaking. God has something special to share!
“Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you… For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.” (Job 12:7-10)
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Lent Day 31, Friday, April 4, 2025
“Water Only Beverage”
As we begin another Friday in Lent, we again tackle another 24-hour dietary Challenge. Today’s Challenge is to drink only water.
If you’ve been following along in these Daily Challenges, you shouldn’t be surprised with this one. Two weeks ago, we were Challenged to give up sugar for a day, and last week, we were urged to give up caffeine for a day. Hopefully, those two helped to prepare us for this one cause we’re going to need it!
As most people already know, water is a substance that our bodies must have for survival. Food is also required, but our bodies can survive for weeks without food. Water is the one thing we must have to live, and as our medical community suggests, all of us need to be drinking more of it. ng to need it!
Now, if your doctors will not allow you to participate in today’s Challenge, then don’t! Do something different for God, such as pray for 15 minutes. God doesn’t want you to risk your own health. In fact, God wants each of us to take care of our bodies, which is why this challenge appears each year. For this Challenge, if you’ve got other considerations that are more important, then pick something else to do for the LORD.
The rest of us don’t have a way out of this one. We are challenged to drink just water today, or at least, for 24 hours. All foods are okay, so feel free to eat what you want; just make sure to chase it with water!
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come! Let the one who wishes receive life-giving water as a gift.” (Revelation 22:17, CEB)
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Lent Day 30, Thursday, April 3, 2025
“Meet Someone New”
Today’s Challenge for Lent is to Meet Someone New, which ought to be easy enough. Most people probably don’t know us, despite what we tend to think. Therefore, it never hurts to introduce ourselves to someone if we’re not sure. In fact, introducing ourselves to someone is a good and Godly thing because it might be removing the burden of remembering from someone else’s task-maximized brain.
Do you know anyone who struggles to remember names? Lots of people are not good with names, so if this describes you, you’re in the majority. Most people, even plenty of those with whom we have contact, can’t remember. Not sure about this? Try an experiment: For the first half of the day, see if you can name each and every person you come into visual or audible contact with. Then, after you encounter the first person that you can’t name, make a pledge to yourself that the next person will be your person to meet today.
I know. This probably sounds bizarre. But here’s the truth: Most people are kind, and most people are probably interested in knowing your name. It makes us feel good when our names are spoken. It makes us feel special, valued, and important.
Since today’s Lenten Challenge is to meet someone new, our target audience should really be a person we don’t know at all. However, as an additional option, let’s include the people we may already know but we can’t call them by name. Let’s figure out their name and use it the next time we see them! We might discover something special and Godly in the process!
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2, NIV)
Lent Day 29, Wednesday, April 2, 2025
“Reconcile With Someone”
For many of us who are participating in these Daily Challenges for Lent, today’s Challenge will be the most difficult. However, there’s one part that’s easy about it: writing.
Yes, writing the devotion for this Challenge is super easy because all of us know what we need to do, yet few of us will actually accomplish it. It’s tragic, for sure. And don’t be led astray by my admittance of this difficulty as being my excuse for not reconciling with someone. Even pastors have issues. In fact, sometimes, we have lots of issues that need reconciliation.
It's peculiar. Each year, while preparing the Lenten Calendar several weeks before the beginning of the Season, the author has the option to leave this one out. It’s my most difficult challenge, and I can easily avoid it by not including it each year. The problem is that I know God wants me to do it differently. God urges me forward in reconciliation, not because I have to, but because God needs me to grow in faith and understanding.
Part of the problem with reconciling with others is the admittance of wrong. As we discussed a couple of days ago in the Daily Challenge to forgive another person, this Challenge of reconciliation may also include some admittance of fault before another person accepts us. But even then, if we think the other person is going to place demands on us before we are accepted, that’s not what God desires. In fact, God is the one who matters most in all of it. If I’m doing what God needs me to do, then I can be at peace knowing I’m not responsible for another person’s response. In other words, when I approach them, their response is their own responsibility. If they do not receive me in the manner that God wants them to, then the burden is on them, not me. So, in a way, a movement towards reconciliation removes the burden I carry in the situation.
Let’s not get hung up on this issue. We need to reconcile with someone. Some of us have lots of people with whom to reconcile, but don’t try to tackle the world. Pick one and run with it. Pray and pray some more, then follow God’s lead. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get a best friend back. Maybe we’ll get a family member back. Maybe we’ll discover there was never a problem in the first place, or, just maybe, we’ll find that the other person has already forgiven us.
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to reconcile with someone! Let’s get to it!
“I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.” (Ephesians 4:1b-3, The Message)
Lent Day 28, Tuesday, April 1, 2025
“Complete A Random Act of Kindness”
Today’s Challenge is to complete a Random Act of Kindness. This is really great. For those who haven’t seen the film “Evan Almighty”, starring Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman, put this movie on your schedule for Lent this year. It’s a beautiful, funny, inspiring, and clean film about a rookie congressman whom God called to build an ark.
Our Challenge today is to do something nice for someone else. Instead of pulling pranks on one another this April “Fool’s Day”, today is the perfect opportunity to do something genuine. We don’t need to know the recipient of our Kind Act, although it’s fine if we do know them.
Some ideas of a Random Act of Kindness are to pay it forward if we are in the coffee shop today. Maybe we can call and check in with someone who needs a little light in their day. We can also help someone in the grocery store or give an extra tip to our wait staff. Or maybe we do something nice for our mail carrier or collect nonperishable food for our food pantry.
Yeah, if we take a few minutes, we can discover plenty of opportunities to complete a Random Act of Kindness, and it doesn’t always have to include a Bible lesson. It’s perfectly fine to do something good just for the sake of caring for each other. Sometimes, the smallest little thing can make all the difference in the world.
We matter. The people we encounter today matter. Let’s find a way to bless one another by completing a Random Act of Kindness this week!
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” (1 John 3:18, NLT)
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Lent Day 27, Monday, March 31, 2025
“Forgive Someone Else”
We have begun the fourth week of Lent, so if you’ve made a Lenten Commitment, you might already be more than halfway through! On the other hand, if you haven’t chosen to do anything specific for God this Lent, that’s okay. This is the perfect time and day to begin.
Our Challenge today is to forgive someone else. This is one of the more difficult Daily Challenges we’ll face this year. Why? It’s not easy to forgive someone for the pain they’ve caused us, especially when we are right. No matter who we are, we have a great desire to be correct.
This is a topic that could be stretched in many ways. For instance, sometimes we want to be more than right. We want to be proven correct, and we want an apology. Then, at times, we want the other person to make a full admission of guilt, requiring them to provide a complete understanding of the specifics involved, as if it will somehow make us feel better. Other times, we push it so far that we require a public apology and statement of our righteousness so that we can be justified in an embarrassment (or even slander) that we experienced.
Forgiving someone can be tricky, often because we will only offer it under certain circumstances. We tend to put conditions on our forgiveness, some of which are so restrictive that forgiveness can never be granted. Yes, yes…this is all basic stuff, but this is also very difficult.
True forgiveness, like the forgiveness God offers to each of us, doesn’t come with conditions or requirements (Thank God!). Instead, the forgiveness that God offers is provided to us out of God’s goodness, not our potential for good behavior or understanding of the bad thing we did.
Today’s Challenge for Lent is to forgive someone for what they did to us. Don’t worry about making them apologize. Don’t even worry about making contact with them (although that would be fine if we did). Instead, let’s go to God in prayer and seek to forgive that person from the purest intentions of love and grace.
We can do this one. It won’t be easy, but we’ll be surprised at how much accomplishing this one task will help our day, week, and a lifetime of well-being.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13, NIV)
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Lent Day 26, Sunday, March 30, 2025
“Defeat the Ghost of Easter Past”
If you’re reading this early in the morning, you might think that you’re seeing something wrong. No worries: You are correct. Today’s Challenge for Lent is to Defeat the Ghost of Easter Past.
So, assuming that most people recognize the Ghost of Christmas Past from Charles Dickens’s 1843 novel, “A Christmas Carol”, today’s Challenge is along the same lines. However, instead of the ghost carrying us back to review our past, we’re going to do it ourselves by committing to move forward, passed the pains of the past.
Our pains and sufferings are real enough. They are also valid, regardless of our age or context. The fear they caused was bad enough, and many of us are still haunted by those fears.
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to Defeat the Ghost of Easter Past. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and the resurrection that follows accomplishes many things on our behalf. One of them is that we don’t have to allow ourselves to be prisoners forever. We are promised a perfect life after this one, but we are also promised that this life can be much better as we allow God the opportunity to heal us so that we can experience lives of hope, joy, and love.
What is your ghost? What haunts me? Today’s Lenten Challenge is to kick them to the curb and burn rubber, leaving nothing but a plume of smoke and lessons learned for another day.
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14, NLT)
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Lent Day 25, Saturday, March 29, 2025
“Thank a Military Member”
Today is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, remembering those men and women who bravely served the United States in the Vietnam War. Approximately 2.7 million servicemen and women were involved in the War, over 58,000 of whom lost their lives.
Crossing two decades of the 1960s and 1970s, the Vietnam War involved five U.S. Presidents, thousands of public officials, and hundreds of millions of people who struggled to understand the issues. Unfortunately, the public’s reception of the returning soldiers was not always hospitable, adding incredible insult to an already severely wounded soldier and their loved ones.
We don’t have to go into the details to be thankful. Someone else was brave enough to fight for the liberties we experience and enjoy. We can show our gratitude by telling someone who served in the Armed Services our most heartfelt thanks for their service. God gave the gifts of courage, commitment, and duty to a few people who need to be recognized. Find one of them this weekend and give them a genuine “Thank You” for their service.
“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3a, ESV)
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“Caffeine-Free!”
Argh! It’s the dreaded “Caffeine-Free” Friday, one of the Daily Challenges that repeats each Lenten Season. If you haven’t noticed, each Friday we face a different dietary challenge. The good news is that each Challenge is only 24 hours. The bad news is that we can’t consume caffeine today.
Have no fear! As with all our Friday, diet-related challenges, if you haven’t consumed any caffeine today, you’re already well ahead of the curve. Simply count backward to the last caffeine you consumed and begin counting from there. Once you arrive at 24 hours, you’re in the clear.
Another good thing about today’s Challenge is that all sugar is okay. So are all meats, cheese, and everything else. Come to think about it, considering the only thing I can’t have today is caffeine, this should be simple! The rest of the world is available to me!
If you’re thinking about Adam and Eve, then you’re on the right track. The first two people God created, Adam and Eve, could eat and drink anything they wished. Only one thing, the tree in the middle of the garden, was forbidden. As long as they avoided that one thing, they were safe.
But as you probably know, Adam and Eve finally gave in to their desires and took from the tree, against God’s Command. Of course, in that original story, we’re not told how long they made it without giving in to the temptation. They may have lived for thousands of years in the Garden of Eden before they broke the rules.
Compared to the Garden of Eden, today’s Challenge is simple: Caffeine-Free for 24 hours. We can do this and honor God. If you start to fall apart and think you’re not going to make it, take a few moments to pray, giving God thanks for the coffee bean. After all, God created coffee, so it can’t be all bad!
“No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NRSVue)
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Lent Day 23, Thursday, March 27, 2025
“Donate Food”
Today’s Challenge for Lent is another easy one, but it might be the most important one of the entire Season. Why?
In the United States alone, there are more than 47 million hungry people, including 1 in 5 children. This amounts to about 13.5% of the population. Considering that the US is typically considered the most wealthy and capable country in the world, the hunger statistics are astounding.
One in ten people in this country is hungry today. If we drove into town today, we’d probably see evidence of those who are hungry. Some of them are standing on the street corner with cardboard signs, while others are walking along the busy street from place to place. Most people in need, however, aren’t peddling for handouts. Most of them are working marginal jobs for menial pay. Multiple families live in the same home, sharing one car and trying to get everyone to school and work.
Speaking of school, 14 million children in the United States experienced hunger last year. Thankfully, many children are able to eat at school. But unfortunately, when they get home, they don’t eat. That means that Spring Break could be a week without food. Summer vacation could be several months without meals available.
Even if we want to ignore the statistics, we shouldn’t ignore our neighbors, the child who sits next to our child in the classroom, or the adults who struggle to find work that can sustain them. Today, let’s collect non-perishable food. Make plans to donate the food to a local shelter, nonprofit, and especially your local church.
At PHBC, we continually stock with our own Pantry outside our steps on Kavanaugh to help with food insecurity. Lot’s of churches will be doing the same, but if they aren’t, our church will know where the food can go! Get it to them. If we give the world hunger problem some attention, we can make a real difference.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” (Matthew 25:35, NIV)
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Lent Day 22, Wednesday, March 26, 2025
“Pray for 15 Minutes”
Landing in the middle of the week, it’s time to add a little fertilizer to our Lenten Journey. Whether we’ve been steadfast since Ash Wednesday or just happen to be accidentally reading this article, consider giving God 15 minutes today in prayer.
Praying to the LORD doesn’t take any training or expertise. Each of us has our own unique and valuable approach to prayer. Some folks like to read prayers written by modern-day pastors or theologians from long ago. Other people talk to God just as they talk to a friend or family member, while some folks direct their quiet thoughts into whispers of words upon their lips.
However you talk to God, take some time to be intentional about it today. For those who struggle with concentration, break it up into three separate five-minute prayers or something similar. Although the 15 minutes is most helpful, it might be impossible for some people for a variety of reasons.
The purpose of this Lenten Challenge is to help in the development of our relationship with God. The more time we spend with the LORD, the more we begin to understand God’s work in our own lives and the world beyond.
Get a jumpstart on the rest of the week! Pray for 15 minutes today!
“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (Romans 8:26-28, The Message)
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Lent Day 21, March 25, 2025
“Read for One Hour”
Today’s Lenten Challenge, to read for an hour, was chosen for several reasons. First, reading is a healthy activity. Second, today is National Tolkien Reading Day, referring to the popular and influential author J.R.R. Tolkien.
J.R.R. Tolkien, most well-known as the author of “The Lord of the Rings” series, has inspired the imaginations of countless children and adults with intense characterizations and moral and ethical lessons. Readers don’t have to know about Tolkien’s deep Faith to enjoy the fantastical adventures of a variety of endearing characters in Tolkien’s stories.
However, once we become aware of Tolkien’s Faith, it is difficult to not see Tolkien’s Christian lessons that are prevalent in the stories. As a close friend and colleague of the author C.S. Lewis, the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia”, the two authors met regularly to discuss their books and Christian Faith.
Though both Tolkien and Lewis were incredibly successful and important authors, the resulting films that were produced years later have exposed billions of people to their works who may have previously not discovered their writings. In particular, Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film series ever made, winning 17 Academy Awards and being named by the Library of Congress for preservation in its National Film Registry in 2021.
Though both Tolkien and Lewis were incredibly successful and important authors, the films that were produced years later exposed billions of people to their works, who may have not previously discovered their writings. In particular, Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film series ever made, winning 17 Academy Awards and being named by the Library of Congress for preservation in its National Film Registry in 2021.
Read for an hour today. Yes, you can break it into segments if needed, but open a book and let your imagination take off!
“Examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, CEB)
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Lent Day 20, Monday, March 24, 2025
“Bless Someone Today”
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to bless someone else. Since it’s Monday, this is the perfect day to tackle this Challenge. Mondays are normally met with tired eyes and limited smiles, especially for those who are beginning another week of work. So, on the day in which lots of folks normally struggle to enjoy their own day, we’re challenging ourselves to try and bless someone else, thereby giving up our own needs to help fill a need for someone else.
How can we bless someone today? The ways and means are endless. Oftentimes, any interaction with another person can prove to yield potential blessings. The task could be to help someone with a project, give someone a gift, assist another person with their health needs, or offer any other manner of assistance. This is not something that requires a lot of effort. Instead, blessing another simply requires us to pay attention to those with whom we have contact today, and genuinely listen to them.
What needs can we fill? How can we help someone else? The LORD will provide plenty of opportunities to bless another person, so pay attention! We might just discover that in blessing another person, we receive blessings in return. The frowns of Monday could then very easily become a great joy on this first day of the week.
“Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.” (Hebrews 13:16, The Message)
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Lent Day 19, Sunday, March 23, 2025
“Eliminate One Fear”
As we begin another week during Lent, we address something that everyone faces: Fear. What do we fear? The dark? A certain person? A situation that we are involved in? A place that haunts us?
Everyone fears something. Some of us battle fear daily while others of us are able to stash it for a while. What we don’t realize is how much that fear controls our lives. Sure, the more serious the situation might be, the greater the impact on us. But no matter where we are or whom we are thinking about, God is already involved in that situation.
Sometimes we use God as a crutch in these instances, leaning on the LORD and even calling upon the LORD to help us overcome the fear. However, most of the time we are probably calling upon God to temporarily help us when we should be seeking the LORD to eliminate it completely. Oh, sure, we might be calling upon the LORD to fix something completely. However, if we don’t do our part by becoming vulnerable to the LORD’s work, we might just be using a bandage on the problem.
We shouldn’t be satisfied with the temporary fix. We should always be seeking the permanent fix of the fears that control us. When we are faithful, God answers and provides. Fear does not need to control us any longer, but we must do our part.
This Lenten Challenge is a great opportunity to address something that we’ve avoided for much too long. What is it that we fear? Can we give it to the LORD today, permanently? Yes, we can!
“For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NET)
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Lent Day 18, Saturday, March 22, 2025
“Eliminate One Bad Habit for 24 Hours!”
Ouch! Today’s Lenten Challenge should be difficult for most of us, but not impossible. All of us have something we know that we need to eliminate. However, instead of getting rid of it for six weeks or an entire year, today’s Challenge is just one day.
What do you need to give up? Coffee? Alcohol? Smoking? Cursing? Something more extreme?
Unfortunately, we know what problem we need to give up, so don’t shy away from it. Just one day. We can do this, and in the process, demonstrate to the LORD that our worst habit is NOT more important than our God.
Eliminate One Bad Habit for 24 hours! It’s going to be difficult but we can pull this off!
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3, CEB)
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Lent Day 17, Friday, March 21, 2025
“No Sugars In Food or Drink”
Arggh! This Friday, the Lenten Challenge is literally for the birds. Birds are happy with unpolluted drinks, but not me. If I can’t get my sugar and caffeine, I’m likely to be a little edgy. Thankfully, caffeine is okay today, as long as I don’t add any sweeteners. Dad gum! No Mountain Dew!
I’m not convinced that this Challenge is good for me. Natural sugars are okay, which should be helpful. Orange Juice is fine because the sugar is natural. I suppose one could say that honey, molasses, and the like are okay, but brown sugar and maple syrup are illegal. The real point of this challenge is for me to pay attention to how much sugar and artificial sweetener I put in my coffee, how much Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola I drink each day, and how often I choose sugar-added foods and drinks at restaurants.
Thankfully, this Challenge only lasts for 24 hours. Since I haven’t consumed any sugar since dinnertime last night, I only need to make it to about 7 pm tonight before I consume sugar. Essentially, by the time dessert is served tonight, I should be in the clear. Of course, I gave up sweets for the entire Lenten Season, so dessert isn’t going to help. At least I’ll be able to have my normal morning drinks tomorrow morning. No big deal! I’ll make it!
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to remove sugars and sweeteners from our diets today. No Mountain Dews, no sweetener in your coffee, and if your normal creamer is filled with sugar and artificial flavors, that’s illegal, too. Be smart. Be creative. Do something for God. No matter what you do, God will honor it.
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” (Revelation 4:11, NIV)
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Lent Day 16, Thursday, March 20, 2025
“Plant a Seed, Flower, Plant, or Herb!”
When was the last time we planted, anything? Last week? Last year? Never?
Today is the first day of Spring! Warmer weather and the anticipation of swimsuits and swimming pools abound. The changing weather is one sign of a new season, but the emergence of new growth is what many people notice.
Are you a flower and plant person? Or do you prefer crops and herbs? Maybe trees, fruits, and berries are your thing. Whatever you prefer, God is the One who creates it all. Sure, we can do all kinds of things with science and horticulture, creating bigger tomatoes and fluffier roses. However, only God can create the seeds, roots, foliage, and produce.
If your thumb is green, this will be an easy Challenge. However, if your brown thumb kills every plant by touch, this won’t be easy. Don’t fret; we have confidence in you. One option might be to purchase a plant or save the seeds from your apple or lemon. Then, search the web for instructions on how to care for what you’ve chosen, and follow the directions. It’s not difficult to make the effort, but like so much of life, God just needs our participation and assistance along the way.
So, what will it be? What will you and God choose to grow? Don’t miss this Challenge. If you can’t plant today, do your research today and plant this weekend.
It’s the first day of Spring! In honor of the LORD, get busy planting something!
“Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.” (Deuteronomy 32:2, NLT)
Lent Day 15, March 19, 2025
“Read the Bible for 15 Minutes!”
Today’s Challenge for Lent is to read the Bible for 15 minutes. This should be an easy task to complete, but if you’re not in the habit of reading at least that long, it’ll be more difficult than you might think.
Let’s be frank: Reading the Bible is, in fact, something really easy to do but very difficult to accomplish. People don’t read the Bible for lots of reasons. Some say it is out of date. Others say it’s boring. Some folks might say that the Bible doesn’t make sense. Some would agree that all these reasons, plus many more, might be valid. However, in the process of agreeing with you, consider this likely possibility: You need to be reading the Bible more often.
Now that we have that settled, let’s talk about the importance of reading God’s Word. We don’t read the Bible just because it is full of wisdom. We don’t read it just because it helps us to make more solid, effective, and lasting decisions. Nor do we read the Bible just because it gives us tangible examples of how to live our lives. No, we’re supposed to be reading it because it is God’s Word, and it would be good for us to hear a message from God every day.
It’s okay if you don’t agree with each of reasons… just read it today. Completing this Challenge will make a difference that will satisfy and benefit you!
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
Lent Day 14, Tuesday, March 18, 2025
“Hand Write and Mail a Letter”
When was the last time we wrote a letter to someone in our own handwriting? Some of us might be old pros at today’s Lenten Challenge, while others haven’t written and mailed a letter in years. Many more of us haven’t received a hand-written, mailed letter, in a very long time. But even still, our non-sending or non-receiving shouldn’t keep us from both this week!
There’s something special about receiving a hand-written letter. Some folks might consider it inefficient, and in some respects, that may be true. However, the time and effort required to send a handwritten letter is something that everyone can understand. Even more, when we receive a letter, it’s impossible not to recognize that someone else cares.
Today’s Challenge for Lent is an easy one. It’s also easy to procrastinate and even avoid because it’s going to take some time to accomplish. Don’t let this fall by the wayside! We have the opportunity to change the direction of someone’s day or even give some direction to someone’s week.
We’re about to provide someone with something special. Think about someone who needs it and make it happen!
“So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, CEB)
Lent Day 13, Monday, March 17, 29025
“Be/Wear Green”
Today’s Lenten Challenge is to Be/Wear Green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Green is the color we most associate with St. Patrick, so we’ll likely see plenty of green today. Some folks will wear green to prevent from being pinched by leprechauns if we get too close to their hidden treasure. Others will wear green to honor the Church since green represents the color of life, something that was very important to St. Patrick. Still, other folks will wear green because this is the one day we can wear special outfits from our closets.
Of course, since today’s Challenge is to Wear Green, we’ll have one more viable reason to act accordingly. But part of the Challenge is also to “Be Green”, representing the Bold example of St. Patrick. As a young man, St. Patrick was captured at his home in Britain and enslaved by pirates who took him to Ireland. Six years later, he escaped, returning to Britain to eventually become a priest. Sometime after his ordination as a priest, St. Patrick felt that he was called by God to return to Ireland as a missionary of the Church.
After returning to Ireland, St. Patrick established over 300 churches and several monasteries during his lifetime. The churches flourished. The monasteries played crucial roles in preserving and copying the Bible in multiple languages, and many people considered these monasteries the finest centers of education in the world.
But why green? St. Patrick was originally associated with the color blue. It wasn’t until much later that the color green was adopted by the Irish to represent defiance of foreign rule. The Irish people wanted independence and were willing to put their lives on the line to achieve it. They adopted the shamrock as a symbol to remember the courage of St. Patrick, and as the Irish crossed the oceans to America, green became the standard color for everyone on St. Patrick’s Day.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Be and Wear Green today. By doing so, you’ll keep the leprechauns at bay. But remember, if you do get pinched and you’re wearing green, it’s because you’re close to the secret stash, so open your eyes, and you might get lucky!
“Don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.” (Ephesians 6:19-20, The Message)
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Lent Day 12, Sunday, March 16, 2025
“Take a Step in My Faith Journey”
On the second Sunday of Lent, we consider something good for all of us: We are asked to move forward in our relationship with the LORD.
Okay, what does this mean? This is where I’ll put on my pastoral hat for a few moments while also leaning on years of experience working with people to help them strengthen their relationship with the LORD. I’m qualifying my comments because I want you to know that I have seen some incredible, even miraculous things occur in the lives of people because they were striving toward the LORD.
Now, don’t get me wrong. If you decide to start praying and reading your Bible today, I don’t expect you to hit the lottery. Nor will all of your problems go away. All I can do is assure you that when our hearts and minds are aligned with God, good things happen. Sometimes, the good thing is nothing more than a new attitude towards our problems. For some of us, that would be a miracle. Other times, the good thing that happens is a blessing that appears from nowhere, like a refunded deposit from a utility company or a neighbor who asks us to dinner.
Recognizing that our relationship with God can always use some improvement, the next step is figuring out how to develop our relationship. I don’t know where you are in your walk with the LORD. You may still be on the starting blocks, or you might be just feet from the finish line. Wherever you are, here’s something I do know about your situation: You already know, without question, exactly what you need to do to improve your relationship with God. Think about it. Now that you have it in mind, anchor it so that you don’t forget.
Today’s Challenge is to take the next step in your Faith journey. God is already waiting to deliver and is excited about your future together. Today is the day!
“When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:13, CEB)
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Lent Day 11, Saturday, March 15, 2025
“Clean Out the Closet and Drawer!”
Woohoo! It’s the second Saturday of Lent, bringing us to face a Challenge that we’ve avoided for a long time. Today’s Challenge is to clean out that dreaded closet and/or drawer!
If you’re asking yourself which one to clean out, you’re probably able to answer your own question. If you have more than one closet and drawer that needs help, do them all. You might have issues, and it’s time to fix them. Yes, yes, I know this is painful. Trust me, I’m not excited about this one because I’m one of those who is asking, “Which one?”
As you may know, earlier this week (Wednesday, March 12), we were challenged to clean and organize. At that time, we were specifically asked to avoid closets and drawers so that we could prepare for today’s Challenge.
The reason we need to complete this Challenge is that our junk closets and drawers have become an excuse for why we don’t need to put things away. When we make excuses over and over again, it can become habitual in other areas of our lives. The junk drawer isn’t sinful or problematic on its own, but the pattern of behavior could become trouble. That’s why we’re doubling up this week and tackling two clean-outs in the same week.
Today, clean out that junk closet and drawer. The season of Lent represents an opportunity for us to do something for God since God has already done so much for us. These Challenges, as silly as they may seem, give us an opportunity to demonstrate to God that we are thankful.
Can we do it? Yes, we can!
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)
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Lent Day 10, Friday, March 14, 2025
“No Meat Today”
Today is a repeat Challenge from last week: “No Meat Today”. As mentioned last Friday, the tradition of not consuming meat on Fridays during Lent dates back at least 1,000 years. The Church adopted the tradition because meat is often referenced as a symbol of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on Good Friday. By avoiding meat on Fridays, such as beef, poultry, and pork, we honor the LORD.
Don’t worry. If you’ve already consumed a sausage patty or piece of pepperoni pizza, don’t sweat it. Just count backward to the last meat you consumed, and start counting from there. All you need is 24 hours, and you’re home free!
See how easy it is? Some of us are already halfway through this Challenge because our last meat consumption was sometime yesterday. For others, though, it’s time to begin your Challenge. Remember, the purpose of our Lenten Challenges is to do something for God every day. Since each day brings a new Challenge, it allows us the opportunity to be successful at something every day. If we miss one, that’s okay! We’ll get another Challenge tomorrow, or we could even make up today’s Challenge some other time.
Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy! Refrain from consuming meat for 24 hours and give some love to the LORD today!
“The LORD gives food to every living thing. God’s faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:25, NLT)
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Lent Day 9, Thursday, March 13, 2025
“Help Someone Today”
I’m guessing that today feels like every other day this week. Granted, we are just one more day away from the weekend, but otherwise, most of us are motoring through with little change from yesterday or last week. I’m not suggesting that today will be different, but I am about to make a very big assumption: Someone needs your help today.
Rest easy. I’m not foreseeing that you are about to embark on some huge, complicated task, such as helping someone move into a new home (that’s about the worst “help” I can think of). Instead, I’m suggesting that our focus needs to be on other people today.
Today is National Good Samaritan Day (Luke 10:25-37). Like the story of the Good Samaritan, I suppose that we may encounter a serious situation that mandates an intense, immediate focus. However, it’s more likely that our good deed(s) today are smaller, less obvious tasks.
For instance, if we see our neighbor trying to get their groceries unloaded and into their home, can we help? Could we help a coworker with a project, or could we lift someone’s day by giving them a call? If we encounter someone that we don’t like, can we be nice, courteous, or even helpful to them?
Today’s Challenge for Lent is to find a way to help someone. It can be a big help, a little help, or somewhere in between. But it’s my guess that we will encounter multiple opportunities to show someone else that they matter. Don’t overlook it.
Helping someone else feel noticed, important, and special is a really, really big deal.
Lent is about doing something for God. Let’s love God by loving others today: give some help!
“So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:10, NRSVUE)
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Lent Day 8, Wednesday, March 12, 2025
“Clean and Organize Today”
What needs to be cleaned? What needs to be organized? Today’s the day to do it!
It is highly likely that everyone has something that needs to be cleaned and organized. Now, before you go to that nightmare closet in the hallway or the terrible drawer in the kitchen, today’s Challenge DOES NOT include those things. We’re gonna tackle those monsters next weekend.
Instead, today is about some of those things we’ve been staring at for much too long. The home office is one option. The laundry room is another idea. Your desk at a place of employment definitely qualifies, as does the floor under the desk. Another great idea for cleaning and organizing might be the handles and surface areas on appliances, bathroom and kitchen faucets, toilets, showers, or bathtubs. Our vehicle might especially need some attention, not to mention the bed of the truck.
We have plenty of options for today’s Lente Devotion. The reason we are addressing this task is that disorganization and uncleanliness impact other parts of life. It also impacts our relationship with others, since most of us have probably fallen victim to the surprise visit from our favorite aunt or neighbor when our place was a wreck.
Although our need to clean and organize shouldn’t need an explanation, it always helps to have a reminder. It also is a great way to be productive and efficient in our day. Don’t worry. This Challenge won’t change our lives, but we might be surprised how much better we will feel after we sweep up the stuff that we swept under the rug last week.
“With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1, The Message)
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Lent Day 7, Tuesday, March 11, 2025
“Tell Someone You Love Them”
Here’s something that’s a bit different: tell someone you love them. How often do we say it? How often do we hear it? For some of us, this will be simple because we will have a variety of folks from which to choose. However, for others, this Lenten Challenge will be exceedingly difficult for a number of reasons.
Maybe that’s why this Challenge makes the cut every year: Maybe this Challenge is specifically designed for those of us who are blessed with lots of loved ones, recognizing that others don’t have the blessings of lots of people who care for us.
Oh, this isn’t about trying to create problems for anyone. Instead, this is about helping to create solutions. For lots of reasons, including health, wellness, and self-image (to name just a few), we need to take some time to consider how much our loved ones contribute to our well-being. What if we didn’t have someone checking in on us? What if we didn’t have someone who wanted to track our location or nag us about our diets? Would we feel free and untethered, or would we feel lost and forgotten?
The Bible is very clear on the most important thing in our world – love. Whether we are to love God today or simply love one another, make sure to communicate that our love is important to the other person. That’s right: God probably appreciates when we tell Him that we love and appreciate all that the LORD does for us. Sure, God doesn’t necessarily need us to say or do anything, but goodness! Communicating our love for the LORD through each other sure does sound like a positive step to take as we complete the first week of this Lenten Season.
Today’s Challenge for Lent is a good one. Tell someone you love them, and this includes the LORD!
“My dear friends, we must love each other. Love comes from God, and when we love each other, it shows we have been given new life. We are now God's children, and we know him.” (1 John 4:7, CEV)
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Lent Day 6, Monday, March 10, 2025
“Make Today a Good Day”
If there’s a day people need to excuse nasty behavior, today would be the most likely chosen. The first Monday in Lent is about as exciting as waiting in line at the State Revenue Office. One could randomly pick any other day on the calendar and not have near the dull gloom as one would have today.
If you feel more like Grumpy Dwarf than Snow White, today probably feels like home. Maybe that’s why this Lenten Challenge makes the final cut each year. The author of these devotions would like to be as carefree as a fairy tale princess, but in reality, this author feels more like an off-beat, awkward minor character than a star in the spotlight. Forcing today to be a good day could be difficult for hundreds of reasons, but there are millions more reasons why today should be a good day.
First, anyone who is reading this devotion is alive. Second, everyone reading this has access to some kind of electronic communication, and third, most of us have at least one friend because they sent this article to us. Even if we accidentally stumbled upon this devotion, it wasn’t by accident. In some way, we were directed here.
Why are we here? Maybe because we need a good day. Much too often, we overlook the good things that occur for us, through us, and around us each day. We do make a difference, even if it’s only to the birds we feed on our back porch. Our presence provides life and joy in all kinds of ways, but especially for God. God isn’t through with us yet! In fact, for just about all of us, the best part of this life is still in front of us.
Today is your day because God has offered it to you as a way to bless, comfort, and honor you. Smile today, and make today a good day!
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24, ESV)
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Sunday, March 9
“Commit to Something for Lent”
On the first Sunday of the Lenten Season, we are asked to consider making a commitment to God for the next six weeks. The commitment, whether to do something specific or refrain from certain things, is made between the person and God. Nobody else needs to be involved unless desired. This can be as private and personal as anyone wishes, as long as we understand that God is not going to grade us on our performance.
The ancient Church tradition of making Lenten sacrifices stems from the thought that we should do something for God since God has done something for us. God’s gift of Jesus to save the world is the best gift we could have received, but the gift was not well-received. The gift was rejected by the people it was intended for, but that still didn’t stop God’s desire to offer us an opportunity to be forgiven so that we may have a new start.
During the next six weeks, consider making a commitment to God. The commitment might be something simple, like following these devotions and participating in the challenges. Or, the commitment might be something that is a much bigger deal for an extended period of time. Whatever we choose, make the choice in the honor of the LORD. Be strong. Be Courageous. Be Bold.
The LORD is very pleased with each of us. None of us are completely lost. None of us are without hope. That’s what God’s gift of Jesus satisfies…our bad habit of thinking we aren’t good enough or worthy of the LORD’s attention. God proves our love towards us by offering a plan of salvation that anyone (and everyone) can choose to accept.
This Lenten Season, commit to God. Make it Bold. We’ve lived on the edges long enough to know we aren’t invincible. We need to have something in life that is more centered, helpful, and hopeful. A relationship with God is just that. Be Bold and commit to the LORD during Lent!
“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3, NLT)