Ash Wednesday is a day of penitence and remembrance of our sins of the past and our ultimate mortality. The Ash Wednesday Service marks the beginning of the season of Lent, the forty days (not including Sundays) before Easter. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" celebration of the Jesus' victory over sin and death. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or volunteering and giving of themselves for others. The Season of Lent is an opportunity for each of us to prepare our hearts and minds to be truly open to embrace the magnitude of Good Friday, and the wonder of Easter morning. This Devotion Guide, made by and with and for our membership at Deer Park United Methodist Church is a wonderful way for us to journey through the Season of Lent together. Inside you will find memories, scripture, pictures, recipes, prayers, devotions, hopes and dreams.
Pray in these devotions, pray with these devotions, pray thru these devotions, and pray for those who have offered these devotions.
May God open our hearts and minds as we walk together toward Easter morn, and the memory of God’s ultimate gift of love.
Melody
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