Day 3 - Feb. 20

They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

Luke 5:33-34

If you have chosen to give up something for Lent, this will be the third day of your fast. For many, the idea of giving up something for Lent is second nature. It is just one of those things you have always done and always will do. But have you ever stopped to ask the question, why? Why do we give up something for Lent? It’s a fair question. First, the 40 days of Lent mirror Jesus’ 40 days of temptation in the wilderness. As followers of Christ, we too are call to avoid temptation and so we fast. But it is more than that. When Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, he prayed constantly. If we are to be true imitators of Christ, we too must devote these 40 days to prayer. Those of you who have chosen to give something up for Lent, are reminded with each thought and impulse to pray. So, whenever you crave that bar of chocolate or whenever you are tempted to look on Facebook, say a quick prayer to God. We also encourage you to end your time of reading each day with a prayer thanking Christ for his ministry and praising God for the Word spoken throughout the generations.