Opening Prayer: Psalm 66
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”[a]
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
A Closer Look: Romans 8:11–25
Adoption, Hope, and the Spirit’s Forming Work
Lent invites us to slow down and listen for life stirring in places that feel hollow or weary. In Romans 8:11–25, Paul opens a window into the deeper reality beneath our Lenten activities: the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now dwells in us, breathing resurrection life into our mortal bodies. Lent is not simply a season of giving things up; it is a season of opening ourselves—our longing, our groaning, our waiting—to the life-giving presence of God.
The Spirit Who Gives Life
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you…” (v. 11).
This promise roots our spiritual formation not in self-effort, but in divine indwelling. Our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are not exercises in self-denial for their own sake; they create space for God’s renewing breath to enter the parts of us that feel depleted or lifeless. The same Spirit who raised Christ takes up residence within us—not as a distant force, but as God’s personal presence enlivening our frail humanity.
The Spirit of Adoption
At the center of this passage is a profound identity claim:
“All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (v. 14).
Lent sharpens our awareness of our weaknesses, yet Paul reminds us: we are not defined by our failures. We are defined by our adoption. The Spirit testifies within us that we belong to God—that we can cry, “Abba, Father,” even when our devotion feels faint. This evidence of being cherished becomes one of Lent’s greatest gifts. We are not slaves to fear, striving to earn God’s favor; we are already God’s children, being gently shaped into Christlikeness.
Groaning With Creation
Paul widens the lens. Creation itself groans, longing for renewal. Our individual formation is bound up in God’s cosmic restoration. When we encounter the world’s brokenness—and our own—our groaning becomes a form of prayer. In our weakness, the Spirit groans with us and for us, interceding when words fail.
This shared groaning is not despair. It is expectation. Like labor pains, it signals that new life is on the way.
Hope That Waits
We already hold the “firstfruits of the Spirit,” yet we wait for the full redemption of our bodies. Lent trains us in patient endurance, the kind of hope that leans forward into God’s coming glory even when it remains unseen. To hope in what we do not yet see is itself an act of spiritual formation—a daily choosing to trust that God is working renewal within us and around us.
The challenge for all of us is to practice and apply our faith in meaningful ways. Consider one or more of the following methods to expand your spiritual growth:
- Invite the Spirit’s Breath. Name one area where you feel stagnant, weary, or lifeless. Ask the Spirit who raised Jesus to breathe life there.
- Embrace the Groaning. Instead of resisting the world’s brokenness or your own, let your longing become prayer. Offer your hurt, frustration, or sorrow as intercession—for yourself, for others, and for creation.
- Live as God’s Child. Hold fast to the truth of your adoption. Return throughout the week to the prayer: “Abba, Father—let Your Spirit remind me that I am Your beloved child.”
- Practice Hopeful Waiting. Identify one place where you are tired of waiting for God. Recommit it to Him, trusting that unseen hope is the soil where resurrection takes root.
May the Holy Spirit, who raised Christ Jesus from the dead, breathe life into our tired and troubled places. May we silence our voices of fear by accepting our identity as God’s children and root ourselves in the Father’s love. May we learn to groan with creation, to hope with patience, and to walk through this season of Lent as a beloved child—trusting in the glory yet to come.
God’s Voice:
- Old Testament (covenant): Gen. 48:8-22
- Psalm (song): 19, 46
- Epistle (letter): Romans 8:11-25
- Gospel (good news): John 6:27-40
Pursuing Holiness
- Prayer: What is God saying to me today? How will I respond?
- Fasting: What can I deny myself today (food, drink, behaviors) as an act of worship?
- Charity: How can I help someone in need today with my time, money, or goods?
Closing Prayer: Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—[b]
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
How do I use this Devotional?
- Read the “Opening Prayer” from scripture to the Lord as your prayer
- Choose one or more of the scripture passages under “God’s Voice” for further reading
- Answer the questions under “Pursuing Holiness”
- Your reflection on the scriptures and how you sense the Holy Spirit leading you today
- Identify how you will practice self-denial today based on God’s leading
- Identify how you want to practice giving today
- Let prayer, fasting (self-denial), and giving be your living, spiritual worship
- Keep notes in a journal or planner to enable your follow-through and create a record
- Read the “Closing Prayer”
Since the third century, Christians have used Scripture, Prayer, Self-denial, and Almsgiving as spiritual preparation for Easter.
What is Lent?
Lent is the season in the Christian calendar that leads up to Easter. Lent is 40 days long because Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days before his public ministry. The Israelites, because of their disobedience and rebellion, were made to wander for 40 years in the wilderness before arriving in the promised land. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai engaged with God in receiving the Ten Commandments. In the Bible, the number 40 is often used to indicate a period of preparation and testing.
In the wilderness, nothing is hidden. We are laid bare to God. We do not have our creature comforts. We are separated from common distractions. We ultimately return to our lives when the time of preparation is complete. We focus our passion on God while He refines us to fulfill his calling.
Give