Heavenly Father, we admit that we have been chasing after our own desires, instead of trusting you to give us those things that we need. We have allowed these desires to exploit others, hoping to be satisfied, forgetting that our joys could only be full when we totally surrender all to you. So, today, we pledge to no longer follow the desires of our hearts that lead us further away from you, but will delight ourselves in you so that you could give us the desires of our hearts.

If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, Lord, you are faithful and just to forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness; so dear God, we bring before you every unfaithful act, every prideful thought or deed, the hypocrisy in us, and our impatience in waiting on you, and ask for your forgiveness.

Lord, you were humble enough to wash the feet of your disciples, giving us an example to serve; and when you asked Simon Peter three times if he loved you, and each time he said yes, you said, feed my sheep. All of us who claim to love Jesus must be willing to serve, and we could begin by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, looking after the sick, visiting those in prisons, and being kind to strangers.

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. John 20:23. Mathew chapter 18 and verse eighteen reminds us, that, whatever we bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us forgive one another and let peace and the love of God reign in our hearts.

Lord, we have not loved you with our whole hearts, and minds, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Have mercy on us, Lord. (BCP)

Heavenly Father, as we walk with you on your forty-day journey, keep us strong so that we do not fall into sin or temptation, just as you were tempted but did not sin. “And if Satan on us press, our flesh or spirit to assail, make us victors in the wilderness, so as not to faint nor fail!”

Let today be the day that you give up who you’ve been for who you can become.

For many around the world, festivities are ending, many of us will be sure to make resolutions about what we will give up during Lent, and many of us, myself including will take the opportunity to enjoy some IHOP pancakes, which will hopefully be my last sweet treat until Easter. But apart from the things that we are planning to put down for Lent, let us focus on what we could take up for Lent. We could carve out time for meditation and prayer, perform random acts of kindness or just try to be a better person, and make an effort to connect with others in an intentional way, to help bring them closer to Jesus.

 “Forty days and forty nights, You were fasting in the wild; forty days and forty nights, tempted, and yet undefiled.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness forty days and forty nights, yet He did not sin. Let us all aspire to resist all forms of temptation during Lent, setting a pattern for us to continue on in this way with God’s help.

Thy word, O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Blessed are they that keep your testimonies, and that seek you with their whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in your ways. O, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!Psalm 119