Prayer Prompts
Prayer
Garden During the Season of Lent
You are invited to move among the four prayer stations in
the Garden, or to remain in one place as you enter into the reflections. What
helps you engage more deeply — movement or stillness? However you choose to
experience the Prayer Garden during this season of Lent, may you encounter
Jesus, our Savior.
Lent draws us into the humanity of Christ and His journey to
the Cross — His sorrow, His suffering, His death. The season is rooted in the
biblical account of Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness,
where He resisted temptation (Matthew 4:1–11), echoing the forty years the
Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Lent
invites us into repentance, fasting, generosity, and renewed attentiveness to
God.
Reflection — Repentance
Lent is a call to spiritual renewal and growth. Renewal
often begins with awareness — noticing where we truly are before God. One way
to deepen awareness is to gently set aside distractions that keep us from
seeing clearly.
In the quiet of this garden, ask God to reveal your heart in
this moment. Slowly read the following passage once or twice:
Search me, O God, and know my
heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the everlasting way.
— Psalm 139:23–24
Is there a word or phrase that draws your attention? It may
stir something within you, bring comfort or discomfort, or resonate deeply.
Linger with that word. Let it rest gently on your soul. Sit quietly and allow
it to do its work.
Read the passage again. Reflect on how your life is touched
by this word or phrase. Why might you need to hear it today? Once more, sit
quietly with it.
As you remain in stillness, notice whether any habits,
behaviors, or thought patterns surface that may be hindering your connection
with God. Speak honestly with Him about what you notice. Allow space to listen.
Do you sense an invitation — perhaps a step to take, or something to release?
As you continue your Lenten journey, how might you carry
this awareness with you?
Talk to God as you would a trusted friend. Remember,
self-examination is not about shame; it is about remembering God’s great love
for you. Lean into that love.
Prayer
Garden During the Season of Lent
You are invited to move among the four prayer stations in
the Garden, or to remain in one place as you enter into the reflections. What
helps you engage more deeply — movement or stillness? However you choose to
experience the Prayer Garden during this season of Lent, may you encounter
Jesus, our Savior.
Lent draws us into the humanity of Christ and His journey to
the Cross — His sorrow, His suffering, His death. The season is rooted in the
biblical account of Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness,
where He resisted temptation (Matthew 4:1–11), echoing the forty years the
Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Lent
invites us into repentance, fasting, generosity, and renewed attentiveness to
God.
Reflection — Fasting
During the season of Lent, many Christians choose to fast.
Throughout Scripture, we see people such as Moses, Elijah, Esther, David,
Daniel, and Jesus setting aside food for a time in order to seek God more
fully. In the Bible, fasting always involves abstaining from food. In our
modern context, some also choose to fast from things that occupy their
attention and energy — social media, alcohol, television, unnecessary spending,
overworking, or other habits that may distract from God.
Lent offers a meaningful opportunity to consider some form
of fasting. When we intentionally limit what we consume — physically or
mentally — we create space to deepen our awareness of and dependence upon God.
Sit quietly for several minutes as you prayerfully reflect
on the idea of fasting.
If you have fasted before, recall that experience. What did
you choose to give up? What fruit came from that decision? Offer gratitude to
God for what was formed in you during that time.
If you have never fasted, gently ask God whether there is
something He may be inviting you to release during this Lenten season. Notice
what stirs within you. What feels aligned with the Spirit’s nudge?
Remain in silence as you seek clarity and confirmation from
the Holy Spirit. You may want to write down what you sense God inviting you to
do. Be as specific as possible. Clear intention can strengthen your resolve
when the desire to return to old patterns arises.
Whether fasting from food for a designated time or stepping
away from something that normally fills your days, remember that the purpose is
not deprivation for its own sake. Fasting opens space — space for prayer,
attentiveness, and renewed devotion to God.
Spend a few moments affirming your desire to draw nearer to God.
Prayer
Garden During the Season of Lent
You are invited to move among the four prayer stations in
the Garden, or to remain in one place as you enter into the reflections. What
helps you engage more deeply — movement or stillness? However you choose to
experience the Prayer Garden during this season of Lent, may you encounter
Jesus, our Savior.
Lent draws us into the humanity of Christ and His journey to
the Cross — His sorrow, His suffering, His death. The season is rooted in the
biblical account of Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness,
where He resisted temptation (Matthew 4:1–11), echoing the forty years the
Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Lent
invites us into repentance, fasting, generosity, and renewed attentiveness to
God.
Reflection — Generosity
Lenten generosity — often called almsgiving — invites
us into outward acts of love and mercy. It gently shifts our focus from
self-centeredness toward self-giving. We offer our time, talents, and resources
to serve the poor, the marginalized, the stranger, and the needs of our
community.
Jesus reminds us that generosity is not for recognition, but
for love:
When you give to the poor, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving
will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward
you. — Matthew 6:3–4
Lenten generosity is intentional and joyful. It cultivates
solidarity with those who suffer and reminds us of the human face of poverty.
It may look like donating food or money to a pantry, volunteering at a shelter,
checking in on an elderly neighbor, or offering hospitality to someone who
feels unseen. It might mean giving up a small luxury — a movie, a specialty
coffee, an unnecessary purchase — and redirecting those resources toward
someone in need. It can also take the form of daily acts of kindness toward
strangers, coworkers, family members, or even care for God’s creation.
Sit quietly and ask the Lord to show you how you might
practice generosity during this season. Where might He be inviting you to ease
another’s burden? Offer yourself to God as an instrument of compassion.
Spend a few moments reflecting on God’s generosity toward
you. Give thanks for the countless ways you have been cared for and sustained.
Even as we remember Christ’s sacrifice during Lent, we are invited to embody
sacrificial love for the well-being of others.
Then the righteous will answer
Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You
something to drink? . . . The King will answer, “Truly I tell you, whatever you
did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for
Me.”
— Matthew 25:37–40
Prayer
Garden During the Season of Lent
You are invited to move among the four prayer stations in
the Garden, or to remain in one place as you enter into the reflections. What
helps you engage more deeply — movement or stillness? However you choose to
experience the Prayer Garden during this season of Lent, may you encounter
Jesus, our Savior.
Lent draws us into the humanity of Christ and His journey to
the Cross — His sorrow, His suffering, His death. The season is rooted in the
biblical account of Jesus’ forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness,
where He resisted temptation (Matthew 4:1–11), echoing the forty years the
Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Lent
invites us into repentance, fasting, generosity, and renewed attentiveness to
God.
Reflection — Attentiveness to God
The fourth movement of Lent calls us into attentiveness — a
deliberate turning of our hearts toward God. This season invites us to release
the activities and mental clutter that crowd out His presence. As we create
space through fasting — in whatever form that takes — we intentionally move
toward deeper listening, richer communion, and sweeter fellowship with the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Set aside unhurried time for silence, for Scripture, and for
listening for God’s voice.
Be still and know that I am God.
— Psalm 46:10
Even here, in this Prayer Garden, allow yourself to slow
down. Gently quiet the thoughts that swirl within you. Notice where tension
rests in your body. As you soften your breathing and turn inward, what begins
to rise to the surface?
What do you notice about your body? Your emotions? Your
thoughts?
What do they reveal about where you truly are at this moment?
Without judgment or self-criticism, seek the honest truth of
your present condition. This awareness is a gift. It is what you bring before
God.
Speak with Him as you would a trusted friend — openly,
simply, honestly. And then listen.
Let this quieting, attentive practice become a regular
companion throughout the Lenten season. As you surrender to this rhythm, remain
curious. Notice what you begin to discover — about yourself, and about your
God.
Lent is not only about doing less; it is about becoming more
attentive to the One who is already present.