Leaping with God (Lent 1/February)

Lent 1 / February 2024 (4 Feb - 2 March). Open the Resource Pack PDF for all the information on the weekly subthemes and the daily prompts and Bible readings which shape our Daily Worship and Sunday Live services. Take a look at our Connect Bible Study Questions PDF to see the material adapted for small Connect groups or personal Bible study. 

Introduction

This leap year we are going to ask what it means to leap with God!

The phrase 'leap of faith' can have a bit of a sense of desperation to it can’t it? A mad dash and jump to the other side! “Ooft, I made it!” But what if most of the ‘leaps of faith’ that we make in our journey of discipleship with God aren't wild lunges, but more like the leaps made by an athlete, or a child excitedly playing a game! Made enthusiastically and for the love of it!

We leap to follow God in hope and expectation — leaping into the Kingdom! Athletes need focus, practice, folk cheering them on, and people to coach them, and to catch them when they fall. All the same applies in discipleship! The leaps of faith we make are not made alone — just as even elite solo jumpers have whole support teams to enable them to perform at their best.

When we leap, we leap with others. Just like a child playing a game trying again and again while our friends help us. We leap to get somewhere, we leap for fun, we leap for adventure! This Lent let's make leaps of faith with our eyes wide open. Not leaps of desperation but leaps of gladness, faith and enthusiasm as we follow where God is leading us.

This year, let’s leap into Lent!

Weekly Overview

We begin by thinking about what it means to leap into life with God — who are we focusing on, what is our motivation, what’s the first step? Then in the second week we think about leaping into prayer, taking inspiration from swimmers diving into the water. What happen we submerge ourselves in prayer? What does it mean to inhale and exhale with God.

In the third week we take our lead from cyclists fixing their bikes to think about how the Bible is a powerful tool in our lives. Finally, in the last week of the theme, we reflect on how we leap into action as a team!

Each week of the four week theme runs Sunday-Saturday and has its own subtheme, which contains daily Bible readings and prompts for thought (see the Resource Pack PDF for more information). Check out our Bible Study Questions PDF to see the material adapted for small Connect groups or personal Bible study.