10 of my recommended Lenten / Easter devotionals (Lent begins March 5!)
The Lenten season is almost upon us, and while my theology doesn’t demand the practice of observing Lent, I usually do something different in the weeks leading up to Easter. Not surprisingly, one of my top choices is to read a book focused on the Lenten season or on Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are many books out there, but I’ve rounded up 10 of my recommended Lenten and/or Easter devotionals. I haven’t read all of these, but I trust the authors of the ones I haven’t had a chance to read yet. If you order one of these today and have Amazon Prime, you should get it by the first day of Lent!
Our Radiant Redeemer: Lent Devotions on the Transfiguration of Jesus by Tim Chester
From the author’s introduction:
“The transfiguration is a light that illuminates the meaning of the cross and resurrection. As we look deeper, we’ll discover that it’s not just Jesus who is transfigured. His promise is that we, too, can be transfigured by the light he brings to our lives.”
There are 40 days of readings, and the Amazon listing notes that it includes prompts each day for prayer and reflection.
To Seek and to Save: Daily Reflections on the Road to the Cross by Sinclair Ferguson
I’ll likely be reading this one again this year during Lent. I love everything Dr. Ferguson has every written. This devotional walks through Jesus’ last days on Earth as recorded in the book of Luke, and it includes prompts for prayer and worship on each of the day’s readings.
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter edited by Nancy Guthrie
This book is a collection of 25 essays about Jesus’ death and Easter, edited by Nancy Guthrie. Contributors include Joni Eareckson Tada, Charles Spurgeon, and Francis Schaeffer.
The Risen One: Experiencing All of Jesus in Easter by Scott James
This devotional can be used in your individual spiritual life or with your whole family.
From the Amazon listing:
These weekly devotions, which are designed for both family and individual use, are timeless and moving reminders of the miracle of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The Risen One is a perfect (and doable!) gift for any growing family or beloved friend who needs meaningful and biblical reminders of all Jesus is for them—and how much God loves them—during the busy and the bustle of the Easter season, setting him back in the center of it all.
Darkest Night, Brightest Day: A Family Devotional for the Easter Season by Marty Machowski
Our family is a big fan of many of Marty Machowski’s previous books, so I have every reason to believe his new Easter devotional is excellent.
Rich Wounds: The Countless Treasures of the Life, Death, and Triumph of Jesus by David Mathis
I worked through this one several years ago and highly recommend it. It is composed of 30 short reflections that you could work through at your own pace during the Lenten season.
Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal by Esau McCalley
Esau McCalley is someone I respect greatly (he also graduated from the same college as my husband!).
From the Amazon listing:
Every year, the church invites us into a season of repentance and fasting in preparation for Holy Week. It's an invitation to turn away from our sins and toward the mercy and grace of Christ.
Often, though, we experience the Lenten fast as either a mindless ritual or self-improvement program. In this short volume, priest and scholar Esau McCaulley introduces the season of Lent, showing us how its prayers and rituals point us not just to our own sinfulness but also beyond it to our merciful Savior.
The Risen King: 40 Devotions for Easter by Charles H. Spurgeon
This book is a collection of writings from Charles Spurgeon, so you can’t go wrong.
Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional by Paul David Tripp
I’ve read this one several different years leading up to Easter.
From the Amazon listing:
Lent is a time in the yearly Christian calendar when we mourn our sin and let go of worldly things that keep our hearts from experiencing God more fully. But how do we reevaluate and recalibrate the values of our hearts to match those of our suffering Savior?
Journey to the Cross: Devotions for Lent by Will Walker and Kendal Haug
I haven’t read this one, but I trust the publisher (New Growth Press) because they publish only the best.
From the Amazon listing:
Journey to the Cross moves us closer to the heart of Easter through forty days of Bible readings, prayers of confession and thanksgiving, and daily devotional readings. This forty-day devotional takes a deeper look into six central themes of the Christian life: repentance, humility, suffering, lament, sacrifice, and death. Journey to the Cross moves beyond “doing penance” and helps Christians focus on Christ’s sacrifice for us—the real meaning of Easter and the reason we celebrate.