Lent is a time for reflection, repentance, and spiritual renewal. Reading can be a powerful tool during this season to deepen your faith and draw closer to God. Here's a curated list of books to consider.
Resources for Personal Devotion
“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Pascha to Pentecost” by Jonathan Gibson
A 48-day devotional liturgy to help readers effectively prepare their hearts from Pascha to Pentecost. Each daily reading includes applicable Scripture readings, hymns, prayers, creeds, and prompts for petition and confession to enrich personal meditation and family worship.
“Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional” by Paul David Tripp
In this forty-day Lenten devotional, Paul David Tripp invites us to set aside time from the busyness of our lives to focus on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. Each of the short readings encourages us to abide in the abundant joy found in Christ as we encounter the Savior more fully and follow him more faithfully during this Lenten season.
“Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter” by Nancy Guthrie
This collection of readings edited by Nancy Guthrie draws from the writings and sermons of twenty-five classic and contemporary theologians such as Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, and Joni Eareckson Tada, inviting us to focus on the wonder of Christ's sacrifice.
“An Ocean of Grace: A Journey to Easter with Great Voices from the Past” by Tim Chester
A collection of daily devotions and prayers from great Christian writers of the past, including Augustine, Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan, Catherine Parr and Martin Luther. Each daily reading has been selected, edited and introduced by Tim Chester to make these treasures accessible to every reader. They will help you reflect on Jesus in the run-up to Easter. Ideal to start at the beginning of Lent.
"Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter (Second Edition)" by Various Authors
Ninety-six daily reflections for Lent and Eastertide plumb the depths of a wealth of Christian traditions.
"Friend of Sinners" by Elyse Fitzpatrick
This daily devotional for Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with the empty tomb, inviting you to regularly remember the love of Jesus, who died so you could have eternal life.
"Journey to the Cross: Devotions for Lent" by Will Walker and Kendal Haug
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.
Resources for Family Worship
“The Jesus Storybook Bible” by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Jesus Storybook Bible is a great children’s Bible and can be used with a schedule you can find at Sally Lloyd-Jones’ website (registering your email address is required, but it is a free resource)
“Darkest Night Brightest Day: A Family Devotional for the Easter Season” by Marty Machowski
Machowski weaves the four Gospel accounts together into one harmonized story and provides questions for family discussion. Children are sure to remember the contrast between the darkness at the death of our Lord and the light-filled events from Christ’s resurrection onward. Designed for families to read one story each day for two weeks, beginning Palm Sunday. Targeted to families with preschool and grade school children but can be used in family devotionals with teens as well.
“The Wonder of Easter: An Easter Journey for the Whole Family” by Ed Drew
Walk through Luke’s Gospel and the Old Testament to discover why the story of Jesus' death and resurrection is the most amazing story ever told. This is a 10-minute, discussion-based resource with differentiated questions for 3-4s, 5-7s, 7-12s, teens and adults.
Poetry & Art
“Word in the Wilderness: A Poem a Day for Lent and Easter” by Malcom Guite
For every day from Shrove Tuesday to Easter Day, the bestselling poet Malcolm Guite chooses a favorite poem from across the Christian spiritual and English literary traditions and offers incisive seasonal reflections on it.
“The Art of Lent: A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to Easter” by Sister Wendy Beckett
This book describes and interprets a series of forty full-color paintings for each day of Lent with short reflections by nun and art historian Sister Wendy Beckett.
Other Resources
“Modern Lenten Hymnal” by Bobby Giles, The Gospel Coalition, March 5, 2012
This article provides a list of hymns that are especially helpful for the Lenten season for personal and corporate worship.