Lent is a 40 day fast that starts on Ash Wednesday (a symbolic day that remembers Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem on a donkey) and ends on Holy Thursday (or Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday and when Jesus had the Last Supper with His disciples). It is also symbolic of the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert and was tempted by Satan.
Most often practiced by Catholic and Orthodox religions, I believe that it is a seasonal corporate fast that the wider church can participate in as well.
I’m also very excited to commit to a Bible writing plan during Lent. A writing plan is similar to a reading plan, but instead of just reading the Bible you write it out instead.
Whether that's on paper or digitally is up to you, but I know from experience that the tangible act of writing on paper has a very different effect than typing onto a screen.
For Lent in 2023, I’m going to write out the Book of Luke.
Why the Book of Luke?
Two reasons.
Firstly, Luke seems to have more of a systematic structure and order intended to cover a wide scope of the ministry of Jesus. I’m hoping that by going through Luke, I’ll gain a greater appreciation for the life and ministry of Jesus.
Secondly, the Book of Luke flows directly into the Book of Acts. Once I’ve finished this writing plan of Luke, the intention is to re-read what I’ve written over Easter weekend, and then read through the book of Acts over the 50 days between Easter Weekend and Pentecost Sunday.
Why write the Bible at all?
This is a great question!
I’ve found that writing the Bible is an excellent way to slow down and intimately engage the text. If the 30 Day Bible Shred is a sprint, this is a slow stroll through the park. When I slow down in the scriptures, I notice things that I’ve ignored or missed as a result of being too familiar with the text.
I wrote about this effect in a previous blog post called "The Narrative Sterilization of the Bible”.
I also gain a greater appreciation for the Bible I have and the amount of incredible effort and work that has and does go into the Bible itself. The book we have today is a legacy of nearly 2000 years of work from both man and God.
It is easy to take it for granted, but getting to a space where you simply write it out can make you realise how amazing it is to have the Bible.
Can others join in?
I have made a writing plan that you can download from - https://www.bibleroadmaps.com/writing-for-lent-book-of-luke
The dates for Lent 2023 are Wednesday 22nd February to Thursday 6th April. If you count those days, it's actually 44 days, not 40.
I asked ChatGPT why the 40 days of Lent are actually over 44 days and this is what I got:
“Lent is a period of 40 days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. It is a time of fasting, repentance, and spiritual discipline in the Christian faith, leading up to the celebration of Easter.”
So the writing plan has 40 days of writing, but I’ll use those 4 extra days as a buffer in case I fall behind.
Tips for writing
1) Try and get a good pen and notebook.
I purchased a slightly nicer pen that has a wider grip and better ink flow. I also purchased a slightly nicer notebook. I’ve used very cheap notebooks but I’ve found that it wasn’t the best experience as the paper was slightly thinner and wasn’t as smooth to write on. This is a personal preference but I found the writing experience much nicer.
2) It normally takes me about 30 minutes to write 30 verses, I’m a very bad and very messy writer.
You’ll likely get faster as you go along but plan that into each writing day.
3) Find the flow of the story and write groupings of verses rather than verse by verse.
Here is a picture of what my writing journal looks like:
I’ve grouped verses 1-4, 5-7, and 8-10 because that's what made sense as I was reading it. You may notice in your Bible that some verse numbers are bolded, this indicated the start of a new paragraph, as paragraphs aren’t always that clear in some types of Bibles especially those with a verse-by-verse structure.
4) The writing plan is more of a guide than a strict plan
The writing plan is based on about 30 verses a day.
I’ve tried to group the sections based on the flow of the stories and how Luke has structured his book. Some parts interrupt a story, but that is mainly to try and keep each day of writing to about 30 verses.
What could you get out of it?
My prayer is that you will see things you would have previously glossed over. Make the familiar unfamiliar.
To have a greater appreciation for the scribes, monks, and writers of the scripture throughout history and how much effort has gone into getting us these texts.
To humble yourself and fast in the lead-up to Good Friday.
And to awaken a love of Scripture, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit working in you.
Happy mapping!