The Receptive Life

We Walk With Jesus All the Way - Lent 2026

One of the hymns that frames the life of the Christian is I Walk in Danger All the Way. The first three stanzas begin this way:
I walk in danger all the way…
I pass through trials all the way ...
Death pursues me all the way ...
The first part of the hymn reminds us that all of the spiritual forces of the "unholy trinity" (the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh) relentlessly fight against us. The devil pursues us. In this world we suffer and bear the cross. And the number of our days are limited.
The good news of the last three stanzas reminds us that we don’t walk the way of this world alone.
I walk with angels …
I walk with Jesus ...
My walk is heavenward ... all the way
Those promises are true and hold fast every morning. Jesus is for us. He is with us, and nothing, not even death, can separate us from His love. (Romans 8)

Lent 2026

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (February 18th). This year I'd like to offer a few simple, yet powerful, spiritual practices to help you meditate on the person and work of Jesus. I chose the practices based on five criteria.

For each practice I asked ...
Is it useful? Will it help me make use of the person and work of Jesus? Can it help me fight against the "unholy trinity" of the devil, the world, and my own sinful flesh?

Is it doable? Can it be taught and learned in a "clear and simple way"? Is it a practice that I can easily start and do, without any frustration? Is it simple enough for a child to learn, and yet, profound enough for me to practice every day for the rest of my life?

Is it reliable? Does it consistently deliver the person, work, and gifts of the Triune God? Is it rooted in the Scriptures? Will the practice serve me for a lifetime, without fail?

Is it memorable? Can I learn it quickly and use it easily? Is it something that will last throughout the entirety of my life and not just a passing season?

Is it repeatable? Is this practice something that I can keep coming back to? Can I make use of it day after day, week after week, year after year?
With those criteria in mind, I choose the following six spiritual practices.
  • Practice 1: The Sign of the Cross and the Trinitarian Invocation
  • Practice 2: Praying Luther’s Evening and Morning Prayer
  • Practice 3: Comforting the Conscience with Confession and Absolution
  • Practice 4: Memorization and Meditation on the Word of God
  • Practice 5: Loving God and Serving the Neighbor Through Our Vocations
  • Practice 6: A Doxology of Praise and the Reception of the Lord’s Blessing
Each Wednesday during the forty days of the penitential season I'll introduce you to a spiritual practice. I'll give you some guidance, a few resources, and a couple of words of encouragement for the week ahead. We'll start small and slow ... baby steps.

You can learn more about this spiritual formation process at ... The Receptive Life - Lent 2026 (here).

I pray that this simple, and yet profound, set of practices will help you learn how to make use of the person and work of Jesus Christ so that you can ...

  • fight against the "unholy trinity" - the devil, the world, and the sinful flesh
  • defend yourself with all of the promises of Jesus
  • and receive all of the gifts that only the Triune God can give
We commend all into the Lord's hands. Come what may, we do belong to Jesus.

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The Receptive Life

The Receptive Life is a distinctly Lutheran devotional resource that will help you learn how to make use of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

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It is a daily and intentional spiritual formation process that is rooted in the Scriptures and is framed by the chief parts of Martin Luther's Small Catechism.

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    2026-01-31 07:12 Lent 2026