Thursday, February 19 Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days

Scripture: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.” Matthew 4:1–2

Hymn Focus:
“Lord, who throughout these forty days
For us didst fast and pray…”

Lent begins by turning our eyes to Jesus in the wilderness. The hymn “Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” reminds us that before Jesus preached, healed, or went to the cross, He entered a season of fasting, prayer, and temptation. Lent mirrors that journey, inviting us to walk with Him through the wilderness of self-examination and trust.

The hymn acknowledges that Jesus knows our human weakness. He faced hunger, temptation, and isolation—not as a distant observer, but as One who fully entered our condition. Lent assures us that our struggles are not signs of failure, but places where Christ meets us with understanding and strength.

As the hymn prays,
“Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins,
And close by Thee to stay,”
we hear the heart of Lent. Repentance is not meant to drive us into shame or despair. It draws us closer to Christ. To “stay close” to Jesus is the goal—not perfection, but presence.

The hymn also calls us to spiritual discipline:
“And through these days of penitence,
And through Thy Passiontide…”
Lenten practices such as fasting, prayer, and generosity are not ends in themselves. They shape our hearts to depend more fully on God, loosening our grip on what distracts us from faithful living.

Finally, the hymn lifts our gaze beyond the wilderness:
“Till Easter of unending joy
We reach at last.”
Lent is purposeful. It moves toward resurrection. The disciplines of these forty days prepare us to receive Easter not as routine, but as true renewal.

As you walk through this Lenten season, let this hymn become a prayer of companionship. Ask Christ to walk with you through the wilderness, to strengthen you in temptation, and to lead you faithfully toward the joy that lies ahead.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You walked the path of fasting

and prayer for our sake.

During these forty days,

 draw us closer to You.

Strengthen us in temptation,

teach us honest repentance,

and shape our hearts through

discipline and grace.

Lead us through the wilderness of Lent

into the joy of Easter morning.
Amen.