Lent 2013: Individuals touched by Jesus Christ

Lent begins for us next Wednesday, Feb 13. This year I'll be focusing on the various individuals who personally interacted with Jesus during His lifetime. Whether for a moment or for several years, they touched Him, were touched by Him, spoke with Him, received from Him. They would probably look at our situation and tell us how fortunate we are to benefit from the daily influence of the Holy Spirit and the assurance of the Resurrection. Yet we look at them and wonder at the opportunity they had to interact on a material level with the only Son of God. So I am going to look at the individuals mentioned in the Gospels and the way their lives were transformed by their encounters with Jesus Christ. I expect that this study will open the door for Jesus Christ to transform my life as well.
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In our family, we begin on Ash Wednesday (February 13 this year) and continue Monday-Saturday each week until Easter (March 31 this year). This numbering (Mon-Sat for six weeks plus Wed-Sat of the fist week) gives us exactly 40 days. We don't over-indulge on Sundays, but we do relax our sacrifices. Someone who gives up chocolate, for example, might eat a single portion on Sundays but certainly not seven portions to make up for the other six days in the week of fasting from it. Someone who is fasting between meals might choose to eat a snack or three on Sundays but might find it easier to keep the snacking to a minimum. I know a lot of people who find it works better for them to have an actual count of 46 by including the Sundays or who begin their observation on the Sunday following Ash Wednesday (or whose Great Lent doesn't begin for another month). Regardless of how you calculate the dates or when you begin, I hope this opportunity to read about various people who encountered Jesus during His time on this earth will be a help and inspiration.
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Linked with Works for Me Wednesday