Lent began on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and concludes on Holy Saturday, April 4, 2026, leading to the celebration of Easter on April 5, 2026. Throughout these forty days, we will provide daily devotionals—including Scripture, meditation, and prayer—to help you walk more intentionally with Christ. May this sacred season deepen your hunger for God and your desire to be conformed to the image of His Son. These devotionals came from one of our many resources, Once a day, 40 Days to Easter. You can find this book on our website at www.kenboa.org. In the 40 days of Lent, Sundays are not included so there will no devotionals on these days.
Day 17 (March 9)
Psalm 41:9
Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
Mark 14:43
Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
John 18:4-5
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
Mark 14:44-46
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
John 18:10
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
Luke 22:51
But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
Matthew 26:52-54
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
Luke 22:52-53
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour -- when darkness reigns.”
Mark 14:50
Then everyone deserted him and fled.
Meditation
Betrayal is an agony like no other. There are no wounds quite as devastating as those inflicted by one whom we considered a trusted friend. Jesus knew this pain. And yet Jesus shows us that even this pain can be redeemed; certainly, because of his experience, he shows us that none of us has to suffer through betrayal alone. His close friend, whom he taught and loved and shared meals with for years, sold him out for 30 silver coins. He walks even that path with us and, in the alchemy of his kingdom, uses it to produce compassion in us. Of course, pain does not necessarily lead to growth in character. Improperly processed, pain can lead us to bitterness and destruction. But Jesus demonstrates that we can choose to use our pain to purchase a life-long empathy for others. With the help of our loving Father, this process can make us the kind of people who reach out when we see another suffering through what we have endured. How was Jesus able to accomplish this? He remained steadfast. He remained true to his identity, and he refused to exact revenge or even defend himself. The same will be true for you. When you are betrayed, there may be nothing left but to commit yourself to God, knowing that you are not alone and praying that the character being cultivated in you and the glory you will one day see will far outweigh the pain of the moment.
Prayer
God of redemptive grace, you have given me the astonishing gift of being reconciled to you through my faith in the person and completed work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. You have overcome my enmity and given me the gift of peace with you now and the hope of glory throughout all of eternity. Still, you have also assured me that in this world I will encounter hardship and pain. In spite of my natural inclinations to the contrary, help me to realize that affliction can be redemptive if I allow you to forge character and compassion within my heart. Remind me that I can bring all my sorrow to you, that you are suffering with me as you have sent your Son to suffer for me. Never let me forget that my experience of betrayal and pain will be brief in light of eternity, and that you are perfecting, confirming, strengthening and establishing me in Christ. Amen.
Day 18 (March 10)
John 11:47-50, 53
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” Then one of them, named Caiphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
John 18:1-3
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
John 18:12-14
Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Luke 22:66-71
At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
Meditation
Jesus, the only person to never sin, the most loving and perfect human being to ever walk the earth, surrendered himself into the hands of sinful men who would execute him. He could have saved himself. He could have just walked away (he’d done that before when a group of people attempted to stone him). He could have called angels from the heavens to wage holy war against his enemies. But he did not. He did nothing to save himself because he was submitted to the will of the Father. God’s justice says sin must be punished. A debt has been incurred and restitution must be made. Jesus was well aware of this, having spoken about hell more than he did about heaven, and he was determined that no one need go there. He knew the stakes of this moment. He knew that only a sinless sacrifice could atone for the sins of every human being in the world. He knew this was all part of God’s plan to ultimately triumph over evil. And so, because of his faith in his Father’s perfect plan, the Son suffered on the cross the condemnation that we never have to experience. The Apostle Paul would later write, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The price has been paid in full. The consequence has come and gone. All that is left now is to abide in Christ and praise him for having chosen to suffer in our place.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, because of your love you emptied yourself out for me, becoming obedient to your Father’s will, even to the point of taking my sin and my shame onto yourself in an agonizing death on the cross. Such love goes beyond my ability to comprehend, but you willingly embraced the purpose for which you came to earth. You submitted this way because you could see beyond the immediate humiliation to the joy that was set before you. You knew that this was the only true way to lead others into freedom. You taught, both by your words and by your actions, that the way to life is through death. May I also learn to look beyond the immediate pains of this life to see what you are preparing for me. May I learn that it is through giving up my life for your sake that I will truly find the life that is abundant and blessed. May I learn the wisdom of humbling myself now, so that I will later be exalted. In your precious name I pray. Amen.
Day 19 (March 11)
Luke 22:31-34
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
John 18:15-18
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus [after his arrest]. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
Matthew 26:71-73
Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
John 18:26
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”
Matthew 26:74-75
Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Meditation
One thing about the Bible: it does not whitewash over character faults. Peter failed miserably, and it’s all there in black and white for us to read. Under intense pressure, he abandoned his master and friend, literally, in his hour of trial. He had failed him already in the garden, when Jesus asked him to watch and pray. Peter had fallen asleep. Now he denies the One he said he would follow to prison, even if it meant death, not once but three times. And so he weeps. Bitterly. He feels his failure, and it breaks him. But this is not a story about Peter. This is a story about Jesus, and Jesus knew this would happen -- probably even before he chose Peter. He knew how Peter would be shaken up, sifted by Satan until his most sinful inclinations surfaced and could be exploited. And he knew that Peter, like Jesus himself, would be made perfect through such suffering. This would, in the end, be used for good in Peter’s life. Something would be forged in him that would not be there otherwise. God always redeems what he allows, even our worst failures -- perhaps especially our worst failures. It is through these failures that our pride and self-reliance lose their grip on our souls, and we are set free to run into the future God has for us.
Prayer
Lord, you know me better than I know myself. You know what I am capable of. You know my limitations. You know my intentions, and you know that, while my spirit is often willing, my flesh is often so very weak. And yet you chose me anyway. The lengths to which you have gone to secure my place in your kingdom are overwhelming. Your love amazes me, and I want to immerse myself in you so completely that Satan cannot sift me. Use whatever means necessary to forge your character in my life, for I know that is your ultimate destiny for me -- that I become conformed to your image. Rid me of my self-reliance. Break the spine of my pride. Teach me the blessings of finding my sense of identity and worth only in you. And when I fail you, gently restore me, using even my failures to your greater glory. Amen.
Day 20 (March 12)
John 18:28-40a
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. Pilate then went back inside to palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!”
Mark 15:12-14
“What shall I do then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Meditation
It always comes as a shock when religious leaders fail to act in godly ways. But it has always been thus. We would be wise to remember that these are just mortals, after all. Granted, they are held to high account, but we are all susceptible to sin. We all make poor choices. We all, from time to time, put our own interests first. And so it should come as no surprise when religious leaders fail to use their power wisely. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were an extreme example of this. They were so concerned about not being defiled by entering a Gentile residence. Yet they had just come from an illegal trial after having plotted the murder of an innocent man. The ability to do something we know is wrong and then justify it shows the power of the flesh, which is the power of self-deception. It was their envy that drove them to murder Jesus. They feared the loss of power and went to this extreme to keep it. Envy and seeking our own power will always kill the Christ in us and blind us to the truth. Pilate knew that truth was being ignored in this situation. He did not know that he was staring truth in the face, for he, like the ones outside his door shouting, “Crucify him!” was blinded by the pursuit of his own agenda. Pray that we are not too much like them. Pray that we do not miss our chance to see truth and honor it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are truth. You bring life, hope, purpose, fulfillment and power to all who will submit to your authority. You fulfill all the Messianic prophecies. Your redeeming work earns you the title Savior of the World. You will certainly come to judge the world and rule in righteousness. Until then, I want to be a herald of your kingdom which has broken into this world and will one day come in its fullness. I know I can only accomplish this as I submit to your lordship. I want to be an agent of positive change in this world by obeying your commands and walking in your power. The values of your kingdom appear so upside-down to those whose eyes have grown accustomed to this world. You teach that the last will be first, the humble will be exalted, the giver will receive, the poor in spirit will be rich, the downward way is the path to greatness and the servant of all is the true leader. Open my eyes this day to see you. I ask this in the power of your name. Amen.
Day 21 (March 13)
Matthew 26:57, 59-68; 27:1-2
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuilt it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
Isaiah 53:7-8
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth.... By oppression and judgment he was taken away.... For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
1 John 2:1
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Hebrews 7:25
[H]e is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Meditation
We have all heard about Jesus’ absurd trials, the false accusations, the problem over jurisdiction, because no one wanted to take responsibility for what the mob wanted to see done to him…his refusal to defend himself. At every step of the proceedings, Jesus’ accusers were there, making their preposterous case. But where was Jesus’ defense counsel? The answer is that there was none. In Jesus’ time, it would have been Pilate’s responsibility to ensure a fair trial, but Pilate was a coward and refused to stand up to the rabid crowd before him. So Jesus stood trial alone. Since he was our substitute, this was right. There was no need to plead his innocence, because, ultimately, he was on trial for our sins, and we are all guilty. But his present ministry ensures that, unlike Jesus, we will never stand trial alone against the debilitating, demeaning and destructive power of sin. Today, the One who had no legal counsel now stands and advocates for us, always. Every time the accuser comes before God to condemn us, Jesus defends us, not by claiming our innocence, but by pleading the ongoing effects of his own death. And on earth, so that we will not forget this important fact, he sends his Holy Spirit, (paracletos in Greek – meaning “called alongside”), to stand beside us, just like legal counsel would in court. Jesus stood alone so we will never have to. Every time we sin and feel the condemnation of it, Jesus is there, standing with us, as a perpetual reminder to the court that the case is closed. And because you are loved, your Advocate will always be heard.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you stood trial alone. You took on the sin of the entire world, including my sin, and you have granted me the glorious gift of acceptance and welcome in exchange. Without you, I was justly condemned and separated from my Father in heaven. But through your powerful work, I have been rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred me into your kingdom. In spite of my guilt, you reached out to me and lifted me out of the abyss. In my desperate need, you gave me the grace to recognize my condition and respond to your loving call through faith. You have declared me righteous and have reconciled me to my Creator. I now can enjoy peace and joy that I would have not known otherwise. Help me to avoid sin. And remind me that when I do fail you, you stand as my Advocate and Defender. In your righteous name I pray. Amen.
Day 22 (March 14)
Isaiah 9:7
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
1 Peter 2:22
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Matthew 26:3-5, 14-15, 57, 59, 62-63, 65-66
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied…. Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
Meditation
The Son of David who was to come and deliver his people would be just and righteous and zealous for God. We would say he had integrity. And he did. Jesus’ love, his truth and his goodness were not governed by external circumstances or personal ambitions, but always steadfastly in accordance with the will of the Father. So here is our Lord, Jesus standing in stark contrast before a man who is the exact opposite of integrity – a hypocrite. Caiaphas models everything Jesus is not, a manipulator too busy with his own selfish plans to mediate for the sins of the people. He had set this whole scene up, proposing that Jesus be killed so that Rome would not come to take his job (and his status) away (John 11:45-53). It was Caiaphas who had suggested that one man should be sacrificed for the whole nation. But we have to stop and think: here is the high priest of the Jewish nation, essentially making a sacrifice to Rome to keep what he has and does not want to lose. So when Jesus stands before him and does not deny his own divinity, Caiaphas plays out a response he has probably rehearsed, pretending to be terribly upset. Jesus is silent; a man of integrity knows better than to argue with a play-actor. Jesus knew that Caiaphas had already made up his mind, long before this trial ever began. In light of this story, we have a choice, to follow Caiaphas and love what we have so much that we will lie, cheat and kill to keep it, or to lay down our lives and follow the one who modeled integrity and is, himself, our righteousness.
Prayer
God of glory, you want what is best for me. And yet I resist your plan for my life because it challenges my autonomy. Still, if I am honest, I must admit that when I attempt to control my own life, I sabotage the peace and joy that come only from submitting to your will. When I seek to order my life according to my own designs, I inevitably lapse into folly and despair. Help me to remember that it is in the small decisions of life that my character is forged. Small acts of hypocrisy always lead to larger acts of infidelity. Give me the wisdom and humility to seek accountability and honesty with a few people I can trust so that they can protect me from myself. Keep me from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. In your Son’s name I pray. Amen.