Vincent van Gogh devoted his life to light.

The light of creation, the light of painting, the light of God’s grace – and the light in humanity, mind, body, and soul. The son of a Christian pastor, Vincent fervently set out to be a preacher and missionary himself, but his ministry eventually took the form of nearly 900 paintings shimmering with dynamism, with passion, and above all, with light.

The word “Lent” refers to the “lengthening” light, the growing days that, in time, will coax the sunflowers to open, the wheat fields to rise again, and the irises to bloom. What better companion on this forty-day pilgrimage, then, than Vincent van Gogh, this apostle of light?

In this Lenten devotional, the words of Scripture and the paintings and letters of Vincent van Gogh will be our guides. Each week, biblical texts and Van Gogh’s work throw light on each other, pointing toward simple, powerful practices you can try yourself, with your family or friends, or with your congregation.

So grab your favorite Bible and a decent internet connection (all the paintings referenced here can be found online; each purchase comes with a companion “Link Sheet” pdf for guidance). Week by week, we’ll travel this Lenten journey together toward the light of Easter morning – with Vincent van Gogh as our guide.

The scriptural passages in this devotional correspond to Year C in the Revised Common Lectionary – but since their themes are universal, this devotional can be used fruitfully during any Lenten season.  

Files: This listing is for a downloadable PDF, printing instructions, an e-reader version, and a companion “Link Sheet” with hyperlinks to all the paintings mentioned in the devotional. Any or all of these can be distributed electronically to members of your congregation.

Please note: you will not receive a physical product as this is a digital download. This resource is for congregational use only, which means it may not be reproduced commercially, duplicated, or resold :)