Printable version of today’s devotional guide

Introduction To This Guide:
These daily devotional guides are provided to encourage you to listen and reflect on how God is speaking to you during this Season of Lent. The question at the end of each day’s contemplation is intended to foster further reflection and prayer throughout the day.  In addition, space is provided for you to document your thoughts on how you hear God speaking to you at this time. May you be blessed and transformed through the Holy Spirit as you ponder God’s word during this most holy of seasons. ++ Provided by:  Community Missions Inc., 1570 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls, NY 14303, Phone: (716) 285-3403, www.communitymissions.org

Where Do I Begin?

Begin each day with the Prayer of Illumination to help, prepare your heart to hear God’s word for you.  Read “to be formed and transformed rather than to gather information…Read with a vulnerable heart.  Expect to be blessed…Read as one awake, one waiting for the beloved.  Read with reverence.”*

Let us Pray a Prayer of Illumination:

All-Seeing One, above me, around me, within me —
guide my vision as I engage with your sacred words.
Look down upon me, look out from within me, look all around me.
See through my eyes, hear through my ears, feel through my heart.
God of Wisdom, touch me where I need to be touched;
    and when my heart is touched, give me the grace to lay
    down this Holy Book and ask significant questions:
Why has my heart been touched by you?
How am I to be changed through your touch?
All-Seeing One, I need to change, I need to look a little more like You.
May these sacred words change and transform me.
Then I can meet You face to face…when I shall be healed forever.
Your Word and the touch of your Spirit bring healing…
    a healing that will last.
O Eye of God, look not away.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me. Amen.

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TUESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK – Day 7
TURN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD

 Psalm 34:11-15

Come, O children, listen to me;
            I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Which of you desires life,
            and covets many days to enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
            and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good;
           seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
            and his ears are open to their cry.

WANTON LOVE

The Psalms provide daily prompting for the Christian searching to have revealed his/her own offense toward God.  As the wayward son who squandered his inheritance before his father even lie on his death bed, we may all cry, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [or daughter].” (Luke 15:21)  The Psalms put into words timeless circumstances, human emotions, and actions that are as true today as they were 2500 years ago.

            The Psalmist’s cry for the children to listen is one all loving parents implore:  ‘Listen my children, love what is good, seek peace and pursue it, enjoy life and keep from doing what is wrong.’  It may not seem so important to you now but later on you will see the wisdom of my words, you will reap the fruits of doing good.’  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.  

            Let our hearts not be deceived, God sees the actions of all of us.  But here is what makes the difference, when we seek God’s face, when we grow in our relationship to our Lord, then all we want to do is please him.  And when we fail, which we all do, we realize our suffering is because of our own sinful ways.  And then we return to the Father, in fear yes, but with the full assurance that the Father’s love will far exceed any punishment we may receive.  As in the case of the wayward son, the Father is already planning a feast to celebrate the son’s return, barely even listening to the son’s heartfelt confession.  Such is the love of God for us.  Perhaps our own fear of the Lord is that we become so united in the Father’s love, we fear breaking his heart, and, as a consequence, our own may be broken as well.

 PRAYER

 Loving and gracious Father, keep my lips from speaking lies.  Help me do good and seek peace, inform me of the error of my ways.  Keep your eyes and ears open to my cry for mercy, enable me to listen well to your teaching, and let me know the fear of you for my own good, and to your glory.  Amen.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

 Recall a time when you knew you deserved punishment but received mercy instead?

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Notes:

This week’s devotional resource was written by Rev. Wendy Depew Partelow, President of the American Baptist Churches of New York State Board of Missions, and edited by Rev. Mark H. Breese of Community Missions. The content was created specifically keeping in mind the populations served by Community Missions.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Scripture Verses are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), HarpurCollins Publishers, 1989.

*The choice of Daily Scripture texts and reflection questions are taken from Lent & Easter, Wisdom from Thomas Merton, Linguori Publications.

^ffFrank G. Honeycutt, “How Jesus Hangs On”, Marry a Pregnant Virgin: Unusual Stories for New and Curious Christians,  Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2008, p. 100-104.

^ffCarlo Carretto, Why Me Lord, as quoted in A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People, Job & Shawchuck, The Upper Room, p. 117.