Simply Soul Searching

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Wednesday, March 10th

Read 2 Peter 2:1-10.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5, NRSV)

Trusting that we are precious in God’s sight, today our spiritual invitation is to come to God and Let ourselves become a holy priesthood. Doesn’t “holy priesthood” seem so lovely and sacred to your soul? Well, I had no idea how challenging this phrase might be when I selected this verse! I began researching the meaning of priesthood and I found MANY differing ideas about what priesthood is or should be!

But one article I found resonated with me. Here are a few excerpts…

The Ubuntu philosophy is derived from the Nguni saying Ubuntu ngumtu ngabanye abantu (“a person is a person through other people”). Ubuntu is… a profoundly personal philosophy, calling on people to act in a spirit of participation, cooperation, warmth, openness and dignity. There is a connection between Ubuntu and the Lutheran understanding of “the priesthood of all believers…” (in which) Martin Luther affirmed that all baptized Christians have equal access to God through prayer because all of them come to God through the mediatorial work of Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). 

That is the spirit of Ubuntu at work in building what Martin Luther King Jr., in “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” called a beloved community: “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly…” We all partake of a royal priesthood saved by God’s grace. In practicing Ubuntu, we realize that each of us has a role to play, which must be held in balance, no one dominating the other. A priesthood of equal believers.¹

And when we read verses 1-3 of Peter’s words in this passage, we are encouraged to become such a holy and united community by doing this:

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Malice, guile, insincerity, envy, and slander are all attempts to prove ourselves better than another. Through bringing others down, deceiving or tricking others, making ourselves look better than we are, resenting when others succeed, or talking about someone badly, we are comparing ourselves and competing with one another to reveal who is best. These ways are the opposite of the principles of Ubuntu and of Christ Jesus.

Our priesthood is a calling; a calling to live in that spirit of Ubuntu, that spirit of Jesus, that spirit of “participation, cooperation, warmth, openness and dignity.” We are not a royal priesthood because of anything we have done or any special merit on our part; we are a royal priesthood because of what God in Christ has done for us. We are not a royal priesthood to be elevated and set apart; we are to be part of a beloved community.

~~~~~

May we let God shape us into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, by removing those selfish tendencies in us that would seek to elevate ourselves – while diminishing our call to mutuality, compassion, and unity.

~~~~~

Our reading for tomorrow will be Matthew 7:1-5.

¹Ubuntu and the priesthood of all believers – Living Lutheran
(William Flippin Jr. is the director for evangelical mission of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.)

Photo by Natalie Pedigo on Unsplash

Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Tuesday, March 9

I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
    give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:1-2 (NRSV)

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 
let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6 (NRSV)

I once worked as a service representative for the telephone company. Even though the work was challenging, I usually felt a sense of peace and joy when I could help customers resolve a problem and brighten their day. This was a different type of ministry, not one in which I could talk about my faith, but one in which I could share kindness, understanding and often, compassion.

But oh my. There were difficult times when I would try to help callers who were very angry and frustrated! Service representatives are given techniques to calm and settle irate customers by responding with understanding and gentle reassurance. Still, there were times when I could not seem appease or help the customers in any way. Our interactions were futile as they refused to listen to any reasoning, to understand the points I was making, or to quiet enough to hear of possible solutions; they only continued to make impossible demands. I must honestly note that in these situations, I soon lost my patience and any desire to help them.

We are so fortunate to have a wonderfully compassionate God who can handle our anger! God can take any of our prayers of frustration, anger, or blame, and gently glean our true intentions from our misdirected rage. I am so very thankful that God is infinitely more patient and merciful than I could ever be. God will never abruptly hang up on us or turn our phone service off (not that I admit to any of that. 🙂 ). God will always be ready to hear and to help.

But today our spiritual invitation is to Let us pray as incense before God, as an evening sacrifice, without worrying, and with thanksgiving. In these phrases we understand prayer as pleasant… permeating… gentle…lingering… surrendering… grateful… sacrificial… humble.

When we learn to come to God in adoration and trust, we then can pray with a more receptive posture, ready to hear and heed God’s guidance and assurance. Our angry demands transform into honest questions. Our frustrated requests change into the hope of finding solutions together. Our closed minds open into new possibilities. I am upset but how can we work together? How can we resolve my concerns as a team? Am I willing to let you find the answer, or do I want a say in it? How have I contributed to the problem? Is there anything I need to learn in this difficult time?

God knows all of our fears, intentions, angers, frustrations, and sorrows better than we know ourselves. God will answer our prayers better than we can imagine – if we let God do the imagining.

~~~~~

May we let our prayers become as incense before God, as an evening sacrifice, presented without worrying, and with thanksgiving. May we always come to God with a ready, hopeful, and receptive stance so that God can truly work in us and through us – for our goodness and for God’s glory.

~~~~~

Our reading for tomorrow will be 2 Peter 2:1-10.

Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Monday, March 8th

Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 61:4 (NRSV)

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; 
let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Mark 9:5 (NRSV)

When my son was six years old, our family saw the Disney animated movie, Tarzan, at the theater. As Phil Collins sang, “You’ll Be in My Heart” during the final credits, he came down the row to give me a hug. This was such an unforgettable and tender moment! Since then, that song has held a special meaning for us.

Years later, we sat on the front porch and shared our parting words of blessing and love, as he and our son-in-law were about to move to California. We knew that distance and time would keep us separated for longer than we would like. I worried about their safety as they would drive across the country; my tears were fresh and full. But I repeated the familiar lyrics, “You’ll be in my heart… just look over your shoulder…” Our love would keep us connected – always. (I get emotional again when I remember this moment. With the pandemic, we have been unable to see each other for over a year and a half now.)

Our spiritual invitation for today is to Let us abide in the goodness of God. In Psalm 61, the writer asks to abide in God’s tent forever, to find a refuge in God’s shelter. And in Mark 9, after Peter witnesses the incredible moment of Jesus’s transfiguration, he too, wants to remain with this goodness of God. “Let us make three dwellings!” But soon he is following Jesus, James, and John back down the mountain.

Oh, those precious moments when we wish to “stay here forever!” They are the moments of love, joy, peace, clarity, beauty, or inspiration. They are the times when life feels so perfectly right, when we feel deeply connected with others, when we are very aware that we are experiencing a rare and incredible gift. We want to stay and abide in all the goodness God is shining upon us.

But then we are called to go on. At times, we are called to leave the exhilaration and serve in the normalcy. Other times, we are called to part with loved ones and hold them in our hearts until we are reunited. We may be called to leave our serenity and take on new challenges. Life never stands still.

You already know the good news in all of this. God abides with us, wherever we go. As the psalmist writes, we are forever sheltered under God’s wings. We may be nomads, but God is our tent. Most of all, the best of what we have experienced has changed us and remains with us, always. Love is eternal. Love will remain. Love will always be with us.

Just look over your shoulder…

Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 1 John 2:24 (NRSV)

~~~~~

May we let God call us to new adventures, always trusting that God’s love will provide for us, remain with us, and abide in us, wherever we go.

~~~~~

Our Bible readings for tomorrow are Psalm 141:1-2 and Philippians 4:6.

Photo by Scott Goodwill on Unsplash

Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Friday, March 5th

Read Psalm 27.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 (NRSV)

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day that says, “I will try again tomorrow.” ~ Mary Ann Radmacher

Psalm 27 begins with the familiar words, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” The psalmist then goes on to name some very real threats, but dismisses each of them with his trust in God’s protection and strength. Evildoers will stumble and fall… armies and wars will not shake his confidence… he will be sheltered from trouble… he will be lifted up even if his parents forsake him. This is our spiritual invitation for today, to Let our hearts take courage, even when we face adversaries that threaten our well-being.

What adversaries do we have? What causes us to fear?

Some of mine are social, global, and environmental issues; some include my worry for the well-being, safety, and equality of my children and grandchildren; and some are health related, such as the possibility that my cancer will return. But there are also lesser “adversaries” that can seem just as intimidating or threatening. A lack of confidence as I write my book – will it be good enough? A concern that I will upset someone when I write of difficult or divisive topics – will I receive angry responses? I think we all can feel quite vulnerable when we put ourselves ‘out there’, don’t you?

When I was preparing this reflection, I learned that (except for the Apocrypha) the Bible does not include the word bravery, although the word courage is used quite often. Perhaps there is no significant reason for this, but I was blessed to discover the differences between bravery and courage. I hope you will be, too.

Here is an excerpt from one article:

Bravery is the ability to confront pain, danger, or attempts of intimidation without any feeling of fear. It is strength in character that allows a person to always be seemingly bigger than the crisis, whether he is indeed more powerful or lesser than what he is facing. Courage, on the other hand, is the ability to undertake an overwhelming difficulty or pain despite the eminent and unavoidable presence of fear. More than a quality, it is a state of mind driven by a cause that makes the struggle worth it. Unlike in the case of bravery, a person fueled by courage may feel inevitably small in the face of peril, pain, or problems. The essence of courage is not the feeling of being capable of overcoming obstacles, but rather the willful choice to fight regardless of the consequences and limitations.… Courage is a result of a deep understanding of the matter; a courageous person truly understands what they’re getting themselves into and who or what they’re doing it for. For instance, a courageous man knows he might die if he enters a burning building to save his son. He shivers at the thought of burning to death, but proceeds anyway – because of the love he has for his child.¹

This excerpt certainly describes Jesus! And these words can describe each of us, too. We are called to keep helping one another, to keep working for what is right, to keep doing what Jesus calls us to do, even when we are intimidated or afraid.

There may be enemies all around us – real, imagined, or exaggerated – but how might we face them with courage? How can we take on difficult but important challenges despite our fear?

The psalmist encourages us to “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” The moment we pause to wait for the Lord, we will discover he is already with us. We continue on in faith, trusting we will find our guidance and strength in his presence, letting our hearts ‘take’ courage from God because we cannot generate it on our own. We move forward – not knowing what we may encounter – but knowing the One who is worth it all. We may be shaking in our shoes, but our souls will be centered in certainty.

~~~~~

May we let Jesus continue to call us to new and surprising challenges, trusting that he goes with us, providing everything we need to do the next right thing with unwavering courage.

~~~~~

Our Bible readings for Monday will be Psalm 61:4 and Mark 9:5.

¹Read more: Difference Between Courage and Bravery | Difference Betweenhttp://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-courage-and-bravery/#ixzz6mYRbto2K

Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Thursday, March 4th

Read Psalm 33:1-9.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Psalm 33:8

Today our spiritual invitation is to Let us stand in awe. When we think of standing in awe of God, we may think of reverently observing such majestic grandeur as mountaintops, sunrises, stars in the night sky, the planets and universe, waterfalls, oceans, canyons. We may think of gratefully experiencing such unforgettable times as mission trips, altar calls, concerts, births of children or grandchildren.

But perhaps God is most awesome in the ways God becomes small, in the ways God comes to us in our normal daily living. God is in the majesty, but God is also in the minute moment…

This morning I prayerfully journaled about several concerns that were upsetting me, and I wondered when we would finally have answers and brighter days. A few moments later, Jim and I were having our morning devotional time – and the reading spoke exactly to what I was feeling. The words gently instructed me to not just wish and wait for better days, but to be attentive to the goodness that still abounds, to savor the small sweetness of the present moment.

These moments of answered prayer or divine insight are when I am most filled with awe. I sense that God is SO close, listening to my small self, and assuring me of God’s amazing love and guidance. God is most likely always creating these “I am with you, I hear you, I will help you” moments! And how many of them do we miss?

O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me fast.
(Psalm 139:1-10 NRSV)

How can we not be filled with awe?

God is the infinite, beyond-all-knowing, eternal, ever present, awesome Creator of the universe.

God is also the infant, fully-human Jesus, the Spirit moving within us, the words we hear or read or pray, the humble sacrifice of love, the lessons found in nature.

God is in the sheer silence but also the quiet whisper.
God is in the waterfall but also the dewdrop.
God is in the snowstorm but also the snowflake.
God is in the mountain but also the pebbles in the stream.
God is in the cathedral but also the cottage.
God is in the gospel choir but also the birdsong.
God is in the powerful sermon but also the inner question.
God is in eternity but also in this very moment.

~~~~~

May the Spirit help us to notice, appreciate, and be filled with awe today, as we find the presence of God in the majestic grandeur, as well as in the humble lowliness of our everyday moments.

~~~~~

Our reading for tomorrow will be Psalm 27.

Photo by Karen, Outer Banks, 2016

Bible verses found at https://classic.biblegateway.com/

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Wednesday, March 3rd

Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.
Isaiah 12:5 (NRSV)

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Psalm 67:3 (NRSV)

…and again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”…
Romans 15:11 (NRSV)

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Hebrews 13:15 (NRSV)

Years ago, I was attending a Christian concert when the woman next to me was overwhelmed with joy and lifted her arms to the heavens. I was touched by her enthusiasm – until she reached over and pulled my arm up, too. Evidently I wasn’t as visibly moved or excited as she thought I should be. After that moment, my growing enthusiasm was diminished by my greater annoyance. My praise turned into an inner pout. 😉

Our spiritual invitation for today is to “let (us) praise you… let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God…” God IS so incredibly good, and worthy of our praise. I like to think of praise as a mutual outpouring of joy and love. We thank and glorify God for who God is, and for all God does. Out of love for us, God accepts our praise and inspires more love, adoration, and awe in us.

But how do we best praise God, even those of us who are a little more inhibited (or a little more annoyed)?

I love the example of St. Therese of Lisieux. Very humbly, and with sincere love…

She loved flowers and saw herself as the “little flower of Jesus,” who gave glory to God by just being her beautiful little self among all the other flowers in God’s garden. Because of this beautiful analogy, the title “little flower” remained with St. Therese.¹

Like St. Therese, we will praise God by living our lives in reverent gratitude and by being our true selves in God. We best praise God by living as God has created us to live; by genuinely shining as God has designed us to shine. Our praise can be singing loudly in the shower, or whispering thanks as we rock a grandbaby to sleep. Our praise can be writing beautiful poetry, or stumbling over simple words of prayer. Our praise can be serving one another through our unique vocations, or being still on our back porch. Our praise can be lifting our hands to the heavens, or standing in quiet joy. Discovering who and how God made us to be and live may be the most genuine and grateful praise of all.

~~~~~

God in perfect wisdom and creativity has formed us beautifully and uniquely. Today, may we let God reveal to us more of our true selves – and then may we praise God by being and living that way.

~~~~~

The Bible reading for tomorrow will be Psalm 33:1-9.

¹Saint Therese, “The Little Flower” | Society of the Little Flower – US

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Tuesday, March 2nd

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Isaiah 2:5 (NRSV)

Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
Psalm 4:6 (NRSV)

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
Psalm 31:16 (NRSV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (NRSV)

Here in the northern hemisphere, the daylight hours are increasing, and my spirit is lifting. The sunshine brings forth warmer days, new growth, and brighter surroundings. Oh, there are gifts to be found in the seasonal darkness, but I rejoice when the days grow longer!

The Bible speaks often of light – the shining light of God, as well as the light of love we reflect from God’s light. God’s light can guide us through the wilderness… illuminate our way in the darkness… reveal our imperfections… heal our wounds… enlighten our thoughts… shine hope on our future… and simply brighten our souls with joy, peace, and love. Our spiritual invitation for today is to let God’s light shine on us so that we may let God’s light shine through us onto others.

What are the best ways to let the light of God shine for someone? One important way is to let God control our dimmer switch…

My usual image of the light of God’s love is one of incredible brightness; one that shines with infinite joy and delight. I see that type of light shine from the faces and through the voices of the Gaither Vocal Band in concert, or the sheer joy that radiates from a community gathered to celebrate a special occasion, or even the beautiful smile that beams from someone who is happy to see me. This light is so bright, so full, so powerful – a vivid display of the goodness of God’s love!

But when life is hard for someone, we do not bless by pretending that it isn’t, shining bright lights of joy and delight. I have a friend who attended a funeral for a dear one who died tragically. The minister spoke as if this senseless death was the best thing to happen to this young man and his loved ones gathered there. My friend struggled to find the God she knew was there to comfort and heal.

These are the times when we let God turn down our brightness, to let us become like a small candle flame; to become a light that gently warms, comforts, and signifies hope. We ask God to let us shine enough light to help and soothe, but not to diminish the darkness that reverently acknowledges and quietly honors the sorrow or despair. The light of God’s love has no need to diminish or discard this much-needed time of grief or pain. God’s healing will come as a gradually brightening light over time.

I think of Jesus, whose light wasn’t always the bright light of enthusiastic joy. His light was the care and comfort he offered to those who were suffering or grieving. His light was the anger against injustice. His light was the feeding and filling of those who were hungry. His light was the love shown in the silences against his accusers, in his words of salvation to the criminal hanging next to him, and in his words of forgiveness for the people who hurt and crucified him – including all of us.

We shine the light of God’s love not to bring attention to ourselves, but to reveal the goodness of God. We may become the illuminating light of a lamp when people are searching and seeking. We might become the soft glowing embers of love for dear ones gathered near. We could be the focused beam of a flashlight for someone who feels lost or unsure. When we let God’s light shine upon us and within us, God will then guide and control the brightness of the light that radiates from us, with all sensitivity and goodness.

~~~~~

May we let the light of God shine upon us, be absorbed within us, and then radiated from us, always with the intensity that will best enable others to see themselves as beloved.

~~~~~

The readings for tomorrow will be Isaiah 12:5, Psalm 67:3, Romans 15:11, and Hebrews 13:15.

Photo by Karen, taken at Swan Creek Metropark, Toledo

Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Monday, March 1st

Read Galatians 5:22-26.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25 (NRSV)

Last summer I wrote a blog series about cairns, the stacks of rocks we often find creatively assembled along hiking paths.* The cairns are so simply beautiful, and they often serve as guideposts for our way. Today our spiritual invitation is to “let ourselves be guided by the Spirit.” Certainly the Spirit can guide us far better than any cairn could!

But how DO we know that we are on the right path, that we have truly let the Spirit guide us? As we see in this passage from Galatians, the right path is less about our location or direction, and more about the spiritual fruits we bear while we journey onward. If we are following a path that leads to greater love, joy, or peace, we are being led by the Spirit. If we pause along the way to share patience, kindness or generosity with someone, we are being led by the Spirit. If we choose to leave a path that has diminished our faithfulness, generosity, or self-control, we are being led by the Spirit.

The right path is any journey that helps us to bear and share the good fruits of God. An unexpected turn can become a peaceful scenic view. A few minutes lost in the woods can become a time of quiet sanctuary and trust. A well-worn path can become a place to encounter a new friend. Even a trial or two, a stumble or a storm, can become fertile soil for new seeds to become future fruits.

Perhaps you are fortunate to be receiving and offering good fruits of the Spirit on your journey today. If not, is it because you need to find a new direction – or have you simply stopped noticing or nurturing these fruits? Is a weariness suggesting that it is time to leave this path, or to pause and replenish on it? Do you feel stagnant because spiritual fruits are not welling up in your soul, or from neglecting to let them flow out for others? Do you remain on your current path because it is the right one, or because you lack courage to change direction? How might both the blessings and burdens along your path nurture new growth within you?

Today is a good day to pause and reflect on our journeys and the ways we can foster spiritual fruits in abundance. With the Spirit guiding us each step of the way, we can sow plentiful seeds, nurture tender saplings, harvest a rich abundance, and produce fruits that are both greatly savored and generously shared.

~~~~~

May we let the Spirit guide us so that with every step we are planting, nurturing, or bearing the precious spiritual fruits of God.

~~~~~

The Bible readings for tomorrow are Isaiah 2:5, Psalm 4:6 and 31:16, and Matthew 5:16.

*If you would like to read the Cairn series, the first post is here: Cairns for Our Journey (Introduction)

Photo by Garrett Sears on Unsplash

Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Friday, February 26th

And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.”
And the servant was healed in that hour.
Matthew 8:13 (NRSV)

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! 
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed instantly.
Matthew 15:28 (NRSV)

In these two Let passages, we see how Jesus incredibly brings healing to different people in different ways. In Matthew 8, the centurion’s servant is healed of paralysis. In Matthew 15, the Canaanite woman’s daughter is freed from a demon, even after Jesus initially seems critical of the woman’s request. There are other verses that describe the many ways Jesus healed people, but these two verses include his words, let it be done… “Let it be done for you according to your faith… (and) as you wish.” This is our spiritual invitation for today.

If we were to ask Jesus to heal us today, how might we ask to “let it be done” according to our faith? How would Jesus’s words transform our prayer?

Jesus always wants to heal and help. Jesus heals us in ways we may not even know we need. The answer to our prayer may not be the one we think we need; sometimes our healing comes with an unexpected result. In his pastoral care, Jim has witnessed healing when people find a place of acceptance and peace with their suffering, or when they find relief from pain and anguish with the sweetness of eternity. When we ask according to our faith, we are entrusting Jesus with our outcome. We open ourselves to let him heal us in the ways he sees best, for in faith we have learned and experienced his incredible goodness. This brings us peace.

How might we ask for healing, to “let it be done” as we wish?

Jesus’s words help us to clarify and perhaps narrow what it is we are asking. Do we truly wish for physical healing even if that means difficult rounds of chemo, or hours of painful physical therapy? Do we sincerely wish for emotional healing even if that means speaking words of forgiveness to an enemy, or journaling a terrible experience, or facing our inner fears? When we ask Jesus to heal us as we wish, we are invited to first examine the true intention of our prayer. This brings us focus and clarity.

What would you ask of Jesus if he were to let it be done according to your faith – trusting Jesus for the outcome?

What would you ask if he were to let it be done as you wish – trusting Jesus for the process?

~~~~~

May we let the perfect, tender love of Christ Jesus freely work to heal us – according to our faith and as we truly wish – leaving our outcomes and processes in his holy and healing hands.

~~~~~

The Bible reading for Monday is Galatians 5:22-26.

Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com

THE ‘LET’ OF LENT – Thursday, February 25th

Read Mark 1:35-39.

He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns,
so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do.”
Mark 1:38 (NRSV)

Jesus and his disciples have had some very busy days traveling the countryside, teaching and healing people. As his fame spreads, more crowds come to him for help and healing. So, on this day, Jesus gets up to have a quiet time of prayer in the early morning darkness. But the disciples search for him, and upon finding him tell Jesus that everyone is looking for him. And Jesus responds with our invitation for today: “Let us go on… so that I may proclaim the message… for that is what I came out to do.”

We have a mission that includes sharing the love of God. We have work to do that includes reaching others with the salvation news of hope, healing, joy, and peace. Today we are invited to be mindful of our mission as we go about our daily living. We never know when someone may be needing an act of kindness, an encouraging word, the healing of forgiveness, or the assurance that they are beloved by God and by us. When we begin to watch and listen for the needs around us, we will discover many opportunities to be compassionate, understanding, and helpful; we will have opportunities to reveal and share the love of Christ.

Notice that Jesus first takes time – early in the morning – to center in God through prayer. Yes, even as we have a mission, we also need to replenish and refresh our spirits in God. We are invited to rest, but not to “rest on our laurels” (to be satisfied with your achievements and not to make an effort to do anything else).* Do we see a need but then excuse ourselves? “I have already helped someone else this way” or “I donated to this cause a few months ago” or (one of mine) – “I write about my faith; do I really need to speak of it?” In our prayer time, we can ask God for strength, courage, motivation, or any help we need to serve God’s mission well.

There is another let verse in which Jesus speaks of his mission. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…”¹

In what ways might Jesus free us, show us, and release us to serve God’s mission? Do we need to be released from our desire for comfort, security, or ease? Do we need to be cured of our blindness to the plight of others? Are we being oppressed by such powers as doubt, or fear, or lack? When we pray that God will enable us to “let us go on” in our purpose and mission, in what new ways might we be set free? Jesus has come to do all of these – for us!

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May we let Jesus inspire us to take enough time for prayer and reflection, to never stop pursuing God’s purpose and mission in our daily living, and to let Jesus free us from all that hinders us from doing so.

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The Bible readings for tomorrow are Matthew 8:13 and 15:28.

¹Luke 4:18.

*definition from Cambridge Dictionary

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Bible verses found at BibleGateway.com