LENTEN PRAYERS and DEVOTIONS 2018
Walking
in the Newness of Life
by
the Society of St. Andrew
INTRODUCTION:
This Lenten devotion, provided free with an online download, is
produced by the Society of St. Andrew, a group working to fight
hunger through the systematic gleaning of fields throughout the
country. While I picked it for ease and cost, God was at work!! I
briefly read through the introduction and realized the theme was
RENEWAL! Exactly what I have been pondering for the past 6 weeks
already. This study will fit right in and might even provide more
insight for when I resume my Steeples of Renewal blog after Easter!
Daily title and Scripture are taken from the study itself, while the
‘Twitter Poem’ and prayer are my own reflections. I will combine
my prayers into one weekly meditative drawing, ultimately spelling
out LENTEN Prayers.
2.14.18
ASH WEDNESDAY – MARTYRED FOR LOVE
John
15:13 V
There
is no greater love than to give your life for your friends.
Valentines
and ashes.
What
a strange combination.
Yet
St. Valentine was martyred for
the
same as our Lord Jesus Christ: LOVE.
LOVE
mixes well with FORGIVENESS.
Lord,
the ultimate martyr for Love, fill us with Lenten season with your
love, grace, and forgiveness. Amen.
2.15.18
– BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW
Revelation
21:5 MSG
The
Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it
all down – each word dependable and accurate.”
God
has promised newness of life.
Do
we cling so tightly to the old
That
we fail to see new growth?
Change
is a sign of growth and renewal -
Let
go of the past and welcome the newness of Spring!
Open
my eyes, Lord, to new opportunities for growth and change. Amen.
2.16.18
OBEY THE SOURCE
Hebrews
5:9 GNT
When
he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for
all those who obey him.
Obedience.
To
do as requested, when asked.
Such
a hard thing!
Especially
when the call comes from God
And
we feel inadequate or resist.
Yet
time and again, it is the right thing to do -
For
others AND for ourselves.
Grant
me the courage to answer your call, God, and obey. Amen.
2.17.18
A NEW COMMANDMENT
John
13:34 GNT
And
now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another.
We
are created by love,
to
be loved, and to love.
That
is God’s command:
Love
each other as God’s has loved us.
Nothing
more, nothing less.
Just
LOVE.
God
of all love, may I be a beacon shining bright with love for all.
Amen.
2.18.18
GO TO GIVE
Isaiah
43:19 MSG
Be
alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s
bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is!
Most
travel is for exposure and exploration:
New
sights, new friends, new cultures.
God’s
call is to go in service,
To
GO with the intent to GIVE.
Such
a calling internalizes the newness
And
harvests shared loved for all.
Lord,
help me experience the newness of travel with the goal to give along
the way. Amen.
 |
| First week prayers |
WEEK
2
2.19.18
HINDSIGHT: A VALUABLE TEACHING TOOL
Romans
12:4-5 V
For
in the same that one body has so many different parts, each with
different functions; we, too – the many – are different parts
that form one body in the Anointed One, Each one of us is joined
with one another, and we become together what we could not be
alone.
Many
parts, all different
Many
talents, a range of skills
Together
meld, together join
And
become a new creation.
A
God-Creation with unlimited
possibilities.
Help
us, Lord, to take the gifts you have given each and together be your
hands and feet in the world. Amen.
2.20.18
ALWAYS HIS DAUGHTER
Luke
8:48 MSG
Jesus
said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re
healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!”
Faith
meant healing,
Faith
became wholeness,
Faith
can make us new.
Not
just once or twice,
But
over and over again.
God
of healing and hope, in moments of despair may we reach out to you
for the touch of renewal. Amen.
2.21.18
WHEN GOD PICKS UP THE PIECES
Ephesians
2:10 V
For
we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives,
created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God
arranged long ago.
God
uses Super Glue -
The
FORGIVENESS brand -
to
reassemble his creation
And
make it new once again.
The
cracks of brokenness might show
But
the product can still fulfill
It’s
God-given purpose.
Forgiving
God, mend us, heal us, renew us – all for your purpose. Amen.
2.22.18
REFRESHED
Romans
15:32 V
If
that happens, then my journey to you will be filled with joy; and, if
God wills, I can rest and be refreshed in your presence.
Washed
clean and rested,
Souls
filled with expectation,
Celebration,
and joy.
Hearts
mended and whole.
This
is what it means to be REFRESHED
Within
the community of God.
May
we serve to refresh one another, Lord, as you continue to renew us.
Amen.
2.23.18
CHOOSING THE RIGHT WALKING COMPANION
Luke
24:13-16 GNT
On
that same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village named
Emmaus...and they were talking to each other about all the things
that had happened. As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew
near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not
recognize him.
Who
walks alongside me
On
my daily trek through life?
Worry?
Regret? Shame? Fear?
Perhaps
the occasional Joy companion?
Choose
the right walking partner – Jesus!
He
is there anyway – step by step!
Remind
me, Lord, that you are always by my side and the BEST walking
companion. Amen.
2.24.18
GREATER THAN ANY PROBLEM
Philippians
4:8 GNT
In
conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are
good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right,
pure, lovely, and honorable.
When
we get overwhelmed and
Problems
mount with no end in sight,
God
shines through -
In
the most unexpected of ways -
To
remind us that our Lord is greater
Than
anything we might face.
Thank
you, God, for the unexpected bursts of glory that waken us once again
to your infinite love. Amen.
2.25.18
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
John
3:5-6 GNT
I
am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter
the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. A
person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually
of the Spirit.”
Physical
birthing is hard
Painful,
yet exhilarating.
Rebirth
of the heart can be difficult as well,
Yet
Spiritual waters refresh and restore -
And
New Life in God is worth
The
sacrifice and suffering.
Free
me from my fears, Lord, that I might truly experience the wonder of
Spiritual rebirth. Amen.
 |
| Week 2 'E' Prayers |
WEEK
3
2.26.18
CAN’T YOU HEAR ME?
Isaiah
30:18, 21 GNT
And
yet, the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you….If you wander off
the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you
saying, “Here is the road. Follow it.”
Do
we hear God’s voice?
Or
is our hearing rather selective?
Perhaps
God-Aids are in order
For
us to tune out the world
And
really listen for
The
quiet whisper of our Lord.
Help
me disregard the distractions that muffle your voice, God, and really
listen for your guidance. Amen.
2.27.18
THE MOOD CROSS
Jeremiah
31:3 GNT
...
People of Israel, I have always loved you, so I continue to show you
my constant love.
 |
| Week 3 "N" Prayers |
Mood
rings, mood crosses,
Made
from ‘mood’ stones,
Temperature
sensitive with changing colors.
Fortunately
God doesn’t change,
God’s
colors are simply LOVE,
Regardless
of OUR mood.
Thank
you, God, for loving me, no matter what. Help me love likewise.
Amen.
2.28.18
TRAVEL REVELATIONS
Colossians
1:11-12 MSG
We
pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long
haul – not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the
glory=strength God gives. It is strength that endures the
unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes
us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that
he has for us.
Travel
devotions on days of driving.
I
love God’s sense of timing!
I’m
reminded to stress not on the weather,
but
look to the beauty of the hills -
The
sunlight and shadow -
And
be strengthened by the glory of our Creator.
Thank
you, God, for assuring the details of travel so we may enjoy the
beauty of the journey. Amen.
3.1.18
DEAD TO SIN – ALIVE TO GOD!
Romans
6:23 MSG
Work
hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s
gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.
So
many believe that church
Is
just a matter of Sunday worship -
I
can believe in God without church!
But
church is a community
A
family of faith that makes our walk
Stronger,
deeper, and richer -
We
can’t love as a solo act.
May
I lean on you, Lord, and walk with my family of faith together.
Amen.
3.2.18
A NEW WALK
Romans
6:4 V
Therefore,
we were buried with Him through this baptism into death so that just
as God the Father, in all His glory, resurrected the Anointed One,
we, too, might walk confidently out of the grave into a new life.
I
don’t walk with earphones
Plugged
in and oblivious.
I
walk in celebration and prayer!
Thanking
God for the beauty,
Blessings
for those I pass,
A
constant conversation with Jesus
As
we walk together each day.
May
I feel your presence beside me, Lord, as we walk this life together.
Amen.
3.3.18
INSTANTANEOUS OR GRADUAL?
Acts
9:3-6 GNT
As
Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the
sky flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are
you, Lord?’ he asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you persecute,’ the
voice said. ‘But get up and go into the city, where you will be
told what you must do.’
I
haven’t walked an Emmaus road,
Nor
seen the lights enroute to Damascus.
I’ve
been nurtured and guided
by
a Family of Faith since infancy.
Yet
it is ultimately still MY decision
To
reject the ME and accept the WE
Of
life in community together with God.
May
I walk the road of faith strengthened by community with my family of
faith and God. Amen.
WEEK
4
3.4.18
A NEW HOPE
Romans
6:4 GNT
By
our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in
order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious
power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
A
new hope, a new joy,
A
new life with Christ.
We’ll
fail at times and wander astray
But
to focus on the freedom of newness
Allows
us to experience God
In
everything we do.
Help
me keep my focus on the joy life lived in Christ can bring. Amen.
3.5.18
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING
Psalm
69:30 MSG
Let
me shout God’s name with a praising song, Let me tell his greatness
in a prayer of thanks.
Sing
a song of gratitude
Count
our blessings of bounty -
Rising
orange moons, gurgling warm springs,
Ponderosa
forests, towering rock walls.
Time
with family, sharing of gifts,
THANK
YOU, GOD!
Thank
you, Lord, for the bounty of this day. May I seek your presence in
all and renew myself as well. Amen.
3.6.18
WEAKNESS INTO STRENGTH
2
Corinthians 12:9-10 MSG
My
grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own
in your weakness…..I quit focusing on the handicap and began
appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving
in on my weakness. ...I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker
I get, the stronger I become.
When
the going gets tough,
We
know it is Christ who keeps us going.
God
takes our weaknesses
And
uses them for a greater good…
IF….we
are willing to let go
And
let God take over.
Take
my weaknesses and use them for your glory, Lord. Amen.
3.7.18
A RENEWED MIND and TRANSFORMED LIFE
Romans
12:1-2 MSG
Take
your ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and
walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering…..Fix
your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
An
offering of oneself
And
our ordinary mundane life.
That’s
all God wants.
That’s
all God needs
To
craft and shape a new life
If
our offering is complete and whole.
Help
me, Lord, to give my ALL to you in gratitude and love. Amen.
3.8.18
GRADUATIONS
Ephesians
4:22-24 MSG
Everything
– and I mean everything – connected with that old way of life has
to go. …. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of
life – a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and
working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his
character in you.
Graduation
ceremonies mark the start
Of
a new stage of life.
Do
we graduate from ME-Life to WE-Life?
How
do we celebrate the change?
Do
we acknowledge this newness
As
a graduation gift of newness?
As
we move through the changes in our lives, God, may we celebrate each
as a graduation into newness with you. Amen.
3.9.18
LOOKING BACK
Luke
9:62 MSG
Jesus
said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put
God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”
The
past is over, it can’t be changed.
Today
we start afresh,
Filled
with God’s grace and love.
What
a way to begin the day!
Get
busy! Serve! Love abundantly!
We
can’t put it off until tomorrow!
Remind
me, Lord, of the opportunities before me each day to love in your
name. May I seize them and act. Amen.
3.10.18
NEW EVERY MORNING
Lamentations
3:22-23 MSG
God’s
loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have
dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your
faithfulness!
Every
morning I awake
To
a new day of God’s love,
To
new opportunities,
New
chances to share that love.
And
if I mess up?
Tomorrow
everything begins new again!
Merciful
God, thank you for the gift of NEW every morning. Amen.
WEEK
5
3.11.18
RUN YOUR RACE
1
Corinthians 9:24 V
We
all know that when there’s a race, all the runners bolt for the
finish line, but only one will take the prize. When you run, run for
the prize!
It’s
a competitive world,
People
jostling to be first,
To
get to the head of the line,
To
win the race.
It’s
good to do our best, to go for the prize,
As
long as we remember whose race we are running…
And
the trophy is relationship with God.
Help
me run YOUR race, Lord, and seek my prize in the grace of your love.
Amen.
3.12.18
THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT
Romans
7:6 MSG
But
now that we’re no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin,
and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print,
we’re free to live a new life in the freedom of God.
Rules
and laws are necessary,
But
only when the fine print,
Doesn’t
restrict our ability to love.
A
new life is bound by the laws of God,
Renewal
comes with the freedom
To
act upon the grace God brings.
Lord,
may I be bound by only one law – YOUR law of LOVE. Amen.
3.13.18
WHERE IS MY HEART?
Matthew
6:21 V
For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What
is my treasure,
what
do I hold most dear?
How
well do I reveal my faith,
Or
prepare myself to worship and praise?
Seek
God first and our treasure will dwell
Deep
within our restored hearts.
May
I keep my focus on you, Lord, for there will my heart be also. Amen.
3.14.18
NOT A WALK IN THE PARK
Matthew
5:44-45 GNT
But
now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven.
Matthew
6:6 MSG
Find
a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-lay before
God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The
focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his
grace.
Pray
in secret?
Love
our enemies?
Turn
the other cheek?
This
is the call for renewal!
This
is the price we pay
To
walk side by side with God
enveloped
in LOVE.
God,
you demand much of us, but ever-present abundant love and mercy renew
us daily for the walk. Amen.
3.15.18
BE PRUNED! BE RENEWED!
Romans
6:4 GNT
By
our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in
order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious
power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.
It
is so hard to prune plants,
To
cut away what appears to be healthy,
In
hopes of new growth and strength.
But
it is necessary.
It
is equally necessary to prune our lives,
To
remove the fears, sins, and misdeeds
In
order to blossom and grow in God.
Prune
my heart and soul, Lord, of all that separates me from your love.
Amen.
3.16.18
INSIGHT
Psalm
51:10 V
Create
in me a clean heart, O God; restore within me a sense of being brand
new.
Ephesians
4:23 V
..take
a fresh breath
and let God renew your attitude and spirit.
Take
a deep breath,
Breathe
in God-Grace,
Inhale
the Spirit of restoration,
The
crisp aroma of newness .
With
a renewed attitude
We
can approach life with joy
And
profound gratitude.
Thank
you, God, for the newness of spirit and soul each day brings. Amen.
3.17.18
GET IN STEP
Galatians
5:25 MSG
Since
this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let
us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea or a sentiment in
our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our
lives.
Stay
in step with culture,
Or
march in step with God -
Which
shall it be?
In
step with the Spirit may meantime
Marching
on my own in a different direction,
But
it is the parade I am called to march.
As
St. Patrick’s parades abound this day, may I remember to keep my
steps in line with God. Amen.
3.18.18
A NEW PRESCRIPTION
Psalm
51:10 MSG
God,
make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my
life.
I
don’t take a lot of pills each day,
But
one prescription should prevail:
The
pill of kindness and a clean heart
That
renews my Spirit and guides my actions.
A
God-pill of love and peace
That
turns my life around.
Dr.
God, will you fill my prescription?
May
I come to the God-Pharmacy each day for a new dose of the Renewal
Drug. Amen.
WEEK
6
3.19.18
MY JESUS
Romans
6:5 MSG
Each
of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we
can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country.
Walking
out of darkness
Into
a brilliant light-filled room
Quickens
our hearts, refreshes our soul.
Such
is our opportunity
with
each morning sunrise,
to
once again walk into Love.
God
of Light and Love, walk with us in this new journey we take each day.
Amen.
3.20.18
WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE
2
Corinthians 5:17 GNT
Anyone
who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has
come.
It
doesn’t matter when
New
life comes to one,
Early
or late the result is the same.
The
old is gone, and the new
Is
a relationship with Christ
That
changes everything.
As
I walk with Christ, O God, fill me with the new life, with a new
resurrection hope. Amen.
3.21.18
ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?
1
Samuel 3:10 GNT
The
Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, ‘Samuel!
Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak; your servant is listening.’
Often
I allow my ears
To
be closed by fear
Shutting
out the voice of God
Who
calls me to service.
Open
my ears, open my heart,
To
respond ‘Here I am, Lord’!
Open
my ears and heart, Lord, to respond to your call in spite of my
fears. Amen.
3.22.18
SAVED FROM – SAVED TO
Ezekiel
36:26 MSG
I’ll
give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the
stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s
God-willed, not self-willed.
Cold
heart of stone,
To
a warm heart of love.
That’s
what God does.
Our
lives are changed
From
self-centered
To
God-centered -
And
it makes all the difference.
Thank
you Lord, for the heart of love you give each day. Amen.
3.23.18
DISCERNING NEWNESS
Isaiah
43:19 GNT
Watch
for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already – you
can see it now!
Do
I have the eyes to see
God
at work around me?
Am
I aware of each fresh start,
Every
awakening of Spirit?
Be
alert! Be watchful!
Be
looking for God in everything
And
everyone!
Sharpen
my senses, Lord, to see the newness of life around me. Amen.
3.24.18
VICTORY OVER FEARS
1
John 4:18 GNT
There
is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love
has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has
to do with punishment.
To
live without fear
Is
to live boldly in love,
Knowing
God has our backs.
Love
drives away fear
When
love is complete and whole.
Help
your Love, O God, and my love for others overcome all my fears of the
unknown. Amen.
3.25.18
ALL YOUR STRENGTH
Luke
10:27 MSG
He
said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and
prayer and muscle and intelligence – and that you love your
neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
We
Presbyterians are keen on
loving
with intelligence,
But
we fail at times in the passion department.
We
are sometimes weak of muscle.
Loving
God, loving neighbor
Demands
ALL of our God-given gifts.
Help
me love with passion and strength of service as equally as I love
with my mind and soul. Amen.
HOLY
WEEK
3.26.18
REFLECTIONS
Acts
20:24 MSG
What
matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master
Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this
incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
Every
new dawn is a new opportunity
To
share God’s love in ways
Both
big and small:
A
smile, a hand, and act of generosity.
And
in return, we’ll find
Our
own day filled with grace.
Remind
me daily, Lord, that when I reflect your love, I lighten my own load
as well as another’s. Amen.
3.27.18
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
Matthew
14:29b-32 GNT
“Come!”
answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on
the water to Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he was
afraid and started to sink down in the water. “Save me, Lord!” he
cried. At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him and said,
“What little faith you have! Why did you doubt?”
How
often do I see
the
outstretched arm of Christ,
reaching
out in rescue?
It
may be the arm of a friend,
The
strength of a stranger,
But
always God has my back.
Lord,
when my faith is weak, take my hand and help me focus on you. Amen.
3.28.18
UNEVEN PATH
Isaiah
40:3b-5 MSG
Make
the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God. Fill in the
valleys, level off the hills, smooth out the ruts, clear out the
rocks. Then God’s bright glory will shine and everyone will see
it.
We
can’t look at life
As
a smooth, straight, path.
The
bumps and ruts will be there.
But
living in God-Light helps level
The
trials and even the road,
Knowing
we aren’t traveling alone.
Thank
you, God, for traveling with me on this road of life. Amen.
3.29.18
CREATED ANEW
Psalm
139:13-14 GNT
You
created every part of me; you put me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because you are to be feared; all you do is strange and
wonderful. I know it with all my heart.
Unexpected
love
Woven
within each new day
Seek
restoration.
You
created me, Lord, and continue to renew me each day with your love
and grace. What a blessing! Amen.
(I
just read a new writing challenge from my cousin Lorrie – calling
it LENTKU. A Lent based haiku! So I thought I would try a few to
round out my Holy Week Lenten prayers!)
3.30.18
WHAT’S ON YOUR SIGN?
Romans
6:22 MSG
But
now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you
what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God, what
a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more
and more of life on the way!
LISTENING
SIGNPOSTS
Boldly
my actions
Convey
God-Love to the world
If
I hear God’s call.
May my life each day be an opportunity to serve as a signpost of your love, O God. Amen.
3.31.18
NEW LIFE AFTER DEATH
Psalm
23:4 GNT
Even
if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid Lord, for
you are with me.
WALKING
DEATH’S SHADOWY VALLEYS
New
life awaits us
After
ev’ry moment dark
With
God by our side.
When the going gets tough, Lord, may I feel your presence beside me. Amen.
4.1.18
COMING OUT OF THE TOMB
Matthew
27:51-53 MSG
At
that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom.
There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s
more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in
their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left
the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)
Empty
tombs of saints,
The
stone has been rolled away.
New
life awaits all.
Earthquake!
Split curtain!
The
tombs of saints are empty!
New
life comes for all.
Rejoice!
Hallelujah!
The
stone is rolled away!
Our
Lord has conquered sin and death!
New
Life!
Thank
you, God, for our Risen Christ! Hallelujah, Amen!
 |
| Drawing from Easter morning sermon |
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