Lent Daybook, 20: One Man's Obedience
FOURTH THURSDAY IN LENT
Welcome to a Lent daybook for these 40 days of prayer. You can see all the previous Lent daybook 2019 posts here.
Is this your first time to practice Lent? Here's a simple introduction.
Look: Second Adam (and detail), Bruce Herman
Listen: “What Wondrous Love Is This” from Getty Kids Hymnal: Family Hymn Sing, Keith & Kristyn Getty
Spotify | YouTube | Lyrics
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“My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?’”
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”Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
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”Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”
It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
... he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name.”
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”Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
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”They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year C). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 1) with the Psalm for the Morning Office.
Pray:
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Do:
Fast preconceived notions (judgments).
Feast on a hospitable imagination instead.
This week, ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of the times throughout the day that you operate out of preconceived notions (judgments) about Him, others, and yourself. Make the time at least once a day to stop what you’re doing and practice a hospitable imagination in one of the following ways:
Make space for divergent opinions
Make space for meaning
Make space for listening
Make space for conversation
Make space for reading outside your tradition
Make space for curiosity
Make space for pausing
Sometime this week, share with us one way you’ve practiced a hospitable imagination and what the experience was like for you. You can leave a comment on the blog, Facebook, Instagram, or reply directly to this email.
(See all Lent daybook posts from 2018 here.)