Lent Daybook 13: Sown
Look: Wheatfield Under Thunderclouds, Vincent Van Gogh - Source
Spend time with the entire series: The Wheat Fields is a series of dozens of paintings by Vincent van Gogh, borne out of his religious studies and sermons, connection to nature, appreciation of manual laborers and desire to provide a means of offering comfort to others.
Listen*: The Sower’s Song, Andrew Peterson - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read**: Psalm 72; Genesis 42:18-28; 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8; Mark 4:1-20
Excerpts:
"May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight."
*
"On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept."
*
"The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
- Psalm 72:11-14 * Genesis 42:18-24a * Mark 4:14-20 (ESV)
Pray: Book of Common Prayer, from the Order for Compline
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit; For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth. Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye; Hide me under the shadow of your wings.
Do: Fast social media symbols. Feast on the language of lament and amazement instead.
This week we’ll fast replacement symbols for language - emojis and social media “likes” - and feast on the language of lament and amazement instead.
Pay attention, in particular, to the Psalms in each day’s post. Gather words of lament and amazement to use throughout the day. Consider the characters in the other Scripture passages each day. Pay attention to the verbal and non-verbal responses they use. You can even keep a thesaurus handy throughout the week.
Whenever you’re tempted to use an emoji or social media symbol, stop and ask yourself the following question:
Where does the need to do this come from?
If this conversation was happening face to face, what is it I most want to say to this person?
If you discover that finding language (including
silence and physical presence) especially difficult try this exercise:
Divide a piece of paper into four columns headed with the words “I’m sad with you”, “I’m amazed with you”, “I love this about you”, “I’m celebrating with you”. In each column write all the ways you know to convey each truth. Put this list where you can see it and revisit it. Intentionally use these words and phrases throughout the week.*
What do you notice about yourself and yourself and the way you relate to others in their experiences?
*Exercise adapted from Adele Ahlberg Calhoun’s chapter “Controlling the Tongue”, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.
* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Lent - Worship & Prayer 2020. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Save to my Library’.
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 2).