Lent Daybook 15: Up to My Neck

Look:  Honduran immigrants attempt to cross the Goascorán River and illegally enter El Salvador in Goascorán, Honduras, on October 18, 2018. - Source 

Listen*:  Sinking Down, Son Volt - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube 

Read**:  Psalm 69; Genesis 43:1-15; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Mark 4:35-41 

Excerpts:

"Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God."

*

"And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

*

"On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

- Psalm 69:1-3 * Genesis 43:8-14 * Mark 4:35-41

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Compline

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.

Do: 

Traditionally, the Church sets aside Lenten Fridays, the weekday of Jesus’ crucifixion, to abstain from eating meat or to a partial (one meal) or whole fast (24 hours without solid food). You can read more about this tradition and its spiritual implications here, here, or here.

The Hebrew word selah (see-lah) is repeated throughout the Psalms. The definition of this word is probably a musical reference, calling for a break in the singing of the Psalm. Each time the word Selah shows up in the Psalms, the Amplified Bible adds the explanatory phrase, "pause, and calmly think of that!"

Today, take some time to be silent, without any noise or distraction, to pause and calmly think about the days of Lent leading up to today. 

There’s no need to strive for a profound insight during this time. Just be still. If you begin to sense thoughts or feelings bubbling up in the quiet, notice them without trying to analyze. 

You might breathe out one phrase each time you're tempted to become distracted. Try something like the Jesus Prayer.  When you feel distracted or anxious breathe in Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and exhale have mercy on me a sinner. Another option is to echo the psalmist: breathe in Selah and exhale pause and calmly think of that. 

Trust God as your Heavenly Father to be present with you through Christ and by his Spirit. End your time with a simple prayer or chorus. Go about your day and into the weekend with peace.

You might also enjoy: Examen For The End of the Week via Pray-As-You-Go

* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify - Lent: Songs For Everyone. 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).