In doing so, I am fully aware that I am only entering in on a historic practice, followed by God’s people in every age. My hope is simply to learn myself from the discipline how to better enter into God’s sovereign presence and be filled with his Spirit.
Week of March 1 (First in Lent) - Psalm 25:1-10
As Lent begins, O Lord, all the reminders we need are here before us--the need to repent of our transgressions against you and others (v 7), to ask for your mercy (v 6), to seek deliverance from our enemies without and within (vv 2,3), and to pray for your guidance going forward (vv 4,5). Also present for our comfort are reminders of your character (vv 8,9) and your steadfast love and faithfulness for those who keep [your] covenant and [your] decrees (v 10).Help us to remember as we journey through another Lenten season that the new life we all seek has already been provided us by your grace. Save us from false efforts of our own to make our way to you. Cause us rather to see you again, coming toward us with arms wide open, wanting us simply to accept again your free gift of salvation and follow your Son's journey to death for us and the eternal life that broke forth then and still breaks forth in resurrection power.
Remind us, then, as Herbert Butterfield once put it, to "hold to Christ and for the rest be entirely uncommitted." Amen.
Week of March 8 (Second in Lent) - Psalm 22:23-31
Surely on the other side of receiving you, Lord, there is much for us to do. Praising you for who you are is part of that (v 23 a). So is standing in awe of all you have done for your people since the days of jacob and Israel (v 23b). As their offspring cannot each of us say with the psalmist that you did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; nor did [you] hide your face from me, but heard when I cried to you" (v 24)?Can we not also bless the whole world by thus praising you for your work in our lives? Clearly you wait on us, Lord, to see to it that all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord., and all the families of the nations shall worship before him (v 27).
Turn us from preoccupation with ourselves to see, with John Wesley, that "the whole world is our parish." Help us declare boldly that before you shall who sleep in the earth bown down (v 29), that posterity will serve [you] (v 30). Save us from holding back the great good news of your love that all those around us need to hear. And may that great good news extend even to those yet unborn (v 31). Amen.
Week of March 15 (Third in Lent) - Psalm 19
We talk a lot, Lord, and need to listen more -- not least to your creation, where Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (vv 2-4).Forgive us for missing so often that silent voice in your heavens where you have set a tent for the sun which scomes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a stron many runs its course with joy ... and nothing is hid from its heat (vv 4b-6). As the heavens decalre your glory (v 1), so must we--your perfect law, your decress making wise the simple, your precepts rejoicing the heart, your commandments enlightening the eyes, the fear of you that is pure, enduring forever, and your ordinances, righteous altogethr (vv 7-9).
Help us to tresasure these more than gold, and warn us, Lord, that in keeping them there is great reward, for in heeding all of them we detect the erros of our ways and are cleansed from hidden faults (vv 11,12).
Let us speak only after observing all this, time and again, that we may not only be blameless in your sight, but fruitful in your service. Let the words of [our] mouths and the meditations of [our] hearts [thus] be acceptable to you, O Lord, [our] rock and [our] redeemer (v 15). Amen.
Week of March 22 (Fourth in Lent) -107:1-3, 17-22
Thank you, Lord, that you seek and love to hear our testimonies to your power and grace in ourlives. We need to give constant witness to both. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble,and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south (vv 2,3).We have all been sick through sinful ways and endured affliction because oif it, loathing any kind of help until we found ourselves lost and loely, near unto the gates of death. And we have known what it is to cry to you in trouble and be delivered by you, saving us from our distress by sending out your word to save us from destruction vv 17-20).
Ought we not then continually, with the psalmist, thank you, Lord for your steadfast love and your wonderful works to humankind? And ought we not also offer sacrifices to you daily that are worthy of you--both recounting your deeds in our lives in words, and amplifying them with songs of joy? (vv 21,22). We not only may, Lord, but we must. Help us by your Spirit within each of us as individuals and all of us together, to thus prosper your work and catapult our sense of your blessing into the lives of human beings everywhere. Amen.
Week of March 29 (Fifth in Lent) - Psalm 119:9-16
In this longest of psalms, Lord, there is so much to learn again in Lent. Yet what could be more central than to reminded of what every single verse within it reminds us--that living in your word is the key to new life in you?Today and throughout this week it is about guarding our lives and keeping the pure according to your word (v 9). There is no question about the power available to do just that if we allow it to happen by making room in our lives for your word to have its way in our hearts and minds.
Help us to say as the psalmist did, With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you (vv 10,11). Saying that with our lips and delighting in it as much as in all riches (vv 13,14) is surely key, if in fact we say it with integrity.
So also, Lord, as the psalmist makes clear, is meditating on it, fixing our eyes on your word with delight and the determination not to forget it (vv 15,16). We are well aware how tempted we are to take your word too lightly and thus disappoint you. Let us feel your sorrow over that this week until, livened by your Holy Spirit, we waken as if for the first time to the wonder you long for us to experience in all of it. Amen.
