Day 3-5 Of Lenten Journey

Day 3 Focus: The Disciple’s Prayer (Provision) Friday February 20

Level 1: (5 Minutes) Sit quietly in a different spot today.  Be conscious of your breath.  In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for “our daily bread.” Pause occasionally today to thank God for all the ways God supports us. 

Level 2:  (10 minutes) Do Level 1, then after Reading this daily scripture adaptation take 5 minutes to discern what word or phrase catches your interest:  Adapted from Matthew 6:9-13.  My Father in heaven, holy is Your Name.  I am so grateful that Your kingdom has come through Your Son Jesus and that Your will is being done here on earth as in heaven. Provide for me the exact measure I need today to be able to carry out Your will – my measure of food, shelter, finances, patience, faith, kindness, wisdom, peace of mind, discernment, strength, healing, truth, and love.   I thank You that You have forgiven all of my sins and ask that You will give me the empathy and love to forgive anyone who sins against me today.  I claim Your protection from the temptations and schemes of the evil one. I acknowledge with deep reverence Your kingdom and power and glory forever.   I boldly pray this prayer in the Name of Your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

A wise mentor once asked me if I knew I was enough.  It really bothered me for days.  What was she trying to tell me?  I was working so hard to do my best.  Then I realized she was telling me I did not have to improve—she wanted me to see my own worth.  I want to share with you what she shared with me—namely that you are precious to God just as you are. You do not earn God’s love.

Level 3:  (15 minutes) After pausing to breathe and reading the Scripture prayer, take 5 minutes to Write down what you discern that God is calling you to do.  

Level 4: (30-60 minutes) At level 4 we are seeking to become a Beloved Community.  We take seriously our responsibility to discern how God wants us to act.  When I was growing up, during Lent we were expected and/or encouraged to “give up something.”  The practice of fasting is useful and can help us to establish discipline.  If you have decided to fast during Lent, I would love to hear what you are doing and what you are learning from that discipline. If you want to learn more about fasting, I recommend the chapter in Richard Foster’s book on fasting, Celebration of Discipline. He describes how spiritual fasting is not about gaining political power or attracting attention to a good cause (p. 48-49).  He stresses that fasting can help us to see “[h]ow easily we begin to allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. How quickly we crave things we do not need once we are enslaved by them.”  (p. 56) What stood out to me this morning from this prayer is how it addresses everything that is essential.  It focuses on needs, not wants. 

We are just beginning this journey together.  I want to share your insights and seek to find what God is placing on your heart that might move us all to action.   If you want to participate in this way, send me an introductory description of yourself that I can share as we form a Beloved Community that seeks to reflect God’s love on earth as in heaven.

Day 4 Focus is Rescued Saturday February 21, 2026

(Sorry that I forgot to post Day 3 yesterday.  That is why I am posting both Day 3 & 4 today. I will try to be better at posting each morning.  My heart is heavy during this time of vituperation, so I am turning to prayer and hope others will join me.)

Level 1: (5 Minutes) On this fourth day when you take your seat notice if your breathing is slowing down.  Is your body remembering that this is a time to relax and reflect.  Consider how building a Beloved Community helps us learn to rescue.   Take time to remember when you have been helped unexpectedly.  Be thankful.

Level 2:  (10 minutes) Do Level 1, then after Reading this daily scripture adaptation, take 5 minutes to discern what word or phrase catches your interest: 

Adapted from Psalms 5, 6, 13.  Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning. Be gracious to me, Oh Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my soul is greatly dismayed. I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears, my eye has wasted away with grief.   How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?   How long will You hide Your face from me?  How long will I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day?  How long will the enemy exalt over me?  Please consider and answer me, O Lord, my God.  Return, O Lord, rescue my soul and save me because of Your loving kindness.  I trust in Your loving kindness. In the morning I will pray to You and eagerly watch.  In the morning You will hear my voice.   My heart rejoices in Your salvation.  I sing to You Lord, because You always deal with me bountifully.  Amen.

The phrase that speaks to me today is, “I trust in your loving kindness.” 

It is not a peaceful time in our world, and I find myself sad for people who are being abused in any way. I do not believe that God wants us to be cruel.  So I am determined to love and not to hate.

My prayer is that the voice of God in our hearts is strong enough to break through the noise of the crowd that would rather blame and shame than walk the walk of creating a Beloved Community that is a safe place for world-weary warriors “to beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.”  A Beloved Community where we have decided we shall not lift up sword or utter a violent word—where we will not teach people how to go to war any more.  Where peace beyond understanding is strengthened by a love so strong it rescues, rather than eliminates, and it heals rather than hurts.

Level 3:  (15 minutes) After pausing to breathe and reading the Scripture prayer, take 5 minutes to Write down what you discern that God is calling you to do.  

Level 4: (30-60 minutes) As we form a Beloved Community, we will affirm that God knows, releases, provides for, and rescues us.  God does not leave us on our own. 

·       How do you think we can decide we shall not lift up a sword or utter a violent word? 

·       How can we show that embracing God’s commandment to love will make us stronger than waging war? 

If you have the time and the inclination I invite you to email a little description about yourself, and/or reflections on what you are learning to share with the group. I will explore the possibility of a conference call for those who would like to participate.  Ideas and suggestions and critiques are welcomed.  God bless you on this Holy Lenten Journey.

Pray. Act. Pray Again.  A 40-Day Walk with God

This is a preview of Week 2 February 23-28  

Scourging at the Pillar

The Scourging at the Pillar is a mournful event that serves as a reminder of the horrors Jesus suffered for love of all of humanity.  Jesus is taken before the High Priest, accused, beaten, and insulted.  Then He is taken by the Jewish leaders to Pilate, because only Pilate can impose the death penalty.  Even though Pilate can "find no cause in Him", yet to appease the Jewish leaders, he orders Jesus to be scourged.  Jesus as the Lamb of God offers His suffering for the sins of all humanity. The prophesy of Isaiah is fulfilled: "He was wounded for our iniquities; He was bruised for our sins." 

Scourging:  Scourging used a whip with 7 leather strips.  To make the suffering greater and the damage more serious, two small lead balls were sharpened and tied to the ends of each leather strip so that they would cut deeply into the flesh.  There was a team of 6 executioners.  One executioner stood on either side of Him so that Jesus; entire body, front and back from His neck to His feet, was covered with lashes. The two executioners alternately swung their whips with the force of their entire bodies.  When they tired, a second and then a third team took control of this barbarous torture. The Jews were required to limit the scourging to 40 lashes, and in order to be strictly correct they limited the scourging to 39 lashes. But the Roman soldiers were in control of Jesus and they had no interest in being strictly correct. Scourging had the potential to kill the victim, because of the violence that was inflicted. The art of the torture was to bring someone close to the point of death, without having Him expire.

Through the prayers this week, consider how much God loves us—and what our response to this love might be.

·        Day 5, Monday:                 We are Reconciled.

·        Day 6, Tuesday:                 We are Forgiven.

·        Day 7, Wednesday:          We are Joyful.

·        Day 8, Thursday:              We Praise Our Great God.

·        Day 9, Friday:                     We Step Out in Boldness.

·        Day 10, Saturday:            We Commit to Follow God’s Plan.

·        2^nd Sunday in Lent

·         

Focus Verse for the week comes from Day 10 – Follow God’s Plan (Adapted from Proverbs 16:  1-4,7, 9) My Lord, I acknowledge that so many of the plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue comes from You.  All my ways seem clean in my own sight, but You weigh my motives. I hereby commit my work to You Lord and trust that my plans will be established according to Your will. You have made everything for its own purpose…When my ways are pleasing to You Lord, You will make even my enemies at peace with me…as I plan my day, I know that You will direct my steps. In the holy name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

In keeping with the introspective focus of Lent, this week we look to Proverbs to reflect upon our own inner motives and hidden agendas that contrast so sharply with the purity and innocence of Jesus as He was accused, beaten and insulted for our sake.

Study Questions:

1.      Reflect on a time when you thought your motives were pure, only to realize that you, in fact, had a hidden agenda.  What would it mean in your life to truly entrust all of your plans to God?

2.      What do the prayers for this week tell you about the nature of man?  What do they tell you about the nature of God?

3.      What is your personal response to being reconciled and forgiven? How could you personally step out in boldness to follow God’s path? 

Day 5 February 23, 2026

Focus: Being Reconciled

Level 1: (5 Minutes) Before praying we pause to notice how we are breathing.  In a world with shorter and shorter attention spans, pausing needs to be relearned. This is a good time to ask God to reveal any area of reconciliation that needs to be addressed. 

Level 2:  (10 minutes) Do Level 1, then read this daily scripture adaptation from Paul to the Colossians.  What word or phrase inspires you?

Adapted from Colossians 1:9-29.  “For this reason I pray all the time for both of us to ask that we may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we may walk together in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please God in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing our knowledge of God; strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might to attain steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Although we were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, Christ has now reconciled us through Christ’s death in order to present us before God as holy, blameless, without reproach, and complete in Christ.   For this purpose, we labor, striving according to God’s power, which works in a mighty way within us.  Amen.”

Today when I read, “FOR THIS PURPOSE, WE LABOR, STRIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S POWER, WHICH WORKS IN A MIGHTY WAY WITHIN US,” I am reminded constantly that God does work in us, and while “free will” allows me to venture out on my own, I can use my “free will” to stay close to God. 

Level 3:  (15 minutes) To learn that Jesus was beaten and tortured before he was crucified, is extremely cruel. I think causing pain to another person is one of the most horrific acts we do as human beings.  One of the themes of atonement is that Jesus takes the pain that we inflict on others into his own self rather than blame or shame.  Jesus wants us to be reconciled with God AND WITH EACH OTHER. After pausing to breathe and reading the Scripture prayer, write down what it means to know God loves us that much.   

Level 4: (30-60 minutes) I think it is worth repeating that a Beloved Community will affirm that God invites us to practice reconciliation. God showed us through the life of Jesus that weapons of death and violent words are not God’s way.  Where do you see someone taking on pain so others can be reconciled or free of shame?   Is this a quality you value?  Why or why not? 

Please let me know if you would like to give feedback. Ideas and suggestions and critiques are welcomed.  God bless you on this Holy Lenten Journey.