We
didn’t give things up for Lent when I was a kid; I don't remember being taught that in church.
Giving up pizza or candy or soda for forty days would have been way too
hard, anyway. I never really got this
practice.
Five
years ago during Lent my Bible study group talked about giving something up versus
adding something good to our “daily diet” that would bring us closer to
God. I found the idea of adding
something good much more pleasing, with the understanding that if it was good
for forty days, it should be good forever.
I decided that I would add something to my life that pleased the
Lord. So I started reading a daily
devotional, and spending some early morning time with God.
Because
I learn best by writing, I added a one-page reflection of what I read each day,
concluding with a short prayer about what the devotional stirred in me, what I
need God to help me with, and sometimes just a praise of who God is and what
he’s done in this world. There is always
gratitude, always an Amen at the end.
Today I have several notebooks filled.
For
the most part, these journal entries are where the ideas for writing this blog
come from. If a topic touches me deeply,
I scrawl “blogpost” at the top of the page, and if I use it for a post, I write
the date beside it, indicating that I used this idea already.
The
trouble with blogging is the chance that you might write the same blog post
twice, and that is embarrassing. I’m not
even sure if this system works; I don’t often go back and re-read my own blog
posts. I’m not that narcissistic.
I
definitely repeat prayers. After all,
this happens in the early, early morning; it’s the first thing I do, sometimes
before coffee. I don’t think that God
minds if my prayers repeat themselves.
One
theme is thanking God for what he’s done for me:
Dear God, thank you so
much for my life and the clarity you have given me. I pray that you can stay in my heart always
and that I can continue to learn from you.
Thank, you, Amen.
Dear Lord, thank you for
teaching me what I always need to hear.
I pray for your guidance all of my days.
Thank you, Amen.
Dear Lord, thank you for
your most wonderful plan. I pray that I
can see my part in it, can be mindful of your hand in my life, and keep your
glory first in my mind. Thank you, Amen.
Another
is asking for help:
Dear Lord, help me to be
disciplined in my life more. Thank you
for all the things you have taught me.
Thank you, Amen.
Dear Lord, thank you for
being my provider, my teacher, my peace and my contentment. I pray for your provision in this situation
that worries me; I pray for peace in my decisions. Thank you, Amen.
Dear Lord, please help
me to be a cheerful giver this Christmas, and not hold back or be stressed about
giving. Thank you, Amen.
Some
prayers focus on forgiveness:
Dear Lord, I ask for
forgiveness for my sins today. Help me
to life with integrity and honesty, to be open and transparent with my
life. Thank you, Amen.
Dear God, thank you for
being my strong tower and place of refuge, sometimes from my own
wrongdoing. Please forgive me for my
wrongs, my hurtful words, my careless decisions. Help me to do better. Thank you, Amen.
Dear God, thank you for
your promises that keep me going in your direction. Please forgive me for my sins; they are
many. Remove this negativity from me;
shore my soul so it no longer caves in.
Thank you, Amen.
And
others are simple:
Dear God, please help me
to be patient today. Thank you, Amen.
Thank you, Lord, for
your love. I give it all back to
you. Thank you, Amen.
Thank you, Lord, for
giving me your son. Amen.
I
am thankful for God’s provision of time and solitude for me to continue this
practice every day. The upsides are
many. The first one is that I’ve always got
Lent covered. I’m only half-joking.
The
best one is that whatever the prayers are, I know that God is listening.
*******
I used to write journals for my quiet times but I haven't done so lately and I think my Bible study has suffered. My prayers are usually flung up to the heavens desperately, but with some regularity I suppose. And yes, he does hear them all. Thank God for that!
ReplyDeleteI like to think that God likes those flung up prayers. Sometimes I use too many words. I feel like God is a 'to the point' kind of being. :)
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