Day 2 of Lent – Thursday

Christian history is filled with people who sacrificed their lives for their faith, but for most of us, “losing our life” does not mean physical dying as we try to live out this life as followers of Jesus.  The way most of us “lose our life” is much less dramatic, much less memorable, much more … everyday.

I am praying that we will ask God on a daily basis how He desires for us to “give ourselves away” over the next 40 days. If we are faithful, I believe God will change our lives and positively impact the lives of those around us.

Daily Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish

Luke 9:22-25

22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

Lenten Prayers:

Lord,
may everything we do
begin with your inspiration,
continue with your help,
and reach perfection under your guidance.

Intercessions:

God has revealed himself in Christ. Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts:
  Remember us, Lord, for we are your children.

Teach us to gain more understanding of the mystery of Christ,
 – seeking to spread your kingdom in all we do.
May our hearts thirst for Christ,
 – the fountain of living water.
Forgive us our sins,
 – and direct our steps into the ways of justice and sincerity.

Closing Prayer:

Lord, 
Let everything I do this day and in this season of Lent
come from you, be inspired by you.

I long to be closer to you.
Help me to remember that nothing is important in my life
unless it glorifies you in some way.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day of my life and keep saying,
“Tomorrow, I will spend more time in prayer,”
but now my longing meets your love and I want to do it now. 
Help me to rely on you for help.

I pray that you help me to reach perfection.
Please, Lord, remind me that “perfection”
isn’t the crazy, “successful” way I try to live my life,
but a perfection of my most authentic, real self.
My “perfection” might be holding my many flaws in my open hands,
asking you to help me accept them.

Lord, help me to find you in the darkness of this world. 
Let me reach out in this darkness and feel your hand and love there to guide me.

Amen.