Our Lenten Journey 2023

This is a season of reflection; a time of repentance, preparation, prayer and fasting. An opportunity to focus our sights on true discipleship and becoming who God created us to be in the midst of being our most real and authentic selves.

As you begin this journey of prayer and seeking a deeper relationship with God, you may be uncertain as to where you to begin. Praying this prayer wherever you are in this journey of faith is never a bad place to start.

Lord,

Here and now, I confess my sins and failures to You and I am heartfully sorry for having sinned against You.

Grant me the strength to seek and accept Your forgiveness.

Lord Jesus, on the cross on Calvary, You poured Yourself  out completely for me and I claim that wonderful and indescribable gift of salvation.

Lord, create a clean heart in me.

Transform me and renew me in every way; mind, body and spirit.

Be the Lord of my life and guide me in Your ways everlasting.

I consecrate myself to You Lord and ask that You use me according to Your Holy Will.

I pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen

Travis J. Weller is the Associate Music Director for Messiah University, he composed a beautiful piece of music he called 'Promise on the Horizon'. He prefaced his composition with this: "A new day, a new event, a new opportunity. We look forward to these things and the potentil that they hold. We live our lives looking forward, but we only understand them looking backward in retrospect and contemplation". The uncertain future is unclear and seemingly frightening but we hold onto hope. Today is about asking yourself: "How's my prayer life?"

During these next 40 days you may be faced with tremendous uncertainty and may feel at a loss about what to ask for in prayer. Take heart, Jesus said, because the path to the Father is wide open and all that we must do is believe.

Jesus invites us to ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7). We are told to seek the kingdom of God first. To look over the horizon; not just the future but to the eternity of heaven. That's the point of our focus or rather it should be. To put ourselves in the presence of a loving Father who wants us to speak plainly to Him and with him.  

When we ask, do we ask for good things, things that are healthy for us spiritually and more  importantly do we ask for things that we can bless others with? What we ask for in prayer is important and we shouldn't hold back assuming that God will not give based on our understanding of our request or on the assumption of God's desire to bless. God wants to bless because God gives differently.  God gives things in such abundance that the overflow will bless others. When we pray this way, all of it will bring Him glory and honor that reveals His unfailing love for us.

May your prayers today be transformative and be a shower of blessing to you and everyone around you.

Before you close your eyes tonight take a moment and look back at today, may the Holy Spirit reveal to you the many ways in which He answered your prayers.

Read: Luke 11-1-11