40ish Days of Lent: Day 40ish

DAY 40ish

Wow! Day 40. We made it… ish. Easter is still a few days away so may still add a post or two but it has been fun [and only slightly overwhelming] to do this journey with those few of you who have joined with me.

The Bible mentions seven things that Jesus says while hanging on the cross. I found this online site that looks at each statement [calling each one a ‘word’] and thought it would be a great resource for us as we head towards Easter.

Task: Meditate and reflect on ‘The sixth word of Jesus.’

The sixth word is based on Jesus’ words in John 19. 30 “It is finished!”

I have also heard “It is accomplished.”

Spend some time reflecting on the words of this Powerpoint presentation looking at these words of Jesus.

[To return to the beginning of this series, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 39ish

DAY 39ish

i saw this prayer/poem/reflection? on my friend Conso’s Facebook wall and thought it was too good not to share…

Task: Mediate and reflect on the following words as they have meaning for you:

 

Until i encountered the CROSS…

i knew confession but did not know repentance,

i knew ritual but did not know true worship,

i knew guilt and shame but did not know redemption,

i knew judgement and condemnation but did not know grace,

i knew loss and grief but did not know reconciliation and restoration.

Now i know…

 

[For the next Lent observance post, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 36-38

DAYS 36-38

i know, i know, you got me on this one – definitely bitten off more than i can chew… so another weekend Lent Observance to give me a chance to breathe in deeply and spend some more time reflecting than simply writing about reflecting – also i have two preaches on Sunday so it’s a bit of a crazy busy weekend…

and we’re about to run out of 40ish days of Lent but Easter is still a whole week away so we might have gained some days in here somewhere… feels like a different time zones thing… oh well, i hope that for any of you who have been following along with this that there have been some helpful days and times in here…

i think for these three days i will focus on a verse/passage for each day and link it to a post i have already made on those passages and so the opportunity to really dig a little bit deeper maybe than normal and see what God might be wanting to say to you through a scripture you probably have already heard many times before:

DAY 36

 ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.’ 

Task: Click on this link and read through the meditation on Hebrews 12.1-12

DAY 37

Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Task: Click on this link and read through the meditation on Romans 12.1-2

DAY 38

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28 Do you not know?Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Task: Click on this link and read through the meditation on Isaiah 40.27-31

[For the next part of our Lent Observance, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 33

DAY 33

Easter is arriving at a pace of knots and so really be mindful in the next ten days or more to create spaces to slow down, to meditate, to just be, to look back and remember, to ingest some scripture, to speak some prayers, to love on those around you… slow it down…

Task: In the next 24 hours, buy or make someone a gift, just because.

Maybe there is someone in your life who is having a rough day… maybe it’s a person on the side of the road who looks hungry and you choose to buy them a meal and eat it with them [don’t you DARE do all that and then leave without knowing their name]… maybe it’s just an encouragement to someone who works really hard in some area and maybe remains largely unappreciated.

Something made or put together [or even baked – go on, i dare you!] is often appreciated that little bit more than something bought, but if your time is short that may be the way to go.

The idea is to demonstrate some love, or understanding, appreciation or gratitude. All of these are things that will in some way be tied up in the story of the cross as we head closer and closer towards it.

Enjoy putting a smile on someone’s face.

[For the next Lent Observance post for day 34, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 32

DAY 32

The Bible mentions seven things that Jesus says while hanging on the cross. I found this online site that looks at each statement [calling each one a ‘word’] and thought it would be a great resource for us as we head towards Easter.

Task: Meditate and reflect on ‘The fourth word of Jesus.’

The fourth word is based on Jesus’ words in Mark 15:33-34.

‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’

Spend some time of reflection on the elements of this 6 page powerpoint presentation as we reflect together on the second word Jesus spoke on the cross.

[For the next Lent Observance post on gift-giving, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 30-31

DAY 30-31

Okay, so this one is more for me than anyone else reading and following, but maybe you can figure out your own that relates, so forgive me my self-ness…

Task: Take a break from the somewhat stressful task of creating 40 Lent Observance posts in a row.

i think i just need a bit of a breather and on a Saturday when i remarkably don’t have anything to plan for tomorrow it feels like a good day just to soak and chill and finish a jigsaw with my beautiful wife and read some Terry Pratchett and get out and enjoy the sunshine and not compile anything for this.

Normal service will resume on Monday but hopefully you too can use this weekend to just chill and be a bit…

If you really are wanting a Lent Observance maybe go back and pick up one you missed or redo one of the meditation reflections.

[To view the next post in this Lent Observance, click here]

40ish Days of Lent: Day 29

DAY 29

The Bible mentions seven things that Jesus says while hanging on the cross. I found this online site that looks at each statement [calling each one a ‘word’] and thought it would be a great resource for us as we head towards Easter.

Task: Meditate and reflect on ‘The third word of Jesus.’

The third word is based on Jesus’ words in John 19:25-27.

Spend some time of reflection on the elements of this 6 page powerpoint presentation as we reflect together on the second word Jesus spoke on the cross.

A reminder that His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

[for the next post in the series, click here]