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“What
are you giving up for Lent?” Have you been asked this
question? Perhaps you’ve already given it some thought.
Having grown up Lutheran, I had not heard of the concept of
giving up something for Lent until I got to college. It came
as an interesting idea to me and so I experimented
with giving up various things. Every Lent, it was something
different: chocolate, ice cream, coffee. One brave year, I
surrendered all three. Yet, despite my earnest efforts at
Lenten discipline, I found that the only noticeable result
was a modest savings in my snack budget.
After a few years, I decided to try not giving up something
during Lent. Instead, I added something. After all, Lent is
not just about fasting; it’s about feasting. The whole
reason for giving up something is to make more room for God
in our lives — so that we can feast on God’s mercy. Adding a
spiritual discipline, I found, is a great way to observe
Lent. It can draw you into a heightened awareness of God’s
presence in your daily life and truly prepare you for the
celebration of Easter.
Over the years, I’ve sampled various disciplines and
discovered myriad treasures. Maybe they'll inspire you
to add something this Lent.
Making Time for God
It all begins with carving out time for God. Admittedly,
this sounds impossible. Our days are so full with so many
activities that one more thing on the to-do list just might
push us over the edge. We cannot forget, however, that God
is our very source of life — not just another item bulging
out of our overstuffed daily planner. When we take time for
God, we are refueled. It changes the way we perceive our
lives and suddenly, all our burdens feel lighter. Many
people report increased productivity on days when they take
time for a spiritual practice.
Martin Luther used to pray for four hours a day (in addition
to the five hours of communal prayer) and it was said that
on his busiest days, he would double his prayer time. German
theologian Helmut Thieliche wrote: “Luther prayed this much,
not despite his busy life, but so he could
accomplish his gigantic labors. To work without praying and
without listening means only to grow and spread oneself
upward, without striking roots and without creating an
equivalent in the earth. A person who works this way is
living unnaturally.”
Devotional Bible Reading
An ancient practice beloved of Christians everywhere is a
technique called lectio divina. It is a deliberate,
contemplative praying of Scripture, listening carefully
and inviting God’s Word to seep into our souls and transform
us. This practice has been preserved in the Christian
monastic tradition and is now becoming popular among laity
across denominations. Lectio divina, which is Latin for
“divine reading,” invites us to open our hearts to the
living Word, thus enabling us to offer more of our lives to
God. In doing so, we throw ourselves into the outpouring of
grace where the Savior’s love can surely reach us.
Lectio divina can be practiced in a group or
individually. To begin a solitary session, sit down with
your Bible in a quiet place and choose a brief passage, no
more than two or three verses. Breathe deeply, relax, and
ready yourself to really listen — to eagerly drink in God’s
Word. Read through the passage and then be still for several
minutes, silently ruminating on it. Is there a word or
phrase that sticks in my mind? What feelings does it evoke?
How is it speaking directly to you? After spending some
time with these questions, re-read the passage again and
pause to ruminate and question again. Repeat this process
several times. Notice what thoughts emerge. Close the
session with prayer and journaling about your experience.
For further reading:
Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina by
Thelma Hall
The Jesus Prayer
The early monastics known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers
wrote a simple Scriptural prayer called the Jesus Prayer,
which they taught pilgrims to pray 3,000 times a
day. Advanced students could pray it as many as 12,000 times, which takes virtually all day.
Seekers found it invaluable in their endeavor to pray
without ceasing. The prayer is simply: “Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” For centuries,
believers have used it as a mantra to call upon the powerful
name of Jesus and beg him to anoint them with kindness. When
used regularly, this prayer becomes as automatic and vital
as breathing.
An easy way to begin is to sit comfortably and set a timer
for somewhere between five and 20 minutes. Close your
eyes and say the Jesus Prayer silently, connecting it with
your breath. Continue to breathe the prayer in and out until
the timer rings. As other thoughts surface, release them
gently and return to the prayer. Another way to pray it is
with a walking meditation. Say the prayer as you walk
slowly, connecting the rhythm of your steps with your breath
and the mantra. The more you use the Jesus Prayer, the more
it prays itself within you.
For further reading:
The Jesus Prayer by Kallistos Ware
This Lent, I encourage you to try adding a spiritual
practice that you may feast upon God’s presence and become
more awake to the grace which sustains us at every glorious
moment of our lives.
Artist, author and pastor, Laura Gentry and her husband
live in McGregor, Iowa. Their website is:
www.thegentryjoint.com.
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