Lent | bethelwpg

WEDNESDAY PRAYER & REFLECTION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19TH

BECAUSE I AM ADOPTED, I HAVE FAMILY

REFLECTION

complicated nature of natural adoption, our spiritual adoption is a beautiful and life-giving promotion, becoming a child of the Creator and Saviour of all. In our adoption we are given assurance, inheritance, and we have ultimate belonging into the largest and most wonderful family, called the Church, or the body of Christ.

Many of us struggle to rest in the assurance of our acceptance. We doubt Jesus’ love for us, or his power to save. Some of us may struggle to believe that in Christ we have access to what our Father has. And everything is His. Somehow, or perhaps rather, someday, we inherit every good and perfect thing. Because of the death of Jesus we have already inherited some of those things even now. The greatest inheritance we have is belonging to Jesus and his large spiritual family. Perhaps there have been past natural family experiences that have influenced your feelings of belonging. Perhaps getting along in our families brings out the worst in us and shows us where we still need transformation. Scripture is clear that we are adopted. We belong. And God is faithful to continue his work in us!

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 1:3-14

PRAYER

It is unfathomable that you, Father of all, have adopted me. You choose me. You accept me. You give me access to you and all you have, and you give me a place. Thank you! Help me to take that space, unapologetically, that you have created for me. Help me to embrace who I am and where I am, even if it’s not quite what I had in mind. Thank you that you are not finished with me yet.

Take a listen to this classic hymn written by Fanny Crosby, done beautifully by CAIN

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12TH

BECAUSE HE LOVES, I WORSHIP

REFLECTION

Worship is our response to God’s sacrificial love.

We are called to respond to Jesus sacrificial love. Our response to God is at least in part, to give him our attention, affection and abilities, which can be described as giving him our worship. For some, making room in our lives is a challenge. Whether that is sacrificially removing things that are taking too much space, or it is removing things that are just plain wrong. It can be hard to do. For others, the challenge of worship may be engaging our affections towards God because of past hurts. For others it may be that giving our abilities and resources to God just feels so costly. In spite of this, all of us can grow in worship by attending to one of these areas. And Jesus is certainly worthy of our worship. He does not ask us to do something he was not willing to do.

SCRIPTURE
Whichever area you want to worship God through, read and consider the related scriptures:

Attention: Psalm 105:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:1-2
Affection: Hebrews 13:15, Psalm 63:1-8
Abilities: Colossians 3:23-25, James 2:21-26

PRAYER

Lord, as I fast and feel hunger or desire for certain things, I am reminded of what you have given up. In that sacrifice, I see how much you have loved me. I want to respond to your love, to worship you. Teach me to attend to you, show affection for you, and use my abilities for you. I realize it may be hard. I realize it will be a sacrifice. Help me to understand that my sacrificial gift to you is very small in comparison to the gift I have received from you. So, you have given me all I need to be like you.

When you are ready, end your time by singing a favourite song of worship. If you can’t pick a favourite, here’s one you can listen to.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH

WHEN GOD FEELS FAR AWAY

REFLECTION

For many Christians, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday are pinnacle celebrations in our faith. Traditionally, many Christians have spent the forty days before Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, in reflection and an attitude of repentance. While, repentance and reflection should be part of our spiritual practice all year, and even daily, there is merit to observing a time of special gratitude for the great sacrifice Jesus made.

Over the next several weeks we want to focus on two things. First, we want to understand what Jesus has done for us. We want to gain a fuller grasp of his sacrifice and his gift. Second, we want to respond appropriately to his invitation of salvation, and relationship.

This first week, we remember that it is for the condition of sin, and our personal immoral behaviours that Jesus gave his life to rescue us from. We reflect on the ways we have sinned against God. Sin always negatively affects us because it prevents us from loving well. We are not able to love God, love others, or even ourselves if there is sin that we are not dealing with. It separates us from God and eachother. If we are blind to our sin, we are also blind to the necessity and the greatness of his gift. So that we do not diminish his gifts to us, let us search our lives: our hearts, minds, bodies, will and motives. Let’s take time to consider, with the help of the Spirit, whether we are aligned with Him.

SCRIPTURE | Psalm 139: 1-24; Romans 8: 1-4.

PRAYER

Lord, I ask you help me to see. Open my eyes. Open my heart. Help me to see the way you see. I am made in your image, called to reflect your glory. Psalm 139: 23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Spend a few minutes listening, allowing the Spirit to direct you to things he wants to bring up. Take a moment to write them down and prayerfully consider how you could respond to the things you are reminded of. Perhaps you need to forgive someone or acknowledge some personal weakness to Him, reminding yourself of His compassion for you and strength available to you.

When you are ready, end your time by singing a favourite song of worship. If you can’t pick a favourite, here’s one you can listen to.