To Hear His Voice – Denise M. Ford

I grew up in a small town in which the local churches took turns hosting mid-week Lenten services. As we worshipped together, we benefited by hearing about God from fresh perspectives through varied faith backgrounds.

Back then I didn’t comprehend the differences between Lutheran, Baptist, United, Moravian or Catholic worship services.  The hymnals featured unknown arrangements of songs, but the choirs always led wayward singers to the appropriate Hallelujahs. The prayers sometimes seemed strange, but they all got around to Amen with or without everyone following each response.

When I went to live on campus during my college years, I discovered that reading through the Psalms kept me grounded during Lent. I attended chapel services and became active in the Religious Life Council which brought the traveling Great Commission to our school during one spring-term. The new era of emotional Christian rock music broadened my lexicon of hymns with worship songs that could bring forth responsive moments when I sang.

When I married and moved from place to place with my husband, we attended the local churches celebrating Lent in a New England Congregational church, in a Virginian Methodist church, a North Carolina Presbyterian church, a United Church of Canada, and an Alliance Missionary Church of Canada. Navigating our way through the different approaches to Lent gave us the opportunity To Hear His Voice from a fresh perspective in varied places.

When our sons developed an inquisitive pondering of who and how Jesus came to be their Saviour, we focused on the tough questions. We delved into all the current research, from the historical Jesus and his time period, as well as the scriptures that relate his life and teachings. Philosophical discussions became our Lenten devotions.

Presently I am focusing on Jesus and how He prayed.

He too wanted and needed… To Hear His Voice… the guidance and wisdom of His Father, our God. He prayed for us, and for the purpose of his life to be fulfilled.

Mark 1:35-37 (NIV)

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.  Simon and his companions went to look for him and when they found him, they exclaimed “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also.  That is why I have come.”

Jesus prayed.

Jesus prayed and lived through the ultimate human yearning…To Hear His Voice. He prayed in humility yet with authority. He prayed in gentleness yet with intensity. He prayed in expectation yet with compassion. He prayed for us and He prays with us when we seek His presence today.

Jesus prayed and then He listened…To Hear His Voice.

I cannot immerse myself into Lent without the multitude of songs that come to mind from the history of my worship experiences. Yet this year the season is freshly new as I begin each day praying fervently for the presence of Jesus and to gain His fresh perspective for my life.

Praying and seeking …To Hear His Voice.

When I worked in a high school supporting special needs students, I sometimes had to search for a student who had taken a walk to escape too much human interaction. In fact, we often encouraged our students to use a separation strategy by taking a walk as a calming tool, or as a venting escape.  We hoped that they would allow a companion on these walks so that it became either a time to provide silent support or an opportunity for a walk-and-talk. A chance to gain a fresh perspective! However, in a meltdown of feelings often a student would head out on his own and quickly outpace me. So, I would go on a search.

Thankfully our school campus had boundaries surrounded by sports fields and country roads.  Thankfully our students created repeated routes that they would pace on these rare occasions. One day I had followed the predictable path of one student over and over again. Every time I turned a corner, I expected to see him in a usual place or with a trusted staff member. As I grew increasingly worried, I circled the outer grounds following the sidewalk that led to the baseball fields. Suddenly I saw him walking towards me with a huge grin on his face. As I neared, he exclaimed, “Mrs. Ford, I found you!”

Imagine that! Sometime along his walk his perspective changed, and he believed that he needed to find me!

I have often replayed that scene in my mind as I ponder what it feels like to be found. To realize that someone wants to come to you so that you may share a walk-and-talk or silent companionship.  To seek for someone and to find someone. To rejoice when found.

When the disciples went looking for Jesus in exasperation because “Everyone is looking for you” He very well could have said, “Simon, I found you!”

We forget that as we pray yearning to Hear His voice, He finds us.

I pray that we may sense and know that Jesus continues to find us. He constantly approaches us with joyful delight, to encourage us to continue on our walk-and-talks together so that we may fulfill our life purposes, with fresh perspectives.

Praying and continually seeking …To Hear His Voice.

On a walk?  Listen... To hear His voice... To gain fresh perspectives

Drawing Closer to God During Lent by Lynn J Simpson

It had been one of those days. Those half a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream was gone kind of days. And I am a vanilla-liking girl! I also tend to stay away from dairy as it can disagree with my digestion from time to time. Knowing that my self-control was out of control, I poured hot water over the remaining ice-cream until it was only a mush of brown slime in the kitchen sink while trying to keep my late mother’s voice in my thoughts from interfering: “What about those starving children in Africa?” 

I wasted good ice-cream that is also a perfect for a treat for my grandchildren due to my insatiable desire to feel better with a wordly item. I mindlessly overindulged to try to relieve and distract myself from what I considered a bad day. And then a short time later I read Sandi Somers' words, our first post for this month's topic of Lent. 

"Self-denial

A good friend described self-denial as a sacrifice, giving up something that’s hard to do. Perhaps excesses or preoccupations or distractions."

Jesus always meets us where we are at, doesn't He? 

Drawing closer to God from the Lenten practice of Self-denial

Removing what gets in our way of our relationship with God and repenting of our sins clears space for prayer and reverence of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. Abstaining from something, even fasting, is often used to observe Lent. During my years in elementary school, I remember the religion class exercise of writing what I would give-up for the Lenten season. Generally this would be cookies after dinner, chewing gum, or spending my allowance on chocolate bars. Now with a maturer faith, I understand that self-denial of something is not just an act of obedience to observe Lent, but to draw closer to God in remembrance of the sufferings of Christ. Whenever I choose to use an improper worldly way that takes control of my life, I move toward sin rather than toward God. 

So, this Lenten season I am going to back to my childhood ways of observing lent, however with a maturer intention of repentance and remembrance. Instead of mindlessly binging on Netflix or purchasing a single serving of cake, I will reach for God’s presence in prayer. When I am troubled and worrisome, instead of seeking comfort in ways that lead to over indulgence and sin, I will seek out His words either in my bible or in my bible app on my phone ( that is readily available when grocery shopping). These acts of self-discipline will take effort! They will also strengthen faith. 

Is there something that is taking control over your life leading to sin? Is there something in your life to give-up to help you remember the sufferings of Christ on the cross? What can you do that will turn your heart in remembrance and repentance toward the suffering of Christ this Lenten season?

I pray you draw comfort, too, this Lenten season, in remembering that God’s grace is not earned, but a gift from His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. 

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (NIV) Titus 2:11-14 

In the Footsteps of Paul by Karma Pratt

This Lenten season God has been guiding me in an in-depth study of 2 Timothy. As with all things, God opens the doors of opportunity, and we have to make the choice to walk through. The first door He opened was the opportunity to attend IF: Gathering via a livestream event. IF exists "to equip women with gospel-centered resources, events, and community so they may learn more about who God is and disciple other women right where they are." The two day event was transformational, and opened my eyes and heart to the study of the gospel. It gave me a taste of what was to come. 

The second door he opened was a ladies' Bible Study at my local church. Entrusted, a study by Beth Moore, is focused on 2 Timothy as well. God was lining things up and giving me all the signals I needed to wake up and pay attention! I dove into Entrusted excited for the journey ahead. 

Initially I thought perhaps God wanted to show me how to grow in discipleship like Timothy but, He showed me His intention was to have me follow the apostle Paul, Timothy's teacher, mentor, and trusted friend. As God revealed Himself in the pages of my Bible and the margin notes of my Bible Study, I kept wondering, "Why Paul?" The answers to that question were humbling and awe inspiring. 

Why Paul? 

Before he became known for his dedication to the gospel of Christ, Paul (or Saul, as he was originally known) was a devoted follower and practitioner of Jewish law. A Pharisee by training and ancestry, Saul was educated, privileged, dedicated to his religious roots, and even more dedicated to the persecution of the early Church. His zealousness for the Law made him oblivious to the truth of Jesus Christ initially. Saul was dead set against anyone who dared speak of Jesus. His entry into Biblical narrative is dark indeed, as we find him approving of the stoning death of Stephen (see Acts 7:58 - 8:3) and "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1-2). 

Saul and I have more in common than I realized. Educated, privileged, experienced in a certain way of walking in the world, blinded by our constructs of humanity. Jesus continues to open my eyes much the same way he opened Saul's: Do you see it yet? The life you are missing out on in lieu of the facsimile you've constructed? Stop living by your rules and learn to live by mine.

It gives me great hope that someone with a heart as dark as Saul's could be saved, redeemed, and become a forerunner for Christ. Saul's conversion breathes hope into my life: heart, mind, body and soul. There is a song by Brandon Heath that says, "give me Your eyes so I can see / everything that I've been missing / give me Your love for humanity." 

I imagine these words were similar to Saul's prayer after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. After hearing Jesus' voice and seeing the light from heaven, Saul - now blind - went into a period of prayer and fasting (Acts 9:9). While I can only speculate, I imagine Saul was asking God for wisdom and clarity about what he had just experienced. Perhaps he was praying for healing? While we may never know the exact nature of his prayers during that time, we can see the effects that encounter had on his life. He was changed completely.

The Gift of a Clear Conscience 

When Paul writes to his beloved Timothy he says, "I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day" (2 Timothy 1:3). Paul understood that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not just a sin offering, but also a guilt offering. Beth Moore states it beautifully: "Until we let Christ's work on the cross not only save our souls but cleanse our consciences, our own self-destructive tendencies will unwittingly team with the devil to bully us with bouts of mental torment... A guilty conscience... sets you up for self-sabotage." This resonated with me. 

How long have I been hanging on to guilt when Jesus has already paid the price for me? How often have I prayed for grace, but not accepted it when it was freely offered? How many times have I built up the walls of my own prison, instead of becoming a prisoner for the gospel like Paul? 

What's Your Motivation? 

As I continue to study Paul's words, steps and impact on the world, I am drawn to this question: "What's my motivation?" 

I am learning that love is the catalyst that moves us from operating on our own strength to living in Christ and finding strength in God. Good deeds mean nothing without surrender to God's love. Even the best of intentions can go awry if we don't look to God first for guidance, wisdom and discernment. Paul's intention to squash all believers was far from pure. We can see from his own God-breathed words, though, that grace changed Paul. No longer an enemy of the Church, he became one of its greatest advocates, led by God and his own desire to do God's will. Nothing else mattered. 

Grace changed Paul, transforming his life and changing his trajectory. He willingly became an ambassador in chains for the sake of the gospel. He knew Christ personally. This is the greatest joy any of us can ever experience. 

God's inexhaustible grace holds me when I am exhausted, lost, and can't figure out which way to turn. When I am mired in my own selfish thoughts, grace unfolds around me, covering me like a warm blanket. 

Jesus continues to speak through this Lenten season. He breathes life into the Word, and continues to reveal Himself in new ways. He shows up in the small details and the big picture. Knowing Jesus has become my motivation, the only motivation that matters. 

***

Karma writes from the golden house in Northeastern BC. You can connect with her online at redraincoatcreations.com

Pardon My Exclamation Marks! by Susan Barclay

"If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, ICB)

Hope springs eternal

It's a fact that salvation is the greatest miracle of all. Knowing how sinful, weak and prone to temptation we are, it's amazing that anyone gets saved. The work of the Holy Spirit is so incredible that "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents” and comes to Jesus (Luke 15:10, TLB). 

Angels rejoice! That is powerful!

Not only does He give us the gift of salvation freely (but at great cost to Him), but He also grants newness of life! No longer do we need to be slaves to sin; instead we have a new master in  righteousness (Romans 6:17-22). Pulled from the darkness, we bask in glorious light. 

Amazing grace!

The Christian faith is unlike any other. Jesus, our perfect sacrifice,  gave up His life for us, defeated our greatest foe, and resurrected from the dead to sit at the right hand of God. 

What hope we have in Him! 

Forgiven and free, we have the hope of eternal life, the hope of heaven, the hope of purposeful work, the hope of peace. Being in relationship with Him, we know that He has good plans for us that He is bringing to fruition (Jeremiah 29:11); that He sees, hears and cares for us; that we have a perfect Father who knows us personally and meets us in intimate, meaningful ways. 

These hopes buoy me up!

The God who has good plans for me; sees, hears and cares; and knows me personally, is not slow, but patient (2 Peter 3:9). His timing is perfect and His ways are higher. As I walk with God faithfully, align my prayers with His will and trust Him for the outcomes, my hope is properly placed in Him. 

"Thy will be done" is the prayer that never fails. 

He will do it!
__________________
Susan maintains a website and currently blogs infrequently at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Lenten Reflections by Sandi Somers

This month our writers are reflecting on personal themes for Lent. People have different traditions to draw near to God and to prepare for Holy week and Easter. They may celebrate Ash Wednesday, fast, give up luxuries to remind themselves of Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation, read a daily devotional or pray through a Lenten calendar...or more.

The Road to Emmaus

During Lent I often prepare for Easter by reading through a part of Jesus’ story. One year I read through the four Gospels. Other years I focused on one particular Gospel or on the last week of Jesus’ life. Once I wrote Bible studies on Jesus’ passion from the viewpoint of Peter and John.

Whenever possible, I attend a Good Friday service, followed by a meditative walk through the sixteen Stations of the Cross (ending in the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost) at the Entheos Retreat Centre in the forest near Calgary. And then on Sunday, I attend our church’s Resurrection service (sometimes including a sunrise service in Nose Hill Park).

This year I needed to begin Lent a different way. I wanted to attend an Ash Wednesday service, but had other commitments. Instead, I later spent a day in a private retreat, a day to clear out all the mental and emotional clutter that had been accumulating. It was a day to refocus my thoughts on God and to discern what He wants for me during this Lenten season.

  

        With my mind clear, I began my planned theme of the “Road to Emmaus” as told by Luke (24:13-35). On the day of Jesus’ resurrection, two men walked along the road, pondering stories that were floating around Jerusalem; Jesus, who had been crucified, was now alive. Could it be true? Jesus Himself came alongside and guided them through the Scriptures to explain who He was and the purpose of His death and resurrection.

 And so I’ve begun reading through the prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament. Fortunately I still have my old Bible which has a star beside each verse that foretells Jesus. As I write this blog post, I’m meditating in Genesis, where Jacob, the patriarch of Israel, blessed his sons. As he blessed Judah, the Spirit of God revealed that Judah’s tribe would be the Messianic royal tribe, with Jesus symbolized by the Lion, the king of beasts. In essence, Jacob prophesied in seed form the whole purpose of Christ, even looking beyond Jesus’ death and resurrection.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples (Genesis 49:10 ESV).

           Today we understand better the panorama and meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which the two men on the road to Emmaus did not. And although some prophecies have yet to be fulfilled, we know that the scepter of dominion will someday be His.

         

In conclusion, during this season of Lent, what tradition are you observing and what deeper meanings of Christ is God is revealing to you?