Prelude to Joy

LENT_real_rest_FRONTPAGE 
Mark 6:11-44; Mark
14:22-25; Luke 24:28-31


Prayer for the day:

Lord Jesus, your prayers brought life. With your blessing the simple meal fed thousands, and with similar words you gave thanks and offered us all the bread and cup of life. We confess that all too often we overlook our own prayers of blessing so that we might get to what we think really matters. Turn our wandering minds back to your blessing so that we might see joy in the fullness of your grace. Amen.

Question for reflection:
What are your practices of giving thanks or offering a blessing?

~ Josh Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lenten Devotional written by Duane Grady, pastor of Cedar Lake Church of the Brethren (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Duane’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

When God moved into the neighborhood

2013 Advent good_news_hi_res  John 1:14

Prayer for the day:
Jesus, help us to slow down and pay attention to what you’re doing around us, so that we may re-organize our lives and be ready for the good news that you are bringing to our neighborhood. Amen.

Question for reflection:
What new practices, patterns, or routines could you establish to help you “peel back the layers” and see your neighborhood with new eyes? Or what might you give up in order to make time to pay attention?

~ Tim Heishman, National Youth Conference Coordinator

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Advent Devotional written by Tim Harvey, pastor of Central Church of the Brethren (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Tim’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

 

Beginning well

2013 Advent good_news_hi_res  Haggai 2:7

Prayer for the day:
If you tend to be anxious about time, set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. As you center yourself for prayer this day, quiet your mind. Close your eyes, and find a comfortable position for your body. As you inhale, repeat the first part of the phrase in your mind. When you exhale, repeat the second part of the phrase. For the minutes you have set aside to pray, continue this pattern as you breathe in and out at a comfortable pace.
Phrase: “Jesus, help me…..to find you again.”

Question for reflection:
What does the phrase “Jesus, help me to find you again” stir in you?

~ Becky Ullom Naugle, Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Advent Devotional written by Tim Harvey, pastor of Central Church of the Brethren (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Tim’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

 

Dull and drunken

Lent 2013 Cover  Luke 21:34-22:6

Question for reflection:
Some people do daily devotions or have weekly prayer meetings to keep their senses sharp. What are some practices that help keep your eyes trained on Jesus and your heart focused on God?

Prayer for the day:
God, help us to stay sharp. Keep us from losing our edge and losing sight of you. We strive to keep you first and foremost in our thoughts and try not to lose you in the worries that dull us in our everyday lives.
Amen.

~ Rachel Witkovsky, National Junior High Conference Coordinator

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lenten devotional, The Practice of Paying Attention, written by Dana Cassell, Minister of Youth Formation at the Manassas Church of the Brethren. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats) Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Walt’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

An Old, Old Conversation

Lent 2013 Cover  Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Question for reflection:
How often do you find yourself surprised by the insights of the Psalms? Are they a part of your regular prayers?

Prayer for the day:
O Lord, though we are creatures of habit, we are fanatics for the new. We look for new experiences as a sign of life, all along forgetting that our faith and practices reach back through generations. Forgive us when we think that ancient words could not possibly speak to our hearts today. Walk with us through the Psalms that we might hear in their words the truth of our faith in you.
Amen

~ Josh Brockway, Director for Spiritual Life and Discipleship

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’s Lenten devotional, The Practice of Paying Attention, written by Dana Cassell, Minister of Youth Formation at the Manassas Church of the Brethren. (Available from Brethren Press in print and E-Book formats) Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Walt’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

What is Fasting?

As Lent nears we encounter a number of people taking on a fast- from giving up chocolate to not eating meat on Friday. This short reflection first appeared in the Congregational Life Ministries publication Basin and Towel. To subscribe download this form.

“‘And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’” Matthew 6:16-18 NRSv

It is interesting to encounter fasting in the Sermon on the Mount.  Right after Jesus teaches his disciples to pray for “our daily bread” in the Lord ’s Prayer (6:11) he shifts to talking about not eating it.  Yet, the connection is clear- Fasting, like prayer, is an assumed spiritual discipline that demands a particular mode of practice.  In more clear words, it’s what people of faith do and Jesus wants to make sure they do it right and for the right reasons.

So what is fasting?  In its most simple form, fasting is the act of going some time without food.  Earlier in the book of Matthew we read of Jesus taking 40 days to go without food (4:2). Now that is one long fast!  Fortunately for us, the expectation is not for such grand heroics on our part.  In fact, there are many types of fasts, all of which can be done in any length of time.  Some drink only juice for a few days, some may not eat during the daylight hours, and still others might fast from a particular thing like chocolate during lent.

But why fast?  There are two ways to approach the question, one by saying what it is and the other by describing what it’s not.  In the reading from Matthew 6 above, it’s clear what fasting is not: It is not about a show for others. It’s not meant to be manipulative or political in nature but rather assumes it is a spiritual matter between God and the faithful one.  In other words, fasting is not about drawing attention to yourself. Actually, as we see in the temptations of Jesus in chapter 4 we see that fasting is not about us at all- not our hunger, not our pride, and not our vanity.  In today’s terms, this means that fasting is not about out weight, not about our desire for great political outcomes, and not about drawing the attention of others to our beliefs or our bodies.

Yet, as a spiritual practice it is in some ways about you- you and the creator to be more specific.  Religious and non-religious persons alike speak of fasting as a way of getting our minds and bodies out a rut.  For the non-religious the time of intentional hunger allows the body to clean itself and gain a clearer mind.  But for the person of faith the reframing of the mind is about shifting ones attention to God.  Just like the temptations of Jesus following his time of fasting in Matthew 4, we start to ask questions of how we are and are not connected to God. How am I distracted from listening to God by everyday life?  How do I look for the extraordinary as a way to test God rather than see God’s care in the food that I eat?  Those questions asked in the place of eating a meal help us gain perspective on the state of our faith and our relationship to God and the world.

The short answer to this question though goes something like this: We fast from food or drink in order to reorient ourselves to God, and by looking first to God we change our relationship to the things of this world. What we do after the fast is the fruit of our spiritual discipline and our renewed relationship to God.