Lenten Reflections – week 6

April 3, 2017
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2
“You are the source of my strength, You are the strength of my life.”
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged #AMEN

April 4, 2017
Wow, wow, wow! Today’s post is full of so many wonderful/artistic gifts!

Whether we’ll acknowledge it or not, we are all Peter and Judas at some point in our walk with Christ. Today’s song comes from today’s post from Biola’s CCCA Lent Project, and it’s in the form of an art form that is brand new to me, “baroque music videos.” In this case, the videographer has used a variety of images of Peter to accompany a recording of “Erbarme dich, mein Gott (Have mercy, my God)” from Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion. (You may also want to check out the accompanying poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.)

The lyric translation is included in the information that accompanies the post (after you click the link), but I’ll share them here as well. Consider the times when we have denied Christ in our actions. I’m so glad that He always has mercy!

Have mercy, my God,
for the sake of my tears!
See here, before you
heart and eyes weep bitterly.
Have mercy, my God.

#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged#ThankGodForMercy

http://ccca.biola.edu/lent/2017/#day-apr-4

April 5, 2017
Sometimes, when I pray, the first words that come to mind are “God of our weary years, God of our silent tears.” This has happened enough times for me to take notice. It is a specific way to identify God, a way birthed out of my experiences. I’m grateful to James Weldon Johnson for penning the poem from which these words originate. This may not be true for many, but listening to “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (also known at the Black National Anthem) always touches my spirit in a deep way. I’m sharing this poem/song/prayer with you today. May you find strength in it.
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged #MarchingOn

April 6, 2017
He’s always worthy to be praised.
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged

April 7, 2017
I’ve been in one of the longest-running faith walks of my life. In the past few days, this song keeps popping into my head…particularly, the line, “…but I know a change is gonna come.” I keep holding on!
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged

April 8, 2017
“Bless the Lord, my soul,
and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
who leads me into life.”

I started this Lenten journey of encouraging myself in the Lord because I’d taken some hard hits from life by the time the season arrived. I was in a different kind of “sunken place,” and trying to enter into the lament of Lent would have done more harm than good to my spirit. This practice did my soul well! There are still some sore spots, but I try to take that to the Lord day-by-day.

As we prepare to enter into Holy Week tomorrow, I will turn my focus toward that theme. In the meantime, my soul blesses the Lord. May your soul rest and be refreshed today.
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged

April 9, 2017
It’s time to break out the palm leaves and “wave them like you just don’t care!” Seriously, though, the people’s reaction to Jesus on Palm Sunday is an interesting bookend/contrast to their reaction just a few days later. May we be consistent in our praise…HOSANNA!
#Lent2017 #EncourageYourselfInTheLord #BeEncouraged #HolyWeek