Mighty God of judgement and salvation,
of old ends and new beginnings;
would you guide us in this Lenten season,
through the threatening landscapes of this life
and out into the good inheritance
that you have promised us.
Amen
Daily Scripture: Mark 1:9-15
Find the above scripture in your bible and read slowly – you might want to read it out loud. You can also find it here.
Questions to Ponder…
- Note the movement of Jesus’ life in this passage: he passes through the waters into the wilderness and on towards the kingdom. Israel too moved through the waters of the Red Sea into the wilderness and on toward the promised land. Do you think that there is any significance to this pattern and if so what?
- Read James 1:12-16 in light of today’s passage and reflect on how what James is saying might be relevant to your own circumstances. What dangerous desires might you need to bring into the light over this period of Lent?
Lenten Poem: Baptism
Beginning here we glimpse the Three-in-one;
The river runs, the clouds are torn apart,
The Father speaks, the Sprit and the Son
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light.
The dove descends, the spirit soars and sings
‘You are belovèd, you are my delight!’
In that quick light and life, as water spills
And streams around the Man like quickening rain,
The voice that made the universe reveals
The God in Man who makes it new again.
He calls us too, to step into that river
To die and rise and live and love forever.
| Malcolm Guite
Lenten Song: Baptise Me In The River
Closing Blessing
In your wanderings through
the wildnerness places of this life,
May you come to know the guidance,
provision, protection, and presence,
of the Holy One of Israel
in your midst.
May you discover in this season,
the blessings of the desert,
where false gifts are exposed
and true treasures revealed.
Amen
No Evening Zoom Reflection Tonight!
As it is Friday there will be no evening reflection over Zoom tonight but we look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
We would love to make this a shared learning experience as much as possible so therefore please consider adding any thoughts, questions and insights that might arise for you in the comments section below. We would love to hear what God is up to in this time!
4 Comments on “Lent Week 1 | FRIDAY”
Hi just pondering the pattern you mentioned of Jesus/Israelites going through water/ wilderness/promise, is our journey too as we follow Jesus. Maybe this is what I would say to my newly baptised younger self, ‘
“this is an incredible journey you’ve started following love, leading towards much promise and fulfilment and blessing , with a lot of the trouble along the way!! but Gods faithful provision and help will be right alongside you, delivering and protecting you always bringing you closer to the reality of true love and His presence. When you fall angels will be there to help pick you up, when you get tired He will strengthen you, when you get sick, His divine life will be within you, when you get scared He will speak to you, when you’re out of your depth He will bring you to safety, when you feel full of joy He will laugh with you, when you are weary and had enough, He will be there to comfort and help you rest and recover. Love will keep you going.
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light. Love this!
Jesus was drawn out into the wilderness, amongst the wild animals. We all experience spiritual wilderness but I’m struck by our frequent need to be out in the wild, in nature, to come away and let it speak to us, search us and teach us. And perhaps prepare us.
Also, I wonder what affect Jesus’ baptism had on the Jordan?
I was again struck by the dove, it brings back the Olive branch to Noah to show the flood is over. Signifies blessing, the anointing oil from the olive. Jesus was anointed as King on his baptism as the Spirit descends, again the dove.
Our “wilderness” is our lives after we find Jesus. Not a wilderness of desolation and barrenness maybe, but a wilderness filled with things to take us away from Jesus into our selfish desires and sin. Romans 8:37 “Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Hallelujah!
Re Peter Question 1. ….A pattern of spiritual growth….
Baptised born again into to freedom…. to go into the wilderness. Buried to Rise . Wilderness to draw near & strengthen Barren to Birth….(oh the .upside down inside out nature of the Kingdom!)…
Song lyrics .” He satisfies my soul…trials and testing proves there’s gold!
Also thinking when our lives seem to flood ……’ IsaIah 59 v 19. When the enemy comes in like a flood…He will raise up a standard….