Introduction to the Week
Last week in our Lenten wilderness journey we thought a bit about Abraham as one who heard the voice of God caling him to a radical trust in his promises. We also suggested the simple exercise of Lectio Divina to help us hear the voice of God as we read Scripture together.
This week the biblical character who will be our guide is Moses, the great leader, prophet, and friend of God. Moses is an incredibly important and influential figure in the story of God’s rescue of the world and in many ways his life was an embodiment and foreshadowing of the life of the nation as a whole. For example, he is saved through water as they are too; he flees Egypt as they do; he spends time in the wilderness as they will, he encounters God in fire upon a mountain as they will soon; and so on and so on.
Moses was one who was known to speak with God face to face as with a friend (Exod. 33:11) and who would leave these encounters radient with glory (Exod. 33:34-35). Moses was, if nothing else, really honest with God about how he was feeling and felt able to pour out his soul in prayer before him. Perhaps it was this honesty that helped develop such a close relationship?
There will be a post on here from Monday to Friday that will contain a daily Scripture to read along with prayers, questions, quotes, songs and other bits and pieces. But before you jump into today’s reflection maybe just pause, turn your attention to God and pray the prayer below:
Daily Prayer
Holy God,
Unsearchable ‘I AM’,
Hidden within a bush aflame
And revealed within the dark storm cloud,
We turn aside to meet with you today.
Show us your glory.
Amen
Daily Scripture: Exodus 33:7-11
Find the above scripture in your bible and read slowly – you might want to read it out loud. You can read it here.
Lenten Quote
‘Listen to your life,
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.
In the boredom and pain of it
No less than in the excitement and gladness:
Touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
Because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
And life itself is grace.
| Frederick Beuchener
Weekly Lenten Practice
As mentioned above, this week’s biblical character is Moses and he is one who had an intimacy with God that was unprecdented at that time. Moses was also someone who was not afraid to bring his whole being, everything that was going on within him, into his relationship with God.
In light of this, this week’s spiritual practice is about paying attention to our emotions. It is a simple exercise given by Pete Scazzero, the author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and it goes like this. Begin by finding yourself some paper and a pen. Then write out and complete the following sentence openers, giving yourself some reflection time to do so.
Today, I feel thankful about…
Today, I feel sad about…
Today, I feel anxious about
After you have done this, bring these to God in prayer, talk to him as to a trusted friend. Be open to what he might say to you and how he might lead you.
:
Lenten Song: Illuminate the Shadows
Closing Blessing
Having been liberated from the shackles of sin,
set free from satanic slave masters,
and bypassed by the forces of Death,
may you now be held fast
by the unbreakable bonds of God’s faithfulness.
May you know the guidance of his Spirit
during both the brightness of the day
and the darkness of the night,
Until you arrive safely at the borders
of the Promised Land.
Amen
Evening Zoom Reflection at 9pm
We will be meeting tonight on Zoom to reflect on this together. You would be most welcome to join us. We start at 9pm and finish at 9:20pm. Maybe bring a Bible and a journal if you have them.
We are usually on a few moments before for a chat. Click here to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84743926286
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!
5 Comments on “Lent Week 3 | MONDAY”
What a song!!
And the quote too…love the making holy of the mundane everyday moments.
In the scripture passage I was struck by Joshua not wanting to leave the tent of meeting where the presence of God was. How wonderful that we are now the ‘tent of meeting’ carrying the presence of God with us into the every day moments of our lives.
Thanks for your comment Kat. It was something that struck me too. Joshua stayed at the tent of meeting, and Moses would move in and out of the tent. Moses had a deep relationship with God, who he spoke to as a friend, so didn’t need a tent to speak to God. But there was certainly something special about the tent of meeting. It was a place where God showed up in a distinct way, with the pillar of cloud resting at the entrance. I wonder for myself if I have a tent of meeting where I can go to meet with God in a special way, to inquire of Him. Is it a place where I can rest in the presence of God, in the way that Joshua does, somewhere I am drawn back to, to hear and to be? And do I carry the presence of God with me, in the way that Moses does, sustained by God to fulfil the responsibilities that God has given? We have the possibility of carrying the presence of God with us throughout our days, and to meet Him at the tent to go deeper. Such is God’s generosity and desire to be with us, that He would give us both.
I found a place of rest in the song today. How incredible is the love of God that it is safe to ask for the shadows to be illuminated. God’s grace and mercy have removed the fear of facing the shadows.
Such a passage, Joshua not wanting to leave the tent. He was not young in years. Outside the camp, the “tent” was not a place for personal devotion. From Matt Poole’s study: “Likely either to keep it from injury or inconvenience; for as it was set up by man’s help, so it needed man’s care to preserve it; or to assist and direct those who resorted thither to seek God in Moses’s absence. And Joshua seems to be appointed for this work rather than Aaron, or any other of the elders, because they had one way or other been guilty of the late idolatry, and God would hereby punish them with a temporary suspension from his service, and their office.”” Having seen so many of God’s miracles, and soon to become one of Moses’ top generals, likely a place where he learned to silently wait, to stand guard.
I think it’s a sense of both – a dear longing to linger in God’s presence, a duty to stand guard and wait for his master to return….