Category Archives: Culture

Day 34: Saturday, April 1, 2023

Pray

Scripture: Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13 NRSV)

Devotion: Many people are uncomfortable with public prayer for various reasons. It could be that they were never taught how to pray, or the person may fear public speaking. The disciples asked Jesus how to pray, and he then taught them what we know as the Lord’s Prayer. But prayer is more than formatted words and petitions. Prayer is not a monologue, and more than a conversation. Prayer is also listening and putting ourselves in the hands of God and listening to God’s voice in the depth of our hearts.

I am reminded of the five-finger prayer, which was shared a few weeks ago during our Children’s Time. It is a way to remember whom to include in our prayers. The thumb is the closest finger to you. So start praying for those who are closest to you. The next finger is the index or pointer finger. Pray for those who teach and point you toward God. The following finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders and world, national, state, and local officials. The fourth finger is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for the most vulnerable, the sick, the poor, the marginalized, or those afflicted with problems. And finally, we have our smallest finger, the smallest of all. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.  

Prayer: God, continue teaching us how and who to pray for.

Amen

AW

Day 31: Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Gray

Scripture: “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16:31 NRSV)

Devotion: Growing up, I was privileged to be surrounded by older folks, including my grandmother, Ana, numerous aunts and uncles, and then my parents. I remember that as they got older, they often dealt with the aches and pains of old age.

The years flew by for this older generation as they continued dealing with health issues and being unable to get around as quickly as before. They were suddenly faced with their mortality. On Ash Wednesday, we were confronted with our mortality, remembering that “we are dust, and to dust, we shall return.” What does God expect from people of this older generation? What do they expect from God? The truth is, no matter how gray our hair gets, God always sees us as a child. God sees our potential and possibilities until the day we die. God’s on our side every step of the way, even when we don’t walk and move as fast as we did twenty or thirty years ago.

The gift of aging is the one called life. We have the opportunity to grow in awareness, wisdom, and experience. We have learned things that others need to know, and God gives us a chance to share those things with those around us. May we share our hopes, dreams, fear, and love with others. May we share our wisdom and experiences with those around us. May we share our God stories with all those that we encounter.

In this season of Lent, remember that age is a number that reflects the number of years that God has blessed us and gifted us with life. May we share our life stories with others. Remember these words from Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”

Prayer: Dear God, as we age, we may experience fear, loneliness, and other emotions, help us to remember that we are never alone but that you knew us before we were born, knows us by name, and will continue to be with us until you call us home. Amen

AW

Day 27: Friday, March 24, 2023

Fasting

Scripture: Then I turned to the lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and

ashes. (Daniel 9:3 NRSV)

Devotion: It has been said that regular fasting at its most basic level may well be the most effective way to deal with all the appetites and pressures that rule us. So many saints throughout history have practiced fasting religiously. Combined with prayer, it is a critical means of making ourselves available to the cleansing, restoring, and empowering grace of God.

Growing up, I often witnessed my mom and aunts carry on this tradition. Although I was invited to participate, I never took it seriously, and if I did take part, it was more of a requirement while on a church retreat or with a group. Later in seminary life, the importance of fasting was reiterated.

While fasting is not all there is to the Christian life, it creates enough space for God to engage us. The most popular fasting is abstinence from food, but this alone cannot be experienced as spiritual until it can be joined with the sense of acknowledging God’s love and responding by loving others. Fasting is not primarily a discipline through which we gain greater control over our lives but through which God gains access to redirect and heal our body, mind, and spirit.

Fasting and prayer are traditional disciplines for the season of Lent. Whatever your experience with fasting may have been in the past, may we earnestly make space and clear the way for God so that we can be restored and discover more fully the desires of our soul.

Following is an author’s definition on fasting that I thought appropriate.

“Fasting is cleansing. It cleans out our bodies. It lays bare our souls. It leads us into the arms of that One for whom we hunger.

In the Divine Arms we become less demanding and more like the 

one who holds us. Then we experience new hungers. We hunger and thirst for justice, for goodness and holiness. We hunger for what is right. We hunger to be saints. Most of us are not nearly hungry enough for the things that really matter. That’s why it is so good for us to feel a gnawing in our guts. Then we remember why we are fasting. We remember all the peoples of the world who have no choice but to go to bed hungry. We remember how we waste and squander the goods of this world.

We remember what poor stewards of the earth we have been. We remember that each of us is called to be bread for the world. Our lives are meant to nourish. Fasting can lead us to the core of our being and make us more nourishing for others.” – Macrina Wiederkehr

Prayer: Holy God, We come to you in the emptiness of our body and soul and ask that you fill it with your love. Amen

AW

Day 25: Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Freewill

Scripture: The human mind plans the way, but the Lord direct the steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NRSV)

Devotional: One of the greatest gifts of God to humanity is the freedom to choose. We can choose our attitude and direction in life.

Sometimes we don’t always make the right choice. We rush to make decisions or have the wrong motives. We even sometimes choose not to choose, and the consequences haunt us for our indecisions.

Sometimes the problem with choices is that there are too many, and need for a clearer understanding of which way is right and which way is wrong. Other times, we may feel that we have no choice. God gave us the gift of freewill so we can make wise choices. We should make the right choices through guidance from the Bible and the Holy Spirit. When we feel we have made the wrong choice, we can ask God to help us choose again and direct our steps. We do not have to be stranded in the desert or the middle of nowhere. We can always find hope in asking God to direct our steps and bring us back on the right track.

During the season of Lent, if you are on the wrong track, ask God to redirect your steps and help you get back on the right path.

Prayer: Holy God, we give you thanks for gifting us freewill. As we plan for our life, help us stay on course. Amen

AW