“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” John 3:16 (from NRSV)
How is your Lenten journey to the cross going? This 40 day Spiritual walk with Jesus. Lent is a season of soul- searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking Spiritual stock.
Many believers “give up” something during Lent as a Spiritual discipline. Rather than “give up” I have always chosen to “give in” – to give in to Jesus’ love and grace in ways I might not throughout the rest of the Church year.
John 3:16 (above) is a good place to begin to “give in.” Martin Luther called John 3:16 “the heart of the Bible – the Gospel in miniature.”
Are you familiar with Lectio Divina? It means “divine reading” or “Spiritual reading” or “holy reading,” a prac- tice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion/fellowship with God as you read God’s Word. It’s a way of praying the scripture, calling one to study, ponder, listen and pray as you read. Try it with John 3:16 as well as with other verses during your Len- ten pilgrimage. Answer the following questions in your heart or journal them or invite another person or two to do this as a group ...
- Begin with a few moments of silent prayer.
- Read the scripture out loud, slowly. Pause and ponder.
- What word or phrase caught your attention?
- Meditate on that word or phrase.
- Read the passage again out loud, slowly.
- Where does this passage touch my life today?
- What does it say to me personally?
- Read the passage a 3rd time out loud, slowly.
- What does God want me to do or be this week because of this verse? How does God invite a changein me through His Holy Spirit?
- End by praying the Lord’s Prayer.
Lenten blessings
Pastor John
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