Journey to the Cross

Pause

The season of Lent gives us a chance to slow down and to take time.

Take time in prayer. Take time with God.

Take time to walk through the scriptures and figure out what this Lent thing is, anyway (even if all you know until now is that you usually give up soda for a few weeks).

Take time to repent, to turn your heart toward Jesus.

And consider that at the end of the day, what God really wants is your sincere self — no more, no less.

You can learn a lot in this season, if you take time.

Listen

I offer my life to you, Lord. My God, I trust you. Please don’t let me be put to shame! Don’t let my enemies rejoice over me! For that matter, don’t let anyone who hopes in you be put to shame; instead, let those who are treacherous without excuse be put to shame.

Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth—teach it to me—because you are the God who saves me. I put my hope in you all day long. Lord, remember your compassion and faithful love—they are forever! But don’t remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoing. Remember me only according to your faithful love for the sake of your goodness, Lord.

Psalm 25:1-7

Think

We are often taught from an early age to be tough and to find quick solutions to our problems, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. But what do we do when we just don’t know and aren’t able to formulate any kind of plan?

As a child I learned to find the Psalms when I opened my Bible right down the middle. Because of that ease of location, it’s where I often went when I didn’t have the answer, or really, when I didn’t even know what the question was. In high school, putting my trust in God meant that everything else, including the problems, had permission to be less important. Needless to say, this gave more comfort than anything anyone could have said to me.

The Psalms are, for many, an outlet when there is no other answer — words to pray when we cannot find our own. When was the last time you wanted to pray, and just couldn’t find the words? Is there a Psalm or other scripture that has carried you through?

Emily Miller

Pray

Loving God, when I can’t find the words and can’t name my feelings, help me know that you are present still, in all of the emotions and situations of life. Amen.

Go

"O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above."

from “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” by Robert Robinson