ash wednesday
Faith Practices for Lent
Faith practices are meant to draw us closer to God – to help us love God and love others. Each of the following practices are only tools to help you know, love and follow Jesus. Each spiritual practice has an explanation of what it is, Bible references, a practical application of the faith practice and a prayer. The faith practices included here are: confession, fasting, devotional reading, prayer and compassion. The following are adapted from “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us” by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.
CONFESSION
What is it?
Confession embraces Christ’s gift of forgiveness and restoration while setting us on the path to renewal and change.
Read
Psalm 51
Psalm 32:1-2
James 5:16
Practices
Imagine you are in a safe place, surrounded by the love of God. Ask God to help you see yourself as he sees you. Remember he sees you absolutely and with love. Using the Ten Commandments as guide, journal your sins. When you have finished, go through each commandment one at a time, asking God to forgive you and help you to change. Then burn your list in a symbolic act of what it means to have God remove your sins from you.
Pray
Pray Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
FASTING
What is it?
Fasting is letting go of an appetite in order to seek God on matters of deep concern for other, myself and the world. This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy. Fasting can include abstaining from food or drink, desserts, shopping, social media, TV, phones, eating out, etc. Taking something out of our life for a period of time helps us to be intentional about our time with God.
Read
Matthew 6:16-18
Isaiah 58:6-7
Practices
Fast one meal a week. Spend your mealtime in prayer. When you feel hungry, sit with Jesus in the wilderness and feed on the bread of heaven. Talk to Jesus about what his self-denial means to you.
For a period of one week, fast from media, sports, shopping, reading or use of the computer. Dedicate the time you now have to God. What feelings arise in you? What thoughts interrupt your prayer?
Pray
Relax and breathe deeply. Place yourself I the presence of God. Offer yourself and your time to God by repeating Samuel’s words “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Or simply say, “Here I am”.
DEVOTIONAL READING
What is it?
Prayerfully encounter and surrender to the living God through reading and meditating on Scripture. Devotional reading is aimed more at growing a relationship with God than gathering information about God.
Read
Deuteronomy 30:14
Hebrews 4:12-13
Practices
Before reading Scripture, open yourself to the presence of God. Say something like “Here I am, Lord” or “Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your World.” Read slowly until a word or phrase lights up for you. When you sense a word lighting up for you, attend to this word. Do not read any further. Listen to your feelings and God’s nudging around the word. Let this word summon you into prayer. Reflect on this word throughout the day.
Pray
Lord, it was You Who caused all Scripture to be written for our learning. Teach me today in the power of Your Holy Spirit, the truths that You would have me learn. Amen.
PRAYER
What is it?
Prayer provides space within which one can meet with God. Praying with and for others invites us into God’s care and concern for us, our families and friends, and the world. No concern is too trivial for God to receive with loving attention.
Read
Matthew 6:1-13
2 Chronicles 7:14
Romans 8:27
Practices
Look at examples of four types of prayer on the Ways to Pray card.
Pray
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
COMPASSION
What is it?
Christian compassion is the desire to become the healing presence of Christ to others. Compassion means feeling with and for others as well as extending mercy and help to them in extravagantly practical ways.
Read
Mark 1:41
1 Peter 3:8-9
Isaiah 49:13
Psalm 116:5
Practices
Choose one way you can show compassion this week. After you have done so, talk to someone about what it was like for you to do this?
Draw up a list of people whose services you receive: teachers, caretakers and so on. Next to each name write down any needs you know they have (personal, financial, physical, etc.). What is God calling you to do? Listen, journal, act.
Pray
Father God, You are compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Thank you! I pray that I would have the compassion of Christ within me. I desire to love people that way that Christ did. I want to love passionately and genuinely in Jesus name. Amen.