Church Family –

Below is the prayer for the 3rd Sunday in the season of Lent. It is a most fitting prayer for us this week on the heels of the Noah story, us thinking about our own salvation and asking the ‘Why me?’ question. This prayer reminds us that we cannot help ourselves and that our only hope is in the Lord. So we cry out to him…

I pray that it will encourage you as you sit with Jesus this week.

“Third Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

— Book of Common Prayer

In addition to our weekly prayer, I wanted to also offer a thought that has been helpful for me, as I've sat with Jesus over the past week. It is an excerpt of a Tim Keller article from the Gospel Coalition. This helped me structure my devotional time in a meaningful way this past week. It’s simple and timeless…

‘Meditation is actually a middle ground or blend of Bible reading and prayer. I like to use Luther's contemplative method that he outlines in his famous letter on prayer that he wrote to his barber. The basic method is this—to take a Scriptural truth and ask three questions of it. How does this show me something about God to praise? How does this show me something about myself to confess?How does this show me something I need to ask God for? Adoration, confession, and supplication. Luther proposes that we keep meditating like this until our hearts begin to warm and melt under a sense of the reality of God. Often that doesn't happen. Fine. We aren't ultimately praying in order to get good feelings or answers, but in order to honor God for who he is in himself.’

If you are interested, the entire article can be found here.

I pray that these encourage you today and strengthen your walk with the Lord throughout this week.

- ford