Receive Enough, Part 5
Phyllis Gregg of Raymore, MO, USA
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. -Isaiah 55:1
There is enough and to spare. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” The evidence of God’s abundance surrounds us. We simply need to take the time to stop and see it. What we need is here.
Lent invites us to strip away our cluttered existences so that we can more fully discover God and God’s abundant world. Lent encourages us to make space in our lives, to empty our hands and see what God wishes to place in them. When we are able to recognize God’s generosity and are transformed from a place of scarcity to abundance, then we are liberated to share with those around us. Just like the Israelites in the wilderness and later in the Promised Land, as we harvest the bounty of the fields, we are called to extend those same provisions to our neighbors. This generous sharing moves us closer to Christ.
Lenten Reflection Questions:
- How are you aware of God’s abundance today?
- What feels cluttered in your life that you are invited to let go of?
- What does it look to be liberated for generosity in your life?
Prayer Phrase
Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One?
Lenten Spiritual Practices
Moving Toward the Peaceful One
As Jesus was nearing the final days of his life, he wept over the city and proclaimed, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace” (Luke 19:41-42).What are the things that make for peace in our lives, communities, and around the world? During the Lenten season, spend time in silent refection or journaling each day to notice: Am I moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One? Pay attention to your attitudes, actions, and relationships this day. When did you most embody the peaceful One in your daily living? When were your thoughts or actions contrary to the peace of Jesus Christ? How might Jesus, the peaceful One, who is always near to you, be inviting you to draw nearer to him through your daily living?
Fasting and Giving-$40 in 40 Days
A Lenten fast gives us an opportunity to make space in our lives so that God can live in and through us. It’s a time to evaluate what we hunger for most and what we consume. This year, we’ve been invited to tithe as a spiritual practice by setting aside $40 during the 40 days of Lent. If you are participating, pay attention today to the dollar you have given. What might you have done with that dollar otherwise? How does Lenten generosity invite you to reflect on what is “enough” in your life? Who might you invite to join you in this practice? How might your gift be magnified by the many others responding to the same call?
You can make your $40 offering anytime during the Lenten season online or through your offering envelope for Worldwide Mission Tithes.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
