Lent - Day 21
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Jeff Lampl
Jeff Lampl
"He continued to pray just as he had always done." Daniel 6:1
Begin
Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture
Reading: Luke 18:13-14 (NIV2011)
"The tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 'I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'"
"The tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 'I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'"
Devotional
From this scripture the early church formulated a prayer known as the “Jesus Prayer”. It is simply this, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”. As I mentioned yesterday, it didn’t “work” for me for many years, but of late I have been using it a lot. I like it because it reminds me that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is at the “control room” of the universe. There is no higher authority to whom I can turn. I also like it because Jesus is mentioned. One does not normally pray to Jesus, but doing so reminds me what God is like, the God who actually comes to me, seeks me out, dies for me and rises for me. This is so astonishing.
From this scripture the early church formulated a prayer known as the “Jesus Prayer”. It is simply this, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”. As I mentioned yesterday, it didn’t “work” for me for many years, but of late I have been using it a lot. I like it because it reminds me that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is at the “control room” of the universe. There is no higher authority to whom I can turn. I also like it because Jesus is mentioned. One does not normally pray to Jesus, but doing so reminds me what God is like, the God who actually comes to me, seeks me out, dies for me and rises for me. This is so astonishing.
I
also like the Jesus Prayer because praying it is a wonderful reminder that I am
debtor.
I am not entitled to anything.
Life itself is a gift and anything more than that is super abundant gift.
I have not earned, nor do I deserve anything more than what I have been
given already.
And so I come to God in humility asking only for mercy.
Because of what I know of Jesus, I know that mercy will be given and that
his mercy will be full of blessing exceeding anything that I can hope or image.
I
also like praying this prayer for others.
God knows exactly what others need and when I ask mercy on them I know
God is providing for those whom he loves so much, sinners all, but sinners who
are loved beyond their imagination.
I
also use this simple prayer to begin my two minutes+ of silence.
I pray it and then I just let the thoughts of my day and life flood my
mind and leave them to the mercy of God who takes that flood of mental activity
and forgives and directs and calms.
Questions to Consider
others? Which aspect of this pray is most meaningful to you.
Prayer
http://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dailyoffice.pdf
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