Trinity's 2010 Daily Devotions for Lent

Day 40: Holy Saturday, April 3

Please read and reflect on John 15:13

My song is love unknown, My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown, That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed, Who at my need His life did spend.

--Samuel Crossman, 1664.

After working as a chaplain at local hospitals for a short period of time, it became more important for me to have a way to start prayer with others. I began to choose three adjectives to describe God for a specific occasion. Since there are over 120 core names, titles, and descriptions in the Bible, with an additional 219 variations, there are a lot of choices. For example: I frequently start with “Awesome,” because originally God was the only one to be described in this way. I might continue with “forgiving, and healing God whose love is beyond our understanding with the gift of Jesus Christ, we thank you.”

In “My Song Is Love Unknown,” there are 5 names/descriptions for God: love, Savior, Lord, friend, and

King. Though written back in the 1600’s, all five help our understanding of God, enrich worship when sung, and enrich our prayer life when read or spoken. I especially like the term “friend,” because it reminds me of Nellie Schabilion who I knew when I was a little girl. She was a respected leader of the church and a powerful woman of prayer. I once asked her as a youngster how to pray. She smiled and replied that she always thought of prayer as talking to her best friend. Friends are indeed to be thanked and called upon to give us help in many ways. So, I try to include a thank you besides asking for help when I pray. The third thing I try to include in my prayers is to end with the prayer that Jesus taught his friends, the disciples and that we “pray with confidence” in worship, The Lord’s Prayer.

Tomorrow is Easter, the end of our Lenten journey, but not the end of our journey of faith and prayer. Following the ways of Jesus in how to pray; in his actions of friendship, love and life itself all lead us homeward toward God.

--Jennifer Jordening

Divine King, Friend to us all and who gave us love beyond our understanding in our Lord Savior, Jesus Christ we thank you. Help us beckon, guide, and lead others to follow you. In his name who taught us to pray by saying: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Day 39: Good Friday, April 2

Please read and reflect on I Corinthians 1:26-31

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

--Isaac Watts, 1707

As we enter this solemn day, remembering Christ’s suffering for us, we are reminded in 1 Corinthians that “God is the source of our life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” The most common perception of the word, “boast,” is the prideful definition of talking about one’s deeds or abilities in a manner of showing too much pride and vanity. However, the sanctification and redemption through Christ Jesus allows us only to “boast in the Lord.”

It is easy to think of church friends who work “behind the scenes” to reach out to our community, keep church operations running smoothly, share their leadership abilities, or give time and talent to church committees. There are many people in our own congregation and faith community who possess wonderful abilities and accomplish amazing deeds. They are to be admired and appreciated not only for what they do but also for their gifts of boasting only in the Lord and their faith, not in the recognition of their acts.

On this Good Friday and every day, let us pray the words of Isaac Watts, when he wrote, “Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.” Amen.

-- Sheryl Eckermann

Day 38: Maundy Thursday, April 1

Please read and reflect on 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Lord, who the night You were betrayed did pray
That all Your Church might be forever one;
Help us at every Eucharist to say
With willing heart and soul, “Your will be done.”
That we may all one bread, one body be
Through this, Your sacrament of unity.

For all Your Church on earth, we intercede;
Lord, make our sad divisions soon to cease;
Draw us all closer, each to each, we plead,
By drawing all to You, O Prince of Peace;
So may we all one bread, one body be,
Through this blest sacrament of unity.

-- William H. Turton, 1881

"Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name." The Lord's Prayer, a prayer that Jesus taught us, as recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. We say this petition every Sunday in church aloud and silently in our hearts at our homes. How well we know these words, how comforting are these phrases. Can you feel God's presence as you recite these words? Can you feel God's spirit as we repeat these words in unison at worship?

When I say the Lord's Prayer, I imagine the twelve disciples sitting together with Jesus, taking in his every word. I, then, look within and see others joining in prayer--family, friends, a group of fishermen, a basketball team, a class of seven-year-old children sitting in the grass--all praying with Jesus the Lord's Prayer, together as one, blended with the voices of eternity. I listen and I hear a joyous sound.

The words in the Holy Communion hymn, “Lord, Who the Night You Were Betrayed" say that "Jesus prayed that all your church might be forever one." Wow, all together as one, "Oh may we all one bread, one body be...". Again, Jesus asks for unity. As you receive His bread and wine, do you feel His presence? Do you feel the spirit as we commune side by side? We pray the Lord's Prayer together, we take the Lord's Supper together, we become one with God on this day, Maundy Thursday...together.

--Becki Grimes

Holy and compassionate God, as we gather tonight to remember Jesus’ final supper, draw us together as one church, one people, one body. As we pray the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us, keep us mindful of Christians all over the world who join in these words. Help us overcome differences to serve you as one. Amen.

May God bless your Lenten devotional experience.