MEDITATION:
Written by Pat Grant.
Lent is meant to be a time of solitude and reflection in preparation for the burst of shining glory and abundance of Easter to come. In bygone years of an agrarian society, the land was left fallow. Crops would be planted when the sun warmed the earth. Lent meant “slow” and through the grey days, everything slowed down and waited. No barn dances, no socials, no potlucks. The year just passed has certainly resembled a prolonged Lenten season in many ways. It has been a time of concern about the future and every other person on the planet. It has introduced us to a life with no barn dances, no socials, no potlucks.
The past year often felt unreal to me and only God was real. God is never closer than when things get grim. And this year was grim. One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 6:8. “ I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us?’“ Isaiah hears, and he volunteers. But no matter how hard I try, I don’t hear any special instructions for me. Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest“ suggests that if we don’t hear, the reason is we’re doing all the talking. In the midst of his hard times, Isaiah listens to the Lord and that’s the secret of two-way communication.
— “Stop talking, Pat. Listen.” —”I’ll try!”
PRAYER:
This prayer is from the Gallican Sacramentary. an historical version of Christian liturgy within the Latin church in the 1st Millenium.
O God,
you are the author of love,
and you love pure peace and affection.
Heal the diseases of all Christians who are sick,
and in your great mercy set free
all who are terrified by fears,
afflicted by poverty,
weary with trouble,
worn down by illness,
burdened with punishment,
and all prisoners and wanderers.
Show them your compassion daily,
lift them up, correct them,
and protect them.
MUSIC MEDITATION:
Do Not Be Afraid For I Have Redeemed You: Marilla Ness. Written by Gerald Markland in 2008 and is based on Isaiah 43:1-2.
Pathways Press.com 
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