by Christine Sine
What are you reading for Lent this year? This is a question I am often asked at this time of year so I thought I would share my personal preferences as we enter a new season of Lent. I find that it easy for me to get bogged down in the feeling that I must save the world at this season, or at least save myself to be more effective in the world (hence that graphic above)
I must confess I have been a little overwhelmed by all the offerings out there this year too, which doesn’t help my focus. Sp I have decided to stick to old faithfuls. I suspect that some other reading will be added as I go but for the moment I have three devotionals that I plan to dig into at different times of the day or week. I have downloaded them all onto my kindle because I will be doing a lot of travel over the next month and having something reliable to read on the plane is something that I find creates stability and normalcy for me. So here is my list:
Walter Brueggemann: A Way Other Than Our Own
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: God Is On The Cross
Richard Rohr: Wondrous Encounters
And unless you think I am stuck in the mud, I am also reading Prayer: Forty Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson on the side – well worth reflecting on the artwork as well as the short practice.
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Yes I take this season very seriously. I try to spend time in silence and listening. Time reading and reflecting, time in creative expression (that’s where my Lenten garden comes in) and time journalling. In some ways it is a busy season but in others I find it relaxing and energizing.
What disciplines are you committing to during Lent this year?
by Christine Sine
March 8th is International Women’s Day and it seems very fitting to remember the women of this world, especially those who are mistreated, during Lent.
Several years ago I came across this beautiful prayer written by Deborah Hirt, Intern at Franciscans International. It is no longer posted on their website but I think it is such a wonderful rendition of the Francis prayer that I like to repost it each year.
Lord, make me an instrument of peace:
Bless all women who daily strive to bring peace to their communities, their homes and their hearts. Give them strength to continue to turn swords into plowshares.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love:
We pray for all women who face prejudice, inequality and gender disparities. Help us seeand to face the discrimination against women inall the many forms it may take.
Where there is injury, pardon:
Comfort all women who suffer from the pain of war, violence, and abuse. Help them to become instruments of their own reconciliation and peace.
Where there is division, unity:
Forgive all women and men who let differences breed hate and discrimination. Let your example of valuing all of creation help us to see that we are equal partners in the stewardship of your world.
Where there is darkness, light; where there is untruth, truth:
Comfort all women who struggle in the darkness of abuse, poverty, and loneliness. May we stand with them in light to acknowledge their suffering and strive to remove the burdens of shame or embarrassment.
Where there is doubt, true faith:
We pray for all women who live in fear of their husbands, fathers, and forces that control their lives. Help them to be empowered to be their true selves through your everlasting love and faith.
Where there is despair, hope:
We pray for all women who live in the despair of poverty, violence, trafficking, slavery,and abuse. May the light of your love bring them hope.
Where there is sadness, new joy:
Help us to see the strength and goodness in all women and men.
Transform our hearts to celebrate the love and grace of all people.
And may we be blessed with the courage of St. Clare of Assisi to follow our own path of love for you and all sisters and brothers.
by Christine Sine
Yesterday I completed my Lenten garden combining succulents with broken pieces of slate to emphasize my Lenten theme “Breaking Down Walls For Lent”. My intention is to remove one of the walls each week, break it into small pieces and sprinkle them over the garden. This exercise will provide a focus for my Lenten reflections.
Each week will have a specific focus. I want to reflect on what walls stop me:
- loving God with my whole heart.
- loving myself and who God has created me to be.
- loving my neighbors with an open and accepting heart.
- loving God’s creation and being a responsible steward of all God has created.
In the final week of Lent I will seek God’s guidance for the year ahead – how can I draw the lessons I have learned in the wilderness into my life in a way that will enrich me, my relationship to God, to others and to God’s creation?
It might be a lot to ask of this Lenten season but I hope you will walk with me and discover more of God on your Lenten journey too.
Each week I will ask myself the following questions:
What are the walls that confine me?
What is behind my wall and how will breaking it down change that?
What do I need to do before I break down this wall?
Who can help me break down my wall?
What have I already learned?
Lenten garden
Reflecting on my garden this morning has already taught me a lot.
Some of the walls I can’t see over. I can only imagine what is on the other side and it is easy to imagine something gross and evil lurks there. I want to strengthen the wall and protect myself from these evil influences.
Alternatively I can imagine that the grass is greener on the other side. I want to move the wall so that I can have easy access to its hidden riches. Then it occurred to me – maybe those riches I want to grab hold of belong to someone else. Maybe the wall protects them from my influence and desire to have what does not belong to me.
Some of the walls I can see over but I can’t reach what is on the other side. Again I want to pull down these wall without thought to their purpose. Walls can protect plants from wind and storm. They can provide a warm surface that radiates heat to tender plants. Or support vines that like to climb. What would happen if I broke down the wall?
This breaking down of walls is complicated. It requires a lot of research and soul searching investigating a wall’s purpose and the effect my breaking it down will have on myself and on others. I need to examine my motivation in destroying it and listen to both those who want to strengthen it and those who want to see it demolished before I act.
What Is Your Response?
As you begin your Lenten journey what are the questions God has laid on your heart? What will prompt you to walk each day with Christ into the wilderness to learn to follow him with your whole heart?
by Christine Sine
Today’s prayer is inspired by Psalm 51:12-17, one of my favorite psalms to reflect on at this season. I hope that you too will take some time to reflect on this psalm as we begin the journey of Lent. Maybe it will inspire you to write your own prayer/poem for the season.
Psalm 51:10-17 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit[a] from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.
16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
A big thank you to those on my launch team who have already started reading and posting about The Gift of Wonder. I am enjoying seeing what catches their interest and thought Godspace readers would like a glimpse into this as well. There is still time to pre–order your copy, or sign up for the launch party March 19th.
I am humbled by those who are also taking the time to do the exercises at the end of the chapters – that is quite a commitment of time and effort, though I am hoping that small groups or book clubs will do this and take advantage of the study guide at the end of the book, or of the prayer cards we have just produced to help with this. Make sure you check out the special deal if you purchase the book plus prayers cards.
A few tools to help you share –
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IVP has just created these great motion graphics for all of us to enjoy as we share about the book.
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When you do share on social media please use the hashtag #giftofwonder. It helps us track what is being said and makes it possible for us to like or share your comments.
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Don’t forget you can preorder the book now in advance of the March 26th release date. Most sites have it available at a discount price. You can link to The Gift of Wonder page on Godspace for this information or order your book together with the special set of Gift of Wonder prayer cards – only available through the Godspace website.
Also a couple of requests to help me as I market the book
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If you run a blog I would love to do a guest post if you are interested.
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If you run a podcast I would feel privileged if you would consider interviewing me for it.
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My speaking schedule is starting to fill up but if you would like to arrange a retreat or workshop in your area I would love to chat to you about how that would be possible.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. Marketing myself and my books does not come easy for me but members of my launch team are already using the book for both personal devotion and group retreats. They tell me it is the best book I have written and are eager to get it into the hands of friends.
Let me end with sharing this beautiful collage that June Friesen created from chapter 2. I thought that others might appreciate it for reflection too.
Many blessings,
Christine Sine
by Christine Sine
Our journey into Lent is one of hesitant steps and uncertain motives. None of us recognize the depth of our own brokenness and our need for repentance. Much of our inner being often seems obscured by fog or, as in this photo, smoke and pollution. Each day, each year, each step should help us peel away the layers until the full image of God that resides within us can be revealed. I love the idea of Clean Monday and its encouragement to sweep out the corners of our lives and get rid of the dirt and dust that has accumulated .
by Christine Sine
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition the Monday before Ash Wednesday is called Clean Monday and the first week of Lent is often called clean week. The idea is based on Isaiah 1:16–19 above. Though the dates for Eastern Lent (called Great Lent) and Easter are different from those we use in the Western church, I think it is a day well worth adding to our own Lenten calendar for a time of meditation and action.
This is the traditional day for spring cleaning and today I plan to clean out my office space and set up my sacred space ready for Lent.
Messy corner
As I reflected on this I realized that this desire to clean things up is far more significant and more intentional than we realize.
If we want to do a thorough job of cleaning first we must notice that something is dirty, not the way it is meant to be. Second we must make time to do something about it. Third we must take action. Cleaning is a very intentional activity. Dirt does not disappear without a concerted effort to get rid of it. Sometimes it requires a lot of work. We need to recruit help and purchase supplies.
In some ways cleaning is a thankless job because a space never remains clean. We need to do the job over and over again. However, hopefully in the back of our minds is our vision of what the space could look like if it was clean and its inspiration keeps us cleaning.
What is your response?
Read through the scripture above several times. Think of an area in your home that you would like to see cleaned up. Visualize in your mind how you would like it to look. What would you need to do to accomplish that? When my desk is messy it is harder for me to focus and I am more easily distracted. What are the parallels you see in your life to the physical cleansing you need to embark on?
As I read through the Isaiah passage I was struck by the three dimensions of spiritual cleanliness – personal cleanliness, cleanliness in our attitudes towards the most vulnerable in our world, and cleanliness in our treatment of the earth. Cleanliness is not just some inner resolve it involves outward actions that lead to personal and societal transformation.
As you read through these verses what came to your mind? In what ways could you “clean up your act”:
1. personally – what dirt do you notice in your personal life that needs to be cleaned up? What actions do you need to take over the next few weeks to accomplish that?
2. towards the most vulnerable – are there dirty corners in your attitudes towards those at the margins? Do you take advantage of cheap labour, show contempt for the homeless or conflict with those of other ethnic backgrounds? How do you treat those of other sexual orientations? How could you work for justice and compassion for the world’s vulnerable?
3. towards the earth – healthy food and a healthy earth require good organic production methods, responsible consumption and conservation of the earth’s resources. What changes could you make in your lifestyle that result in more healthy food and a healthy earth? How could you work to be a better steward of God’s good creation?
Read through the Isaiah passage again and listen to the song below. Listen for God’s promptings. What other areas of you life or your neighbourhood is God asking you to clean up during this season? What are the intentional actions you need to take to make that possible?
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