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Lament and Hope: Cultivating Prayer into Action
As we are still reeling from the onslaught of gun violence in recent weeks, we invite Read More
Carol Cavin-Dillon | Read Joshua 5:9-12
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Sign Up TodayThe Israelites finally have arrived. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God has brought them into the Promised Land. The long and difficult journey has lasted for a generation, but now it is over. They have a new beginning.
After the people cross the Jordan and enter into...
Liberating and forgiving God, thank you for giving us a new beginning with each new day. Help us to trust in your power to roll away all that binds us. Guide us through our seasons of wilderness, and bring us into the fullness of your love and hope. Amen.
Lent is a time for focusing on our need for God and for remembering God’s abundant resources for filling that need. When the Israelites finally pass into Canaan, they observe the Passover as a reminder of God’s deliverance of them from Egypt. The psalmist, traditionally David, rejoices in the fact that God does not count his sins against him. Paul declares that through Christ, God has made everything new. God no longer holds our sins against us, and we in turn appeal to others to accept this free gift. Jesus eats with sinners and tells the story of the prodigal son to demonstrate that no matter how far we stray, God will always welcome us home with open arms. God never stops pursuing us, even if we feel unloved or unworthy.
Read Joshua 5:9-12. What stories do you tell about your faith? What do these stories help you remember?
Read Psalm 32. When have you hidden from God? When has God been your hiding place?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. We are ambassadors for Christ. How does your life display for others that life in Christ eliminates worldly identity labels?
Read Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. Do you identify with the prodigal son, the elder son, or the father in the parable? Are you ready to rejoin God’s household on God’s terms? Are you ready to welcome everyone home?
Respond by posting a prayer.
I have been in the military for over 18 years, working in Religious Affairs. The Upper Room has always been a crucial resource for our military members. It serves as a beacon of hope, a way to connect daily to God and a reminder of how we should act as Christians.”
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