Weekly Practice 3/23/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Prayer For the Fifth Week of Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Scripture
Psalm 23 NIV
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Practice
Visio & Lectio Divina
Lent can be heavy and tiresome. It’s a season to face what is true of ourselves and the world, and to recount the cost of following Jesus. But this is not penance. We lean in, even when it’s uncomfortable, to meet God. Our only hope of doing this is with him. He navigates us into his loving presence, the only place where we can be calmed, refreshed, and healed back into his image.
This week, try visio divina with the image below (Psalm 23 - Beyond the Valley, by artist Makoto Fujimura):
Take a minute or longer to gaze at the entire image. Pay attention to what details draw your attention.
Contemplate these details, and listen for God to speak to you. Are any emotions or thoughts stirred up? Do you sense a connection with your own life? Do you sense an invitation? Try to just listen.
Now that you’ve let God speak to you, respond. Talk about what you’ve noticed, felt, and thought with him. Be honest. Ask questions if you need to.
End by offering what God has shown you back to him in prayer. Take a minute to rest in his love.
And/or, practice lectio divina with Psalm 23. Read it slowly, more than once, paying attention to whichever words or phrases stand out to you. Pay attention to your feelings and thoughts. Then talking about all of it with God.
Stuff to listen to, too
Four Layers of Sin: Spiritual Cartography E1 (Spotify or Apple).
Solitude 03: Encountering Our Self with Bethany Allen (Spotify or Apple).
Louder Than the Mob, The O.C. Supertones
House of God Forever, Jon Foreman
Surely Goodness and Mercy, The Burn Service
