Last week marked the opening of Lent. For six and a half weeks, we will join Christians around the world in self-reflection, new disciplines and spiritual awareness.  What will that look like for you?  What is your hope regarding your relationship with Jesus and your own wellbeing by the time we celebrate Easter?  No matter what sacred pathway you are on, strive to use this season to examine the  things that weigh you down in life, release the worries that consume your thoughts, open yourself to being fully present in each new day, acknowledge your sinfulness, and welcome Christ to abide in you throughout it all.

Confession

Lord I come to You and confess:

~ the things that weigh me down in life and keep me from You are…

~ the worries that overshadow the peace I could find in You are…

~ the factors that preoccupy me from appreciating the gift of today are…

~ the countless ways I sin in thought, word, and deed are…

~ I have disconnected myself from you by…

All this I lift up in Jesus name.  Amen.

Excerpts from John 15 

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunesto make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my

commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷ I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Prayer

Creator God, Living Vine, I offer up my shortcomings to You seeking to be pruned.  I offer my strengths to You with a desire for You to multiply them in Your Glory. I offer myself to You, inviting You to abide within me as I take these first steps into my Lenten Journey.

I can confidently lift this prayer to you resting in the assurance of Your love for me…

After all You are constant, after all You are only good.

After all You are sovereign – Not for a moment will You forsake me.

Thanks be to God.  Amen.