From this Sunday (8 February) until Saturday the 14th, you can purchase Daily Lent Reflections at a 10 per cent discount, using the code DAILYLENT10 when ordering the title from the Kevin Mayhew website. With the book normally retailing at £14.99, that’s a saving of £1.50. Just type the code into the relevant box at the online checkout between the dates given.
To give you a flavour of the book, I’ve copied in the Introduction, and first reflection, below:
Introduction
In what ways do you observe Lent? Indeed, do you observe it at all? Many feel that they ought to do something special during this season but are unsure quite what that something should be. Others follow the traditional practices of discipline and self-denial, perhaps seeking to conquer a particular failing, perhaps denying themselves certain pleasures or luxuries, or perhaps setting aside time for fasting. These have their time-honoured place, but by themselves they don’t necessarily deepen our devotional life. We need something more if we are to do that: a focus for our thoughts; what we might term spiritual food to nurture our faith and discipleship. In this book I have attempted to provide just that or, rather, to make more accessible the spiritual sustenance already offered by Jesus is what must surely be some of his best-known and best-loved words: the so-called Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew, Chapters 5 to 7. Reading and rereading those chapters, forty topics suggested themselves for further reflection, one for each day of Lent. Many are interrelated, the more you study the ‘sermon’ the more apparent the interweaving of its underlying key themes becomes: themes such as forgiving others, doing that little bit extra in God’s service, choosing the way of the Kingdom instead of the often-enticing ‘way of the world’, seeking God’s will rather than our own, valuing and respecting others, and so forth. How do we work out such ideas in terms of daily life? What are their implications for you and me today? Those are the kind of questions I have set out in this book to answer. My aim is not in any sense to provide additional wisdom or advice of my own, but simply to bring home the challenge, promise, encouragement and inspiration implicit within the words of Jesus, words that must surely provide the clearest blueprint for Christian living in all the Bible. If we hear and focus more clearly upon what he has to say to us then this season of Lent will be special indeed!
NICK FAWCETT
Day 1: Blessing for the poor in spirit
Approach
Gracious God,
I come as I am,
in all my weakness,
with all my faults,
seeking your renewing, restoring touch.
Reach out in love,
receive me by your grace,
and work in me through your Spirit,
to your glory.
Amen.
Read
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit; to them belongs the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
Reflect
Few passages of Scripture are better loved than the so-called Beatitudes, yet probably few are less well understood. The verses have an innate beauty, a poetry about them that appeals to something deep within, but what does it actually mean to be pure in heart, meek, or, above all, poor in spirit? Poverty of any sort is not something we naturally aspire to, and to be poor in terms of material possessions is certainly not what most of us would term a blessing. There can surely be few more painful experiences than to have nothing and be totally dependent on the charity of others. Yet, in terms of our relationship with God we are all in precisely that position, if we did but know it. None of us deserves his goodness; no one can earn his blessing; nobody can merit his love. We come before God spiritually bankrupt, reliant upon his generosity; his willingness to give and go on giving despite rather than because of our efforts. Recognise that emptiness, however, and God is able to fill us. Accept our need and he will respond. Happy indeed, then, are those who are truly poor in spirit, for their lives are fully opened to the rich blessings of his kingdom that God waits to shower upon them, both now and for all eternity.
Pray
Me?
Poor in spirit?
I’d like to think so, Lord,
but I’m not, am I? –
not by a long chalk.
Poor in faith, perhaps;
in commitment,
worship,
service;
but in terms of spirit it’s an altogether different story.
I’m full of myself, truth be told,
not in the sense of pride –
or at least I hope not –
but in the sense of self-will,
self-centredness,
self-indulgence,
constantly putting my interests before yours,
my goals,
my dreams,
my wishes
before your purpose.
It’s human, of course –
you know that as much as any –
but though you continue to reach out regardless,
arms outstretched in love,
I unwittingly rebuff your embrace,
turning aside,
backing away,
for ever keeping you at a distance.
Forgive me, Lord,
and help me to change.
Teach me to value myself, as you do,
but above all to value you
and the things of your kingdom.
Teach me to stand tall as your child,
but also to humble myself under your mighty hand,
and so in my need may I find succour,
and in my poverty, riches beyond measure.
Amen.
Ponder
• Do you recognise your total dependence on God’s grace, or do you still try to earn his
blessing?
• In what other ways, apart from receiving forgiveness, are we finally dependent on God?
• Does your life find its ultimate meaning in God or in something or someone else?
Close
Loving God,
send me on my way
conscious not just of my dependence on you
but also of your faithfulness in meeting my need,
constantly and gracious reaching out in mercy
to forgive and bless.
May that knowledge colour every moment
and give meaning to every day,
through Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.