Month: March 2022

Sunday, April 3rd Readings

5th Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Lord,

Help me

to remember that it is YOU who makes all things NEW!

Teach me

to let go of past mistakes and begin fresh with a new perspective.

Open me

up to try new paths instead of the same one over and over.

Guide me

with grace, showing kindness and mercy even when I do not follow.

Lead me

to be the person I am meant to be, no matter how many times I do wrong.

Thank you Lord,

for making all things new, including ME!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 43:16-21

  • What keeps you from believing God has a plan for you and has created a safe passageway for you just as He did for the Israelites? How do your actions confirm your belief or disbelief?
  • How do the events of the past (those of the Old Testament and/or the events of the past 3-6 months) affect how you live out today? Share specific examples.

 Philippians 3:8-14

  • How can you accept loss? What does that look like?
  • St Paul is determined; he has his eye on the prize. What is your goal? What steps do you take each day to achieve your goal? Are there others whom have a similar goal? How can you help one another reach your goal?

 John 8:1-11

  • Do you condemn others? What causes you to do so? Is it jealousy? Is it because you think something is unfair? Is it out of fear of the unknown or what you don’t understand?
  • Where are you called to be merciful like Jesus in this Scripture? Who needs you to reach out to them?

General Questions for Journaling

  • Where in the Bible does God abandon someone? Where in the Bible does God leave anyone alone? How does this knowledge affect you?
  • When have you felt like God has left you alone or abandoned you? What was the situation? How did you overcome?
  • How has God shown His presence to you today?
  • Have you ever searched for God from the moment you come into consciousness in the morning until the moment you doze off to sleep at night? What would that day look like? How would you describe it?
  • How does God re-create each day? Do you think today is different than yesterday? Why or why not?
  • Each day God offers us a new beginning; what things of the past do you need to leave in the past so you can begin again?
  • How do your sins feel? Describe how it feels when you sin and how you are changed; how it affects your behavior, your thoughts.
  • What is the most important relationship in your life? Why?
  • What does it mean to live your live forward? What does it mean to live in the past?  Where do you see yourself on the spectrum?
  • Is there someone in your life right now who needs you to show them mercy? Who is it and what do they need you to do?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Father, YOU are forever good

ALL:  to me, even when I sin against you and others.

Leader:  Father, YOU are forever kind

ALL:  to me, especially when I experience hurt.

Leader:  Father, YOU are forever generous

ALL:  to me, even when I call on you for help.

Leader:  Father, YOU are forever merciful

ALL:  to me, especially when I turn my back to you.

Leader:  Father, YOU are forever faithful

ALL:  to me, and I am grateful for your examples of goodness, kindness, generosity, mercy and faith!

Challenge for the Week:  Where do you see God walking with you on your journey?  Are you walking together side by side or are you lagging behind?  Have you stumbled and refuse to get up and move or is God carrying you?  What terrain are you travelling?  Are you on flatland?  Going through the desert?  Climbing a mountain?  Swimming/wading/drowning in the deep waters?  Take time this week to figure out where you are on your journey with God.  Use your own words to describe and even possibly draw a picture of what it looks like.  Whether you write the words or draw the picture, put the date on it and place it in your bible so you can find it later and reflect on how it compares to where you are at that moment of time.  God gives you all you need to succeed; you simply need to train your will to remain accountable.

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Sunday, March 27th Readings

4th Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Lord,

Let me come to you,

when I am weak and weary.

Teach me to reach out to you,

when I don’t know the way.

Allow me to cling to you,

so you can help me find my way

through the darkness.

Lead me to the fullness of life,

you promise and died to give me.

YOU, are all I will ever need!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Joshua 5 :9a, 10-12

  • How does God care for the Israelite’s? How does He care for you today?
  • The Israelite’s were guided to the Promised Land. How can you relate your life to the journey of the Israelite’s? How is it similar? How is it different?
  • The Promised Land was home to the Israelite’s, how do you define home? What is home for you?

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

  • What do you give to Jesus to make Him righteous? How do your words or actions give Jesus “wings” or a “leg to stand on”?
  • Read this scripture again and imagine you are in a courtroom. How does it play out in your head? Can you find forgiveness?

 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

  • What message does Jesus send with this parable? Can you list at least three life lessons Jesus is trying to teach?
  • Where do you find yourself in the parable at this point in your life? Are you working hard, doing what you are supposed to be doing like the Older Son?  Are you squandering away the gifts God has given you like the Younger Son? Can you find it in yourself to welcome the sinner home with open arms like the Father? Are you a bystander, a witness? Be honest with yourself.
  • Identify how the Father and the Son’s in this parable have changed because of the experience. Can they return to how they were? Why or why not?

General Questions for Journaling

  • How is Lent like the Israelite’s wandering in the desert? What was their final destination? How is that like your Lent/Easter?
  • Like Passover, what traditions do you hold in your life as important? What makes them important?
  • Where did your traditions come from? Are they hereditary? Are they cultural? Are they religious? How do these traditions form you? What makes them so sacred?
  • Make a list of at least ten things that you use/consume that come from the earth. Can you also make a list of ten ways you work to conserve/protect the earth?
  • What can you do to learn from God about how to forgive and forget?
  • Is it easier to give forgiveness or ask for forgiveness? Why?
  • Does Christ live within you? How do you know? Can others tell?
  • What characteristics of Christ do you see in yourself? Reflect on these gifts and determine what purpose God has for you to use them!
  • How do you rejoice when you find something you have lost?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Each time I turn my back on you,

ALL: Lord, you welcome me home!

Leader: Each time I ignore your Words,

ALL: Lord, you welcome me home!

Leader: Each time I whine and complain,

ALL: Lord, you welcome me home!

Leader: Each time I go in the wrong direction,

ALL: Lord, you welcome me home!

Leader: Each time I say the wrong thing,

ALL: Lord, you welcome me home!

Leader: Each time I sin, Lord,

ALL: you welcome me home!

Challenge for the Week:  Make a list of the synonyms for the word, forgive.  How many can you come up with?  Try this week to use these synonyms in your life through word and action.  Where can you “restore harmony”?  Is there a “hatchet” you need to “bury”?  Once you have used all of the synonyms on yourself in your own life, see what injustices there are and where you can help to “reconcile” in your community.  Aim to use each synonym you come up with at least once, get out there and “patch things up”!

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Sunday, March 20th Readings

3rd Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Lord

You planted me in the garden of life starting as a tiny seed; tucked away in the darkness.

You gave me Your Word to feed me.

You gave me good works nourish me.

You gave me Your Spirit to sustain me.

Slowly I emerge, struggling to break through, reaching each day toward the SON!

AMEN!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

  • Put yourself in the place of Moses, what do you feel? What do you do?  How are you called to action? How are you called to conversion?
  • Can you see evidence of the trinity in this scripture?

1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

  • What spiritual food and drink do you consume?
  • What evil do you desire?

 Luke 13:1-9

  • A gardener needs to pull weeds, cut off dead branches and prune to generate new growth; when have you seen new growth in your life from pulling, cutting and pruning?
  • How is God like a gardener to the world? To you?

General Questions for Journaling

  • Where do you find holy ground? What is your definition?  What makes it holy?
  • When have you witnessed something holy? Where were you?  Did you know it was holy at the time or was it revealed to you in retrospect?
  • Is God’s voice clear and consistent or distant and hazy? What words do you use to describe God’s voice in your life?
  • In what ways do you care for the earth? Do you do it out of obligation or another reason?  Be specific.
  • How do you encourage or discourage others to care for the earth?
  • How does care for the earth relate to your faith?
  • What are some of the qualities you value in friendship? Who are the people whom you spend the most time?  What do you have in common with them?  What keeps you connected?
  • Where does God/Jesus/Holy Spirit fall in line with your friends? What value do you place on your relationship with each of the members of the trinity?
  • Are there some friends with whom you want to reconnect? What do you need to do to reestablish these relationships?  How can God help you do this?
  • God wants us to tend to one another; what can you do to fertilize others around you?
  • How do you cultivate your faith? What work do you do to keep your faith from producing bad fruit?  Share examples.
  • How do you rate yourself as a giver of grace, mercy and forgiveness?
  • How do you rate yourself as a receiver of grace, mercy and forgiveness?

Closing Prayer

Leader: You call us by name…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You wait patiently for our answer…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You walk with us through the desert…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You sit with us during the storm…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You carry us when we turn away…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You call us each to fulfill a purpose…

ALL:  Here I am Lord; find me READY!

Challenge for the Week:  In the first reading we see Moses’ conversion, his turning from the old ways and beginning anew with God.  When have you experienced a conversion?  During Lent each person is called to a conversion of self, turn away from sin and toward the Gospel.  You should be letting go of a bad habit or trying to practice a new life-giving habit.  Check in this week on how you are doing so far this Lent.  Have you made progress in developing a deeper relationship with God, yourself and others?  Can you see evidence of a conversion happening?  It is not too late to make this Lent a meaningful one…make sure you are on course for having a productive Lent!

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Sunday, March 13th Readings

2nd Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Father

Bring on the new day!

Allow my spirit to be awakened!

No more will I suffer, for YOU are my Lord!

I will keep your commands!

Your promises you keep!

Amen!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

  • Have you questioned your ability to achieve what God requests of you? Share an example.
  • What does God ask for you to sacrifice for a relationship with him?
  • God gives Abram the stars to represent his promise. What has God used in your life to represent his promise to you?
  • What covenant does God make with Abram? How do the terms of the covenant affect you?

Philippians 3:17-4:1 or 3:20-4:1

  • Do you know people who “shine”? Describe what this means.
  • According to this scripture, what must you do? How can you better prepare yourself to achieve this?
  • How do you know if something is glorified? Does it look, smell, taste, feel different?

 Luke 9:28b-36

  • God’s voice comes from the cloud in this scripture, where else has God’s voice come from? Where have you heard God’s voice?
  • How does being on a mountain top change one’s perspective?  Share a time when you have been on top of a mountain, what did you see, what did you feel?
  • Why do you think people in the Bible go up to the mountain to pray? What is the significance?  What should we learn from this action?
  • Why is it good for the disciples to be there on the mountain? Why is it also good for the disciples to come down?

General Questions for Journaling

  • What is the difference between righteous and self-righteous? Can they lead you down the same path? Why or why not?
  • Does darkness come suddenly or does it creep up on you? Share an example. Then compare the situation to your faith life.
  • Have you ever been afraid of the dark? What about the darkness frightened you? Describe the feeling you get when you come out of darkness into light.
  • Do you trust God 100%? What keeps you from trusting God at all times, and in all things? Be specific and honest with yourself about what keeps you from trusting God all the way.
  • Are you blinded by other things in your life? What are some of those things that can blind you from God’s goodness?
  • Would you describe yourself an being 1)led blindly through life by God, 2)a consultant with God on your path in life, 3)going through life ready to face whatever comes your way.
  • Make a list of at least five things that boost your spirits. What happens within you when you get excited about something?
  • How do you come to know Jesus better? Write down all you know about Jesus.  Do you know anyone who needs to have this information?
  • Where have you seen God in everyday situations?
  • How do you know God is real?
  • What earthly things are keeping you from Jesus?
  • How do you imitate God?

Closing Prayer

Leader: As the day comes to a close and darkness fills the sky…

ALL:  I hear your voice, Lord.

Leader:  When I surrender to the silence of the night…

ALL:  I hear your voice, Lord.

Leader:  In the birds who chirp their welcome to a new day…

ALL:  I hear your voice, Lord.

Leader:  As I say my prayers and pause for a response…

ALL:  I hear your voice, Lord.

Leader:  When I go forth to see what my day has in store…

ALL:  I hear your voice, Lord,

        guiding me, leading me up the mountain!

Challenge for the Week:  In the Gospel, something spectacular is revealed and Jesus tells the disciples not to tell anyone.  However, if you’re like me, your instinct is to share good news when you hear it.  Think about it.  When you get asked to the prom, when you land your dream job, when you buy a new car, all of these things are pretty exciting, and it would be really difficult to keep these things to yourself.  Reflect this week on how these disciples must have felt to not be able to share what they had seen and heard while on the mountaintop.  Would you have the discipline to keep this experience to yourself?

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Sunday, March 6th Readings

1st Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father

You lead me through the desert places

so I may be refreshed and made new

You put before me a banquet feast to nourish

so I may be filled with Your goodness

You gave your life to show love without conditions

so I may share that gift with others

Thank you Lord for guiding me!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Deuteronomy 26:4-10

  • What do you lay at the altar of God?
  • How does being in the desert change your perspective?
  • What good comes from this desert experience for the Israelites? For you?

Romans 10:8-13

  • How do you proclaim Jesus as Lord? Is it evident you are a Christian through your words? Your actions? Both? Share an example.
  • When did you last call on God? What was it for and what was the response?
  • How do you show love to God? How do you show God’s love for others? Is it the same or different, explain.

 Luke 4:1-13

  • The devil tempts Jesus to be self-glorifying; where do you see this behavior in the world today?
  • How does the devil tempt you to turn away from God?

General Questions for Journaling

  • When has God delivered you from a bad situation?
  • Identify a time when you felt alone or abandoned. Can you look back and see God there with you?
  • How does God nourish you? Do you allow God to nourish you?
  • Describe what it feels like to be empty of God’s presence.
  • Describe what it feels like to be full of God’s presence.
  • Make a list of things you can bring to others between now and Easter to help you express your faith more openly.
  • Are there people in your community/family who are crying out but you are ignoring them? Listen for what God wants you to do.
  • What are the communities which you dwell? Give them each a rating on a 1-10 scale on how they show/share the Gospel message.
  • How can love be blind?
  • When did you first understand unconditional love?
  • Does love require effort? Why or why not?
  • How are you exercising your faith?
  • How does having faith give power? What does faith have power over?

Closing Prayer

Leader: You call me from the desert places

ALL:  to share Your love with others.

Leader:  You call me from the desert places

ALL:  to set captives free.

Leader:  You call me from the desert places

ALL:  to visit the lonely and oppressed.

Leader:  You call me from the desert places

ALL:  to show mercy and kindness.

Leader:  You call me from the desert places

ALL:  to shine YOUR light for all to see!

Challenge for the Week:  Do you have a faith story?  Of course you do!  Just like in the business world where people have “elevator speeches” which describe and highlight their accomplishments and successes; Christians should have a faith story.  Spend time this week putting together your own personal faith story; include pivotal moments, desert places and mountain top experiences.  Include specific scripture passages which carried you through the bad times or sustain you in the good times.  Write it down and then put it in your Bible so it can be added to the many other stories of our salvation HIStory!

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com