1^st 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!

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