Sharing Faith Everyday in Every Home

Sharing Faith Everyday in Every Home - Lenten Devotional 2017 Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Austin, TX

How to Structure Your Lenten Devotional Experience Find a time in the day when everyone is together (at the supper table, before the first person goes to bed, at breakfast) and put aside 15 minutes for your Faith Five. Home alone? No Problem, use this as a medita ve me to have a conversa on with God or find a friend to join you. Try to schedule a me that you can use every day. Make this a habit. Make it sacred me. Set aside 15 minutes each day for the following: Share Highs & Lows of the day. Each person has the opportunity to share something good from the day and something that was difficult. Each day we experience successes and failures. Sometimes these are minor setbacks or major accomplishments. On some days the highs and lows will be rather mundane. This is the most important part: give thanks to God for what is Good and lift up to God what weighs you down. Read the bible verse. You will be focusing on one bible verse for a week at a time. Pay attention to how you hear it differently from day to day. See if you can find ways of seeing your week through the lens of each scripture. Let yourself see the world through the lens of God s word. Talk about what sticks out to you from the bible verse. Did you no ce that it speaks to your life in some way? Share how. Will this verse be important to you in the next days? Why? Pray for one another and the world. Take a moment to slow down, breathe, and lift up to God your joys, sorrows, hopes, and frustrations. Let your conversation lead you into prayer and lift up all other concerns in your heart. Bless one another. Go around and make the sign of the cross on each other and say the appointed blessing. Feel free if you have a personal blessing you want to use. This is a time to remember that you have God s blessing with you as a unique and special child of God. 24

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Psalm 103: God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our faults. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who worship him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our sins from us. As a parent has compassion for their children, so the Lord has compassion for those who worship him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 2

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Jeremiah 29: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. (Favorite verse of Council Member Steve Freche) About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 4

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from John 3: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (Favorite verse of Council Chair Mark Tate) About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 6

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Psalm 46: Be s ll, and know that I am God! (Favorite verse of Council Vice Chair Pa y Rowley) About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 8

For one another and the world, giving to God what is in your heart from your sharing, reading, and talking. With a cross traced upon each others foreheads, we remind one another that we are children of God. Use these or similar words: Be S ll and know that God is always with you. Be still, and know that I am God Be still, and know that I am Be still, and know that I Be still, and know that Be still, and know Be still and Be still Be 9

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Philippians 4: In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Favorite verse of Council Member Ronny Pinckard) About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 10

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Philippians 4: Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplica on with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Favorite verse of Council Member Lynn Spillar) About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 12

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A Reading from Ma hew 21: A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shou ng, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, Who is this? The crowds were saying, This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 14

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from 1 Corinthians 11: For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup also, a er supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as o en as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as o en as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord s death un l he comes. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 16

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from John 19: They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Prepara on, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 18

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Lamenta ons 3: But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my por on, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 20

For one another and the world, giving to God what is in your heart from your sharing, reading, and talking. With a cross traced upon each others foreheads, we remind one another that we are children of God. Use these or similar words: God s will never stop showering you with love. Find HOPE... A H O B U O H O P E N K L P T R O W A E X G T E F V P J Q I P L P B H U E R E W A O Z X O C G B J M H L P O P Y H O G T S F T G E K H F H J K W G H C J K O N K 21

A High and a Low what s been the best part of your day, and what s been the hardest part of your day? From God s Word. Take the me to read it once or twice and no ce what seems to grab your a en on. A reading from Ma hew 28: But the angel said to the women, Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him. This is my message for you. So they le the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. About what caught your a en on and how it speaks to your life, maybe even your highs and lows, at this me. 22