Trust the Love (Day 28, Tuesday)

March 14, 2021, By: Jimmy Scruggs

Starter Prayer: Loving God, thank you for calling us into your redeeming light. Help us to trust this love enough to open the drapes of our souls and allow the exposure. Amen (Adapted from Rev. T. Denise Anderson)

Focus Phrase: Trust the Love

I’m captured by this section of “Hold,” the poem by Rev. Sarah Are:

If you pay attention, 
You will catch a glimpse
Of the circle that love was meant to be.
God is love,
Our resting place.

And I’m intrigued by an option Ryan gave us in the message last weekend. Ryan suggested that we may want to exchange a burdensome metaphor for God for something more life giving. One example: Could I exchange the metaphor of being a “vineyard worker for God” with the metaphor of being a “newborn child resting in God?” 

I’m trying it out this week! I’m assuming I can’t get fired for sleeping and eating all day and being generally unproductive, but well-loved.

Be encouraged in your practice.

Katie Martinez

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE:

  • Watch and listen to the poem, “Hold” by Rev. Sarah Are. Read and reflect on p. 25-26 of Again & Again. The link is in every Journey email. If you’re not getting those, register here.  
  • Read John 3:14-21.
  • Watch/Listen to this clip from Ryan’s message this weekend.
  • Questions for journaling and spiritual conversation:
    • What feelings or emotions does the poem “Hold” invoke in you?
    • What metaphors of the spiritual life might be getting in the way of you embracing the metaphor of “Newborn?”
    • Try this variation on “centering prayer”: Read the passage aloud to yourself. Then Pray the starter prayer aloud. Then breathe deeply and enter into silence for several minutes. I like to set a chime on my phone to break the silence after 3, 5 or 20 minutes, whichever time frame I choose that day. When your phone chimes, breathe deeply in and out, and slowly open your eyes. Stop the chime. Then gently end your prayer time by saying the starter prayer again. Centering Prayer is for “being still” not for “doing”. When thoughts enter your mind, gently let them pass by like leaves floating downstream in a river.
  • Make your plans to participate in the Good Friday Experience at Crossroads, in-person, online or on demand. We will reflect upon the hidden wisdom and true power of Christ’s Love. For the in-person option, a reservation is necessary.
  • As the week unfolds, what word or phrase captures your attention? Weave your word into the prayer wall at the Taft Avenue facility; or text your word to 970-500-0970, and the prayer team will weave it into the wall for you.

ENDNOTES:

  • For daily texts with the Focus Word, Starter Prayer and link to these daily posts, text the word “lent” to 970-500-0970.
  • Join Ryan on Facebook Live, every weekday morning at 10am for spiritual conversation on these Lent themes.
  • Looking for the link to the digital devotional or your copy of the print version? Register here.
  • Join the Orange Dots of Hope Facebook Group for spiritual conversations.

This is part of Again & Again: Journey of Lent 2021 with Crossroads Church. The theme, devotional booklet, poetry and art is the work of the creative community of theologians and artists at A Sanctified Art. Crossroads is grateful for this resource!

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