Lent Week 4 -- Wednesday

On this day of Lent, we invite you to reflect on these scriptures. What is the Spirit saying to you today? Psalm 38:1-4, 21-22 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. Jeremiah 13:1-11 This is what the Lord said to me: "Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water." So, I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist. Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: "Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks." So, I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me. Many days later the Lord said to me, "Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there." So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless. Then the word of the Lord came to me: "This is what the Lord says: 'In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,' declares the Lord, 'to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.' Hebrews 6:13-20 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised…God did this so that…we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. John 8:12, 28-30 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life…When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." Even as he spoke, many believed in him. Prayer Search me out, O God, and know my heart. Creator God, may every breath we take be for your glory, may every footstep we take be a following of Jesus, trusting in your presence in this world. Visit us, O Lord, we pray, and drive far from us the snares of the enemy; dwell with us and guard us in peace, and may your blessing be always upon us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.