It is fitting that Journey is our theme for the month, given that March 1st was Ash Wednesday – the entry point into the season of Lent. Lent is, first and foremost, a journey. It is the time when we journey alongside Jesus as he enters the wilderness and is tempted; begins his ministry in earnest; travels with his disciples across long roads and through multiple towns; talks about his impending death; parades through Jerusalem; and ultimately follows the gut-wrenching path to Golgotha.
We are called to journey with Jesus so that we can watch and learn from him. Assuming we pay close attention, we will be transformed along the way. We will let go of the things that weigh us down, or distract us from the journey. We will take on new practices that open us to the truths of Jesus’s teaching. We will prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits for the sacrifices to which we are called. And – hopefully – we will stay focused on Jesus for guidance, comfort, and strength.
It will not be an easy journey. After all, we are headed to the cross. But it is the journey that will ultimately lead us to peace.
As always, we offer our daily intentions series to keep you focused on the month’s theme. We post new memes each day on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I hope you’ll join us.
Blessings as you journey with Jesus this season.
Prayer Bead Devotion
Cross: God of the Journey,
Invitatory Bead: grant me strength
Resurrection Bead: as I walk with your Son Jesus towards the cross.
First Cruciform Bead: Help me to be intentional in my journey.
Week Beads, Set 1: Use each bead to consider the ways in which you can be intentional on your Lenten journey this month, including what practices might help you stay focused (i.e. journaling, praying, fasting, reading Scripture, conferencing with others, etc.)
Second Cruciform Bead: Help me to be disciplined in my journey.
Week Beads, Set 2: Use each bead to ask for God’s strength and assistance in staying disciplined throughout the journey. Recognize that this will be a difficult journey, and there will be times when you stumble and fall. Consider how you will handle those times without self-criticism or judgement; how you will return to the journey.
Third Cruciform Bead: Help me to find moments of stillness in my journey.
Week Beads, Set 3: Use each bead to consider the need for stillness and times of rest along the way to help maintain your strength and focus on Jesus.
Fourth Cruciform Bead: Help me to be fully present in my journey.
Week Beads, Set 4: Use each bead to consider how you will stay present throughout the season of Lent; how you can return your focus to Jesus after moments of distraction, or through feelings of fatigue, temptation, or hopelessness.
Resurrection Bead: In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
Invitatory Bead: who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Cross: Amen
Listening Focus (repeat with each bead)
I will follow Jesus.
