Sue O’Donnell. 01.03.21
“ ‘I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the LORD, have spoken! Yes, I will certainly keep you safe...’” (Jeremiah 15 v 21 NLT)
Are you sorrowful or in great need? Plead!
Recall all “...God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2 v 9)
Think of the transforming effects grace has upon us,
Firmly resting upon our soul and our spirit to offer inner healing.
This healing flourishes through knowing, following and adhering to
All of the Lord Jesus’ holiness, righteousness, our wholeness.
The blessed, holy, life gifting presence of the Holy Spirit.
“And the Lord –who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like Him (the Lord Jesus) as we are changed into His glorious image.” (2 Corinthians 3 v 18 NLT)
Sharing in the Lord Jesus’ identity is our eternal blessing.
In the meantime He heals our ills,
Being a super-abundant blessing of our Father’s merciful grace.
The kingdom of God upon earth is made ours,
A happy place of loving fairness, justice and peace.
The fulfilment of the law and prophets are found in Christ Jesus.
Our Saviour, Healer, Redeemer, Restorer, God’s favour.
“You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 18 NLT)
Holy love has become our currency, all thanks to Christ Jesus.
As the living Word, He is the supreme revelation of love.
A holy love, God’s love for us, and the command to love.
God’s love is revealed in sending the Lord Jesus to us,
That we might live a full life through Him.
All our hope is founded on the love gifted us,
Making today a good day with bright hope for tomorrow.
“God is love. God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him This is real love – not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4 v 8, 9, 10 NLT)
Father, by love, with love, You forgive, heal and protect us,
A very present help against all our troubles.
These are caused by our sinfulness.
It is Lent, let us decide to turn our back on all sin.
Pray for forgiveness and to begin again in Christ Jesus.
Ever extending His kingdom of love and mercy,
Where there is no hatred nor persecution, no unrest.
“From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Christ Jesus...He has revealed God to us.” (John 1 v 16, 18 NLT)
“As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.” (Micah 7 v 7 NLT)
Lord, by faith, knowing of Your all loving mercy and kindness as shown as by Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, “I have calmed and quieted myself,” (Psalm 131 v 2) for I can live in hope.
My hope is in the new life gifted us by Christ Jesus, keeping us in His love and peace, protecting us from all that is evil. Our Saviour delivers us from all darkness.
“ ‘Look, I am making everything new’!” (Revelation 21 v 5) What real hope this gifts us. The man of sorrows is our joy of hope and peace.
We love You Lord, let us love You more and more. Feeling saddened by our sins; strengthen this sorrow to prevent us straying in the future. May we rise well above our human weaknesses through the healing love of our Saviour Brother, the Redeemer. May our life be reformed by the Holy Spirit.
“Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?... How much more glorious is the new way which makes us right with God.” (2 Corinthians 3 v 9)
We turn to place our life in the Lord Jesus’ hands and immediately receive the invaluable gift of the Holy Spirit of love in all its holy power. “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (v 17)
Oh this healing freedom, it is life and peace to us, all thanks to the Lord Jesus, granting us the right to turn to You Father, calling You ‘Abba’ knowing we can be dependent upon Your mercy.
We trust in the inner healing of the forgiveness granted us at the †, that our life becomes one of inner strength, wise about evil and its damage, resolved to live with love to make each day a good day, looking for tomorrow to be even better.
We learn to dethrone ourselves and make Christ Jesus, Your favour Father God, the King of Glory, the true Light of love already shining over and amongst us when we desire to live by His love.
Strengthen us Holy Spirit, Lord to defend all that is holy. Guard us and guide us into all unfailing holiness. Breathe love over us that we inhale love in all its majestic, life energising, uplifting, encouraging, enabling.
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier, purify us for the work of evangelisation. May we never mar this in any way. May we be pious thereby shunning all sin, respecting the Three Divine Persons through the love we show each other.
Make us strong in faith as You counsel and defend us. Please grant us the gift of understanding, enabling us to penetrate more deeply into faith’s truths, living by its wisdom as taught us by the Lord Jesus, that we relish goodness.
Lord Jesus, make us holy as You are holy, because our Father says He wants us to be perfect, and there is not the least possibility of becoming holy without You and the influence of Your Spirit.
You teach us so much! “ ‘Let him (her) who glories glory in this, that (s)he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD exercising loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9 v 24 TNJB)
Jesus, our Saviour and Master, our answer to prayer offered sincerely in the cause of love and mercy. Lord Jesus, teach us to pray our way through Lent, so fresh hope and renewed peace will be the reward, our joy in You.
We pray and discover ever greater nuggets of wisdom and truth to help us live honourably, thank You. Thank You for working with us and through us by Your Spirit of faith, of hope, of mercy, keeping us steadfast in faith.
“Your Word was my delight and the joy of my heart ...” (Jeremiah 15 v 16) daily. For mercifully You spoke to me personally and this made such a difference to my daily life. Please do so again. I know You are my forever Saviour, who always longs to favour us in response to prayer.
Thank You for all the blessings of grace, this favour in hearing directly from You, already received to bless and benefit I hope, many. Please keep talking with me in this way, for further favour to accrue.
Thank You that fresh hope always takes root in You, through You Lord Jesus. To think that You pray for us, this is so special I can hardly get my head around it. May prayer always be the ladder by which we ascend to heaven.
Heaven is the realm, position and situation our Father of mercy offers us through You, because of Your victory at the †, Lord Jesus. May Your friendship heal, cleanse and sanctify us, that we become consecrated to Your service, no longer disobeying and straying.
Lord, I have just read that “Lent is a song of love, with the Mass of the day its theme. Slowly, it unfolds its music; its pages filled with Christ’s love for us.” (Catherine Doherty) I think this could be said of each and every day graced by Your favour, thank You.
Thank You for inviting us daily to pray, to attend Mass when we can, so as to contemplate the wonder of Your merciful love and forgiveness, such an amazing grace found at the †of Christ Jesus, all our sin forgiven and forgotten. What love is this?
You favour us in countless ways daily, and all too often we take these for granted or do not stop our busyness sufficiently to offer You our praise, our wonder and to thank You. I am sorry for my omission in this. How many spiritual comforts and consolations have I missed, I wonder? Are there graces I have not allowed for?
Sometimes we seem to be more conscious of You when we feel You are absent! Spiritual dryness, suffering, doubt, fear can all be put to better use by turning our heart and mind to prayer. May the Holy Spirit help us at such times.
We are told “...many different trials and setbacks have caused grief. But these have only been allowed so that your faith can be demonstrated as genuine and well founded....is of much greater value than gold.” (1 Peter 1 v 6 The Truth)
Thank You for all the time holy wisdom favours our understanding, and thereby helps us to grow stronger in faith’s trust in You. Especially the aspect of salvation is to always be praised as our faith “Will enable us to be one with Jesus Christ when He is revealed in His full praise, glory and honour.” (based on v 7)
What a prospect, this indeed is Your favour, dearest Father. Nothing and no one is beyond Your power of redeeming love, that wondrous love which in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, gifts us all that we could ever need or want in order to live a full life of faith now and eventually eternally.
United to our Saviour Brother, - the greatest favour that ever could be – we experience Your hope, Your peace and Your joy in all fullness. We see how You work wonders and we marvel, sustained by the hope of the Lord Jesus alive in us, ever being to Your praise and glory, Eternal Father. Thank You for every favour. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
GRACE
FAVOUR
