Lent 2023 – Day One – Luke 1 verses 1 – 38

Welcome to our Daily reflections for Lent.

We have provided a number of ways of using these reflections.

• You can listen to it in podcast style by clicking on the first audio file. (approx 18 minutes);
• You can listen to the reflection and the prayers with a shortened length for personal prayer (approx 6 minutes);
• You can read your own version of the Bible and then listen to the reflection, play the hymn in the embedded YouTube clip and then listen to the prayer section;
• You can choose to just read through it and ignore the audio files; or
• any combination of the above.

However you choose to use them we hope you will find them helpful and thought provoking.

Full Audio of today’s reflection including the Bible passage (Approx 18 mins).

Audio of Reflection and shortened prayers (approx 6 mins).

Read Luke Chapter 1 verses 1 – 38. In your own preferred version. The audio uses the NIV.

Link to the Bible Gateway NIV version (Opens in a new tab)

Audio of reflection only

Reflection

Luke’s gospel starts with a personal declaration of the truthfulness of the story of Jesus.

“… I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught…” (v 3 – 4 NIV)

As Christians we are called to develop a relationship with Jesus and to grow and develop our understanding of the message that he brings of love and salvation.

To do that we meet together in worship, share together in home groups or study and reflect on our own during our personal devotions. We, like St Luke, investigate and question and in doing so find the certainty and truth of the gospel message, Jesus came to reveal. The same message which Luke writes about speaks to us today as much as it spoke to Theophilus for whom it was written.

Our passage moves on to the interaction of God in the lives of Elizabeth, Zechariah and Mary.

“… an angel of the Lord appeared…” (v 11 NIV) “The angel went to her….” (v28 NIV)

I wonder what our reaction would be to the appearance of an angel?

Each year as we read these words during the season of Advent I am always struck by the humanity of these different reactions to the presence of an angel.

Zechariah with his “How can I be sure of this? (v18 NIV)” and Mary’s gentle acceptance “I am the Lord’s servant… (v38 NIV)” speak to me of our own experiences of encounters with God.

Even when faced with an angel we sometimes doubt the call that God has on our lives and the place he wants us to fill in his story of salvation. At other times, we just know that it is God and like Mary enfold our will into his and trust him to be by our side in whatever service he has called us to.

As we travel through the gospel of Luke this Lent may we hear the voice of angels and hear God speak to us of our joyful place in the work of his kingdom.

Hymn: Singing the Faith 161 – “Speak O Lord as we come to you”

Daily Sketch

I am hoping to sketch an image each day inspired by the passage. I have a great imagination but clumsy fingers so this may be a greater challenge than writing the words. Today’s image is of an angel.

I am not sure what an angel will look like but I think they come to us in a variety of forms. In the guise of our friends and strangers who speak words of power to us. As a blinding light chasing the darkness from around us. As a winged messenger so often depicted in art.

My thoughts came to combination of a human shape but blazing in light. Unmistakable as anything other than a messenger of God.

Let us pray together.

Audio of Prayer section

After the contemplation words. The audio has approximately four minutes of the quiet background music for your own prayers. If you would like longer just stop the audio and re-start it when you wish. If you want a shorted period “drag” the audio to 05:00 which is just before the final prayer.

Contemplation Words

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.” (v 19 NIV)

Contemplative Prayer

Think of the words in order to understand context and meaning, Feel the meaning of the words with and in your heart,

Pray, using the words, for yourself or others. With only a name and without explaining the reasons or pre-defining any answers.

Listen for God’s voice in the quiet of your prayers.

Pray using your own prayers or one of those which have been prepared below.

Twitter Prayer

Lord as I travel alongside you may I hear your voice calling to me, your love surrounding me and your arms holding me every moment of my life. Amen

Facebook Prayer

Lord I would ask you to send me an angel but I believe that you do that already, so I pray that I may recognise the angels that you send to me. I pray that, as I become aware of those angels, I will respond to the words that angels speak in my life. May I, like Mary, be willing to be your servant. Amen

Full Prayer

Loving God in this season of Lent may I be aware of all of the angels you send to me. Angels that speak in the words of friends and neighbours. Angels seen in the wonder of your creation, speaking to me of you. The visions of angels your holy words will give to me as I read them.

All of these angels will draw me into your presence. I pray that you will help me recognise them and the message they have for me. Give me an enthusiastic heart to respond to them.

Whether I understand or not may I be willing to be your servant, in whatever you call me to, trusting you to be present in every part of my life.

Give me a voice which will speak of the love I find with you.  A voice which will speak of your awesome presence in the world. A voice which will speak of your grace and mercy, which is available to all.

As I read and study your word may I once again kneel in your presence and give my life to you without holding anything back.

Lord I offer you this time of Lent may you use it mightily in my life, the life of your church and in the breadth of your creation. Amen

Copyright Notices

Reflections and Prayers

By Chris Hancock

Hymns

Hymn words where displayed are in the Public Domain.

Hymn organ recordings where used are from Small Church Music. Copyright notice: Rev. Clyde McLennan, performer in this collection, has assigned his performer rights in this collection to Hymnary.org. Non-commercial use of these recordings is permitted.

Other hymns are from YouTube and covered by YouTube copyright processes.

Bible Readings

Bible readings are from the New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Images

Images where used are from pixabay.com and free for commercial use no attribution required.

Background Music

The background music in today’s recordings is:

Heart by Daniel Birch is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Sound Effect from Pixabay
Andrew kn – At the edge of space II – Re-mixed and tinkered with by Chris Hancock as permitted by the Pixabay licence.