Lent 2023 – Day Seven – Luke 6
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 (approx 20 minutes).
Audio of Reflection and shortened prayers (approx 6 mins).
Read Luke Chapter 6. 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
Read Luke Chapter 6.
“A good person brings good things out of the good stored in their heart”
Today is a very full chapter with many things we could pick out and concentrate on. After reading and reflecting I have decided to look at “A tree and its fruit” and “The wise and foolish builders”.
I wonder if you have ever been in conversation with anyone and they are nodding and agreeing with you but you just know, by their posture or the fact that their eyes are staring past you, that they are not really listening to what you are saying at all. Ros has a neat trick of throwing into the conversation, “what was I just saying” and more times than I would care to admit, I have to piece something together and hope that it bears some relation to the reality.
In our passage Jesus is berating his listeners for claiming to be listening to him but clearly he knew that his words were not being paid attention to.
We too are challenged to listen and think about how we respond to Jesus’ gospel message. To carefully and thoroughly listen to God’s directions as we consider what we plant and build as well as where we plant and build. Be that in our own lives, the life of our church or within the wider Circuit.
However, we can be sure that if we both plant and build wisely we will build the Kingdom in our churches, in our lives and in the world and it will be filled with good fruit.
In this season of Lent let us once again search our hearts and seek God’s will for our lives.
Hymn: Singing the Faith – 385 “Holy Spirit we welcome you”
Daily Sketch
Today’s passage spoke to me of what would we use our “building blocks” of our time, talents and treasure to create. Do we build walls which block the path or spaces and places to enable ourselves and others to meet with God.
Let us pray together.
Audio of Prayer Section
After the contemplation words. The audio has approximately four and a half 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 05:35 which is just before the final prayer.
Contemplation Words
“ No good tree bears bad fruit…” (v 43 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 help me to hear your voice in the decisions I make where to plant and build. Show me the firm ground and the fertile places so that I do so in the right places. Amen
Facebook Prayer
Dear Lord we all have different ideas of what you require of us. Help us to be gentle with each other as we discuss and mould those ideas until we determine your will for us. Through the power of your Holy Spirit enable us to build the Kingdom and produce good fruit together. Amen
Full Prayer
Lord as we build and plant may we do so guided by your Holy Spirit. May our lives be the source of good fruit, that through our words and deeds we may glorify your name.
Lord let us plant seeds that others will harvest. Let us be ready to harvest what others have sown.
Help us to see where the solid ground is. The ground that is in your presence, the ground which is sure and firm, the ground which is productive. We pray that in the hard times we will find the assurance that our work for you is never in vain. Help us not to demand immediate results but to trust in your presence in everything we do, stepping out in faith trusting that the harvest will be ready in your time and not ours.
May we give all that you ask without fear or regret, for there is no greater gift we can give than ourselves. Take us and use us for the glory of your name. 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:
Music from Pixabay Relaxing Music Vol.1 – Relaxing Time slightly edited by Chris Hancock as permitted by the Pixabay licence.
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.
