Daily Prayer in Lent - Sunday, Week Three

Word for the Season

Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart...
Joel 2:12

Word for the Day

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
(see today's readings for 1 Corinthians 1)

Reflection

It's easy to confuse
our wisdom with God's,
our strength with God's...

It's easy for us to measure God and ourselves alike
in which case God comes out looking puny and small
or we appear to be giants...

Of course God is neither foolish nor weak,
even when prodigal with his mercy
and generous beyond imagination in loving us...

Were God truly foolish, he would still be
the wisest of the wise...
Were God truly weak, he would yet be
the strongest of the strong...

Prayer
I return to you this day, Lord,
with a weak and foolish heart...

I am weak in my resolve to love you
and to love my neighbor as myself...
as I am weak in my resolve to love myself
as you love me...

I am foolish in my choices, Lord,
and in the ways I fail
to depend on your wisdom,
to lean on your strength...

Show me your wisdom
that I might see my own folly:
draw me to your truth...

Show me your strength
that I might know my own weakness:
lift me up with your strong arm...

I trust you, Lord,
and pray you will trust me
to return to you this Lent, day by day,
with my whole heart...
Amen. 2009LentPostCollection

Image: Gwen Meharg

-ConcordPastor