Lenten Prayers

During this Lenten season, I am reading A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor by Chris Seay.

There are quite a few beautiful prayers within the book. Here are some...

God, we thank You for being near in a world filled with selfish ambition, where too often our tendency is to turn inward and contemplate our own desires despite the suffering that surrounds us. We live surrounded by a wealth that defies the imagination of our poorer brothers and sisters, yet we live with the fear that we will never have enough. Expand our hearts, Lord, that we may learn to truly love. 

May we put our hand to the plow and work as those who have a higher calling. In the days that come, Lord, reveal to us new patterns of living where our spiritual lives and work lives become an integrated whole. May all that we do be worship to You.

We acknowledge that out of the ashes of our lives You are bringing shalom. We believe You are calling us to be a part of Your shalom work in our own cities and across the globe. We ask You to lead us and guide us. We are called to be Your hands and feet. As representatives of Christ we believe we should carry Your message of love and grace into the dark places You came to restore, the places where disease and illness plague people. Lord, do not allow us to seek safe havens, to hide the news of Your gospel; instead, call us out so that Your Good News will be evident to all.

Amen, amen and amen!

I came across this video today and thought it's quite appropriate and in line with what I've been reading in this book.

If not us who will be like Jesus,

To the least of these.

If not us tell me who will be like Jesus,

Like Jesus to the least of these.

Boys become kings, girls will be queens,

Wrapped in Your majesty.

When we love, when we love the least of these.

Then they will be brave and free,

Shout your name in victory.

When we love when we love the least of these.

When we love the least of these!

And this week, my friend, favourite blogger and fellow Compassion Advocate Ann Voskamp and her family are in Haiti on a family missions trip! Today, they visited a Compassion Child Development Centre and a miracle unfolded! So, so, so beautiful! I love this one sentence from the blog post, "...compassion is always the rain that ends the drought."

Friends, during this season of Lent will you...?
Learn to truly love? Put your hand to the plow as one who has a higher calling? Be Christ's hands and feet? Love the least of these? Be the rain that ends the drought?

Will you sponsor a child today?

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!