Here we are at the dawn of a brand new week. How steady is your sense of peace and God’s presence, with whatever the day and week ahead is going to hold for you?

So often life throws unexpected curveballs at us and our instinct can be to try to avoid or resist them. It takes practice to learn how to hold yourself open to experiencing the deep presence and peace of Christ in the midst of EVERY situation.

Take a few minutes to practice attuning your heart to openness, with Father Thomas Keating’s “The Welcoming Prayer” – pray it as deeply and slowly as you can.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I welcome everything that comes to me today

Because I know it’s for my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.

I let go of my desire for power and control.

I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval and pleasure.

I let go of my desire for survival and security.

I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.  

I open to the love and presence of God and God’s action within.

Amen. 

Click Here for a video facilitation of this prayer if you prefer.

Do you ever find yourself feeling discouraged at the lack of perfection in your life? Or the persistent presence of limitations and even wounds within yourself?

Sometimes we forget to notice that the fully resurrected Jesus still had open wounds on his body. How wild is that, as a concept?  What could it have to show us about how we view and hold our own wounds and (seeming) imperfections?

Today we invite you into a practice titled “The Wounded Saviour.” Allow yourself to linger with this complex picture of the risen Christ, and try to listen for anything God might want to speak specifically to you – about both your own wounds, and those of the people around you.

Click Here to engage in The Wounded Saviour spiritual practice + song

It’s so important to have safe loving people in our lives who can remind us of all that is true and good, especially when our lives go through challenging seasons! Who point us to the presence of Christ.

Question for Reflection:

Who are your people, in this way? Take some prayerful time to examine the relationships in your life with a particular lens around the question: “Who helps to remind me of all that is real and good?”

Action to Take:

What can you do to deepen these friendships today, or in the week ahead?  Is it time for a party? Coffee and some meaningful conversation? Is there a way to serve each other? Spirit-level friendship is a gift, deepening the gift is love in action. How can you intentionally strengthen community today? Pick even one small action – and do it!

Scripture: Click Here to read Psalm 4 (The Message Translation)  

Read the passage over slowly, prayerfully and attentively a few times. As you do, allow God to highlight a word, phrase or verse – something that jumps out at you personally.

Observations: 

Think about what is being said, by who, and why they might be saying it the way they are. What is the surrounding context? What other background information do you have? How and where do you see the heart of Jesus in this? Don’t make conclusions or applications yet, just observe everything you can.

Application: 

Now consider how this passage might apply personally to your life. In what way does it speak to your own circumstances? How can it help you? How does it challenge you? How does it call you to love both God and others better? How does this word from God apply directly to your day-to-day life and how you are learning to follow Jesus?

Prayer: 

Now that you’ve read and reflected on God’s word and begun the process of application to your life, simply talk to God about it all. Share what’s swirling in your head and heart, allow space to listen for what the Holy Spirit is wanting to say to you in return as well.

Today we invite you into the practice of prayerful worship, with the song Christ Be Magnified.  Before you begin to sing, pause to consider some of these words:

“Oh! Christ be magnified

Let his praise arise

Christ be magnified in me

Oh! Christ be magnified

From the altar of my life

Christ be magnified in me”

• Where do these words ring true for you in your experience?
• Where are you still longing to see this become more real in your life? 

With both of these realities in mind, click the link below and bring your full heart before God in worship – both in gratitude for the presence you have already experienced, and in prayer for the healing and hope you’re still longing for.

Click Here for Christ Be Magnified by Cody Carnes