Blank Spacer
A journey through Lent - 2016
Blank Spacer
Day Twenty - The Sinless Servant.
This passage sets the contrast between the obedient servant and those around him who inflict suffering, persecution and abuse on him.
Rather than complain and rage at God, he sets his "face like flint" to suffer these injustices for his people.
So that, through him, they will be saved, restored, redeemed.
As we travel through this period of Lent we remember that Jesus set his face for Jerusalem, knowing what was ahead of him.
He was struck, mocked, and spat upon then put to death on a cross. Yet he was able to endure these injustices, for our sakes. So that we too are saved, restored and redeemed.
As we travel through our preparation for Easter we have a great joy set before us.
For despite the difficulties we face on our journey. The disappointments, pain and suffering which are so often a part of our human lives. We have a Saviour who will bring us home and keep us from despair.
So alongside Jesus, we lift up the burden of our cross and follow him, the sinless servant.
Bible Passage: - Isaiah 50:4-9 (NIV)
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious,
I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting.
Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
He who vindicates me is near.
Who then will bring charges against me?
Let us face each other!
Who is my accuser?
Let him confront me!
It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.
Who will condemn me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
the moths will eat them up.
Contemplation Saying.
"I have not turned away"
Contemplative Prayer.
Think of the saying in order to understand context and meaning,
Feel the meaning of the saying with and in your heart,
Pray, using the saying, 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.
Hymn: Singing the Faith 345 - "And can it be"
Let us pray together.
Twitter Prayer
Lord we thank you for your forgiveness freely given. Amen
Facebook Prayer
Lord we praise you that you are a merciful God and are quick to forgive us.
You never keep a record of our wrongs.
You start again afresh with us, each time we realise we have failed and have asked for forgiveness.
You give us countless chances so we can remain in your loving presence. Lord we thank you for your forgiveness freely given. Amen.
Full Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
We pray we may remember that he suffered and yet was triumphant. Especially when, we ourselves, experience pain and suffering in our own lives.
Help us to be your presence in the world as we support those around us as they suffer in body, mind or spirit. May we be able to express the joy we have that you bring wholeness to our lives.
May we not be shy to ask for healing but aware that often God's healing is to bring a wholeness of peace, rest and tranquility to our damaged lives and not cure.
Help us see that God is with us in our darkest times, a gentle light which keeps us in his presence and gathers us in his loving embrace.
Praise, worship and adoration we give to you our Lord and Saviour. Our sinless servant. Amen.
Lord, we are often guilty of causing you pain. The lack of love that we show to others, the absence of prayer in our lives. We have time for things we want to do but no time for you. The times that we pass by on the other side when we see a need.
We call upon you for forgiveness.
We are distraught when we think of the injustice which was done to you so long ago, but we are just as guilty. When we fail to speak of you to others. When we choose a path we know we should not travel, that moves us away from you.
We call upon you for forgiveness.
When we speak an angry word intended to cause pain. When we whisper rumour and spread half-truths.
We call upon you for forgiveness.
Lord help us, with your presence in our lives, to see temptation and to resist it. To apologise when we give offence and to ask forgivness.
Lord we praise you that you are a merciful God and are quick to forgive us.
You never keep a record of our wrongs. You start again afresh with us, each time we realise we have failed and have asked for forgiveness.
You give us countless chances so we can remain in your loving presence.
Lord we thank you for your forgiveness freely given.
We give you the glory, as our sinless servant and king. Amen.