It is almost here! A week with potential to change everything and everyone regarding relationship with self, others, and God. How intentionally will you prepare for this coming Sunday, which is Palm Sunday, the day that begins Holy Week? The previous five weeks of Lent culminate with this upcoming week. It is a week that gifts us with an opportunity for intentionality of faith.
How often have you found yourself gliding through the day, just putting one foot in front of the other to check things off the “to do list?” Even for those of us that are strategic thinkers, planners, and visionary organized people, we often fall into routines for daily living. That is not a bad thing. In fact, it is neither good nor bad. However, when life is lived on autopilot our engagement with God becomes less than intentional. An intentional faith is when we live courageously and make deliberate choices to deepen awareness of God. This conscious leaning into God through the days of our life increases our love of God, and opens our agenda, our hearts, and minds to God’s forming energy within our life and community.
The Scripture
Jesus was intentional is his relationship with God. His deliberate engagement of God in prayer, throughout daily tasks, and with his words focused his entire life. After three years of manifesting his mission and ministry in this world through words, actions, and community Jesus intentionally moved toward the transformational moment of his life. This led to his death, and resurrection. Luke 9:50-52 tells us of this deliberate choice which Jesus lived as he “set his face toward Jerusalem.”
This Sunday as we read of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem in Luke 19:28-40, we begin to notice the strength of faith, compassion, focus, and courage of intentional faith.
Today’s Prayer Practice
The wonder for today is how you will intentionally choose to deepen awareness of God through each day of Holy Week. The big three days right before Easter often get much of our attention. Those day are known as the Paschal Triduum, which is Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Our prayer practice for today invites us to plan for all the days of Holy Week to gain deeper intentional engagement with God as we approach Easter.
The prayer practice this week is Just for Today. As you look toward next week consider what you will do just for Sunday, just for Monday, just for Tuesday, just for each day of the week to expand your love of God. The consistent prayer practice of Just for Today is an intentional time of engaging God each day. However, each day you may deliberately choose to have differing prayer practices. For example, Sunday you may choose to go hiking, Monday you may choose to stay home and journal, Tuesday you might desire to pray for an hour with Lectio Divina.
Today you are invited into an intentional prayer time of discernment for how you plan to live the practice of Just for Today for each day of Holy Week. May the wisdom of God lead you into an intentional plan of prayer for this upcoming week as we prepare our hearts, minds, and bodies for engaging the Easter moment of resurrection within our lives.
Enjoy your discerning prayer.
