Monday February 15, 2021

In the busyness of our everyday lives, we often fail to prepare our hearts and minds for reading God’s word and experience God in this time. Take a moment to allow this prayer to lead you into your time with God today. 

As I enter into this time of prayer and reflection, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly; to re-center my scattered senses upon the presence of God. 

Holy and loving God, in this new season I invite you to shape my soul with your words and inspire my life with your works. Teach me to walk in the way of peace and grace. AMEN.

Philippians 2:1-4

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

This Wednesday we will begin the season of Lent. This annual season in the life of the church is a 40 day journey to the cross which is followed by our Easter celebration.

Lent brings us back to this conviction. Christ who gave his all demands our all. 

Paul expresses here that the joy of receiving Christ is completed in our becoming like Christ. 

“Being like-minded, have the same love, being one in spirit and in mind” leads directly to the instruction that follows. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” 

Humility is the hallmark of the Christian faith. It is the defining characteristic. Humility is our aim. 

Take a moment to think of those closest to you. Whose interests, concerns, hopes, hurts might God bring to your mind today? In what way could you live out this instruction to put another first today?

Father, help me to live this day to the full, being true to You, in every way.

Amen.

*Our opening and closing prayers are adapted from Lectio365, a mobile application developed by the 24-7 Prayer Network. To find out more about this resource, visit this link.