Lectio Divina 1

Thursday, February 14: St. Valentine's Day

Interesting development after I decided to take Tony's verbal challenge in silence and submission: We "accidentally" met up in one of the stairwells, and he engaged me in a conversation about a different patient.  (The second patient calls numerous people and leaves long, rambling complaints.  He has called me more than once.  This time he called Tony to complain about me.)

It took a few minutes, but I realized that Tony would never officially apologize to me and that this conversation was his apology.  When this dawned on me, I said to him (approximately, since I don't recall verbatim), "Tony, though we have had animated disagreements, I really like working with you."  To my surprise, he said, "I do, too.  And I encourage and respect thoughtful dissent on my team."  Just what I thought!

So, dear Lord, this is what I "heard" from You on this day.  Isaiah 53:7 captures it:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
 

You did not have to question Your motives, as I did.  You were, are, and always will be right.  I'm learning!  Even when I am falsely accused, be quietly confident that You know what is happening.  That will lead me to Friday, a somewhat different day.

Lectio Divina Ash Wednesday

'...experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me."  Philippians 1:30

What conflict was that, Lord?  Earlier in this verse, Paul mentions not only believing in Crhrst, but also suffering for His sake.  Was the conflict related in some way to both his belief in You and some suffering for Your sake that he was enduring?

Conducting myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ is not as easy at WRCH as it would be in a monastery or a convent.  Or maybe that's not true, since humans are everywhere except in our solitude.  :0  Help me, Lord, on this first day of Lent to manage my annoyance and my quick tongue in a manner worthy of the gospel...worthy of You.  I still think I was, and am, right about this clinical issue that I won't remember when I come back to this post someday.  But it doesn't matter in eternity.  What will matter is that I took the verbal abuse (from Tony).  I didn't take it well, mind You.  And in my mind I rehearsed all kinds of witty, cutting comments and put-downs.  I surrender this to You, Lord.  Teach me.

I'm pretty exhausted right now.  It was harder to resist the candy than I thought it would be!  :0

Lectio Divina minus-1

The Last Supper...prediction of Peter's denial...the Garden of Gethsemane...Jesus's arrest.

Later!

Lectio Divina - Haha!

Funny, Lord!  Here I thought Lent started last Wednesday.  I was trying to catch up with the daily readings/recordings, and instead, I am "ahead."  Love it!

• Carpenters song
• Bible lesson on the Bible for Junior Church
• waiting for today's reading...or maybe I'll wait until Wednesday?

No candy since last Wednesday, either.  Or Candy Crush, the game.  Maybe a good error after all.

Lectio Divina (3): Awakens My ear to listen

Friday: The blizzard of 2013.  Maybe because I was doing the Building Self Esteem group, I was thinking about the other group I help to facilitate, Spirituality and Recovery.  I know I have been pondering next week's topic, which is commitment.  I didn't get a chance to nail down the Scripture, but what I thought about was Jesus's resoluteness in moving toward the cross. 

When the days were approaching for His ^[ad]ascension, He ^[ae]was determined to go to Jerusalem.  Luke 9:51
 

 http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols46-48/chs2738.pdf

I won't have time to include all of Charles Spurgeon's points here, but this is a really pertinent sermon about this idea of commitment to His mission.  He takes Isaiah 50:7 as his (Spurgeon's) starting point(but I am including the context from verse 5):

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
⁵ The Lord God has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient
Nor did I turn back.
⁶ I gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;
I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.
⁷ For the Lord God helps Me,
Therefore, I am not disgraced;
Therefore, I have set My face like flint
 

 And now, I need to wrap this entry and go to the church's annual meeting.  Dear Triune God, please help my attitude there.  Things are changing, indeed.  Help me to be part of the change.  In the name of Jesus and the power and counsel of the Holy Spirit~~Amen!

 

Lectio Divina (2)

This was Thursday.  I realize that I probably won't have time to post every day; I am, however, hoping to remember my Lectio Divina readings for each day and try to record them when I do get a chance to sit down here.

Having said that, though, I am sorry to say that I can't remember Thursday's.  :(  I'll try to come back and edit this post if I recall what I was reading and contemplating then.

Lectio Divina (1)

The Temptation of Jesus: I used this today in Junior Church with the 4th graders (a miracle of sorts in itself) because it made an impression on me.  This was my first Bible reading for Lent.  I think I chose it or was led to it, because of the idea of Jesus's fasting.  (I'm "fasting" from Candy Crush and candy for Lent.)

So, the Bible is:

• food
• debate clincher
• Satan repellant

Not a bad summary, if I say so myself!