Here is a weekly Spiritual Challenge (starting tomorrow), designed to give us a practical way to grow in our spirit:
Spend a bit of time conversing with God about how this will fit you- and how it will not, where the challenges will be in your relationships, schedule and personality. Invite him in to work, create a few reminders of this challenge that you will encounter through the day and take a short time to reflect at lunch time or sometime midway through your day.
Say the Lord's Prayer. Don't utter these words blindly, or too quickly, there is much to unpack in this prayer. Don't speak these words blandly, they are not a liturgical incantation, they were spoken to evoke life by Jesus. Take a minute and write this prayer in your own words and in your own understanding. If you want you can share it below, I find putting it in my own words a way to "own it" for myself and develop a better understanding. This is especially helpful in familiar scriptures that I might otherwise pass over carelessly. Live with the Lord's Prayer through this week- hopefully this exercise will create a richer meaning of the words.
My paraphrase: Perfect Father, Ruler of Heaven, you are Holy and Glory. Let your power and will reign in the earthly realm just like in the Spiritual realm. Provide all I need today- You! Cleanse me of my filth and fallenness and give me a heart of forgiveness and eyes to see others as you do. Guide me through whatever may come my way and protect me from Evil- keep me from participating in that! What I want is to be intimately connected to you at all times. Let your power and love flow through me and let you get all the glory. Do it now and forever. Yeah God!
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