The Daily Examen :: Fourth Week of Lent
The Daily Examen is an ancient prayer practice that invites us into reflecting on the events of our day with the Lord, in order to discern his presence and direction for our lives. It helps us see God at work in all the parts and pieces of our lives.
Traditionally, these are the 5 movements of the practice:
Give thanks. Spend a few moments in gratitude for the gifts and blessings of the day.
Ask for light.
Examine the day.
Seek forgiveness.
Resolve to change
During this Lent, we are going to offer a Daily Examen based on the topic of the sermon from Sunday. We will all be able to use this practice as a tool to “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” the Scriptures and ideas from the sermon during each day of our week. We hope you’ll join us on this Lenten journey!
Seeking God through Intercession
Acts 12: 1-7; John 15: 1-8
Find a time each evening to sit quietly with the Lord for about 15 minutes.
Pause, and become aware of His presence. Perhaps breathing slowly, saying “Come,” (breath in) “Holy Spirit” (breath out).
Read the Scriptures from Sunday slowly, asking the Spirit to point out a word or phrase to you.
Remembering his deep love for you, examine your heart and life with the Spirit, asking him the following questions.
Billy talked about 3 aspects of Intercessory prayer: Intimacy, Identification and Intercede. Holy Spirit, are you my source of strength? Are there any secondary sources I am looking to for strength? How do you want me to draw near in intimacy with you?
Billy quoted Fleming Rutledge: “There is fashion today for exhorting us to ‘live into’ various things: live into our baptism, live into our calling, live into our mission. I think that’s a very 21st century humanist do-it-yourself way of speaking. We don’t ‘live into’ the vine who is the life of the church and of each Christian; the vine lives into us. We live from the vine, from the Word of God, from the body and blood of Christ, from the tireless work of the Spirit, new every morning.”
Holy Spirit, how do I let you “live into” me? How do you want to “live into” me?
Lord, who do you want me to identify with— in my job, my family, my community, my world— that I might intercede fervently for them?
Is there someone (or a situation) that I’ve given up praying for? How do you want me to pray for them?
Who do I need to pray for to come to know you?
Who do I need to join or unify with in prayer?
Talk to the Lord in response to what he’s said.
Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
