Use this devo as you are able, in whole or in part. Don’t feel compelled to read it all. Simply read and meditate upon whatever catches your attention. The goal is enjoying time with God through His Word and in prayer. Questions about the devotional elements?
Call to Prayer
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isa. 6:3)
Prayer of Confession
High and powerful God, every day I fall short of living up to your law. Why do I so easily fall into temptation and live in reckless disobedience? I’m weak, God, and I need Jesus. Amen. (Prayer based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Question 9)
*Prayer borrowed from Philip Reinders’ Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year
Lent Devo: Backyard Pilgrim
Throughout Lent this year we will follow along over the next 40 days with quotes from Backyard Pilgrim by Matt Canlis which gives us a daily Bible Path (the story of God’s redemption) and Parish Path (a literal path through town where you can walk and ponder what God has shown you through his Word).
Day 17: Where are you? | Read: Genesis 3:8-9
BIBLE PATH
“Where are you?” What tone did God use to ask this first question of fallen humanity? Had God lost his temper? Is this an angry outburst? What kind of parent is God? Notice where God is. He is not up in heaven, arms crossed, shaking his head. God is neither wagging his finger nor shouting, “Shame on you!” As the Spirit first drew near to the despairing Tohu-Wabohu darkness of Genesis 1, so now God draws near to his despairing children.
And what is the “sound of the LORD God” they hear? Is it the sound of running, or God stomping through the woods kicking branches? No, the sound Adam and Eve hear is God in the garden “walking.” He knows what’s happened. He is not panicked. And he keeps his earthly habit of walking daily in his children’s presence.
God gives us every chance to be found, to confess our sins, to own who and where we are. Of course, God already knows what we’ve done and where to find us. The only question is whether we will trust the good intention of God’s searching question: “Where are you?”
Here i am . . . sought after.
PARISH PATH
Find a tree. Hide behind or simply lean up against it and observe people walking past.
Now imagine spotting God walking by in the cool of the day. It’s his daily stroll, and you are used to asking him questions and being shown new wonders. How can you become less like the fear-filled Adam and Eveand more like my daughter Iona? How can you begin to exchange your habit of hiding for the joyful relief of being found?
As you walk, know that God sees you, seeks after you, and welcomes both the big and the little ways you say to him: “Here I am!”
Sermon Devo
We are in our Winter series through the book of James. Each day we will dig into a different aspect of this New Testament wisdom book which will, by the end of the week, help to give you a fuller portrait of the kind of lives we are called to live as Christians.
Read: James 1:1-4:12
Last week we saw what God has to say about our faith and wisdom. This week we’ll see how James directs us to submit ourselves to God.
But before we explore the depths of this short section of James, let’s take some time to start the week by asking…
- What stood out to you as you read today?
- What point does James seem to be making?
- How does this portion of Scripture connect to what came before? How does it connect to what comes after?
- What didn’t make sense? What do you still wonder about?
Evening Prayer of Examen
- Where did you move with or feel close to Jesus today?
- Where did you resist or feel far from Jesus today?
- Where is Jesus leading you tomorrow? Ask for joy as you follow him.
Benediction
“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them.” (Ps. 32:1-2)
