Last night at Valley Mosaic we had a discussion about the season of Lent. We decided that it was a great, often times misunderstood tradition, and concluded that it certainly could be thought of as a “ritual meant for examining rituals.”

So often throughout our lives we spend our time searching for answers. Contrastingly, Lent is a season to “live in the question,” as my friend Allan puts it. It is a time to reflect on your life, to look inside and critique yourself, your habits, your behaviors, and ask “why?”

Our community is attempting to follow the Lenten Experiential Calendar compiled by Mars Hill this season, and today’s entry was to Write a prayer to God explaining the habits, behaviors, and sins you want to die to. Here is my prayer:

Lord God, full of grace and peace, create in me a new heart.
A heart that loves those who hate.

Give me strength to overcome the habitual sins and behaviors that enslave me, such as:

apathy, indifference, carelessness, self-centeredness, laziness and arrogance.

I can’t explain why I do these things, I just know that I can not stop doing them alone. I’m aware that they cause me, those around me, and you, significant pain, and for that reason I must change.

Help me to die to these things, so that I may emerge a new person, fully changed and fully aware of the divine love that permeates all of creation, and which enables me to love others as you do.

hear my prayer
amen

Tags:calendarLentlent prayermars hill