Third Week of Lent - Feed on His Scriptures

Feed on His Scriptures

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. ~Collect for Proper 28, The 1979 Book of Common Prayer, 236.

I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. ~Psalm 119:11-16

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

As Jesus’ followers we should commit ourselves to read the Bible (or listen to it) whenever we can. And we should commit ourselves in advance to believe and obey everything that it clearly teaches. Peter Walker, The Jesus Way, (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2009), 70.

Daily Readings For the Week:

Monday – Psalm 119:1-32

Tuesday – Psalm 119:33-48

Wednesday – Psalm 119:49-72

Thursday – Psalm 119:73 - 104

Friday – Psalm 119:105-136

Saturday – Psalm 137 - 176

Meditation For the Week:

Praying the Scripture is a unique way of dealing with the Scripture; it involves both reading and prayer. Turn to the Scripture; choose some passage that is simple and fairly practical. Next, come to the Lord. Come quietly and humbly. There, before him, read a small portion of the passage of Scripture you have opened to. Be careful as you read. Take in fully, gently, and carefully what you are reading. Take and digest it as you read…after you have sensed something of the passage, and after you know the essence of the portion has been extracted…very slowly, gently, and in a calm manner begin to read the next portion of that passage. ~Madam Guyon, Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, (New York: Harper One, 2005), 302-3.

Prayer For the Week:

O Lord Jesus Christ, open Thou the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy word and understand and do Thy will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth. Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open mine eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Thy law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom. On Thee do I set my hope, O my God, that Thou shalt enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Thy knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; for Thou are the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from Thee cometh every good deed and every gift. Amen. ~From a prayer of Saint John Chrysostom to be prayed before the reading of Holy Scripture