Daily Lenten Devotional Sponsored by Lutherans Connect

Image: Abraham’s Journey from Ur to Canaan (Genesis 12) by József Molnár
Found on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Molnár_Ábrahám_kiköltözése_1850.jpg

Many of us desire to spend more time in spiritual practice than we do, but often find it challenging to make space for it in our lives. In Lent, we are especially encouraged to make sacrifices or ‘fasts’ to help draw us into the deeper meaning of the story of Jesus’ time in the wilderness.

In the spirit of our previous Lenten and Advent projects, Lutherans Connect invites you to to join us this Lent for a few moments of making space for reflection every day. To assist you, we will offer a daily meditation, bringing together scripture readings, poetry, songs and reflections, from a range of ecumenical traditions.

This year our Lenten theme is ‘welcoming the stranger’. At a time in our country and in our world when attention on migrants and refugees is especially strong, it seems a good time to explore the myriad ways in which we all are, and have always been, migrants of the world.

Many of us are familiar with the Matthew 25:35 text: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” In this verse, the Greek word ‘xenos’ is translated as ‘stranger’, but ‘xenos’ actually has two meanings. It can also mean the person who welcomes that stranger, who shows them hospitality. The original Biblical word provides a binary relationship between the stranger, and the one who is providing the hospitality.

Starting on Ash Wednesday February 10th and continuing daily for forty days until Palm Sunday March 20th, we will explore the migrants and refugees of the biblical story and those who received them. From the expulsion in Eden to Jesus’ imagination of the kingdom of God, we will walk in the footsteps of biblical migrants and refugees.

In addition, we will dwell with some stories of those in contemporary migration and refugee situations in our world: communities who move in desire for a better life; families who migrate unwillingly but out of necessity; or those who are forced out by geopolitical circumstances. From the migrants’ march, to the refugee camps, to the homes and shelters that receive them around the world in new lives, this project celebrates both sides of the biblical ‘xenos’.

Join us for forty days starting Ash Wednesday. And may God’s nourishing love bless you this day and always.

~ from Lutherans Connect’s facebook page

Link to the website for this devotional:  http://lc2016lentdevotional.blogspot.ca/2016/02/title-page.html

Each day the next devotion will be added to the blog.  The menu on the right allows the reader to select any of the devotions in the series that have been posted.