Created for Community: A Midweek Lenten Series 2

We enter into the Lenten season together as a whole community with all of the church, nature, and all people. This midweek Lenten series invites us to use the Gospel of Mark to more closely connect with community through the Word and prayer. You will receive these devotions or pick them up in church every two weeks. 

Wednesday March 10 — In Community with our neighbor 

Prayer: Neighbor to all people, you call us into human communities to serve and be served by one another. Open our hearts to the needs of all our neighbors, and teach us to recognize the gifts you have given each of us to use in service to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen 

Reading: Mark 2:1-12 Community works together to bring a neighbor to Jesus 

Being in community with other people is both wonderful and difficult at the same time. As Christians, we are called into a community with one another to work together to show God’s love to others. In this text, we have neighbors who work together to make sure that a fellow member of their community is able to see Jesus, even if that means lowering them through the ceiling. When we work with our neighbors amazing things happen. 

Wednesday March 17 — In Community with those on the margins 

Prayer: Mender of division, you sent Christ to heal the world and to gather those on the margins. Bring your healing power to us. May we extend your power and grace to those separated from their communities and those longing for a tangible sign of your love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen 

Reading: Mark 5:1-20 

Even when we do not always see or understand people who aren’t like us, they are still a part of our community. People on the margins are often overlooked, ignored or forgotten. In our text today we witness Jesus healing a man on the margins, so that he can be restored to his community. We are invited to remember to extend a hand to those who we would consider not like us or on the margins. People on the margins are part of our community and have God’s love too.

From Sundays and Seasons, copyright 2020