Lent Journey - 2016Sample

LENT IS FOR LISTENING

DAILY PRAYER REQUEST: Lord, teach me how to listen to you.

DAILY THOUGHT: LISTENING TO OTHERS
One last time: Lent is for listening. Perhaps one of the best ways we learn to listen to God is by learning to listen to those around us. After all, how can we listen to someone whom we cannot see when we don’t listen to those flesh and blood people we see each day? This could be one reason why James instructs us to be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19). If we don’t listen to the person speaking right in front to us, it certainly will not be long before we are deaf to the invisible God whom we cannot see. The adventure of learning to listen to God will always involve us in becoming better listeners in our everyday encounters with people.

DAILY PRACTICE:
Pray your daily prayer request. Commit James 1:19 to memory – “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Think of one person today to whom you would like to listen deeply. Ask the Lord to help you especially today to listen to this person in a genuinely interested and caring way.