Ezekiel 36:22-32

Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations and which you have profaned among them, and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you shall remember your evil ways and your dealings that were not good, and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds. It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, O house of Israel.
 

Today’s Reflective Questions

• Even if it is not obvious, where do you see a theme of fasting — or withholding something — in the assigned reading?
• Lent is a time that encourages self-reflection. What is your heart, mind, or body saying in this season?
• What might God be saying to you? Is there anything you want to say to God about the practice of giving something up in this season?

This Week’s Lenten Focus: Fasting

This Lenten season, Bishop David Wilson, along with some conference staff and members of the laity, are inviting the people of the Great Plains Conference and beyond to “Pay Attention to God’s Voice” during this season of Lent. The theme for this week is Fasting and Prayer.

Discipline isn’t necessarily something to which we naturally gravitate, but when we’re serious about becoming disciples of Jesus, it’s an essential part of the Christian life. This week we’ll take a look at the spiritual discipline of fasting and consider how intentionally limiting something that’s good (food, technology, or something else) cultivates discipline that helps us pay closer attention to God’s voice, individually and in a community.

Life isn’t found in calories, vitamins, or nutrients, though those things sustain it. Rather, life is found in submitting our lives to God, in taking on the life of Christ, and in putting one foot after another, day after day. You are invited to practice cultivating communion with God even in the intentional denial of something that is good.
   

• Watch a video featuring Rev. Ashlee Alley Crawford and Rev. Bellarmee Milosi talking about fasting.
• Watch a video featuring Bishop David Wilson inviting you to observe a Holy Lent.
• To learn more, check out this special page on our website dedicated to our Lenten topics.

 

Invitation to Go Deeper

What are you learning about fasting, the intentional denial of something that is good so that you can experience a deeper communion with Christ? Consider how fasting affects your mind … your body … your soul. Is something coming to your awareness that could be a word from God?

Prayer for Reflection

Other texts from today’s lectionary:

• Psalm 128
• John 7:53-8:11