Philippians 1:1-11 (CEB)

From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.

To all those in Philippi who are God’s people in Christ Jesus, along with your supervisors and servants.

May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Today's Reflective Questions

• Do you have a gnawing in your soul that will not go away?
• Do you wish to be a part of what Jesus was about so much that you want to live His life and share with others what He had to say?
• Do you have a desire to understand or know something through the power of the Holy Spirit?

This Week's Lenten Focus: Discernment

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 Discernment.

“To come into silence is to come into the presence of the Divine.” (John O’Donohue). The Spiritual Discipline of Discernment calls us into the presence of the Divine. During the Lenten Season, we follow the steps of Jesus into the wilderness as we wander around in the barren land. We open our souls (discernment) to hear from Him during these days and hours of self-examination and repentance. We lean into discerning the Words we hear and how we will live as Resurrection people each and every day.

Rev. Hollie Tapley
htapley@greatplainsumc.org
and
Cesar Duran
cduran@greatplainsumc.org

• Watch a video featuring the Rev. Hollie Tapley and Cesar Duran talking about discernment
• 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 

Each day this week, use the provided Lenten passage and the three questions above to listen and discern what is revealed to you during your time of examination and repentance. 

Prayer for Reflection

Psalm 31:9-16
1 Samuel 16:11-13