WELCOME TO WEEK 2: THE WAY OF COMPASSION
The Good Samaritan
In Christ, God calls us to come home and to make ourselves at home in his love, accepting our status as his beloved. Perhaps in this place we can let go of our self-conscious efforts to rate our performance and our worth based on any other expectation than this: “Jesus loves me; this I know.”
1. Prayerfully read Luke 10:25-37 or click below to listen.
- Open your imagination to the Holy Spirit and enter into the story, allowing God to bring to mind anything that might be relevant for you today.
- Where in the story might God be inviting you to engage today?
- What words or aspects of the story connect with you?
- Keep these questions in mind as you engage in the weekly prayer practice today.
2. Practice Blessing Prayer.
Blessing Prayer is the art of being spiritually present to and for others in your time of communing with God. It is asking for God to surround a particular person or situation with love, healing, and peace. To practice the Blessing Prayer, begin by finding a comfortable and quiet place to pray. Take several slow, deep breaths while letting go of any tension in your neck and shoulders. Imagine that you are held in God’s gentle, loving hands. Let yourself rest there and savor the quiet.
- Someone close to you (Bless _______, God, with your love)
- An acquaintance (Someone for whom you do not have strong feelings but cross paths with)
- Someone you dislike, "an enemy"
- Pray for all 4 peple together: yourself, a friend, an acquaintance, and an enemy
- Pray for all people everywhere
Amen
Jesus invites us to set aside our own concerns and to become more sensitive to the needs of others. As you allow yourself to pray for God’s blessing on behalf of others, how might the compassion of Jesus become more and more a part of your own ability to see and act toward others with that same compassion?
3. Jot down any notes to keep a record of your journey.
- It doesn’t have to be “journaling.” Just capture any key thoughts, ideas, or challenges that come to mind during your time spent with God. This will allow you to track any recurring ideas or themes that God may want to guide you through.
For more detailed instructions click here
Review the Challenge Overview here
Click here to join our private Facebook group for discussion opportunities!