Lanterns in the Desert/Lenten Lectio: One does not Live by Bread Alone

Your word is a lantern to my feet
 and a light to my path.

 Psalm 119:105

Every year we begin our Lenten journey in the desert with Jesus as he encounters the devil for a time of temptation, or perhaps better translated for our understanding as "testing."  Jesus is tested in 3 different ways and each time he uses the Word of God as his Light and his "Lantern in the Desert."   The desert, or the wilderness, is a spiritual place of coming to know ourselves, of preparing, of getting ready for the next step in our journey. It is a place where we learn to trust God for there really is nowhere else to put our trust.  Jesus is tempted to turn away from trust in God to embrace trust in himself.  If we are going to learn to put our trust in God, we also must struggle with these same tests and challenges to our trust in God provision.  

For the next couple of weeks we look at the 1st temptation of Christ as we expand our Lectio and Labyrinth experience.  This week we engage in Lectio and next week we'll walk the Labyrinth.  

Before we engage in Lectio Divina, or sacred reading, let us focus on God's loving presence by creating and breathing with a Breath Prayer.  Try this one or create one of your own:

Breathing in ... Holy Spirit
Breathing out ... Strengthen me

When you are ready to enter into prayer with the text via Lectio Divina, take one last deep breath and pray for illumination of the text:  Holy Spirit, light the candle in my lantern as I read and pray with the Holy Word.  Increase my trust as I listen to the movements of God in my reading and reflection.  Amen.

Step 1:  Read Matthew 4:1-4 (Contemporary English Version) with the "eyes of your heart."   What word or phrase calls for your attention in your reading?  What word or phrase is this week's "lantern in the desert" for you? 


The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God’s Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”  

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. 

People need every word that God has spoken.’”

Step 2:  Read the passage again and Reflect ...
How does your lantern in the desert illuminate your life and the temptations you encounter in your hungers and appetites?  How is God inviting you to deepen your trust?

Step 3:  Read the passage again and Respond ...
What do you say to God about the insights you have discerned in your reading and reflection?   How do you pray when you consider how you are being invited to trust in God more deeply?

Step 4:  Rest ...
Come to a place of silence within yourself and just "be" with God.  Try for 10 minutes or beyond. When you are ready to move on,  pray:  

Holy Spirit, lead me deeper into a wandering wilderness this Lenten season but boldly light a Lantern in the Desert so that I may find my way with you.  Amen.

If art is a pathway to God for you, you may want to gaze upon this image ...and engage in visio divina ...

By William Hole [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 Read the Image ... Allow your eyes to seek softly what you are attracted to in the image.  Simply receive the gift of seeing.  What image within the image is drawing you in ... Allow yourself a few moments simply to sit with this gift.

Receive the Image ... Take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a receptive spirit.  After receiving, close your eyes and reflect by allowing your imagination to form that image in your consciousness ... what are you receiving from God through the image?  How does this illuminate your life right now?

Respond to God ... Now take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a grateful spirit.  How do you sense yourself desiring to respond to God through the image you have received?  What would you say to God about what you are hearing, seeing, feeling?  Allow yourself to pray with gratitude ... 

Rest in God ... Now take a deep breath and rest ... notice how your body feels.  Is there something more here?  Then go back and repeat your "gazing" prayer.   If you feel that you have received all you need in this moment, simply rest in the silence and come to a place of shalom, peace, wholeness ... 

To end your time of Visio Divina ... Join Jesus in lifting up his Lantern in the Desert:

“The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. 

People need every word that God has spoken.’”

Psalm 71

The Grand Canyon

O Lord ... You are my Rock and my Fortress!

This summer I am paraphrasing the lectionary Psalms as a prayer practice and then I'm reading the selection prayerfully (lectio divina) with my own paraphrase.  Finally, I'm developing a breath prayer to take the transformed psalm with me into my week.  You are invited to join me and paraphrase the summer psalms for yourself.   As we work with the psalms and rewrite the text in our own words/using our own vocabulary, we will find deeper meaning as the week unfolds.  The psalms are prayers of dearly faithful people.  We can pray them into a personal prayer language that lives and breathes our own faith. 

Paraphrasing the Psalm ... 

Step 1:  Read the Psalm selection (Psalm 71:1-6) from a translated version.  This week we read from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).  In the lectionary cycle the psalm reading is an accompaniment to the Old Testament Reading.  This week the church reads the call of Jeremiah 1:4-10.  In it Jeremiah protests the call telling God, "I am only a boy."  You may want to consider this passage before moving into the psalm ... You can read about Jeremiah in my bible study entry: God Speaks! "Jeremiah, Go to all to whom I send you!".  Take Link or choose Psalm 71:1-6 from the cloud in the column at the right.  Imagine young Jeremiah praying this psalm as he prepares himself to answer God's call to be a prophet, one who speaks for God to the people?  Can you imagine yourself praying this psalm as you prepare to answer God's call upon your life?

Psalm 71:1-6
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness deliver me
and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a rock of refuge,
a strong fortress, to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
Rescue me, O my God,
from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust,
O LORD, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
it was you who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Step 2:  Explore the images you find in the psalm and seek new ways of proclaiming the message in words and phrases that translate to the situation you find in your life today.  Be creative and think not in words but in ideas and let your psalm express your own deepest emotions.

Step 3:  Take up a journal OR pull up a blank document on the computer ... begin writing in a stream of consciousness with new images, words, and phrases that emerge from pondering on the text.  Let the images grow and become.  Let new words and phrases come alive to translate the psalm anew in your own prayer language ... sing a new song in your soul!

Step 4:  Paraphrase the Psalm with your own images in your own words and phrases ...
here is mine and feel free to share yours in the comments

Cindy's paraphrase of Psalm 71:1-6

In your presence, Shechinah, I find rest for my soul
I know you will not let me feel unworthy of being me
Because we are in a relationship, 

be always with me to catch me when I fall
Reach out your hand to me, 

to listen to my troubles and 

to protect me from myself.
Be my strength and my wall of protection, 

for you are powerful and mighty
Reach out your hand to me, my Shechinah 

so that others may do me no harm,

 those who use their power to create injustice without mercy
O Shechinah!  

Only in you do I put my hope and my trust
For you have always been with me, 

forever pursuing me even when I fled from you.  

You were there at my birth 

but you were also the midwife 

of the transformation of my soul. 
I love you!  

I adore you! 

I praise you!  

I worship you!

Lectio Divina ...
Step 1:  Read Psalm Psalm 71:1-6 slowly and reverently ...
Use the NLT text, my paraphrase or your own, or us this paraphrase from Rejoice, Beloved Woman! The Psalms Revisited ... "If a woman wrote the psalms, this is what they would sound like." (from the back cover) 

 In you, Shaddai, have I found shelter, 

you save me from shame.  

In your justice, you hear me and come to my rescue.  

You are my rock, my fortress, a mountain of strength for me.  

You ordain me and deliver me from the vile. 

You alone are my hope.  

Since my birth, I have depended on you.   

You pulled me from my mother's womb 

and nourished me at her breast.  

You, Shaddai, I praise with all my existence.  

Although I have become a target for many, 

you have wrapped me with protection.  

My heart belongs to you and 

I sing of your splendor.  

Do not leave me now that I am growing old.  

Do not toss me aside as my strength fails.

What image, word, or phrase calls for your attention in your reading?  Spend a few moments pondering the God you find within your reading ...

Step 2:  Read your selection again and reflect ...
How does this paraphrase illuminate your life right now?  How is God inviting you to change or grow?

Step 3:  Read your selection again and respond ...
What do you say to God about your life and how you are being invited?   Write a one-sentence prayer as an Amen to your time of lectio ... here is mine and feel free to share yours in the comments

O Shechinah!  Listen to my troubles and be with me always.  Amen!

Step 4:  Rest ... Come to a place of silence within yourself and just "be" with God.

Breath Prayer ...
Step 1:  In 3-4 syllables, what image of God is emerging from your time of prayer?

Step 2:  In 3-4 syllables, what prayer of desire is rising within you?

Step 3:  Create your breath prayer ... here is mine and feel free to share yours in the comments

Breathing in …O Shechinah ... (pause)
Breathing out … Listen to me ... (pause)

As you continue to journey through your week, breathe!  If music is a pathway to God for you ... sit back, close your eyes or watch the nature visuals, and listen to this prayer called Bar'chu Shechinah.  Bar'chu is the traditonal Jewish call to prayer. This version calls on the Shechinah, the Divine in-dwelling Presence of God.  There are many who consider Shechinah to be the feminine aspect of the Trinity ... See my Blog Entry entitled Trinity: A Reflection on Holy Wisdom, the Feminine Face of God for more information.

Breathing ...  O Shechinah, listen to me and be present to me always, wrapping me in your presence as a warm embrace.  Amen.

Job Wk 1 Once there was a Man from Uz ...

To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.  

~Friedrich Nietzsche

Neitzsche was born in 1844, the son of a Lutheran pastor.  He was also a German philosopher, a prolific writer ... and a self-proclaimed atheist.      
Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Interesting ... Job would have breathed in this quote from Nietzsche and breathed out a sigh of resonance ... I believe he would have cried out "Yes!" in the depths of his soul. 
 
Suffering is universal.  As such, I think there is something about suffering that transcends religion.  Just as there is something about storytelling that transcends the human experience.  We connect on a deeper level with one another when we share the truth of our selves in our stories, especially our stories of suffering.  There is not one of us human beings, if we are truthful, that does not suffer!

The book of Job begins, "as an inquiry into the motives of human piety.  Through the compelling speeches of Job it becomes an examination of the character of God.  But God's response to Job once again re-frames the issues, challenging the whole set of assumptions that Job and his friends had made the bases of their argument and offering a radically different model of God, creation, and human existence."   
Quote:  Women's Bible Commentary

A Couple of Notes to Remember as you Read the Book of Job ...

• The book of Job reads like a fairy-tale.  As a parable, in many ways it IS a fairy tale.  It holds nuggets of truth disguised in a compelling story with a point.  It is NOT meant to be taken as literal or historical although some persons insist on doing so which can serve to distort its message if one is not careful.

• "Satan" as a proper name and a construct of a "being" in which God (and we) do cosmic battle which emerged in later Judaism and early Christianity.  At the time of this Job writing, "satan" should simply be read "accuser" whose is in God's Heavenly Realm  This is why I chose The Voice Bible translation so that you will read it that way. 

When you are ready I invite you to spend a few moments to prepare your heart to receive the Word of God as you prayerfully consider the Scripture passage for today.   Breathe deeply and settle into your soul with a simple breath prayer.  Use this one or create your own (six to eight syllables)

          Breathe in … Eternal One (pause)      Breath out … soothe my soul (pause)

and when you are ready to move deeper into the text ...  Pray: Eternal One … You are God and I am not.  I'm not sure I know what that really means.  Help me always remember these words and pray to you from the center of my being.   Lead me as I pray through this holy reading that I might come to know you more deeply.  Amen.
 
Step 1: Lectio … Reading        Read Job 1:1, 2:1-10 silently to yourself twice, slowly and reverently.  Listen for a word or phrase that catches your attention.  Know that as you move through Lectio your focus might change and that is ok ... simply go where Spirit leads.  Gently focus on the word or phrase that arises for you in any given reading.  Repeat it several times and allow it to be sifted through your heart and mind all the way to your soul.


Job 1:1, 2:1-10
(The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice ™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society)Once there was a man from Uz by the name of Job. He was a very good man— his character spotless, his integrity unquestioned. In fact, he so believed in God that he sought to honor Him in all things. He deliberately avoided evil in all of his affairs.  Now one day, it was time for the sons of God, God’s heavenly messengers, to present themselves to the Eternal One to give reports and receive instructions. The Accuser* was with them there again, also ready to present himself to Him. Eternal One (to the Accuser): Where have you been? The Accuser: Oh, roaming here and there, running about the earth and observing its inhabitants. Eternal One: Well, have you looked into the man, Job, My servant? He is unlike any other person on the whole earth— a very good man— his character spotless, his integrity unquestioned. In fact, he so believes in Me that he seeks, in all things, to honor Me and deliberately avoids evil in all of his affairs. And I have found him to be unswervingly committed, despite the fact that you provoked Me to wreck him for no particular reason, to take away My protection and his prosperity. The Accuser: Well, as they say, “Skin for skin!” It is easy to be so pious in the face of such health. Surely a man will give what he has for the sake of his own life, so now extend Your hand! Afflict him, both bone and body, and he will curse You, right to Your face. Eternal One: Well then, this is how it will be: he is now in your hand. One thing, though: you will not take his life. Job must not be killed. With that, the Accuser left the court and the Eternal’s presence, and he infected Job with a painful skin disease. From the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, his body was covered with boils. Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape his wounds, and while he sat in the ashes just outside of town, his wife found him. Job’s Wife: Will you still not swerve in your commitments? Curse God and die! Job: You’re speaking nonsense like some depraved woman. Are we to accept the good that comes from God, but not accept the bad? Throughout all of this, Job did not sin with his mouth; he would not curse God as the Accuser predicted. 
 
Step 2: Meditatio … Receiving
Continue to focus on your word or phrase.   
Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings it evokes.
What images emerge in your imagination?   
What memories come to your mind?
Ask God to continue to speak to you through this word.   
Listen for God’s reply as you move through your day

Step 3: Oratio … Responding
Consider any desires that have been awakened by your prayer.  
Perhaps you have found an area of your life that needs attention.  
Do not rush ... wait and listen as God forms your prayers and desires
 
Step 4: Contempatio … Resting
Allow yourself to rest in the silence. 
Allow your mind to settle into the silence. 
When you feel the time to move on ...

Pray … Eternal One, soothe my soul … Amen

Cindy's Meditation ... There is something of the words of Job that remind me of Mother Teresa.  Her absolute devotion to the suffering of people in the world is striking.  I've always felt so but never more strongly as when I read the book of her own writings in which she talked of the darkness of walking without the felt presence of God.  For her, this must have meant suffering in profound ways.  She inspires me and gives me hope.   Just the opposite of Nietzsche, Mother Teresa was completely devoted to God and never gave up hope in the face of profound suffering.  And in the face of profound suffering she found the meaning that he must have searched for and never found ... or so we think. 

“Pain and suffering have come into your life, 

but remember pain, sorrow, suffering 

are but the kiss of Jesus - 

a sign that you have come so close to Him 

that He can kiss you.”   

~Mother Teresa