The Gift of Giving

Lent Meditations

by Revd Paul Le Sueur

Lent 2

Time for God

There are 86,400 gifts that God gives us every day. Or 1440 gifts if you prefer minutes to seconds. Within that span, what can we ‘spare’ to give back to God?

Suppose if someone said to you, ‘I have no time for God. Literally. Don’t get me wrong, I wish I had. I love the hour in church every Sunday. I wish there were a ten- or twenty-minute space in my daily life, but there just isn’t. When I wake up, I drink my cup of tea, read my emails, listen to the news, get up, wash and dress, snatch a breakfast, go to work from nine to five, drive home, do some chores, cook dinner, go to a meeting or relax by the TV and then collapse into bed exhausted. I wish there were time to pray for myself and others. I’d even like to meditate, but there just isn’t time.’ How would you respond? ‘Me, too,’ is not the best answer.

Let us suppose that somehow or other we did manage to find ten of those 1400 minutes. We could sing (out loud or to ourselves) a verse or two from a hymn of praise for one minute, and we could spend another minute thinking about the words we have just sung. We could say the Lord’s prayer slowly and thoughtfully in the next minute. During the next sixty seconds we could go back over the past twenty-four hours and think of the good moments, and say ‘Thank you Lord.’ Then spend sixty seconds on things that went not so well and that perhaps we need to say sorry for. Then sixty seconds remembering friends and family and stresses they may be having. One minute for prayer for the sick and needy everywhere, and if that is your tradition, the departed. Then ask for God’s blessing on your present needs in the day or days ahead. Pray, ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ and stay silent and listen. Jesus said, ‘My peace I give to you.’ Enter into that peace. You might just find that these become the most important ten minutes of your day. Try it. There is no penalty if you do overtime, but there is a reward. I will leave you to discover it.

Questions to consider

1. What time of day is best for private prayer? And why?
2. Where is your favourite place for prayer? And why?

You may choose to consider these questions as a group, with friends or on your own. If you want to discuss any aspects further, either discuss them with your group leader or contact one of the ministers.

Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, our souls inspire and enlighten us with celestial fire.

Amen

Imagine …

Imagine yourself on the Mount of Transfiguration in northern Galilee. The sky is full of stars and it is a few minutes before dawn. Stay silent for two minutes. Then pray.

This meditation is available to download as a PDF here: Lent 2017 Meditation 2.