roads, {faces} & conversations
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Lent. It’s a time of preparation! A road to be traveled. The road to Holy Week.
Step by step we walk towards a celebration that will take us to baptisms, villages, parties, miracles, tears, doubt, a murder… and then angels announcing hope. It is a road to travel on slowly. 40 days. Step by step. There is great simplicity in getting on the road and taking one step at a time toward the cross. As we step onto this road, let’s keep one thing at the front of our minds. We are not alone.
The veil was torn!
It makes all the difference! We have all access to God. The creator of all.
I know that there is really only one thing I need to focus on during Lent.
Conversation with Him. Period. I have the information. I just need to talk to Him about it.
Every post on this site will be about just that. Engaging. Knowing by experience. Knowing by walking. Knowing first hand.
Getting reacquainted with His voice. Remembering His tone of voice. Revisiting Him through creation & people & music & art.
THEN - just maybe - as we engage HIs presence on this road to Easter - the truths we celebrate will take on a newness. An intimacy that comes from walking on the road and talking.
—— FYI This post is not meant to be read in a hurry… It is something to come back to and work through for days. So take it bit by bit. And it is best shared with “a few”. We want our new friends to understand little by little what we do person to person in homes, camps, churches, retreats and beyond! We are working hard to make this new site a place where individuals and leaders have tools to continue Pondering!
So let’s do this. Let’s enter in and start the conversation with the words below as our first cry out to God. These words may be familiar to you. But dig in… you will find many treasures. These words call out for God’s presence.
It is a prayer that invokes the face of God and all that brings!
And first thing’s first. We have to get familiar with His face.
{words} to start the conversation = Numbers 6:24-26
Pen & Paper
Start Lent mulling over these words - write them down. Leave space between words. Why? The space is an invitation for you to come back and live in the word. It is a physical reminder to let the word keep talking. As you ponder the words - you can go back and fill in prayers, definitions, thoughts, questions… it’s your conversation.
Dig & Discuss
Dig in and build pictures around the words with other verses, other versions, definitions, thoughts, ideas…
Consider the word {FACE}!
The look. The countenance. A face tells the story.
FACE = [paniym]
presence
from the root word word - [Panah} = to turn, to turn toward
He is turned toward you!
“the LORD turn his face toward you” (NIV)
Start digging in the words and find treasures to ponder.
Ponder & Pray
Turn the words around in your mind. And/or with your pen.
“LORD - would you make Your face shine on me today… I want to engage with your presence!”
Ask questions as you go. What does that mean - HIs face shines on me? What IS the connection between His face, light and peace?
If you stay on these words throughout the day/days you will come up with questions like these that cannot be answered quickly. They will need to be mulled over. Digested. Percolated. And discussed! Ask someone their thoughts on these words!
If you get stuck or frozen in your conversation with God… start praying these words for others.
“Lord turn your head toward….” “Shine all over him today… and give him peace”
Pray for friends, family or someone you see walking down the street. The words tend to come easier when we can focus them on someone other than ourselves! And it gets seriously fun when you start praying as you drive down the road and see people!
Look & Listen
Throughout your days - MINGLE!
Think about the fact that His face is turned towards you.
It was turned toward you on the cross. It is turned toward you now!
Practice turning your attention, your eyes, your countenance toward Him…
like literally turn your head… and think about it!
As you turn to Him, picture His face. See it!? It is turned toward you.
You have turned the head of the God of the universe! (Ponder that!)
PRAY to this song. Let the words seep in and be your prayer! (I hear the laughing through the internet! Of course I had to use this song first! It is our anthem!)
Your face is beautiful
And Your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There inside the scars …
Captivate us Lord Jesus set our eyes on You
Devastate us with your presence falling down
And rushing river draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with You
HOVER over the text of the verse above on your computer or phone. The words that turn grey when you hover contain links you can click on to give you definitions from the original language AND links to other verses that use that word. Many times these definitions and other verses will give you a different picture of the word. And THAT will help it stick in your brain and keep talking about it with God & others.
We will send some more prompts for these words. But look for your own pictures and songs and physical signs of these words.