40 DAYS JOURNEY WITH THE LORD.
Moderated by Fr Justin Nzekwe
DAILY CHALLENGE: Offer something to good (Avoid your addictions, give to the poor, Fast, etc)
DAILY THEME: Grace sets you apart
THINK ABOUT THIS: Grace does not count appearance, background, competence, connection, age or any of those things the world stands for. It is a free gift from God. Grace set you apart. When you live your life in grace, you no longer bother about what you may have lost in the past, because God can make them up in less than seconds. Samuel refused to sit or eat anything, until David, a nobody who spent his life in the bush was crowned a king. The king was sleepless until Mordecai the Jew was honored with his robe, horse and acclamations around the city.
You are qualified for greater grace from God. It is time to tap into the universal grace of Jesus dying for the sake of us humans, even while we were still sinners.
Ask God for his grace and mercies upon your life.
Bible Reading : Esther 6:1-14;
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Esther 6:1-14
That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”
So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” And Haman answered the king, “ For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor.
Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’” Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”
So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”
Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.”
While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.” So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.”
Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by.
And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good- looking.
And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
PRAY WITH ME
Lord, I tap into the grace of the death of Christ for my sins and my salvation. Do not let the merits of your passion and death on the cross be in vain for me. Look on me with mercy, and may your grace Increase in my life. Let me do the seeming impossible great things, and let me receive your unmerited favours. Let my life be a life of testimony, so that people around me will be shocked at the sudden heights you will take me. Grant me the grace to life a good life, and Let your Holy Spirit accompany me on this journey to make it fruitful in my life.
(Say this prayer as many times as you can, today)
Our Father…….
Hail Mary…….
Glory Be……
Psalm 23:6 (3X)
Psalm 118:17 (3X)
TOMORROW’S CHALLENGE: Follow your heart and do more Charity
***If you are interested in this spiritual journey, please let me know. Ask questions, tell me your challenges through your comments and never give up should you miss any day. God bless you. ***
***You may decide to accompany this journey with shorter fast, or by avoiding bad habits. And then daily Rosary****
