Transcript
Speaker: The following podcast is a Jill Devine Media production. Christianity has become known for judgy people, strange words, ancient stories, confusing rules, and a members -only mindset. This is why I stayed away from the church for so long, but it's not supposed to be that way. I'm Jill Devine, a former radio personality with three tattoos, a love for a good tequila, and who's never read the entire Bible.
Speaker: Yet here I am hosting a podcast about faith. The Normal Goes Along Way podcast is your home for real conversations with real people using real language about how faith and real life intersect. Welcome to the conversation. Over the next seven days, we invite you to be very intentional with your time and spend it in guided prayer with Laura Fleetwood.
Speaker: I'm Jill Devine and we are entering Holy Week. Today is Palm Sunday and we get to spend the next seven days with Laura in guided prayer about Jesus's final days on earth. The things that led to ultimately his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Speaker: But sometimes it's very easy for us to forget about all those pivotal moments along the way. The reason why certain actions were taken, the reason why certain words were spoken, or the reason why certain words weren't spoken. So please, make sure you come back each day and spend some time with Laura in guided prayer. And we begin right now, Palm Sunday,
Speaker: Prayer number one with Laura Fleetwood. Welcome to this guided prayer session for Palm Sunday. In our busy lives, it's easy to get caught up in the thoughts in our head or the actions of our lives and forget that God is available to us in the present moment.
Speaker: So as we start our guided prayer session today, we're going to take just two minutes to center ourselves in mindfulness in the present moment. So to do that, close your eyes and focus on your breath. There's no right or wrong way to breathe.
Speaker: whatever feels natural for you in this moment. Mindfulness is about bringing your attention to the present moment. And it's in the present moment that we experience God.
Speaker: Notice how your body expands as you breathe in. And how it contracts on your exhale.
Speaker: God designed you in such a magnificent way. And if you notice that your mind starts to wander or thoughts enter your head, that's okay.
Speaker: your brain is a human brain and that's how it's supposed to work. So just imagine those dots as clouds and each one just passes by and return your attention to your breath.
Speaker: In the present moment, we don't think about the past. We don't project into the future. We're simply here with ourselves and with God.
Speaker: Continue to focus on your breath and bring your attention back to it as I read today's scripture, which is the first day of Holy Week, Palm Sunday. Jesus comes to Jerusalem as King, starting with John 12, 12. The next day, the great crowd that had come for the festival
Speaker: heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the King of Israel.
Speaker: Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it as it is written, Do not be afraid, daughter Zion. See, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt. At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him, and that these things had been done to him.
Speaker: Now the crowd that was with him, when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, see, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him.
Speaker: In guided prayer, we use scripture or we use current events or just the thankfulness of our hearts to come to Jesus and to invite him to speak to us. Today, we will use those words from John describing
Speaker: Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to reflect and to invite God to show us in our own lives what He would have us reflect on and ponder today. There's no right or wrong way to do guided prayer. If you find yourself
Speaker: Drifting off in attention, just bring your attention back to your breath. The crowds that gathered on the road as Jesus entered Jerusalem were filled with excitement and wonder and awe because they had heard of this man.
Speaker: who had brought Lazarus back to life. And they were curious about him. They wanted to see him and to know him. Today we're going to invite God into our hearts and our minds and ask him to show us
Speaker: how He would have us know Him. Lord, we are listening. We want to know You more.
Speaker: We want to have that same excitement and wonder and awe that those people had for Jesus on Palm Sunday. They had heard what he had been doing, the miracles he had been performing. And they were so filled with curiosity that they had to come see him.
Speaker: Lord, we know that you are with us today and that you want us to see you and experience you in so much of a closer way because your spirit is within us.
Speaker: So on this Palm Sunday, when we remember your entry into Jerusalem, that first day that you were walking toward the cross and you knew what was happening. Lord, in the quiet of our hearts, please show us how you would have us know you today
Speaker: and in the week ahead.
Speaker: Please help us to sense your Holy Spirit with us right now as we breathe the breath that you created. And Lord, help us to keep our eyes fixed on you this week as we go about our lives.
Speaker: Help us to be intentional about returning to the present moment where you are. Help us to remember that as you walked toward the cross, you had our names on your lips, our lives in your hands. We are so grateful for you, Jesus, for that walk that you did for us.
Speaker: Help us to have a desire to know you more each and every day. Amen.
