Lent Week 5: Pretzels and Prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Pretzels and Prayer
We have been focusing on fasting for the past few weeks, as a pillar of the Lenten season, but fasting is paired with prayer in the Bible and during Lent. Prayer is also one of the main pillars of this season leading to Easter.
Ironically, as we have been focused on fasting, our Bible art journaling printable for this week is a picture of food. A pretzel. Pretzels used to be thought of as traditional foods for during Lent. This tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. In fact, many stories credit medieval monks with the invention of the pretzel.
A Reward for Children
Legend tells of monks making the pretzels to give out as rewards to children. The children would demonstrate that they had learned their prayers and be awarded a pretzel. The criss-cross shape of the pretzel is meant to resemble arms crossed in prayer.
In fact, the word pretzel is derived from the German word brezel, which has its roots in the Latin word bracchiola, which means “little arms.” Little arms crossed in prayer on a pretzel can remind us to cross our arms and come to God in prayer.
Permitted Food
During Lent, Christians in the middle ages did not eat eggs or dairy products. A simple pretzel could be made with just water and flour – though I am sure it didn’t taste as good as the ones we eat today! So, in addition to a reminder to pray, the pretzel was a permitted food during the Lenten fast.
God’s Will for Us
The Bible tells us to keep on praying all the time. It is God’s will for each one of us to find our joy in Him, to keep in consistent communication with God, and to remain thankful at all times.
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
What is prayer?
At its heart, prayer is communicating with God. Sharing our hearts with Him. Listening to hear what He has to say. Praising Him. Letting Him know what we need. Rejoicing with Him. Mourning with Him. Spending time in His presence.
I call on you, God, because you will answer me; listen closely to me; hear what I say. Psalm 17:6
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
He hears us
When we pray, God hears us. His ears are open to our prayers.
Because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil. 1 Peter 3:12
Simple reminders
A simple reminder like a pretzel can prompt us to interaction with our Creator. He wants us to spend time with Him, is waiting for us to invite Him into our lives. Through prayer, we make Him a part of our daily lives.
Lent Week 5 Action Step:
Let’s start today with devoting some time to prayer, but not just right now. Since the Bible says to pray constantly, whenever you have a thought about anything (joyful, sad, worried, excited, etc), tell God about it and ask for Him to be involved. Spend a few minutes listening and asking for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you. Maybe put some pretzels on your shopping list (or the ingredients to make your own) so as you eat them, you are reminded to come to God in prayer.
Share your thoughts in the comments on this post or under the Lent Week 5 post at www.facebook.com/devoinaction – we’d love to hear what you think and see pics of your Bible journaling!
Lent Week 5 Prayer:
Dear God, use simple things like pretzels to remind us to engage in prayer with You. We want You to be an integral part of our daily lives. Help us to invite You in by starting the conversation. Speak to us. Lead and guide us by Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you want to see other posts in this series, click here for the series overview page: https://www.devotioninaction.com/lent-journey-to-jesus/
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