Here we are again… another Lenten season is upon us! Today is Ash Wednesday. We start the Lenten season to remind ourselves of our sinfulness (we miss the mark) and our mortality. Yet, this symbol also reminds of the hope we have in Christ. Through Jesus we have been given the power to triumph over both. I want to invite you not to “jump” too fast to the hope part (resurrection/Easter) without going into the desert or the wilderness.
Lent is a time where we are invited to allow ourselves to go deep into our being and recognize our shortcomings, our mistakes, our faults, the pain we have caused (willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly). In other words, our faults of action or omission. Personally, when I enter Lent, I ask Jesus: “what is the part in my heart/ soul/spirit you want to work this year, Lord? What healing do I need? Please help me to listen to You.”
Elijah, the prophet, heard God in a “thin, quiet, gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-13). I am convinced that God does not yell. We are to quiet down all the other noise around us: daily life, work, movies, social media, news, and our wants. Then we will be able to hear the thin and quiet voice of God. As you come today to receive ashes, may you allow yourself to wander in the wilderness with Jesus so that you can hear his thin voice healing your soul. May this Lenten season be a time of growth for you and your community of faith.
Written by Carlos Ramirez
March 6
Resisting Reassurance
(Exodus 6:113; Acts 7:35-42)
Lent has just begun, and already we are dealing with resistance like making a New Year’s resolution that falls flat on its face shortly after. In Exodus, we find God trying to reassure Moses only for Moses to argue with God about whether he is cut out for this kind of leadership position. In Acts, Stephen is dragged before religious leaders and finds assurance for himself from the leadership challenges Moses faced generations before Stephen. For Moses, what was meant to bring about assurance for him leads to resistance from him. For Stephen, what was highlighted as resistance from God’s people led to reassurance for him. The events between Exodus and Acts are separated by over a thousand years, yet assurance and resistance tend to occur within our lifetime. Sometimes we find ourselves, like Moses, standing in a leadership position, wondering, “What was God thinking? I’m not cut out for this.” Other times, we find ourselves standing in leadership like Stephen thinking, “I can do this,” despite the odds we face.
What resistance are we facing at this moment? Will we open ourselves to the assurance of God in this moment? Like Moses, we may need to deal with the story we tell ourselves to embrace the truth Stephen recounts. May we find assurance within the resistance, looking back at the stories of our ancestors in preparation for the challenges before us.
Written by Devon Krause
March 7
Exodus 6:1-13
“Say therefore to the Israelites, “I am the LORD, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.” Exodus 6:6
Maybe your family has a story, a history around which you are centered. Perhaps it’s the story of your family’s immigration, or a humorous family character, or tragedy that struck. I can imagine if your family is anything like mine, you have stories that get told over and over again.
In the same way, the people of Israel had a central story. The most important story to them was the story of the Exodus. And the most important part of the story was that they were released from slavery. Yes, there were miracles performed, and bad guys got defeated, and there were miraculous escapes, but the central theme of the story of Israel is their freedom from slavery and their opportunity to carve a new path with God at the center of their lives.
The Lent season can sometimes be a difficult one. It feels heavy. But Lent can also be an opportunity for us to ask ourselves, “what is our central story?”
The central story of Christianity is still the release of God‘s people from slavery. Yet, rather than slavery to an emperor, our enslavement comes from the hands of evil and sin. The lent season is a reminder that sin has no hold on us, unless we let it! We have freedom in Christ to resist sin and pursue goodness. The joyful truth of our story is that we have been freed from slavery for a purpose: to walk in the way of love until Christ comes again.
Written by Levi Duggan
March 8
Children of Light
When I first arrived at Lawton Centenary a little over two years ago, the staff was gathered in the office to meet the new pastor. Along with the staff members, there were two individuals who introduced themselves as Sue and Roland. “We’re just volunteers,” they said, and I instantly knew I was going to like them! Over the last two years, I have discovered this couple, who are in their 80s, are more than just volunteers. They are the example of everything good in the body of Christ. They are kind, gentle, humble, patient, and self-sacrificing. They are in the office almost every day of the week, and are eager to help if we need anything done, whether it is stuffing envelopes, filling goody bags for the children, greeting people at the doors, or emptying the trash. No job is beneath them. All the while, they are loving examples of Christ. John 12:36 says, “As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You’ll be children of light.” Sue and Roland are children of light, and their light shines brightly for all to see! May we all become Children of Light this Lenten season.
Written by James Graham
March 9
The First Sunday in Lent
“Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil.” Luke 4:1-2a, The Message When I hear the word “wilderness,” especially in the context of Lent, I imagine arid deserts, isolation, and disorder. I remember the moments in my life, both personal and in ministry, when the wilderness was near.
However, the “wilderness” also brings back the images of sleeping under the stars at Wilderness Camp and the majesty of Mt. Denali while on vacation. Going into the wilderness opens new possibilities. That was certainly true for me on a pilgrimage to El Camino Santiago.
I went to Spain with my son Bryan and two others to walk the last leg of the El Camino. That is about 65 miles. There were many challenges, including rainy weather. On the worst weather day, about an hour into the hike, I reached the top of a steep hill. I stood there for a moment considering turning around and calling a taxi. I stood in the cold rain and my lamenting became a prayer. Then I heard a voice, I believe that of the Christ, saying, “Remember, I am with you until the end of the age.”
That message became my prayer, one that I held onto for the rest of the trip. It is a prayer that still holds on to me months afterwards. In the wilderness, whether desert or mountain top, the Christ promises to be with us until the end of the ages.
Written by Greg Tener
March 10
Psalm 17; 1 Chronicles 21:1-17; 1
John 2:1-6;1John 2: 1
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
The Bible teaches that everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23). Overcoming sin is difficult because sinful habits are deeply ingrained in us. Since we were born into sin, we may have never truly learned how to live without it.
That’s why God’s words in 1 John 2:1, calling us “My little children,” bring such comfort. It reminds us that, while we are called to live righteously, God understands our weakness and vulnerability. However, being referred to as little children does not mean God ignores our sins. Instead, because He knows our struggles, He sent Christ to stand with us in the battle against sin. Jesus not only solved the problem of our sin by obeying to the point of death for us, but He also stands as our advocate before God’s throne until the final judgment day. With Him and in Him, we press on in this fight against sin. With the Lord on our side, we are battling in a victory that has already been secured. Therefore, as long as we do not become complacent or give up, we will never be defeated in this battle.
Written by Sean Cho
March 11
Where are you, God?
This is a poem I wrote a few years ago at a 5 Day Academy for Spiritual Formation, I pray it speaks to you.
Where are you, God? Where can I find you? Where can I feel your presence? I am in the dark, searching for your light. I am cold, desperate for the warmth of your love. I am in deafening silence, wanting to hear your love song.
I want your light to blast into my darkness. I want your fire to ignite my heart. I want your noise to drown out my silence.
But you come to me as a soft, glowing lamp. You come as a gentle sunbeam drifting through the trees. You come as a soft songbird, singing in the distance.
I want a huge, dramatic entrance, And you require me to pay attention, To notice, to listen. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, Help me to see, to feel, to listen. And I will praise you with my eyes, my ears, my lips. I will praise you with my life.
Written by Ashley Green-Young
March 12
Trusting in the Chaos
Reflection: Before Job’s life took a turn for the worse, he was described as a man who was blameless and upright, someone who feared God and shunned evil. He was wealthy and he was considered the greatest man among all the people of the East. Job had a life marked by prosperity, righteousness, and family. He was a trusted and righteous man who cared for the poor, helped the needy, and stood against injustice. Job may have been the first United Methodist. Job’s life was a model of success and righteousness. That’s why it’s so shocking when Job’s life takes a turn and he loses everything.
His response, however, seems even more shocking than the struggles he faced. He says, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21)
While we may never fully understand why suffering happens, Job reminds us that we can still see God in the midst of trials. When a tornado or flood strikes, the devastation is often immediate and total. People lose their homes, their belongings, and sometimes even their loved ones in the blink of an eye. The loss is often so sudden and so total that it can feel impossible to understand. For some people, it might feel as if all their blessings have been taken away in an instant just as it did for Job. In the wake of disasters, I have experienced incredible faith from survivors. Even though they don’t understand why these things have happened, there remains a deep trust that the goodness of God is present. It’s often in these moments that we find new strength and a renewed sense of community, and a deeper reliance on God’s provision. Job’s story serves as a reminder that even when everything is stripped away, faith in God can still give us strength and peace. Even in the rubble of what was once familiar, we can choose to praise God and trust that He will get us through.
Just as Job’s unwavering faith in the face of sudden devastation teaches us to trust God’s goodness in Luke 21:34-22:6, Jesus gives a warning to His disciples and tells them not to be weighed down
by the worries of this life but to remain vigilant in their spiritual lives. In both Job’s life and the life of the disciples, there is a call to trust in God’s plan, even when everything seems to fall apart. Both Job and the disciples face situations where they cannot understand the reason for suffering, yet they are still called to remain faithful and focused.
Whether it’s Job facing unimaginable loss or the disciples grappling with their own trials, the call is to trust that God’s presence is constant, His plan is good, and His provision is sufficient.
Trust God: When life brings us pain, we are called to hold onto the hope that God is with us, even when His presence is hard to imagine.
Focus: Jesus calls us to stay focused on our spiritual lives, especially when times get tough. We can’t get so preoccupied with the world that we miss what God is doing around us
Stay Committed: We are called to be faithful, even when we can’t see the outcome. Trusting God means committing to His purposes, even in uncertainty.
Heavenly and ever present God, In the face of trials, help us to be steadfast in faith, and committed to Your will. When we experience suffering, remind us of Your presence and goodness. Give us the strength to remain watchful, alert, and focused on Your purpose in our lives. May we trust You, even when we don’t understand, and may Your peace reign in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Written by Tim McHugh
March 13
Setting Aside Our “Assets”
Our passage today, Philippians 3:2-12, reveals the Paul wrestling with the very things we cling to: our perceived advantages. He meticulously lists his credentials – his lineage, his religious zeal, his impeccable standing. He acknowledges these as “assets,” things that, in the world’s eyes, would elevate him.
But then, with startling clarity, he declares he counted them all as loss for the sake of Christ.
Reading this, we’re confronted with a mirror reflecting our own “privileges.” We might not be able to claim Paul’s specific lineage, but we can easily construct our own list: born in a prosperous nation, secure housing, a good education, a stable career, perhaps even a long-held faith. These are blessings, certainly. Yet, just as Paul recognized, they can also become barriers. Our privileges can create a subtle, often unconscious, division. They can blind us to the struggles of those who lack the same advantages. We build invisible walls, establishing a “pecking order” based on what we have, rather than who we are in Christ.
Jesus, however, came to dismantle these walls. He came to level the playing field, to remind us that our worth is not determined by our possessions or our status, but by our relationship with God and our love for one another.
Paul understood this. He recognized that his “assets” were hindering his ability to truly know Christ and to love his neighbors. He knew that true connection required setting aside the things that elevated him in the world’s eyes.
Today, let us reflect:
• What are the “assets” in our lives that might be creating division? Take a moment to honestly consider the privileges you hold.
• How do these privileges blind us to the needs of our neighbors? Consider how they might create a sense of separation or superiority.
• How can we create space for those who don’t share our privileges? How can we actively listen, learn from their experiences, and walk alongside them?
• How can we move beyond simply acknowledging privilege to actively using it to build bridges?
Written by Jinx Barber
March
14
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Who do you see when you think of people in your life who have modeled God’s love? I encourage you to open your senses - sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste - as you recall memories of those whom God’s grace has brought into your life. Phyllis and Florence, Professor Rob, and Pastor Scott are the first people who come to my mind bringing a smile along with a call.
Paul calls the church at Philippi to join together in imitating his Christlike love and to pay close attention to others who follow the example they have in Paul and his people. (3.17-18) There’s a group harassing the Philippian church, pressing the people to compromise how God’s grace is lived out in the lives and relationships among the people of the church.
Paul understands that God’s gracious forgiveness is not an end in itself, but a doorway to new life, renewed relationships where our lives become increasingly molded by Jesus’ character of love and God’s covenant faithfulness. There is an inseparable link between God’s grace that draws us to God, God’s forgiving + life creating grace, and the grace God continues to pour into our lives as we seek to reflect Jesus’ character defined by love for God and neighbor as we live out our lives in our relationships together and toward the righting of injustice.
John Wesley said, “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.” He meant that people forgiven or made alive in Christ were a connected people. Christianity is personal, but it is not isolated. Christianity is relational, but it is not solitary. Jesus intentionally said there were two commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor. You might say that the context of God’s grace is individuals connected in community, partnering with God by God’s grace for the renewal of all creation. The ultimate
goal of salvation is for people to see how we live and affirm that God in Christ is loving and gracious, and realizes the dignity of all people. In other words, salvation is systemic.
We see the connectional context of grace in 2:1-18, and especially in the hymn Paul uses in 2:5-11. Paul calls on the Philippians in 2:5 “to create among themselves this perspective that was in Christ Jesus.” By God’s multi-layered grace may we mature as models of Christ to others just as others are models of Christ to us so that through our lives in connection people will see and affirm our God is a gracious God.
Written by Sam Harris
March 15
Matthew 27: 37-39
Wow. Maybe even yikes. Jesus says “Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets, your house is left desolate.” That’s a hard word to hear. The Son of God is cursing the City of God. In fact, it comes at the end of a chapter full of even harsher criticism for the Pharisees and other religious leaders. His primary criticism is that they are hypocrites, and while it’s probably most comfortable for us to imagine all of Jesus’s critiques are aimed at someone else, it’s probably most helpful to ask ourselves some hard questions.
• Am I allowing God to change my heart, or am I just going through the motions?
• Am I treating all of my neighbors as beloved children of God, or am I following the attitudes of our culture and only seeing the world in terms of “us versus them?”
• Am I actively working for justice and mercy, or do I see that as “someone else’s job?”
If we answer honestly, none of us comes away looking great. So we take a minute. We breathe deeply a couple of times. We ask for forgiveness, and we ask for help doing better today than we did yesterday.
And we do all of this because we can trust the grace of our Creator. Because even in this verse of warning and condemnation, there is grace. “How often have I longed to gather you together under my wings, as a mother hen gathers her chicks?” Hens only do this when they are in danger. She puts herself between her children and the fox or the flames. She sacrifices her own body and risks her own blood for the sake of the ones she loves.
This is the God who calls us to change the world, calls us out when we’re too scared to try, and calls us gently by name even when we mess it up.
Written by James Hunt
March 16
Psalm 27
Do you have a song that every time you hear it, it brings back a memory of hearing that song in another place? Maybe that song was playing when you met your true love. Sometimes we hear a song which reminds us of a difficult time in our lives.
For me, that song is “As it Was” by Harry Styles. The song became my favorite when Harry released the single. The chorus and musical hook lived in my head. Even as we sat in silence at the doctor’s office waiting to hear if the news was good or bad, “da da da, da, da, da, da, da da da da” chimed in my head. The news was bad. Time moved on. The bad news wasn’t bad forever ever.
“You know it’s not the same as it was.”
Psalm 27 is another song that reminds me of a difficult time. I was about to graduate from college. I was anxious, as my future was up in the air. That was also year C in the lectionary. The second Sunday of Lent, we used the words of Psalm 27 as a chanted psalter. That season I held tightly to the words of that arrangement, “The Lord is my light, the stronghold of my life/ The Lord is my light, whom shall I fear.”
A few cycles through the lectionary later, those anxieties are behind me. Now Psalm 27 reminds me God has been with me as a stronghold the whole time.
Written by John Hiller
March 17
Psalm 105:1-42; Exodus 33:1-6; Romans 4:1-12
One day, God appeared to Abraham and told him to leave his homeland, promising to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:1-2). But at 75 years old, Abraham had no children—and for the next 25 years, that didn’t change. Growing impatient, Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham, and they had a son (Gen. 16:2-4). But this wasn’t the fulfillment of God’s promise. We can’t blame Sarah alone—Abraham went along with it, too.
Looking at his story, can we call Abraham a rock-solid man of faith? But here’s the key: Abraham was counted as righteous not because he never wavered but because he believed God (Rom. 4:3). Paul explains, “He didn’t hesitate with a lack of faith in God’s promise, but he grew strong in faith and gave glory to God.” (v. 22, CEB).
Wavering and unbelief aren’t the same. Great figures like Jacob, Moses, David, Elijah, Jonah, and Peter all wavered. But through it all, they never abandoned God’s promises.
Faith grows in the shaking. Just as flowers can’t bloom without movement, faith doesn’t grow without struggle. Life may shake us, but in God’s promises, we are secure. As we journey through this sacred season, let’s keep believing—no matter what.
Written by Kwan Kim
March 18
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Paul points his young and inexperienced Christians back to the days of Moses. The children of Israel had been pretty well familiar with holy things. They were led by Moses through the sea. The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night continually led them. Surely they should have been able to remain faithful.
The stories of Moses in the wilderness remind us how easy it is to start to put God to the test. Jesus was guided by the Old Testament story of Moses at the rock when the devil came to tempt him, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord your God.” When we start trying to set up conditions which God has to meet in order to be God, we have stepped way over the boundaries of being creatures of the Most High God. There is no place for us to demand that God perform for us according to our instructions and there is no faith in whining and complaining when we do not get the things we want.
Paul doesn’t always say that we will experience a visible, glorious triumph over the temptation, but we will be able to endure and to find a way. God helps us overcome as we remember the stories of the past and pray, “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief.”
Written by Rick Brown
March 19
God’s Active Hand: Remembering in the Chaos (Psalm 105:1-42)
Life can feel overwhelming, a swirling vortex of responsibilities, anxieties, and the constant barrage of external chaos. We become exhausted, not just by our own struggles, but by the weight of the world around us. In these moments, it’s easy to lose sight of God’s active presence.
Psalm 105:1-42, a powerful recounting of God’s faithfulness to Israel, serves as a vital reminder. The Psalmist doesn’t shy away from the dramatic events of the Exodus, detailing the plagues and God’s deliverance. Notice the shift in verse 24 and onward: “God made,” “God sent,” “God turned.” This persistent refrain underscores a crucial truth: our God was actively involved in creation. But, I should point out that those verbs are in the present tense, God is still active in creation! We often forget this. We forget the miracles recorded in Scripture, and we forget the countless ways God has shown up in our own lives. We forget that we have a God who creates, calls, and renews. We forget that just as God guided the Hebrew people through immense adversity, God is with us, right here, right now.
The Israelites faced overwhelming odds, yet God’s active hand brought them through. This same God is with us in our own battles, no matter how daunting they may seem.
Let’s reflect on this today:
• Where do you feel overwhelmed by the chaos of life? Identify the specific areas where you feel God’s presence is distant. What can you do to look for God there?
• Where do you need to feel God’s presence most acutely? Is it in your work, your relationships, your health, or your spiritual life?
• Who do you know who needs to be reminded that God is with them, even in their darkest moments? Consider how you can be a source of encouragement and share the hope of God’s presence.
Written by Jinx Barber
March 20
Psalm 63:1-8
The relationship between the author of Psalm 63 and God is clearly intimate: “Your steadfast love is better than life.” Among the key elements in a healthy prayer life, the relationship with God is most important. Our relationship to God must be like that of a personal friend. Our experiences of an absent God assume God is somehow separate and distant from us. If, however, we can re-image God to be our ground of being rather than totally other, our relationship with the one who created us becomes more intimate and constant.
Prayer has a social component, too. Self-renewal through the one who created the world and us moves us to a higher purpose, thus, a call from God. God’s call is an instrument in the healing of the world. Prayer, too, is risky. We are transformed by prayer and moved to a higher calling to change the world. There are a variety of ways to invest in prayer. One style of prayer is not superior to another, but one style may be more comfortable than another style (i.e.. rote, intercessory, Lectio Divina, silence, movement, etc.).
We may be intentional about just one form of prayer, or several forms of prayer, but prayer is not an isolated practice. If prayer is a human response to our awareness of God, then prayer is manifested in every aspect of our lives. No matter what we are doing, when we are aware of God, we are praying. The highlight of our prayer life comes when we recognize that God desires us as much as we desire God. God’s desire, and ours, is for relationship—an intimate divine/ human relationship and a relationship with all of God’s creation.
Written by Dan Flanagan
March 21
Thirsting for God: Faith in the Dry Places (Psalm 63:1-8)
Psalm 63:1-8 is a passionate outpouring of David’s soul, a declaration of his deep longing for God. He exalts God, sings of God’s boundless power, faithfulness, and steadfast love. It’s a picture of fervent devotion, a heart overflowing with praise. We might imagine David writing this song after a miraculous deliverance, when faith feels effortless. But the reality is, miracles are rare. They are extraordinary moments that stand out against the backdrop of our ordinary lives. And when they fade, we can find ourselves struggling with doubt, questioning the very foundation of our faith.
Even great figures of faith, like John Wesley, experienced these moments of uncertainty. He famously wrote in his journal about his own crisis of faith, questioning how he could preach to others when he lacked faith himself.
Peter Bohler gave him a powerful piece of advice: “Preach faith till you have it; and then, because you have it, you will preach faith.” This seemingly paradoxical approach proved transformative for Wesley. By continuing to proclaim the gospel, even in his doubt, his own faith would be rekindled.
The very next day, Wesley witnessed a profound act of God’s grace as he ministered to a prisoner named Clifford, who found salvation through faith. In that moment, not only was Clifford’s life changed, but Wesley’s own faith was strengthened in new and unexpected ways. Let’s reflect on this today:
• How do you handle seasons of doubt or spiritual dryness? Do you retreat, or do you continue to seek God?
• How can we “preach faith” even when we are struggling with it ourselves? Consider how acts of service, studying scripture, and prayer can strengthen your faith.
• How can we be open to seeing God work in unexpected places, even in the lives of those we might least expect?
Written by Jinx Barber
March 22
Psalm 63:1-8; Isaiah 5:1-7; Luke
6:43-45
One day a woman decided she wanted to bake a cake, but instead of using the traditional ingredients, she went a different direction. In place of sugar, she used sand. In place of butter, she used grease. Instead of eggs, she used mud from her backyard, and instead of flour she used potting soil. She mixed the ingredients together, poured them in a cake pan, then placed it inside of the oven for the heat to work its magic. When the timer was done, she removed her cake from the oven and couldn’t wait to cut herself a piece, so she dug in. She took a huge bite and immediately spit the bite out. Ew! This didn’t taste like the cakes she’d grown to love. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what went wrong. She used all the right measurements; did what she put IN matter that much?
How often do we go through life, frustrated at the state of our hearts when we feel that we’re doing what’s expected. “Well, I went to church on Sunday! Why am I struggling to feel the joy of the Lord?” Hmm. Surely, I’m not the only one who has thought if I give God one hour of my week, that should be good enough.
Friends, how much thought are you giving about what you allow into your heart and mind throughout the week? Are you consumed with the negativity of the news cycle, then surprised when you don’t have it in you to shine Christ’s light with those around you? Are you spending your evenings scrolling through social media post after post, then shocked when you struggle to see God’s image when you look in the mirror?
Luke 6:45 says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” As followers of Christ, we have a distinct call to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world. We have a responsibility – and what an honor it is, but to be able to fulfill that call and do
what is required of us, we must be sure that we are intentional about filling our hearts and minds with good things of God that give us abundant life! If we want hope, grace, and love to be what comes out of us, then we must do the work to be sure that is what goes in as well.
Written by Aly Shahan
March
23
Luke 13:1-9
Depending on how you hear the first nine verses of the thirteenth chapter of the gospel of Luke, you may find this passage to be anxiety-producing or reassuring. On the one hand, it’s worrying to learn that we are all sinners and will perish if we don’t repent. On the other hand, it’s reassuring to know bad things don’t happen as punishment for sin. Either way you hear these words, Jesus is clear-- there is no time to waste in turning toward God and living a fruitful life. “To repent” in Greek means “to turn and go in another direction.” For Luke, it means “to change your heart and mind.” Lent is a good time to do some self-reflection about the directions you’re heading in various parts of your life—with your spouse or partner, with your children or parents, in any or all of your relationships, on your journey of faith with God, in your calling and vocation, and in your community, to name a few.
And what about the direction you’re heading with God? Do you really believe in God? Do you really feel that you can put your whole trust in God’s grace? Do you consider the way of Jesus when making decisions each day, especially when it comes to how you relate to other people? If not, what is keeping you from turning and going in a different direction so that you can become the person God has made you to be?
Repentance is not easy work, but Jesus tells us to do it anyway and not wait. The good news is we don’t do it alone. God sends the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us, and I believe God puts people in our lives who can help as well. If you have questions about the direction your life is heading, seek out the One and the ones who can show you the way.
Written by Wendi Neal
March
24
Psalm 39; Jeremiah 11:1-17; Romans 2:1-11
Today my husband I celebrate thirty-five years of marriage. On that original day, Oklahoma was hit with a terrible ice storm that shut down all the highways. I spent the day answering phone calls of people who said that they could not come to the ceremony. My husband reminded me that as long as we both showed up with the minister (and two witnesses) that we would be married at the end of the day. That was our purpose, and everything else was just an extra distraction.
Our lectionary scriptures for this day are about broken covenant in Jeremiah, trying to be silent and losing control in Psalm 39, and judging others in Romans. We live in a world that still struggles with all three of these things. We break promises, can’t seem to control our mouths, and don’t we enjoy judging others. Yet we are reminded in our scriptures that God is still speaking, still working and still expecting us to understand what God hopes for us and the beloved community.
Despite all the distractions around us screaming for our attention, the basic tenets of love God and love neighbor still are relevant to us today. Romans reminds us that none of us will escape the judgment of God. We are called to do good, and seek glory and honor. May we remember this Lenten season that distractions lead us from our true purpose. May we turn our faces back to the One who sees us as worthy and calls us to love.
Written by Heather Scherer
March 25
Let Go! Psalm 39; Ezekiel 17:1-10; Romans 2:1-10
To the Methodist who finds themself reading today’s psalm, it may be touching to read that even two thousand years before John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience, God was strangely warming hearts.
And Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans, which Wesley heard read at Aldersgate, addresses today’s epistle reading about hearers and doers of the law. Luther stated that the purpose of the epistle reading was “to be understood as criticizing those who are established in positions of power.”
It is clear that God’s prevenient grace is stirring, calling to us, that we might take seriously the prayer of the psalmist and pray then likewise, as is the purpose of this season and the ashes we wore just twenty days ago, “Let me know how fleeting my life is.”
Whether we have been trying to hold on to power or to the fleeting moments when our own hearts were warmer perhaps than now, God’s prevenient grace beckons us, “Let go.”
Together, let us trust in God’s everlasting grace today as we pray and fast for the coming of Easter, when every heart might feel the power, and the warmth, and the awesome grace of the Risen King.
Written by Joey Simpson
March 26
The Kingdom of God in Small Beginnings:
Luke 13:18-21
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus speaks two parables; both suggest that something very small can produce effects far beyond what might have been expected. The farmer threw a mustard seed into his garden and from it grew a tree whose branches provide shelter for the birds of the air. A woman places a small piece of yeast in a batch of dough, and the result is a leavened batch of bread that feeds several people. Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God is like that. God can work powerfully through the smallest of gestures. The little good that we do can have consequences far beyond our imagining. The small initiatives we take in the service of another can bear fruit that we could never have intended. The small step to reach out in love toward someone can launch a movement of love that we never anticipated. In the course of his ministry, Christ did not usher in the kingdom of God in a blaze of glory. Rather, in his day-to-day encounters with ordinary people, he sowed seeds of the kingdom, and eventually, those seeds went on to produce a wonderful harvest. We are all called to sow seeds of the kingdom in the day-to-day circumstances of our lives; we are called to act out of the values of the kingdom in our daily encounters with others. In so doing, we are sowing the seeds of a harvest of love beyond our imagining. Loving God, thank You for the reminder that Your kingdom grows in ways we may not always see or understand. Help us to be faithful in the small things, trusting that You are at work within us. May this Lenten season be a time of deepening faith, quiet transformation, and hopeful anticipation of Your greater purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written by Shana Dry
March 27
The Inward Renewal: Facing Mortality with Eternal Hope (2
Corinthians 4:16-5:5)
2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5 confronts us with the reality of our mortality. Time marches on, and our outward bodies are indeed wasting away. Lent invites us to face this truth with honesty. The apostle Paul doesn’t sugarcoat the experience of aging and decay. He acknowledges the “outer self” is perishing. But, amid this sobering reality, he offers a powerful counterpoint: our “inner self” is being renewed day by day.
This renewal is not based on wishful thinking or denial. It’s rooted in the hope of an eternal reality that far outweighs the momentary afflictions we experience in this life. Paul speaks of a “building from God, an eternal house in heaven,” a dwelling not made with human hands. A promise of Heaven
This passage is a powerful reminder that our earthly existence is not the final chapter. We are pilgrims, journeying toward a greater, eternal home. Lent, in its focus on mortality, forces us to confront the temporary nature of our physical bodies. Yet it also points us to the enduring reality of our spiritual selves, renewed and strengthened by God’s grace.
Let’s reflect on this today:
• How does the reality of mortality impact your perspective on life? Consider how it influences your priorities and values.
• Where do you see the “outer self” wasting away in your own life? Be honest about the physical and emotional challenges you face.
• How are you experiencing the “inner self” being renewed? Reflect on the ways God is strengthening your faith and character.
Written by Jinx Barber
March 28
2 Corinthians 5:6-15
As we move further into the twenty-first century, the kind of miracle that will draw post-religious, nonreligious, and anti-religious people into a life-giving relationship with God will be signs and wonders of reconciliation. Our neighbors need to see, in the church and in our neighborhoods, intentional processes of reconciliation specifically among all the groups in which toxic religion has fueled hate and violence.
To put it bluntly, our neighbors need to experience love in action, from us, for their sake. It is time for us to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, which will then “[become] flesh and blood, and [move] into the neighborhood,” as The Message states in John 1:14. Explaining what kind of attitudes and actions will create this kind of future, the apostle Paul wrote these words: From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!…[Christ] has given us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ… (2 Corinthians 5:16-20).
This is the ultimate form of celebration for followers of Jesus—to serve as ambassadors of reconciliation, to be full participants in God’s mighty work of making all things new. Every thought, word, and deed that opens ourselves and others to God’s reconciling, re-creating love pushes back the powers and principalities, sings the dead to life, and drives gloom away with glad tidings of great joy.
Written by Elaine Heath
March 29 Amazing Grace
When it comes to music, I confess that I am not one who has any singing talents. However, I do enjoy listening to songs/hymns and I especially enjoy reading the messages portrayed by songs. There is one line that always touches me when I read the “Amazing Grace” hymn. That line says: “I once was lost, but now am found.” I find that line to portray the message found in Luke 15:1-10. In that passage, Jesus shares two stories to illustrate how Christ came to seek and save the lost or those in need of saving.
As I read the two stories as shared by Jesus, I am encouraged that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, never gives up on the humanity. The Good Shepherd gives us freedom to make wrong choices. However, our Good Shepherd never writes us off. He keeps searching, hoping to find us and bring us again to the safety of the fold.
Jesus said, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” I always find this verse a little problematic because the Bible is very clear that every human being has sinned. In other words, we have all sinned and all of us need repentance. While all of us have sinned, Jesus was mindful that he was dealing with people who were grumbling, saying that he welcomed sinners. Pharisees and scribes were perfectly okay if Jesus were to give up on “sinners.” What the Pharisees and scribes did not realize was that they were also sinners.
As Christians, we are tempted to give up on people while Christ did not give up on us. Let us be mindful that all of us were once lost but are now found. As those who have been found by Christ, let us join our Lord and reach out to those who are still lost. Let us welcome one another with Christ’s love, mindful that when we do that, there is plenty of joy in heaven.
Written by Gerard Nsabimama
March 30
Lavish Love
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Lent is often seen as a season of self-examination, repentance, and restraint. But at its heart, it is also a season of love—God’s extravagant, boundless, and undeserved love. Nowhere is this love more vividly portrayed than in Jesus’ parable of the rebellious son. The younger son, reckless and selfish, demands his inheritance and wastes it in wild living. As he inherited a sufficient sum of money to leave and start a new life, his family was probably honorable and well respected in the community. His new way of living would likely have dishonored his family and family name. When his resources run out, he finds himself starving and alone. Desperate, he decides to return home, hoping to be accepted as a servant. Yet before he can even finish his well-rehearsed apology, his father—watching and waiting—runs to him, embracing him with overwhelming joy. The father doesn’t just accept him back; he restores him completely, clothing him in the finest robe, placing a ring on his finger, and throwing a feast.
This is not just love. It is lavish love. It is love that rushes toward the undeserving, that forgives without hesitation, that rejoices instead of reprimands. It is love that does not measure worth but gives abundantly.
The elder son struggles with this extravagant mercy. He has done everything right and yet has never received such a celebration. In his resentment, he fails to see that the same lavish love has always been his. The father pleads with him, not in rebuke, but in tenderness, “All that is mine is yours.”
Lent invites us to consider how we receive and reflect God’s love. Do we believe in a love that is truly extravagant, one that runs to meet us in our failures and welcomes us home without hesitation? Do we withhold that same love from others? Do we find ourselves measuring who is worthy?
God’s love is not cautious or conditional. It is abundant, relentless, and freely given. Whether we have wandered far or have tried to earn love through obedience, God stands ready to embrace us. This
Lent, rest in that love. Let it change you. Let it overflow to others.
Prayer: Gracious God, your love is more extravagant than I can comprehend. Help me to receive it fully and share it freely. Teach me to rejoice in your mercy and to celebrate your grace. Amen.
Written by Sonja Tobey
March 31
Joining the Heavenly Chorus: Tapping into Ongoing Worship (Revelation 19:1-8)
Revelation 19:1-8 explodes with the sound of pure, unadulterated worship. “Hallelujah!” echoes through the heavens, a resounding declaration of God’s glory. This passage isn’t just a glimpse into a future event; it’s an invitation to recognize and participate in the ongoing, eternal worship that is always all around us. We often confine our worship to designated times and places, limiting it to Sunday mornings or special occasions. But this passage reveals that worship is an ongoing reality, a constant expression of adoration that fills the heavenly realm. It’s a call to break free from those limitations and tap into the flow of praise that never ceases. Let’s reflect on this today:
• How often do we compartmentalize our worship, restricting it to specific times and places? Think about how your week is scheduled and where worship fits in.
• Where do you see evidence that worship is ongoing, beyond the walls of the church? Consider the natural world, acts of kindness, and moments of profound beauty.
• How can we intentionally reconnect with worship outside of traditional church settings? Consider these practices:
◊ Embrace moments of awe: Pay attention to the beauty of creation, a breathtaking sunset, or a moment of unexpected kindness.
◊ Integrate prayer into daily routines: Turn mundane tasks into opportunities for communion with God.
◊ Cultivate a heart of gratitude: Regularly acknowledge God’s blessings, both large and small.
◊ Use music to inspire worship: Listen to songs that lift your spirit and draw you closer to God.
◊ Practice acts of service: Find ways to serve others, recognizing that acts of love are acts of worship.
Written by Jinx Barber
April 1
Leviticus 25:1-19
The concept of Jubilee is drawn from the book of Leviticus, in which a year of Jubilee is celebrated every fifty years. “This fiftieth year is sacred—it is a time of freedom and of celebration when everyone will receive back their original property, and slaves will return home to their families.” (Leviticus 25:10, CEV).
During the Jubilee year, social inequalities are rectified, slaves are freed, land is returned to its original owners, debts are canceled, and forgiveness and reconciliation prevail. Jubilee is Freedom that frees one from disgrace! Frees one to claim forgiveness and redemption! Frees one to embrace other cultures and races! And frees one from fear of touching and connecting with other persons who are divinely different but beautifully created in the sovereign image of God. There are myriad social elements resulting from the horrific injustices of the Diaspora— a term historically used to describe the experience of the Jews who were dispersed from Judah in the sixth century and exiled in Babylonia, but now also used to define the forcible dispersal of peoples of African descent beyond the boundaries of the continent of Africa via the kidnapping and importation of Africans to the United States—and institutional slavery.
Throughout the annals of history there is not to be found any institution and practice of slavery as insidious as the system of chattel slavery in America. For many enslaved blacks, the outcome of the Civil War as well as Emancipation was comprehended as a divine event of deliverance. Reconstruction predicted realization of the biblical promise of freedom. But the prediction proved to be little more than a brief glimpse.
The United Methodist Church [continues to] take action to maintain and enhance our identity as The United Methodist Church by embracing a full and diverse membership which empowers all constituents (lay and clergy), especially racial/ethnic groups seeking to establish and strengthen congregational life; engage in multicultural ministry; integrate diverse congregations and multicultural staff; and create an equitable formula for clergy appointments, including cross-racial lead pastor appointments and extension ministries appointments.
Black United Methodists continue to dream, to hope, to envision the body of Christ as truly comprised of all God’s children. This hope, born out of our grief, pain and suffering, and our belief in the eternal hope of God, is a transformative hope which takes its historical context from our desire for change. May our hope bear out Jubilee Freedom Today!
Written by Fred Allen
April 2
Luke 9:10-17
Jesus has worked amazing miracles of healing. His words, and his actions, caused people to pay attention. So there they are – 5000 hungry people. Jesus and his disciples LOOK at the same crowd, but they SEE very different things. The disciples look at these thousands of hungry people, and they choose to see….thousands of hungry people! The disciples look at the hungry people, and they see – a problem without a solution. And Jesus? He looks at all those hungry folks, and he sees…people that he loves. He looks at his panicking disciples, and he sees….people that he loves. Jesus had a boundless capacity to love, so whenever he looked at someone, he decided to see…a person that he loved.
No matter who we are, when Christ looks at us, he chooses to see… someone he loves. Whether I am young or old, whether I am white or black, whether I am strong in faith, or struggling. Whether I am Republican or Democrat. Whether I use twitter, text, telephone, or telegraph…when Christ looks at me, he chooses to see…someone he loves. And because he loves us, he gives us more than we could possibly need.
There is a challenge presented to each of us in this miracle. Jesus’ love has created a miracle of abundance. From those five loaves and two fish, there came more food than 5000 could eat. There were leftovers. So, Jesus essentially says to his disciples, “Don’t let it go to waste.” And that same Jesus is saying to us, “Don’t let it go to waste.” God has given you more love than you could ever possibly contain. Don’t let it go to waste – give God’s love to someone else who needs it.
Written by Kaela Burdge
April 3 Luke 13:18-21
Dr. Craddock describes the parables this way: “Both (the planter and the baker) perform small acts that have expansive consequences.” Planting and baking are skills, honed over time and experience. Not every seed planted grows and not every bread mixed rises. But, the more you train...the more you practice...the more you observe... the more likely you are to trust yourself to take the right action, at the right moment, to help something grow. Craddock thinks this is how Jesus was training his followers to take heart that, even in terrible days that were ahead, “God was still at work.” And, that they were working with the Holy Spirit in ways that they might not even see, in acts so small they might miss them, but nevertheless, whose impact will ripple out and affect life and creation far beyond their present time and place.
Think about the things that are mustard seeds and yeast in your own life...the experiences that have grown into the life of faith that you are cultivating at this moment. Remember them and take heart. In times of confusion and fear, all these little parts of you can come together with the Holy Spirit and guide you to great insight and right action. You might not discover aliens but you might be surprised by some other kind of new life growing forth in your midst. You are the only one who can take what you carry inside of you and use it for good.
Written by Christina Cataldo
April 4
Psalm 126
This Psalm reads like a happy memory or dream. Those of us who have lived very long, we know what it’s like to long for happier days, don’t we!
When life gets hard, we tend to dwell on what’s wrong with the world, instead of what’s right. As tensions mount in our current time of political angst and worry, we tend to forget what we have and what we know, which is a mighty love that doesn’t fail. We long to go back to a happier, more comfortable time, just like our biblical ancestors did. Hardships aren’t a failure; they are part of our evolving and learning, human condition.
Psalm 126 is known to be a Song of Ascent, meaning Songs of Going Up. It is a psalm of preparation and anticipation, of restoration. What happened in the past is past, and now God is doing a new thing on behalf of the people.
Even in times of despair, God doesn’t stop doing new and wonderful things. It’s not coincidental that the singers of this song are a people who have no voice or power withing their societal structure. We feel that way too at times. When we face times of despair because we feel we have no power to change a structure, consider that feeling an invitation to prayer. God’s power is for us, and we will not fail! Amen.
Written by Carmen Stafford
April
5
John 11:53-57
“Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.”
Jesus is caught in the cross-hairs of public opinion. He gave Lazarus the gift of life after four days being in a grave, and that was living proof that He was a man who worked miracles. Those who saw the unveiling of Lazarus at the tomb believed in Him, the others went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done, perhaps because of their unbelief.
The Book of John tells us that the hatred and fear of Jesus was so strong that the Pharisees plotted to murder Him. He was disrupting their power and status they held so dearly.
Ephraim was the place that Jesus retreated to, a city that was “perched on a conspicuous eminence and with an extensive view” between the central towns and the Jordan valley, according to Wikipedia. Jesus took His disciples to this place away from the chaos so they would be safe with Him.
During this time of Lent, let’s choose our “Ephraim,” a place to be with Him away from the conflicts of the world, a time to turn our focus back to Him for courage and strength. Let us trust Him guide our hearts with love as only Him can do.
“My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.” New English Translation (NET)
Written by Angela Fleming
April 6
Isaiah 43:16-21
Why is seeing the possibilities of something new so difficult, and believing God is still active so challenging?
As I reflect on this, two fundamental truths spring forth from Isaiah 43. 1) God is at work doing something new; and 2) God is calling God’s people to participate in something new!
This text, along with numerous other Biblical passages (Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 6:4; and Revelation 21:5), speaks of the powerful claim that God does a new thing even in tumultuous times. The context of Isaiah 43 is the exile, and the faith struggle that the exile tested.
Like the exiles, I know that when anger, fear, or disappointment take over, my faith can falter, and yet that is the reality in which the prophet proclaims, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19).”
What a powerful reminder! God is moving and active. God is doing something new!
I wonder if sometimes we, as the church, become so disillusioned by the turmoil and divisiveness of our world that we struggle to recognize and proclaim that God is still working, still active, and still doing a new thing. We oftentimes doubt God’s activity and believe that nothing will ever get better. The profound truth of Isaiah 43:1621 speaks differently. God is a doing something new and calls us to be part of it. That leads to renewed hope and an empowered faith! God is doing something new!
Written by Scott Rodgers
April 7
Six Words, Multiple Versions
Psalm 20; Exodus 40:1-15; Hebrews
10:19-25
Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once asked to write a full story in six words. He responded, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” I’m certainly no Hemingway, but a few years ago I did accept a challenge to develop a six-word memoir, the results of which still seem to amuse those who know me well, “I’m here beneath the calm exterior.”
More recently, during our January clergy gathering, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Daniels invited us to develop six-word purpose statements for ourselves and for our congregations. The purpose I discerned for myself surely matches many who are reading this devotional offering today: “Building eye-of-the-storm spaces.”
Pastor Adam Shahan further extended the six-word-purpose assignment to our Wesley UMC OKC congregation. One purpose I perceived just will not let me go. It seems to regularly find its way into conversations with others who are bearing the heavy burden of recent troubling times: “Gather. Safely breathe. Discern next steps.”
“Gather. Safely breathe. Discern next steps.” I see those six words in the scripture readings for today. The texts remind us that we are not alone. They tell of the importance of rituals, traditions, and institutions that weave through and surround our gatherings, reminding us to trust in the name of the Lord our God for protection and help. We are indeed surrounded by generations of those who have also found assurances in gathering and breathing together in the very real presence of Jesus. The passage from Hebrews also reminds us to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” (Heb. 10:23, NIV) and to consider how we can encourage each other toward love and good deeds.
Those blessed to gather in spiritually safe communities are able to calm our hearts and, I would suggest, actually refine the desire of our hearts through the wisdom, discernment, and guidance of the larger community. As we build eye-of-the-storm spaces, may we find calm hearts that make room for wise decisions as we gather, safely breathe, and discern the next best steps.
Written by Mary Gaudreau Hughes
April 8
Psalm 20
I have read Psalm 20 many times. I have used it for worship and perhaps as a reference in a sermon (or two). Yet, if we stop to read only the first five verses, we will realize that this is not a “typical” Psalm. Furthermore, this Psalm truly calls us (I would even say demand from us) to be conscious about our thoughts that result in actions or behaviors. What do I mean? The Psalm in part reads, “Let God grant what is in your heart and fulfill all your plans. Then we will rejoice that you’ve been helped. We will fly our flags in the name of our God. Let the Lord fulfill all your requests!” (Psalm 20:4-5)
This Psalm is not necessarily the prayer of an individual, but the prayer of individuals on behalf of another person. Furthermore, it is a prayer of the people on behalf of their leader. The people pray blessings and God’s favor upon the leader. This is where we, as leaders (in our homes, as parents, those of us who oversee staff at work, who oversee committees at the local congregation, who hold an elected office, lead congregations, etc.), have to be not only aware of what are our desires, but that our desires, ultimately, are acceptable to God and seek goodness for the majority. This Psalm places the responsibility of a righteous heart upon those whom God has called into leadership.
This responsibility compels us to be honest with ourselves and set aside petty and self-serving ambitions to give way for God’s values to be reflected in and through us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. May we, as leaders, be humble and may we always be guided by God’s goodness and not our personal ambitions.
Written by Carlos Ramirez
April 9
How can God use even this?? Luke
18:31-34
Many times Jesus tried to explain to the disciples what was going to happen and many times they just couldn’t understand. Was it because they were unintelligent? I mean they were only fishermen and a tax collector, a zealot, etc. But no “LEARNED” persons. Was it because they didn’t want it to be real and wanted Jesus to come to power in a more flashy, “push the Romans OUT” kind of way? Perhaps. Or could it just be unthinkable to them that the Son of God, promised Messiah, was going to endure catastrophic brutality and death.
Our lives are often like these truths that have been told to us, but we just can’t see it happening until it does… and we are caught off guard, punched in the stomach.
Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world, but that he had overcome it. Yet, we still experience trouble and must walk through it. This time of Lent offers an opportunity to really soak in the words of what living as followers of Christ will do when we live in the world but not of it. Let us truly LISTEN to what God has been preparing us for and lean in to the holiness of even the trouble of our times.
Written by Wendie Jencks-Wilson
April 10
Tomb or Womb?
Psalm 31: 9-16 with focus on verses 14-16
“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; Save me in your steadfast love.”
My mother, Margie Herndon, was a wonderful example for me of a person committed to her faith. She was very involved in ministry along side my father, Rev. Charles Herndon. In each congregation where they served, she sang in the choir, played in the handbell choir, led Children’s Choirs, taught Sunday School, and was a faithful member of United Methodist Women (now United Women in Faith). It was clear she trusted in God and professed through her words and actions that following the way of Christ was a priority. I had the hard and sacred task of participating in her care toward the end of her life. On the day she died I spent time next to her pondering the question, “Is this time and space a tomb or a womb?” I’ve heard that question discussed regarding the tomb of Jesus and then his resurrection into new life. Going from tomb to womb to new life. To help me sort through my feelings I wrote the following reflection.
Tomb or Womb?
The room is dimly lit. I hear quiet, peaceful music playing along with the rhythmic thrumming of the oxygen machine and the “death rattle” of my mother’s breathing.
The question came to me, “Is this a tomb or a womb?” It certainly feels like a tomb with the darkness, the heavy presence of impending death and the silent tears streaming down my face and the ache squeezing my heart.
I don’t want to lose my mother. She’s my best friend, my teacher, at times my entertainment, my “Mommie”. Is this a tomb or a womb?
Yet at the same time I know my mother is ready to move on to the next phase of her life – eternal life. She’s ready to be reunited with my daddy and the “Great Cloud of Witnesses.”
At one point as I stayed by her side, helping to midwife her into her next life, I heard her giggle and exclaim, “Oh, everyone is here!”
She actually giggled on her death bed!
Is this a tomb or a womb?
I truly believe I was sitting in a “both and space”. My faith gives me the assurance that out of death comes new life. From the cocoon emerges the Butterfly.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
“Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.” Psalm 31: 16 I am convinced beyond a doubt that my mother was greeted on the other side by my father, her relatives and friends who had gone on before and by God Almighty in a huge embrace of steadfast love. Amen.
Written by EvaMarie Campbell
April 11
The God Who Enters Our Mess
Hebrews 2:10-18
For most of my life, I was only aware of the transcendence of Godthat is, the great gap between God’s Holiness and my own human frailty and proneness to error. In my latter years, I have grown to cherish the immanence of God, something John Wesley also cherished, that is God’s connection to all things created. God is not only Creator, but also linked to the creation itself as it is “held together” (Col 1:17) and God is “not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27), and has chosen to become one of us, who in Jesus Christ became “flesh and blood.” God, with human flesh and blood, has entered our mess and become part of it. For me, this has meant at the times of my lowest existence, Christ has been with me in the Holy Spirit. When I was facing the darkest days of my life, one night on the shores of Lake Texoma, I was awakened at 3 a.m. by an overwhelming presence compelling me to walk on the beach. Neither God nor I spoke a word, but we walked, and I felt a holy tension, and a perfect peace all at the same time. God, in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit, was entering my suffering, and compelling me to know I would not be forsaken. God is not intimidated by our mess. We are not alone in our mess. God has joined us and empowers us, yes, even saves us, through the suffering of Christ who has entered our mess and is still with us, even in us, through the Holy Spirit.
Written by Leon Veazey
April 12
Finding Refuge in Trust: Enduring
Through the Darkness (Psalm 31:9-16)
Today’s reading offers a raw glimpse into someone’s distress. The psalmist feels forgotten, like a broken vessel and a burden to others. Their words resonate with the experience of deep depression. This scripture reminds us that it’s okay to acknowledge our pain, to cry out to God in our distress. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, God is with us. Like the psalmist, we can choose to trust in God’s unwavering love and faithfulness, even when we cannot see the way forward.
Even during this immense sadness we see the resolve of the psalmist. “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’.” This is not a denial of their pain, but a defiant act of faith. It’s a recognition that even when all seems lost, God remains a steadfast refuge. This message is especially relevant during Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and a willingness to confront our own mortality and brokenness. Lent invites us to acknowledge the darkness within ourselves and in the world around us. It reminds us that life is not always easy, that we will face trials and tribulations.
Let’s reflect on this today:
• How can we offer support and encouragement to those who are struggling with depression or other mental health challenges?
• What does it mean to “endure” during Lent, and how does trust in God play a role in that endurance?
Written by Jinx Barber
April 13 Palm Sunday
Do you remember the El Camino? Half truck, half car. I desperately wanted one of these when I was growing up. I thought they were really cool.
But they never really took off, did they? It’s been nearly 40 years since the last one rolled off a production line. When I think of Palm and Passion Sunday, I am always reminded of this bizarre car. Do we celebrate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem or do we focus on the entire week that is before us? When I was in a local church, I always focused on the palms. It was, after all, an anti-parade, as King Jesus rode in on a donkey with palm branches and cloaks lining the parade route. It is a reminder that this day is truly a day for the common people, not the ruling elite. It is a day when we can insert ourselves into that story. Those around Jesus were announcing his entry, while some of the religious leaders demanded that Jesus quieten them down. Jesus’ reply, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40). Will we be quite this Palm Sunday or will we herald the arrival of King Jesus?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be upstaged by a rock. I want to be with those welcoming him today.
Written by Derrek Belase
April 14
Holy Monday
Today’s reading from Hebrews shows that Jesus gave himself once and for all. No more sacrifice for sin is necessary. You don’t have to pay for your sins. The price has already been paid. The death of Jesus that happened two thousand years ago affects us because the eternal Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, makes his sacrifice eternally effective and brings the benefits of that sacrifice to bear on us. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus for his life and ministry—and for his sacrificial death. The eternal Spirit brings us to the cross. We were there when they crucified our Lord. The eternal Spirit also brings Jesus’ sacrifice and its effects to us here and now. When the Spirit applies the blood of Christ to us, our conscience is cleansed from dead works. With a clear conscience, we can serve the true and living God with joy and freedom. We can worship, pray, read the Scriptures, witness, and serve. All of those acts are free and glad expressions of love and gratitude to God.
Charles Wesley captured something of the connection between Jesus’ sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s work:
Spirit of faith, come down, reveal the things of God, and make to us the Godhead known, and witness with the blood.
’Tis thine the blood to apply and give us eyes to see, who did for every sinner die hath surely died for me.
(Charles Wesley, “Spirit of Faith Come Down,” The United Methodist Hymnal #332)
Written by John Breon
April 15 Following Jesus
John 12:23-26
As a Korean-American immigrant, my faith journey in the US has been shaped by the struggles and sacrifices of my family. Moving to a new country meant letting go of familiarity and comfort, much like the grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die before it can bear fruit. The sacrifices my parents made, working tirelessly to build a future for us, remind me of Jesus’ call to surrender for the sake of something greater.
In John 12:23-26, Jesus speaks of His impending sacrifice, using the image of a grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying to bear much fruit. This passage calls us to reflect on what it means to live as disciples of Christ. Jesus teaches that discipleship involves self-denial: “Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). I believe that this is not about hating life itself, but rather about prioritizing God’s will above our own desire. To follow Jesus means letting go of our selfish ambitions, comforts, and fears, trusting that God’s plan for us is far greater than anything we could plan for ourselves.
Discipleship calls us to seek God’s will in our choices. Our decisions should reflect God’s heart. It is about choosing faithfulness over convenience, love over indifference, and service over selfishness. It encourages us to focus on what truly matters, trusting that how we live today can transform our world according to God’s will. Of course, this takes time, and it is not always easy. Yes, following Jesus is not always easy. The path Jesus walked is the path of humility, sacrifice, and love. But in surrendering to this path, we find true life, both here and for eternity. Jesus promises that those who follow Him will be with Him, and He will honor them in the presence of God (John 12:26). Today, let us reflect on what it means to follow Jesus. Are we willing to surrender our will for God’s greater purpose? May we seek to follow Jesus daily, relying on the help of the Holy Spirit.
Written by James Kim
April 16 John 13:21-32
In this moment of painful betrayal, we see Jesus’ full humanity—his grief, his vulnerability, his heartbreak. He had poured love, teaching, and companionship into this group, yet one of his own would hand him over to death. Yet, he did not fight back or seek revenge. Instead, he trusted in God’s redemptive work.
Judas’ betrayal is stark, but betrayal is not always so obvious. When we remain silent in the face of injustice, when we prioritize comfort over courage, when we fail to see Christ in those who are marginalized, do we, too, betray the love Jesus has called us to embody?
Even in this dark moment, Jesus speaks of glory—not the kind that comes with power or triumph, but the kind that comes through radical love (v. 31). Jesus shows us that God’s glory is not about dominance or control but about self-giving love that refuses to be extinguished, even in the face of betrayal and suffering.
Lent invites us to reflect: How do we respond when we encounter betrayal, disappointment, or pain? Do we, like Jesus, continue to choose love? Do we trust that even in darkness, God is still at work, bringing about justice and new life?
Prayer: Loving God, when we are tempted to turn away, strengthen us to choose love. When the world feels dark, remind us that your light is never overcome. Amen.
Written by Emily Robnett
April 17
Holy Thursday John 13:1-7, 31b-35
I am the middle child of five siblings. Mealtime in our home was lively. Our parents anticipated the unintentional spills and messiness of children, so we had a very large kitchen table with a Formica top. With very few exceptions, we ate breakfast and supper together at that table. Our friends were always welcome, too. No exceptions. It was there that I learned the importance of what United Methodists call the “open table” where everyone was welcome. Today is Holy Thursday, the day when Christians recall the final meal Jesus shared with his friends before his crucifixion and resurrection. We often call that meal “The Last Supper.” Today I invite you to join me in celebrating that it was also “The First Supper” of untold numbers of gatherings of followers of Jesus fulfilling his command to remember him whenever we share this meal of bread and wine (juice) together and being nourished in true communion with him and each other.
I don’t remember the last meal I ate with my family around Mom and Dad’s kitchen table, but every time my family today gathers for a meal, we all know that anyone we want to invite is welcome. No exceptions. That open table has made for some lively and blessed meals, and I expect it always will. Friends, on this Holy Thursday and always, my prayer for all of our congregations is that whenever we celebrate “The Last Supper” we’ll do all in our power to make that meal “The First Supper” with Jesus for someone God loves. No exceptions.
Written by Tish Malloy
April 18
T.G.I.F.?
Long before texting and internet slang created a whole new lingo, there was the common expression, “T.G.I.F.” It was said at the end of a long workweek with the welcome weekend reprieve from the daily grind. As one rock band crooned during my high school days, “Everybody’s working for the weekend…”
This cultural sentiment of relief and release contrasts sharply with the mournful theme and solemn tunes of Good Friday worship. Darkened spaces are often draped in somber fabrics, with diminishing light as candles are snuffed out. We hear the pining lyrics of “Were You There?” or “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.” Often, the last sayings of Jesus leading to his dying breath are recalled, among them the simple, stirring declaration, “It is finished.”
We know this is not the end of the story, this horrible suffering of Jesus at the hands of others. As the late Tony Campolo expressed it, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’.” Still, let’s not hurry past this time and place of shadow and sorrow. Let’s absorb more of the truth conveyed by Lactantius, an early Christian writer, who said that on the cross Jesus “embraced the whole earth to signify that from the rising of the sun until its setting, a future people would gather under God’s wings.” Another author noted: “Beneath every crucifix belongs a globe.”
This seems an important reminder on Good Friday . This world—with all its flaws, fractures, and fears—is a realm that God loved, and loves, to death. On that eternal Friday afternoon, the worst of humanity met the best of divinity. A new world became possible. God has introduced something new into the world’s weariness and wandering through Jesus. A future beyond sin and shame beckons to all. We need no longer be chained to our past, regardless of how broken our roads have been. We can stop repeating death-dealing cycles that God never intended for a good creation. At the heart of that moment, Jesus proclaimed a beginning, not just an ending. It was not, “It is over,” but, “It is realized! It is emerging!” On that crucial Friday, Jesus spread his arms on the cross as a sign
of welcome and invitation to God’s new day. Our cross-shaped work is far from over, but let’s keep dreaming God’s dreams for this world. Trust God’s inspired future! T.G.I.F., indeed!
Written by Terry Koehn
April 19
Holy Saturday
I don’t remember the last time I read all the scriptures assigned for Holy Saturday. I do remember that, as a pastor, Holy Saturday was a day of getting ready for Easter Sunday–finishing my sermon and figuring out what I was going to wear, what my kids were going to wear, whatever it was we were doing for Easter dinner, and any number of other random last-minute church details. It was a day to make sure I was ready for The Show.
But the texts assigned to this day speak instead of waiting. The hard kind of waiting, where you don’t know what will come next, where you dare not hope for the good thing, because it seems so unlikely. The stunned waiting in the dark that follows the trauma of Good Friday’s violence, as we mourn our complicity and our Christ. We hear it in Job’s voice:
“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grows old in the earth and its stump dies in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant. But mortals die and are laid low; humans expire, and where are they?” (Job 14:7-10)
At the mere scent of water, the dead stump will bud, Job says, and in his words I hear yearning, hope buried yet not extinguished. Despite our busyness, may we know this yearning today and catch the hidden scent of life, awaiting us in the dark.
