One can only imagine the grief of these two disciples.  They’d seen enough even if they hadn’t been two from among the Twelve.  They’d heard enough to question everything they’d believed.  Cut to the heart.  Emotionally immobilized.

 
“Their faces downcast.” (Luke 24:17)

They were kept from recognizing the very One who was able to turn their mourning into dancing and clothe them with joy (Psalm 30:10-12).  He is able to “provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”  (Isaiah 61:3)

Principle: Grief prepares us for praise.

Questions for further thought:
How does enduring sadness prepare us to recognize true joy when it comes in the morning? 

If there were to be no sadness in life, how would we recognize joy?

Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).  How did His coming into conversation with these two men on the Road to Emmaus help them to share their burden?

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for being with us in our sadness, for taking our burdens upon Yourself and giving us Your peace in its place.  Help us to know that even sad times have a purpose in Your plan for us and that wherever our pain takes us, Your grace goes before us and follows us through it all.  We are thankful for Your presence.  Amen.

===

Lent began Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
• A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.
• Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.
• “Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.
• “Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

Jesus comes upon the two men who are walking on the Road to Emmaus and asked them, “‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast.” (Luke 24:17)

Stop the presses! they must have thought. Someone is completely out of touch! Bad news travels fast, but this guy must have been under a rock.

Behind one, yes, almost humorously, but not the least bit out of touch. In fact, He knows it more fully than anyone what happened behind that rock. Yet He invites these two men to share their hearts, bringing to Him their disappointments and sorrows, their confusion and worry.

Principle: Jesus wants to minister in the areas of your greatest sadness.

Questions for further thought:

Why do you think they stood still when He asked that?

Jesus was crucified as an enemy of Jewish elites and political Rome.  How might fear have kept them from wanting to state their discussion topic to a stranger?

How does Jesus’ omniscience as the Risen Lord allow Him to ask without invading a confidential, private, and personal pain?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for entering our world and opening opportunities for You to meet us in our pain.  Thank You that You can sympathize with us because You suffered and will give comfort that You received from the Father.  Correct our perspectives on pain and suffering in those areas where context is merited, grant us peace in places of confusion and unjust suffering, and in every case, give us grace in persevering.  Help us to know foundationally that You cause all things to work together for the good of those love You and are called according to Your purpose.  Not as some trite Christian cliche, but as truth grounded in the character of our all-wise and loving Father. Give us eyes of faith and great courage in troubling times.  Amen.

===

Lent began Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
• A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.
• Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.
• “Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.
• “Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

Luke 24:14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing Him.

Back in 1995, Joan Osborne released (If God was) “One of Us” and prompted an international conversation about seeing God in everyday life.  In American Songwriter, Eric Bazilion identified his intent in writing the song.  “[It’s] about what happens to you when you look at something that has completely changed your worldview, which could be meeting God…it could be anything like that.”

The men on the Road to Emmaus might have related to this.

The song’s lyrics are so applicable to them although they wouldn’t have used the word “slob.”

Principle:  Jesus wants you to believe the Truth, not just your assumptions.

Questions for further thought:

What do you do when all your prior assumptions are challenged? What does it do to your faith?
*
Why might an acknowledged encounter with Christ completely change your worldview?
*
What if Jesus came to you incognito and appeared as just another traveler on the road of life, in your daily routine, or in your workplace?  We’re told in Hebrews 13:2, angels can be incognito, and some have shown them hospitality without even knowing it.
*
How did the men on the Road to Emmaus encounter God as just a stranger trying to make his way home?
*
What would you ask Jesus if you could ask Him just one question?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You told Your disciples that “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29).  Help us to see with our hearts and our spirits what we cannot see with our eyes in this present world.  We want to know You.  We want to see You at work in our lives. Grant us faith enough to see.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

===

Lent began Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
• A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.
• Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.
• “Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.
• “Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

Lent Devotionals will resume tomorrow
after today’s Sabbath rest to reflect, refresh, and worship Him.

“Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises, He will appear;
He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
(Hosea 6:3)

Jesus overheard what the two men were discussing as they walked.  Before we get the idea that the two men were shouting or Jesus was a divine eavesdropper, consider that the Risen Jesus is Immanuel and always “God with us.”  God is omnipresent.  Even on the Road to Emmaus.

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other,
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.”
(Luke 24:15)

Who knows exactly what the men were discussing? A simple recounting of the events? Possible reasonable scenarios to explain the empty tomb?  Trying to reconcile their Scriptural understanding and expectations that the Messiah would be a military leader who would vindicate the Chosen People with the fact of Jesus’ death?

Jesus comes alongside them, and He knows it all but draws them into the truth. That’s just one of the reasons this story is one of the most remarkable resurrection appearances. It tells us much about Jesus and Scripture. 

Principle: Jesus is “God with us” even when we don’t know He’s there.

Questions for further thought:
Put yourself in their sandals.  You are a disciple. The tomb is empty.  Women come to the Eleven remaining disciples who hear the women’s stories about an empty tomb that the disciples then went and verified.  What would you be thinking about and discussing?
*
Think of other examples of miraculous things that natural/reasonable explanations cannot answer.  How do you handle them?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when we don’t understand the circumstances around us and we’re feeling like the world is full of uncertainty, remind us that You remain the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  As “God with us” You are anchor for our souls, and in You, our hope is secure.  Amen.

===

Lent began March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

“Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.

A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 

Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 

ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.

Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.

Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.

Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.

The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.

“Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.

That same day (Resurrection Sunday), we’re told that these two men (identified as “two of them” … that is, disciples) were walking home.  It’d been a busy day full of mysterious and odd occurrences, the kind you won’t easily forget.  Even in the midst of their sadness, they seemed to know it was the kind of day destined for history books. 

As they walked, they started by remembering aloud what had transpired even up to that morning.  It was fresh in their minds, raw in their emotions.  They were no doubt processing the promises God had made and finding no answers. 

How many people might have been walking home that evening, we are never told.  But there was something in the discussion that these two travelers were having which attracted Jesus’ special attention.

Principle: Oral tradition requires accurate witnesses.

Questions for further thought:
What are the advantages in discussing matters while they are still fresh in your mind?
*
With writing instruments uncommon and parchment expensive, how might rehearsing the events cement the order and accuracy?  Particularly with two of them, a biblical requirement of witness testimony?
*
How did Gentile Luke know their story?  He wasn’t there. Mark (16:12-13) also tells their story, albeit more briefly, and in a “disputed” passage not present in some of the earliest manuscripts.

Prayer:    Lord Jesus, help us to remember all You have done by opening the Scriptures to us. Help us to know the value of remembering and the importance of oral tradition/ storytelling to spread Your truth and fix it in our minds.  Open our minds, teach us Your ways, and anchor our souls in the Truth. Amen.

===

Lent began March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
• A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.
• Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.
• “Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.
• “Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem.” (Luke. 24:13)

We don’t know when these two men went up to Jerusalem for the Passover or the length of their stay.  We only know they’d been there.  We don’t know what their expectations were when they arrived, we only know that their expectations (whether long held or recently developed) were disappointed.  Their expectations kept them from understanding what happened. 

They didn’t know that it had to be this way.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It’s a season of mourning over sin and how it necessitated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Throughout Lent, we’ll be looking at the interaction of Jesus and two men on the Road to Emmaus. These two men were heading home from Jerusalem, deep in thought and debate, their mood was dejected, despite what ought to have been a mountain-top celebration like a typical Passover. 

But these two men are downcast, and it isn’t a case of their having post-holiday blues.  Whether part of their arrival or developed while in Jerusalem, their expectations dictated and disappointed. Their hopes in the end were dashed to the ground.

Principle: Expectations don’t determine Truth.

Questions for further thought:

How do our disappointments make us more open to hearing other views?
*
How does public/shared grief differ from individual/private grief?
*
In America, 9/11 was a time of public/shared grief.  How did people process it?
*
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and a time to recall our predicament of sin and engage in corporate grief over sin.  How do people honor Ash Wednesday and is it becoming more common or less common?  Why?
*
How does Ash Wednesday cause us to recall The Way it Had to Be?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, in a world in which people laugh at sin, minimize it, celebrate it and elevate it, thank You for this day on the church calendar where we are reminded of the severity of sin.  The insult so serious, the breach so catastrophic, and the result so ubiquitous that the only solution was Your crucifixion.  Remind us daily that this is the true cost of sin.  We repent of our actions, our inactions, and our thoughts which betray You and Your holiness.  Help us to live godly lives for our good and Your glory.  Amen.

===

Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and will continue until Resurrection Sunday, Easter (April 20, 2025). I hope you’ll join me and be prepared to have your eyes opened. I know mine have been in writing this series, “The Way it Had to Be.”

The author gratefully acknowledges Grok XI for assisting with this year’s pictures.
Technology can be amazing.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2025 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
• A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.
• Revelation in 40 devotionals for 2022 offered 40 vignettes, scenes, concepts, and thoughts to inspire us to read the Book of Revelation as it is written and to go deeper. They are archived beginning March 2, 2022.
• “Created to Display His Image” explored what it truly means to be made in God’s Image and the profound significance of that fact. They are archived beginning February 22, 2023.
• “Seeing His Love with New Eyes” was the topic for 2024 and it explored looking at God’s love beyond the superficial and trite notions of love. They are archived beginning February 14, 2024.

Wildfires roaring in LA. Flood water devastation still afflicting those in North Carolina. Hurricane damage persists from Milton in Florida. And that’s just the continental United States in the past few months! People have lost everything.

“It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.”–James Woods.

I suppose it doesn’t make it any easier by Jesus having told us beforehand that these things would happen throughout the world. But Jesus doesn’t say “I told ya’ so.” Rather, He wants us to be comforted in our dire situations, hopeful instead of fearful, and not to worry.

“When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven… But make up your mind not to worry beforehand.” (Luke 21:9-11, 14)

Jesus will make a way. God is in the redemption business.

Lord God, there are no words people can offer to give the kind of comfort You alone can give. To those around the world who have lost everything, we pray You will restore the years the locusts are taking away. Guide them into Your truth and save their souls which are worth far more than sparrows or lilies of the field. Lord, protect them from the evil one whose desire is to steal, kill, and destroy. Shield their hearts from anger, despair, and depression. Give them supernatural hope. Help them to dig deep to the solid Rock of Jesus Christ and by Your grace, and with Your aid, help them to quickly rebuild their lives on this firm foundation. Let Your loving-kindness and mercy be an eternal testimony to a watching world. You are in the redemption business (the eternal redemption business!) and for that and more, we praise You. Amen.