I often wonder whether I’m shortchanging God by not pounding the pavement in shameless self-promotion, or if it’s okay just to be honoring Him in the waiting, accepting with humility and gratitude whatever He brings to my life.  Somehow, it’s easier on my conscience by simply being faithful in the hidden, the humble, or the mundane. For this reason, I found John Kass’ “O Holy Night” column excerpt for today, sweetly encouraging for today’s prayerful introspection.

For the shy ones who aren’t part of the ruling clique at work but just don’t know how to put themselves forward and get themselves noticed. They’d rather not push themselves forward, especially if that meant pushing someone out of the way. They would not demand a spotlight.

But they would stun you with their commitment and talent if only given half a chance.”

Do you know any people like that?  Ones who wear humility comfortably, not at all conspicuously or putting it on as a covering for pride that people can see straight through.  People who are simply content living in humility.

Colossians 3: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Prayer Focus: Lord, have mercy upon the humble ones.  Give them courage to step out in Your timing, or if it is Your will, to remain faithfully inconspicuous as indispensable parts of the body of Christ.

===

You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

Psalm 33: 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. 21 In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy Name. 22 May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You.”

The actual meaning of the word Selah is unknown. Selah and Sabbaths should prompt us to stop the mad rush and instead, to meditate on God’s character, His words, or His actions on behalf of His people. The best true response to God is to pause for worship.

Selah interjects much like “Κύριε, ἐλέησον” in the Greek Orthodox liturgy: Lord, Have Mercy! Lent Devotionals will resume tomorrow after today’s Sabbath rest to reflect, refresh, and worship Him. Selah.

John Kass continues his prayer poem that forms our Lenten devotional framework,

The rabbi, the carpenter reminded us to love our neighbor.”

There are two “tables” of the Ten Commandments: first, the Rightly Relating to God first 5 Commandments and then the Rightly Relating to Other People second tablet.

That explains Jesus’ reply when He was asked about the Commandments.

The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  (Mark 12:29-31).

He takes 10 and summarizes them to two.  The assumption is always that we have no problems loving … ourselves … and putting our own needs in the very front and center of our daily lives. But Jesus says that’s how we should love … others, both the neighbors we do know and neighbors to be … whether we know them or not.

It’s far more natural to get annoyed with our fellow man than to love and serve him.  I can’t explain why hate is so much more natural than love, but all it takes is driving in traffic to know this. Why is anger easier than a patient kindness? A grudge, easier than grace? Vengeance or vendettas, as simple as they are instantaneous, all the while forgiveness feels foreign to our hearts. And that’s whether forgiving others or seeking God’s forgiveness for our sins.

Prayer Focus: Lord, help us to rightly relate to our neighbors, to love and forgive them, to show our love for You, displayed as our willingness to extend grace to others.  Help us to lay down our pride and come to You, knowing You are faithful to forgive.

===

You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

It’s Day 21 and Kass delves deep into humanity’s struggles and commonalities.

We’ve all been broken in some places, or we’ve come close to breaking.
All of us.”

Perhaps you can see that even though this was a Christmas column by John Kass entitled “O Holy Night”, why it still seems to fit so well with the repentance God calls us to exhibit at Easter and every day.

It’s easy to love our friends and family.  Harder to love our enemies.
Hard to see that we’re all broken in some way…or we will be. 

It’s humanity’s common struggle. Sin is at the heart of this brokenness whether it involves sin we did ourselves or ones inflicted upon us by others.  Every one of us is in need of spiritual healing, the forgiveness bought at the price of the life blood of the Son of God crucified.

He draws us near and implores us to accept His deliverance.  Some won’t do it.  In fact, many won’t—that’s what Scripture says.  They’d rather go to hell in their hatred of God and stubbornness of pride. It’s heart-wrenching what sin and pride do to a person.

Yet, He’s there…near in our brokenness, ready to save any who are willing to agree with Him that they’re sinners.

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all

Prayer Focus: Help us, Lord, to see the brokenness and the sin as universal, but the person as an individual in need of Your mercy,

===

You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

We’re in Day 19 of our 40 days of “Lord Have Mercy” Lenten devotionals.  Columnist John Kass continues his Christmas column we’re using for Lenten introspection by writing,

For the good people who help others first. For the children who are hungry and for those who help feed them.”

Putting other people first, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and caring for the least of these often seem to have become nothing but relics of a nostalgic past.  As if the idea of an other-person-centeredness has become outdated.

How many people have become functional narcissists, caring only about themselves? Then, when their world collides with another narcissist’s world, there’s a resulting commotion of dueling orbits instead of community.  No wonder a whole generation of people are depressed…they never get outside of themselves.

Psalm 146: 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them– the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Prayer Focus: God, thank You for prompting our hearts to feed the hungry and look out for other people’s needs.

Looking for a way to help? Feed My Starving Children, an organization featured in today’s graphic does excellent work.
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You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

We’ve been using John Kass’ Christmas column “O Holy Night” as our prayer framework for this year’s Lenten devotionals “Lord Have Mercy!”  Today, he continues speaking to those lost and lonely, estranged, and hopeless,

And the door is always open. Just reach for it and see.”

You see, God doesn’t cast us loose because of one stupid comment or one sinful action.  He doesn’t take our regrets and push them in front of our faces to make us feel horrible about ourselves as some sort of powerplay.  It’s not His nature. 

His nature is Love.  His nature is Mercy.
That’s why He leaves the door open…just in case we want to come home to Him.

People often talk about what they’re going to “give up for Lent.”  As if meat, TV, FB, chocolate, the Internet or Wawa were sins.  Wawa isn’t nearly as important to God as the heart of one coming home, repenting, and willingly putting on Christ’s forgiveness and accepting His Lordship.

Forgiveness is as close as His open door.  Entering near to Him, we can see it’s simple to be forgiven.  It’s nothing more than agreeing with Him that we’ve been sinners and we’ve rebelled against our Creator….and we’re deeply sorry.

Mankind holds grudges and resentments. 
Not God. His door is always open and you can enter in. 

‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” Joel 2 :12-13

Prayer Focus: That God would prompt our return to Him to confess our sins, to agree with Him about our need for His forgiveness, and to accept what He offers as eternal life through the work of Jesus Christ.

===

You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

“Tonight is the night of new hope for the world” writes John Kass, as we continue our Lenten devotional series, “Lord Have Mercy!”

While his column was originally written for Christmas, this new hope didn’t end at Christmas.  It was only the beginning of the glories to come. 

Mercy blossoms as Hope.  Hope blossoms as eternal glory.

Put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7

 Psalm 116:1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!” 5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. 7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. 8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Prayer Focus: Thank the Lord for the Hope we have in Him!

===

You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.

Psalm 29:1 A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

The actual meaning of the word Selah is unknown. Selah and Sabbaths should prompt us to stop the mad rush and instead, to meditate on God’s character, His words, or His actions on behalf of His people. The best true response to God is to pause for worship.

Selah interjects much like “Κύριε, ἐλέησον” in the Greek Orthodox liturgy: Lord, Have Mercy! Lent Devotionals will resume tomorrow after today’s Sabbath rest to reflect, refresh, and worship Him. Selah.

For those who are physically near, yet distant in so many other ways, believing that the bad choices they’ve made have locked the door against them.
Don’t be afraid because there is good news! Never be afraid.
Why?
Because tonight is the night when the lost lambs are found.” (John Kass)

There is certainly hope inaugurated at Christmastime as John Kass wrote in his column “O Holy Night” that we’re using for prayerful introspection at Lent. That hope promised with the birth of Messiah wasn’t fulfilled until Christ was risen from the grave. 

It’s Day 16 of our Lenten series proclaiming, “Lord Have Mercy,” and this promised hope is now a fulfilled hope and our true hope for all eternity.

It’s not just hope for those who have made a ton of bad choices
and are in dire need of forgiveness,
but also, for those of us who tried to be good and appear good
but have our own baggage of hidden sin to bring to the foot of the Cross.

Lent is a time for us to consider the grace God gives us, how He freely forgives us, if we’re willing to agree with Him that we need Him and His mercy. He doesn’t weigh our sins before deciding whether to forgive us, as if some level of sin is simply too much for the blood of His precious Son, Jesus Christ, to cover.  For the big sinner and the little sinner, He nailed our sins to the Cross, and we can be forgiven!

Psalm 65:1 For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song. Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled. 2 O You who hear prayer, to You all men will come. 3 When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions. 4 Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple.

Lord, Have Mercy!

Prayer Focus: Lord God, we thank You that all forgiveness for repentant sinners was paid in full by Your Son Jesus Christ, the author of forgiveness so we would not be estranged from You!

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You can find these “Κύριε, ἐλέησον, ‘Lord, have mercy” devotionals here or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. 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.

“The Way it Had to Be” explored the conversation in Luke 24 by the men on the Road to Emmaus as they walked with Jesus. They discovered their assumption “This is not how it was supposed to be” was precisely what had to happen and had been predicted throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. These devotionals are archived beginning March 5, 2025.