For the Light to Spill
Mary Magdalene was watching, in
plain sight, as I put Light under
my stony tongue, the cave of my
mouth closed in mourning –
I thought I would be mourning, I
was mourning, and I couldn’t see
Mary Magdalene, and the other one – what
was her name? Mary? Sure
They watched the soldiers seal my lips,
roll a stone between my teeth in
fear of a ludicrous promise. In
plain sight, they could see the light leak
from between the cracks of my sealed
lips, but I was mourning,
I was mourning, and I could
not speak
I am a cave, with Light beneath
my tongue. It is shining, and I
am waiting, waiting, as Mary
Magdalene watches, in
plain sight, waiting
waiting
for the seal to burst
for the Light to spill
Lord, help us understand the ways that you work in us and through us. Help us see the light within. Let Your light flow from our mouths and our hearts and give us patience as we wait for your promises to be fulfilled. In Jesus name, Amen.
Rachel Runesson
Fill My Heart
I contemplate
The triumph of arrival,
Friendship and communion,
Betrayal,
A crowd of jeers,
A painful public death,
A burial.
Have you ever felt that you’ve arrived? Summited the mountain. Finished the lap. Met the goal and crossed it off the list. And then have you been met with an emptiness?
That emptiness is not always there for me. Sometimes, it's exhaustion at having crossed the finish line. But often that emptiness is a sign that my goal was somehow out of alignment with what the deepest part of my being urges me toward and aches for me to be. It's not lost on me that the closest I can come to understanding torture is checking items off a checklist, when we're talking about death by torture.
Christ’s torture is an event of humiliation and rejection. The passage contains so much dark irony and injustice in the context of a story of dark political manipulation that it can be hard to understand who is on which side. Christ’s death still burns with meaning because in spite of the forces against him, he lived a life of purpose, a life of kindness, humility, love and principle.
Blessed creator,
Help me to know and live the love you seek from me.
Help that love to fill my heart.
Help me to always seek compassion and humility and know that my perspective is incomplete without the viewpoints of others.
Help me act with principle and bravery.
Ryan Taylor
Failure & Forgiveness
As we walk the path of Lent, we encounter stories that challenge and comfort us. Today, we are in the center of the Easter story, the moment where Peter, the bold, passionate disciple, denies Jesus three times. This scene, like many in the final hours leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion is very visual, I can picture it in my head like a movie. It brings feelings of disappointment, even judgement. But as we spend time with this passage and dive deeper, we unearth the true message hidden within this human experience.
Our first thought, “how could he?”, but Peter wasn't a villain; he was afraid. Surrounded by hostility, his courage crumbled. We, too, know fear - fear of losing loved ones, fear of the unknown, fear of failure. Like Peter, we might stumble and deny our values, our commitments, even our true selves, out of fear.
But what happens next? Peter doesn't remain in his fear or denial. The rooster's crow comes like the rising sun and reminds him of Jesus' words. In that moment, Peter doesn't fall into self-pity. He remembers Jesus' love, his forgiveness, and his unwavering faith in him.
This is the heart of the story. It's not about Peter's failure, but about the transformative power of forgiveness. Even during moments of hesitation and mistakes, God's love remains constant. Like the rooster's crow, it awakens us to our misjudgements, urging us to turn back to the light.
Lent is a time for reflection but it's also a time for remembering the endless grace of God. Thanks to God, we can ask forgiveness and from there we have the chance to learn, grow, and choose differently. Peter's story reminds us that even the deepest rejection doesn't break our connection with God. It's a call to embrace vulnerability, seek mercy, and step back into the light, just as Peter did.
Let us remember, this Lenten journey towards Christ is filled with both stumbles and strides, but even in the darkest moment’s God’s grace and love shine through, and each experience is another step forward on the path to redemption and renewal of Easter.
May this Lenten season be filled with the endless grace of God, the courage to face our fears, and the strength to turn to the light, walking ever closer to the love that awaits us from Jesus. Amen.
Aaron Andersen
How Great is Our God
This excerpt from Psalm 36 is a beautiful set of lines that express the love and righteousness of God, professing how great and expansive it is. It’s heartwarming, uplifting... and may be, to be completely honest, something we might gloss over.
“Yes, I know God is good and loving,” the entertainment-seeking part of our mind says, “Where’s the drama?” To many of us, the sentiments of the passage are, however well-written and poetically inspiring, all stuff we learned in Sunday School. However attached we are to the word of God, you have to admit it’s nothing we haven’t heard before.
To top it all off, it’s also not something we’re always able to take at face value; there are times when it’s difficult to feel God’s love for us, when it’s hard to see that God is good. We’ve all had those times, felt those feelings, and oftentimes still do even now. It’s a real struggle, especially in the utter chaos and global destruction that is the 2020s. How do we trust in a God of love when the world around us is so loveless? How do we trust that it’s true when our lived experience begs to differ?
These are all questions that have been asked many times, and answered many times, by many different people. There’s little I can say to add to it. So instead, to give us some fresh air, to allow the gentleness and mercy of Jesus to settle in (and get away with it without our distraction-craving subconscious dragging us away), I’d like to invite us to just sit with this passage for a moment.
We’re not here to answer anything, or to explain why we believe, just to contemplate on what we believe. It doesn’t have to be long, it doesn’t have to inspire any particularly deep emotions (though be my guest if you want it to be either), and most importantly, don’t let it be uncomfortable. We’ve probably all done a lot of thinking on these things by now, so let this be as simple of an activity as you want. Think about how great our God is, and how much They love us.
Completely, no matter what we do.
Fully, truly, and genuinely.
Always has, always will, now and forever.
Despite everything that’s going on here on Earth, in our lives, in our hearts, in our minds.
Such that reaches to the Heavens, like the highest of mountains, like the deepest of oceans, priceless and abundant.
All for us.
And nothing will or can change it. Amen.
Levi Miller
So Can I
How many times have I walked this road with you? Each year the journey begins, and I am never quite ready for it. As winter recedes and the joys of Easter spring abound, I am both more familiar with the signs of the journey to Golgotha and the life the pours forth from the tomb and ever more estranged from the grace of the risen Christ. How can that be, Jesus? How can I both feel more at home in the path you lay before your children and yet more unnerved with each passing year? Yes, I feel the great hope of Easter, present in all signs of rebirth, renewal, and resurrection, the joy of Spring itself, but I also feel the pains of Lent, of the winter that never seems to end, of the struggles that deny full illustration from the musings of my head and heart. At the beginning of this Lenten journey, the outcome of the journey feels as if it hangs on a knife’s edge - life and death resting on a precarious summit.
How did you feel when you first carved this new path? Was it as strange to you? Did you know where it would lead? What heady brew of excitement and despair, joy and grief did you feel as you walked in the light of the Spirit? Did you struggle to trust in God?
As the path looms before me, I see signs of your struggle, and in them I find comfort as I walk after you, for if you struggled with such human questions, then so can I. In your humanity I find a fullness of space within which I can embrace my human inheritance and in your faithfulness a place that can hold all my doubt and faith.
In your wake, Jesus, I do follow; awaken me to the path that is before me, that I may experience it in the fullness of your Spirit. Amen
Ben MacRae
The Gift of Salvation
A difficult passage, yet one that shares the reality of our salvation. Here are some reflection points I wish to share as we approach Easter:
The cross, predicted then presented (V23-24): The Old Testament predicts Jesus' death on the cross. In this passage, Jesus presents it as his “hour”. His death is essential for our salvation, depicted metaphorically as a kernel of wheat dying to produce fruit. By dying for us, Christ enables us to bear fruit that glorifies His name.
Submission and surrender (V26): The two words that have a bad reputation in our very individualistic and controlling world. Because Jesus paid for our sins through his death, as his followers, we must likewise relinquish the earthly lives we have and follow his ways. The original sin is what disoriented us from God and made us slaves to our flesh’s desires. In dying to this world, we realign our focus back to God. Paradoxically, to truly live and attain eternal life, we must daily sacrifice our earthly desires and submit ourselves to God.
Atonement (V27): Jesus lived his entire life knowing exactly when and how he would die and for whom he had to die. It is information none of us can fathom, and he had no choice but to do so and glorify God’s name. If I were indeed faced with a troubling choice, I would definitely get myself out of it. But Jesus knew he was born to die for us no matter his anguish or agony. The moment he dies, our sins are transferred to him.
Salvation (V31-33): Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection are themselves a judgment upon the world. It signals the defeat of death and the expulsion of the devil, the "prince of this world." Through His sacrifice and resurrection, Jesus eradicates our eternal debt, providing the means for eternal life and a connection to God. The reality of salvation is that God gave his son to redeem us. We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus. Why then should I ever doubt God’s love and grace?
Father, thank you for the gift of salvation, I don’t deserve it, but you purchased my life with the blood of your son, Jesus. Give me the courage to surrender all that I am so that I may be a reflection of your love and kindness to those around me. Amen.
Ruth Situma
Finding Refuge in God’s Presence
During Lent, we journey through a period of reflection and repentance, much like the anguish expressed in the words of Psalm 31:9-16. In times of distress and sorrow, we can relate to the psalmist's plea for mercy and deliverance. Like broken pottery, we may feel shattered and forgotten, surrounded by enemies and fear. Yet, amidst the chaos, the psalmist turns to God in trust and surrender.
In our Lenten journey, we are invited to do the same—to trust in the Lord even when circumstances seem dire. Just as the psalmist acknowledges that their times are in God's hands, we, too, can find solace in surrendering our lives to God's unfailing love. Lent reminds us that our hope lies not in our own strength or abilities but in the saving grace of our faithful God.
As we walk through the Lenten season, let us echo the psalmist's prayer: "But I trust in you, Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" May we find refuge in God's presence, knowing that even in our darkest moments, His light shines to guide us, His love surrounds us, and His mercy sustains us.
Dear God, we come to you in times of trouble and sadness seeking your help and comfort. As we go through Lent, we put our faith in your never-ending love and find peace in your presence. Please guide us on the right path and show us the way to righteousness. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Lise Belanger
Are You the Messiah?
Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus. He answered “I am!” And we can still know him today.
Amen
Alba Andersen
When All Hope is Lost
If Jesus teaches us the words to pray in Matthew when he first delivers the Lord’s prayer, here in the Garden of Gethsemane, he models how to pray when all hope is lost. We can come to God in any circumstance. We too can call out, “God this is too hard, please carry my burden, take my pain from me.” In fact, when all hope is lost, God remains our steadfast rock and He is waiting to receive our prayers. Jesus also shows us that there is nothing we can’t ask for. We pray to the one who provides hope when we are hopeless. We pray to the one who sends faith when we feel none, and we pray to the one who loves us back beyond measure.
Jesus says, “but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” In our own lives, we fulfill God’s path and plans for us as we journey through our time here on earth. This journey is not always an easy one, in fact, there are times when we might feel lost, hopeless, and scared of what is to come. This passage says, “everyone deserted him and fled.” Jesus felt and endured real earthly pain and suffering. And yet, Jesus died for us because he loved us and was resurrected so that we may have everlasting life with God.
Life giving God, when all hope feels lost, we know we can come to you. You alone are our hope and shield, you alone are our heart’s desire. We worship you because you called us into life, and you remain with us all the days of our life. Thanks be to God! Amen
Robin Anderson
Take and Eat
Loving God,
Let us remember you during Lent, during communion, and all the days of our life.
Amen
Scotia Andersen
Today, you are invited to practice the Ignatian Prayer Method, using the story of the Anointing at Bethany.
He was, After All, Human
Almost every Christian is familiar with the story of Palm Sunday. It’s a classic for any decent Sunday school program, and an iconic lead-up to Holy Week. However, each time I read it, it does not begin to feel less strange. I mean, personally if I was the son of God destined to rule and unite the kingdoms of Heaven and Earth, I would not choose a young donkey as my royal steed. I find it hard to imagine myself as a passerby that day, thinking to myself, “Ah yes, that is the Savior of the world.” Even with the crowd cheering, waving leaves, and bowing to their massiah, I would think less of most of the people involved after that.
Yet, looking back on it today with my somewhat decent understanding and belief of such theological matters, I could not think of a more fitting way for Jesus to enter. He was, after all, human, and not the kind with riches and glamour far too prestigious for the likes of us, but one who was not afraid to get down in the dirt, with the poor, sick, needy, and cast-down people of this world which he so loved. And so, although he could have theoretically summoned a golden chariot with flamethrowers on the back pulled by majestic creatures, he settles for the nearby donkey. The crowd of people needed not for a glorious king, but one who could relate to them and the rest of the broken world. And so they bow down with their palm leaves and worship their lord with the same energy and reverence the world would any other king or deity.
Dear God, thank You that Jesus is a King who gets close to us, especially in our need. Help us to follow him, and do the same for others. Amen.
Jude Miller
Saved by grace at rise of dawn,
Undeserved and yet received,
Blessed by riches beyond measure,
Trusting You, and You alone.
Your gift bestowed on the children of wrath,
To walk in good works and newness of life,
Lead us away from the course of the world,
To follow your path of kindness and peace.
Holy Spirit, wind of mercy,
Breathe upon us hope and faith,
And when the light fades for the day,
Carry us home on wings of love.
Karen Truscott
This passage sees Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. We see that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a colt was prophesized in Zechariah 9:9, and that the crowds recognised him as being a Messiah or King. The shouts from the crowd and covering the ground contain both blessings and acknowledgement of Jesus’ connections to the royal lineage of David. The fact that Jesus enters on a colt is countercultural to how other kings would have entered the city. It also reminds us of the countercultural nature of Jesus’ teachings and work as a whole. At the colt itself was also symbolic of peace. The shouts of the crowd in verse 10 shows the hopefulness of the crowd that Jesus (and his teachings) would usher in peace and societal changes.
I found it a good reminder that we need to be able to recognise the peace and changemakers around us, however big or small their actions, and be able to take their lead in working for a better world. Our faith, and associated practices, can also been seen today as countercultural in an area that is widely secular; however Jesus actions and teachings were similar two thousand years ago.
King Jesus, help us to seek Your kingdom and walk in Your way, wherever we go. Amen
Elizabeth Tilley
This is a particularly weird and complicated part of a particularly complicated book. The Letter to the Hebrews is dense with imagery, and its author is freewheeling with Scripture, as they weave the story of God with God’s people into and through the person and work of Jesus “in the days of his flesh.” There are times when it feels totally impenetrable in our time and place.
There’s a lot to chew on in this passage, but what strikes me this time around is the wild fact that Jesus Christ, Son of God, knows what it’s like to pray and plead, with loud cries and tears, to the One who he trusted to hear those groaning prayers. What’s more, though the author says that Jesus was heard and saved from death, they are perfectly aware that Jesus was not saved from death in every sense. He was undoubtedly killed for his obedience to the will and way of the One he called Father. The rescue was in resurrection.
It’s oddly reassuring to know that Jesus knows what it means to feel the desperation of human weakness and need, our frailty and fear. And that even his prayers were “answered” in a way I expect was quite different what what he’d hoped as he prayed that God would take away the “cup” he was about to drink, in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf Luke 22:42). And even more that the wonder God was working would be utterly greater than his flesh could have hoped.
God of resurrection, help us to know and to trust that You hear all our prayers. Thank You that we can bring our most desperate selves to You, and You receive us when all we have to offer is loud cries and tears. And thank You that You have shown Yourself time and again to be the One who works wonders beyond our asking or imagining. Through Jesus, who was dead and is alive. Amen.
God’s Kingdom
In this passage, we are shown by Jesus that God’s kingdom isn’t shaped by power or money, but love and equality. We are shown Jesus’ desire for true worship, one which doesn’t focus on Earth like objectives and things. It also serves as a reminder of the value of sincerity to approach our God. It invites us to reflect on the purity of our own worship and our willingness to confront issues that diminish the integrity of our faith.
Jesus, keep us faithful to you and your ways, as you are always faithful to us. Amen
Charlie Bowles
An Act of Love
It strikes me that it is an act of love.
It could have been much simpler.
Why take on human form?
But so it was chosen.
How grateful am I to have one who chose to witness our sorrows, impatiences, pleasures - puny, overwhelming, real. One who chose to walk with us in our difficulties, our temptations and weakness. There was no need. He chose to be with us.
In all this not for a moment drifting from God, from the flawless knowledge of perfect love. Its possibility, its necessity. Its presence in Him radiant; in the world, obscured by sin.
Not for a moment drifting, even till the cross - and the fear, anger, pain, exhaustion, hatred, desperation that must have been. Human as he is.
May we know ourselves to be seen, understood, loved.
May we serve, with the courage to put ourselves aside.
Please God, teach our love to be constant, teach us to love well.
O God, may we tend creation into your true radiance.
Zabrina Ng
Confidence and Hope
These days, many Christians worldwide can identify with Isaiah’s “suffering servant.” In reading news headlines, people who stand up for truth, justice, and the flourishing of all people often bear the brunt of violence from powerful forces and people who act for personal gain, wealth, and influence. In many places, obedience to God’s call of teaching and sustaining “the weary with a word,” is met with opposition, confrontation, and harassment.
It’s easy to become weary of all the troubles that surround us. It feels better to turn off the news and retreat into solitude or the comfort of Christian community. But in this passage, God’s servant bravely wakes each day with ears open to God’s call and the plight of the suffering. The literal and thematic centre of Isaiah 50 is verse 6. Christians see Jesus as the suffering servant who paid the cost of being faithful to God. In the face of the abuse and pain that the servant’s enemies inflicted upon him, he demonstrated a holy courage that was not self-preserving, but self-giving. Jesus lived in the centre of his Father’s will and yet he was not protected from experiencing suffering. However, like Isaiah’s suffering servant, Jesus counted on God’s help and vindication of him when his adversaries confronted him (vv. 7-9).
With a deep trust in God’s abiding presence, Jesus engaged the powers, authorities, and forces of injustice, both seen and unseen. On the cross he gave voice to all humanity’s lament over God’s absence in time of need. But in the end, he still commended his life and spirit into God’s hands (Luke 23:46).
The encouragement we find in these verses is that as we open ourselves to listen to God’s wise instruction, and sustain others with what we learn, God will help us. And in those times when our obedience results in suffering and we feel alone in it, we can call out to the One who walks alongside us and never leaves us. God’s help is the source of our confidence and our hope in the midst of suffering.
Where in your life do you need confidence and hope?
Oh God, teach us to trust that you remember us, hear our cries, bend down to us, and will never leave our side. May my face be set like flint to obey your direction. I trust in your unfailing love. Amen.
Sumarme Goble
Worship and Prayer
As we prepare our heart in this Lent, this psalm addresses how one could fully live toward the way God intends us to follow. In addition to reading the word of the Lord, the psalmist emphasizes “treasuring” the word and seeking God with our whole heart. I would interpret this as not just learning the Bible and doing nothing wrong, but embracing the way of the Lord by actively experiencing it. Furthermore, doing so makes the psalmist “delight” in the way of God’s decrees—when “I should” turns into “I want to”, your heart would align with God, and ultimately, you would let God work through you on Earth.
The question is how to achieve such a state of mind in this modern, busy world. We are constantly exposed to a variety of values and goods in person and online. What is more, our hearts themselves carry their own ego and desires that may or may not align with God. This is where worship and prayers come in—regular worship creates some space for us to be present at this moment and in this place, and reconnect with God; through prayers we can ask the Holy Spirit for Their guidance so that we can spiritually understand and act on the word of the Lord. Let us make the most of this Lent through worship and prayers to gladly follow God’s path with Their light and guidance.
Thank you Lord for pouring your love on us even when our eyes are away from you. We are grateful to you for letting us return to you and seek you. Please guide our soul to embrace Your words and act on them, so that we delight in Your way and gladly let You work through us on Earth. Amen.
Ricky Mizuta
Fully Known
One of the scariest parts, I think, of being alive is the fear of never being truly known. We want to be understood completely, but we hide away the parts of us that we don’t want others to see. The parts that are quick to judge, or anger, or ignore, or put things off, or indulge, or forget remain desperately tucked away. It gets heavy, and there’s a constant nagging fear of losing relationships if we slip up even a little bit. Like when company comes over and accidentally opens the overstuffed closet that I hastily shoved all my mess into 5 minutes before they arrived, worried that my friends might leave if (heaven forbid!) they know that sometimes there are dishes in the sink and laundry on the floor.
For me at least, shoving my less-desirable traits down and away only means that they have tendency to resurface when I’m not careful. And that my metaphorical messy bits never truly get better because I spend so much more time trying to hide them than heal them. It’s exhausting to constantly keep hiding the many, tiny broken pieces that I don’t like and keeping the better bits front and center.
Keeping Jeremiah 31:31-34 in mind for the past few weeks has given me a new gratitude for a God who sees every part of me- the good, bad, and ugly- and yet covenants to remain my unchanging God. Knowing that I can and will be forgiven takes the shame and fear out of making mistakes. We don’t have to hide anything away, it’s nothing God hasn’t seen before! Despite our tendency to break promises, stumble in wickedness, and get lost, God promises to take us by the hand and save us anyways. God doesn’t expect us to shove everything in the closet before He comes over. He has no problem meeting us in our mess and helping with the dishes.
This passage reminds us that we can unpack our sins gently and hold them out to our God who can heal them. Our God wants to be known by us, and knows us completely. If we search the deepest parts of us, we will find God’s laws written there. God’s ways are carved into our minds and hearts, beating against our ribs. This passage reminds me that perhaps we don’t need to maintain a perfect facade and live in fear that God or others might unearth the bad parts. Instead, we can feel confident knowing that God loves us in our imperfection and knows us fully. The more we know God, the less we have to hide.
Loving God, thank you that You know us and love us completely. Help us to know You, as we are fully known. Amen
Hannah Stevenson