For the season of Lent, I wrote a devotional for my congregation, Cayce United Methodist Church. I am sharing an adapted version of the adult version here on the blog.
The family devotional is similar but includes a TON of activities, coloring sheets, science and even some baking (maybe more than practical but I got excited). If you want to see the packets in their entirety you can download them on Cayce's website (www.cayceumc.com). On the website scroll down to below the upcoming events and there are download options: adult, family and the Jesus Storybook booklets.
5th Sunday of Lent, March 21
Set-up: You will need tea lights (or candles, or a simple pencil drawing of candles and an eraser to take away a flame) and a Bible (or access to an online Bible). Prepare your spirit and your space, set aside distractions. Then, light two of the six tea lights.
Read: Jeremiah 31:31-34 But this covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, say the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts. (31:33)
Wonder: The prophet Jeremiah is sometimes called the "weeping prophet." He served God during the last 40 years of the kingdom of Judah. A time when the people of God were not following the Lord. Jeremiah called the people to repent and revive their faith. The scorned and ignored him, and God allowed the people to be captured, oppressed by their enemy Babylon. The temple was looted and burned, significant for the Jewish faith as the temple is where God abides. It was a difficult time for the people of God and a time that strained their relationship with God. The covenant that prophet Jeremiah is speaking of in chapter 31 is that the word of God will be written upon our hearts. Having God's word written upon our hearts also means we will have help to follow God's word from within. Obedience will no longer be difficult because God's word is so intrinsic to who we are that we will not be able to stray. The embodiment of this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus means we can know the heart of God. Luke 6:45 reminds us that: "The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of the evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Jesus is the treasure of our hearts. God's word is the treasure of our hearts. Jesus is the renewed moral consciousness and embodiment of sacrament only made possible by the initiative of God. What that fancy phrase means is that God is always reaching out to God’s people, longing for a way to connect, to build relationships. Jesus is the embodiment of that desire. The Divine was made human so that we humans could relate to God. And Jeremiah’s prophetic covenant is fulfilled in Jesus’ coming to earth, living a human life, dying on the cross and his resurrection. Jesus’ sacrifice makes us worthy. God's sacrifice also allows us to live our most authentic life, we no longer need to be one person in worship and another in work. Our hearts and minds are aligned in having access through the Holy Spirit to the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:10-16). We will know God so well through the lens of Jesus that we cannot be anything other than believers, followers and partners with God. God's word through us, as it is written upon our hearts, will no longer be used for hate or exclusion, but for love.
Ponder: How are you connected to Jesus? What does Jesus really mean to you? What do you need to change in your life so that others can see God’s law and love written on your heart?
Act: Extinguish a candle.
Prayer: During this time of Lenten preparation, we think of those who turned away from the light of Jesus. And we remember that we, too, turn away. The Pharisees fancied themselves as modern, up-to-date thinkers. But they so enjoyed the power they possessed that they were unable to recognize the power of God in Jesus. We are people of power. Our power often blinds us to the simple power of Jesus' love for all creation and all people. We extinguish the fifth candle, fearful that our own powerful status will close our eyes and hearts to the light of Jesus.
Additional Readings: Written on our hearts story booklet, Psalm 51:1-12, Hebrews 5:5-10 and John 12:20-33, and in the UMH #374 Standing on the Promises.
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