Frankly Devoted

Lord, as we enter into this time of prayer, teach us to be thankful. Despite trying times, there is much for which to be grateful. We thank you, Lord, for our many blessings. We thank you for this time together, for the opportunity to gather virtually to pray. We thank you for this opportunity of renewal – an involuntary reset. We thank you for being our rock, foundation, and refuge, for being our God who is faithful in times of abundance as well as our times of need. We thank you for the reminder that a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. We thank you for caring neighbors, families and friends, and our renewed awareness of their importance in our lives. We thank you for showing the world that while this strain of coronavirus is new, the inadequate availability of healthcare for all, the systemic inequities in marginalized communities, the food deserts in our communities, and the structural racism the virus exposes are nothing new. We tha...

Christians around the world often given up things for Lent. But going into this year’s Lenten Season, who knew we would be required to give up so much? We are living in strange times, isolating ourselves to remain safe from a potentially deadly virus, watching as restaurants and businesses close and people lose jobs, and embracing technology to remain close in times when we are required to be physically distant. In the Gospel of Mark (Mark 10: 32-34), Jesus tells the disciples for the third time that he will be killed. He says, “We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” Jesus is telling his disciples, “Look folks, we’ve got some rough times ahead in Jerusalem. This ain’t going to be pretty.” Over and ...

My Lenten Devotional for 2020: