Daily Devotions from the URC

 

St Matthew 26: 28 – 30 (NRSV)

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the[d] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Reflection

Yesterday, I was chatting with a minister of a Methodist/URC Local Ecumenical Partnership and the conversation veered to how Holy Communion is celebrated in various traditions. We wondered if anyone really understood what is happening as we eat and drink the elements together. 

Whether we might view the sacrament as entirely symbolic, an encounter with the Real Presence of Christ, or something in between, there remains a deep mystery that suggested, to us at least, that if you think you understand what is happening in the Eucharist, you probably don’t understand what is happening in the Eucharist. 

I strongly suspect that Jesus’ friends, hearing these words uttered for the very first time, gathered around him in that upper room, didn’t understand either – but it didn’t prevent them from participating anyway.

This passage, and its parallel in Mark 14:26, are the only times in the gospel texts that we read of Jesus singing! The ‘Hallel’ psalms (113-118), are still sung around the Passover meal today in many Jewish gatherings. In my church, we sing a metrical version of Psalm 118 during our Maundy Thursday service, reflecting on the final words that Jesus and his friends would have sung from memory before they went out into the night.

What words and phrases do you have ringing in your mind in times of testing and trial? Scripture verses learned at a young age? Perhaps a line of a hymn or worship song that pops into your thoughts when you were least expecting it? Or is it the unkind and callous words of others, wounding like a knife and replayed over and over?

For my part, I make a conscious choice to fill my mind with words of life, from scripture, poetry and songs, and try to let those be my meditation. Somehow, this spiritual food helps to sustain me even when all around seems bleak and hopeless: it’s as much a mystery for me as bread broken and wine outpoured. What sustains you today?

Prayer

God who sings,
the song of creation and re-creation,
of lamentation and deliverance,
sing over me now your song of love.
As I take captive my thoughts,
fill up my life with praise,
to silence the accuser 
in holy defiance
of the challenges before me this day.
May the song of my heart
and the melodies of my life
harmonise with the song of heaven,
and keep in step with the dance of the Divine
today and always.  Amen.

 

Author: Roo Stewart Daily Devotions from the URC Thursday, 19 March 2026 

 

 

Glory Revealed in Love

 

Scripture: John 12:23 (NIV)

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Photo courtesy Chionsu Barclay

Reflection

Glory, in the language of the gospel, appears in a form that overturns expectation. It is revealed through humility, suffering, and unwavering love. The approaching cross becomes the moment where God’s character is most fully displayed.

Lent brings us to this threshold. The path ahead leads through vulnerability toward transformation. Glory is no longer associated with domination but with self-giving love that restores the world.

As Holy Week approaches, the invitation is to remain attentive. God’s glory is already breaking through wherever love persists, mercy triumphs, and hope refuses to die.

Prayer

God of radiant love,

Open my eyes to your glory

Strengthen my faith for the road ahead.

Teach me to recognise your presence

In humility and sacrifice.

 Prepare my heart

For the mystery of the cross ~ Amen.

Invitation

Spend a moment in silence before God.

Notice where love is at work around you.

Say quietly:

“Your glory is here.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 28 | Saturday 21 March | Glory Revealed in Love

 

Scattered Intentions

 

Have you ever made up your mind to do a thing but then some other thing comes up and derails your plan? Confused, in doubt, and completely dishevelled, you now have scattered intentions.

In Matthew 26:31-35 (TPT) we read,

Along the way Jesus said to them, “Before the night is over, you will all desert me. This will fulfill the prophecy of the Scripture that says: I will strike down the shepherd and all the sheep will scatter far and wide! “But after I am risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and will meet you there.” Then Peter spoke up and said, “Even if all the rest lose courage and fall away, I will still be beside you, Jesus!” “Are you sure, Peter?” Jesus said. “In fact, before the rooster crows a few hours from now, you will have denied me three times.” Peter replied, “I absolutely will never deny you, even if I have to die with you!” And all the others said the same thing.

All the disciples had made up their minds about what they would do but Jesus knew what would actually happen, not that their intentions weren’t in the right place however, in the heat of what was to occur, those intentions, like them, would scatter.

Even though they’d been with Jesus for the last three years, when faced with the grim reality of that night, the disciples would become overwhelmed, confused, afraid, unsure, unclear, and disappear into the nighttime blackness.

Jesus knew that His disciples would scatter, He told them, but they did not believe that about themselves. How could Jesus even say that about them? Like Peter, they too were adamant – I absolutely will never deny you! – they had no intention of deserting their beloved Rabbi.

The disciples’ intentions were sincere and no doubt, Jesus’ words must have hurt but like any good shepherd, He knows His sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep; He has power to lay it down, and power to take it again (see John 10:11-18).

Beloved, you belong to Jesus’ flock, He knows you, He knows that your initial intentions were sincere and He understands that sometimes you become doubtful, unsure, afraid, overwhelmed and you fall away as a result of your now scattered intentions, and just as He, in love, assured the disciples, after I am risen, I will go ahead of you…and will meet you there, today He, in love, is giving you that same assurance, He will arise and meet you wherever you are right now, just as you are.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Scattered Intentions” ©2026 March 20, 2026

 

Losing Life to Find It

 

Scripture: John 12:25 (NIV)

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Reflection

Jesus speaks of a paradox at the centre of faith. Life grasped tightly shrinks; life offered freely expands. The call is toward freedom from self-preservation as the highest good.

Lent exposes the fear that drives possessiveness — fear of loss, irrelevance, vulnerability. The gospel opens another way: trust that life rooted in God cannot be diminished by generosity or sacrifice.

Communities shaped by this trust become capable of courageous action. They invest themselves in justice, mercy, and hope because their identity rests in God rather than in status or security.

Prayer

God of abundant life,

Loosen my grip on what I fear to lose.

Free me for courageous love.

Root my identity in you.

Teach me to live

With open hands ~ Amen.

 Invitation

Release one small attachment today time, comfort, or control. Offer it to God.

Say quietly:

“My life is in you.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 26 | Thursday 19 March | Losing Life to Find It

 

A Spiritual Problem

 

I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. – Psalm 121:1 (TPT)

I am in no way an expert on any type of addiction, but what I do know is that there are many who have found themselves in positions where they have to deal with someone who has an addiction.

Though addiction, in whatever form it takes, is very personal to the individual, it becomes a personal condition for anyone who is in relationship with the addict; whether it’s a blood relative or a co-worker or boss, being related to that person takes a toll.

I have read that experts tend to study addiction in terms of a general disease and their solution to the problem of addiction is to apply evidence-based scientific interventions to develop treatment options.

But, from my own limited experience, I have observed that addiction seems to affect its victims in different ways, so that a generalized scientific intervention may not be the best solution, as it might not work for everyone. Anyway, what do I know. I’ve often wondered why persons become addicted in the first place; what is the root cause of their addiction. Does it stem from childhood? Not the addiction itself but the cause of it.

Perhaps it involves a complex set of factors that have an adverse effect on the mind from some childhood trauma? Addiction is still a problem, so it seems that no one has yet figured it out; nobody has come up with a single solution or approach to treating or curing addictions.

I have asked God and His response was, “Addicts are deeply wounded but it’s not an ordinary wound that requires ordinary healing.”

Puzzled, I queried, “Then how? Have they become disconnected from You and not realizing what it is, are searching for that fulfilment elsewhere in things that cannot truly satisfy? God, is addiction a spiritual problem?”

“Mostly, so it requires a spiritual solution. Their hearts are broken and they are lost.”

God told me that prayer is the solution to a spiritual problem; prayer works and faith fixes things. Psalm 147:3 (TPT) tells us that God ministers to the wounded and brokenhearted.

He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.

Beloved, you may not be dealing with an addict but may know someone who is, or perhaps you’re dealing with some other issue, you must pray. The solution to a spiritual problem is prayer. Prayer can, and will, make a difference. Be encouraged by James 5:14-16,

Are there any sick among you?...the prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise them up, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven. Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!

This is worth repeating, tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!

Not a single passionate and heartfelt prayer goes unheard in heaven. When you pray for others, tremendous power is released, making a difference in a very real way, both spiritually and temporally, not only in the lives of others but in your own life.

So, let us pray for those who are addicted because prayers save, heal, and lead us and our loved ones back to the heart of God.

Prayer is powerful, and it works!

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “A Spiritual Problem” ©2026 March 17, 2026

The Fragrance of Love

 

Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. – John 12:3 (AMPC)

I’m sure that you all know the proverbial phrase “Love don’t cost a thing”, the simple meaning being that true love is free. Which it is depending on how you look at it but is it perfectly true that there isn't a cost? Because God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son (John 3:16) who paid a very high price for our redemption, and the perfume that Mary poured on Jesus’ feet, which Judas Iscariot described as worth a year’s wages for an ordinary work man (John 12:5), was rare and very expensive.

These were acts of love and they certainly cost a thing.

Both acts were done out of genuine, authentic love and both carried an extremely high price, so love, true love – love that’s real – costs something and in certain instances, everything.

This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. – 1 John 3:16 (ERV)

Are you willing to lay down your life in love for others; to pour out everything you cherish, to pay a great price, whatever the cost may be?

Mary, like Jesus, held nothing back. Their acts were signs of the authenticity of their love – love in its deepest form that gives generously and selflessly. The worth of such love can’t be measured.

The fragrance that filled the house wasn’t just the sweet aroma of Mary’s perfume but was symbolic of the sacrificial offering of a life fully given over to God in love, similarly, Jesus, in love, gave over His life to God as a sacrifice for us.

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God – Ephesians 5:20 (NIV)

Beloved, genuine acts of love are not restrained but are poured out as an offering of yourself as you surrender everything that you have and are to God.

Love poured out changes the atmosphere around it and affects those in its wake in unimaginable ways.

During this season of Lent, may God, who is Love, teach you how to love as unselfishly as He loves, free your heart from holding back, and loosen whatever keeps you restrained, so that your life will exude the fragrance of love.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Fragrance of Love” ©2026 March 16, 2026

 

Eternal Life

The frequency of the use of the expression “eternal life” by Apostle John in the gospel and epistles attributed to him is notable. The way in which he uses it is in a mingling of the future and the present, pertaining to a quality of life that one is afforded in God through faith in Jesus Christ.

In John's gospel account, Jesus Himself proclaimed,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.” – John 5:24 (AMP)

While in his first letter to the church community, John writes,

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. – 1 John 5:11 (ESV)

Adam possessed eternal life, he knew God (see John 17:3), theirs was an intimate and personal relationship but that connection was broken. All that occurred in the Garden brought death into life, but Jesus Christ restored that connection, through Him eternal life is again a possibility for those who believe.

Jesus said that when we believe and trust in the Father, eternal life begins and we pass over from death into life.

Eternal life is a present concept; we can have it right now. Understand that it is not something to possess after death, it is for this life.

Jesus came so that we may have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 (ESV)

Too many Christians place a full stop after “perish” so they fail to realize that this truth continues, they don’t see the conjunction and the words that come after it.

Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life now, at this present time. He gives it to you.

But earthly food spoils and ruins. So don’t work to get that kind of food. But work to get the food that stays good and gives you eternal life. The Son of Man will give you that food. He is the only one qualified by God the Father to give it to you. – John 6:27 (ERV)

Eternal life is not reserved for heaven, it is a now reality which relates to Matthew 6:10,

Your kingdom come…On earth as it is in heaven

Beloved you can have that connection which facilitates eternal life right here, right now. You may be saved but not experiencing all that salvation entails – you sincerely believe in the Son but have not truly connected in the way you should.

The truth is, not many of us have established that eternal life connection. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been taught that eternal life is for the afterlife. But we need to free ourselves from that wrongful belief by renewing our minds (see Romans 12:2).

We must let go of the mindset of limitation and start believing in more than enough, as we properly work out our salvation in reverence of God who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

Jesus died a very cruel death so that we may have life, eternal life. Thank God it’s never too late to embrace the gift of the cross in all its amazing manifestations.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Eternal Life” ©2026 March 15, 2026

 

 

Heaven’s Fullness

 

Galatians 4:4 (ESV) says,

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son

The fullness of time, from a purely earthly standpoint, is seen only in chronological terms as a point on a timeline, however, this phrase used by Paul in his letter to the Galatians, relates to the right or proper time for Jesus’ advent.

This expression concerns the Father and His chosen time and has to do with everything that has taken place and is still to take place in the eternal realm.

Galatians 4:4 from an eternal perspective can be understood as, God sent His Son so that we could partake of heaven’s fullness; the right or proper time for its release.

Jesus’ coming has given us the opportunity to step into eternal life, a life of abundance of everything, heaven’s fullness.

What did Jesus Himself say?

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV)

And just as Jesus, while on earth, stepped in and out of the chronological timeline to access heaven’s provision, we, as sons and daughters of the Father through Christ, are privileged to do likewise. We are to freely partake of every victory, blessing and promise of God that is documented in His Word.

Jesus, through the cross has made this a possibility because the cross is the ultimate focus, culmination and fulfilment of every biblical blessing.

The cross is God’s glorious masterstroke. In it and through it is His provision. In the application of the cross, all of God’s favour is released. Heaven’s fullness is realized, fulfilled and accessed by means of the cross.

Understand that when Jesus said in John 18:36 that His Kingdom is not of this world, He was letting us know that there is a reality beyond our own, a reality that was outside of this earthly realm, a reality that is spiritually accessible, an eternal reality.

This was the reality in which Jesus operated while on earth. When Jesus healed the sick and fed the more than 5,000 and walked upon the water and stilled the raging winds, He did so from a place outside of earthly limitations.

Jesus, yet to be nailed to the cross, was ministering in the power of the completed work of the cross; He was accessing its provision as an example to us, bringing from the spiritual into the natural, stepping outside of the constraints of time to bring heaven’s fullness into time.

Beloved, Revelation 13:8 says that since the foundation of the world the Lamb was slain, that means that God had already made provision for mankind  from time immemorial, the cross was an eternal reality, a reality outside of this realm long before Jesus ever hung from it so heaven’s fullness has always been possible and will always be possible, you just have to lay claim to it and freely access it.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Heaven’s Fullness” ©2026 March 15, 2026

 

The Joy of Restoration

 

 

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

 

Reflection

The journey of repentance and renewal leads finally toward joy. God’s relationship with Creation is defined by restoring love, not by relentless accusation. The prophet speaks of a God who sings over a restored people.

Lent prepares the heart to receive that joy. Through repentance, patience, and renewed commitment, communities become ready to experience the fullness of God’s delight.

The future God prepares is not merely survival; it is flourishing. The promise of restoration carries music within it — the song of a God who rejoices in the healing of the world.

 

Prayer

God of rejoicing love,

Renew my spirit with hope.

Lift the weight of discouragement.

Teach me to trust your promise.

Let my life join

The song of your restoration ~ Amen.

 

Invitation

Step outside or pause in stillness. Listen for a moment of gratitude.

Say quietly:

“God, you rejoice over your people.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 22 | Saturday 14 March | The Joy of Restoration

 

Justice and Compassion

Scripture: Micah 6:8 (NIV)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Watercolour Illustration of balanced justice scales with green olive branches. Dreamstime.com

Reflection

The call of God remains disarmingly clear. Justice, mercy, and humility form the rhythm of faithful life. These are lived commitments shaping how power is used, how neighbours are treated, and how communities flourish.

Lent presses faith beyond private spirituality into public responsibility. The God who loves mercy also demands justice. Together they reshape the moral imagination of God’s people.

Walking humbly with God means aligning life with the purposes of God — purposes that honour dignity, confront harm, and build communities where love becomes visible.

 

Prayer

God of justice and mercy, 

Guide my steps in your ways. 

Teach me humility. 

Strengthen my commitment to justice. 

Shape my life 

As a witness to your love ~ Amen.

 

Invitation

Identify one small act of justice you can pursue today. Commit it to God.

Say quietly:

“God, lead my steps.”

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 21 | Friday 13 March | Justice and Compassion

Rediscover the Prophetic

 

Early Morning Mackerel Sky

From the time of creation God has been speaking and contrary to what some believe, God continues to speak, and it is this divine communication that we call the prophetic.

Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that,

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.

The prophetic is God’s way of revealing His heart, His will and His purpose through His Spirit to guide His people, glorify Christ and reveal His perspective.

The prophetic gives us direction enabling us to walk in God’s truth. Through the prophetic we are aligned to God.

God’s voice breaks into human reality not as a form of entertainment but for us to know Him and His desires. It is His way for His destiny to be fulfilled.

It’s not about predicting the future for predicting sake but it serves to serve Him by a foretelling of His plan.

It is imperative that we learn to recognize and acknowledge God’s voice if we are to follow His direction and guidance.

The prophetic cannot be detached from God otherwise it loses its true spirit and essence.

Some Christians seem to believe that hearing from God was confined to biblical times or even more so to the Old Testament times of the prophets, but God is still speaking.

Are we listening? Are you listening?

Some believe that the prophetic is no longer needed.

They argue that the bible and the church speak for God.

But are those enough?

Much more is required for a truly redemptive, personal relationship with God.

The prophetic was not limited to the so-called primitive church. The prophetic is not obsolete.

Even Scripture declares that these graces will be granted to the measure of the Spirit and of faith.

God’s marvellous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts. So if God has given you the grace-gift of prophecy, activate your gift by using the proportion of faith you have to prophesy.  – Romans 12:6 (TPT)

You and I must understand that hearing the voice of God was not only necessary in the early days of Christianity.

Sadly, there exists an incredible hubris among certain believers who insist that Christianity has gone beyond the need for prophecy; they believe that we have transcended those days of long ago and that the written Word of God is enough to go by or get by; they believe that we are fine without the kind of divine presence and interaction with humanity described in that same written Word to which they refer.

To dissect God’s written Word in that way, picking and choosing whatever suits their narrative, is a dangerous practice.

Those who persist in this attitude are sorely mistaken and awfully misguided; the prophetic is even now more a necessity as godlessness seems to be reasserting itself into the highest levels of human society, culture and even the clergy.

What is seen as progress is nothing more than a shifting away from God’s resources for life and ministry in the present.

Can we afford to forget the Lord’s benefits, the gift of prophecy being one such benefit?

The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy – 1 Corinthians 12:10 (ERV)

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church testifies to the prophetic as being a gift of God that was not restricted to the Old Testament era.

We are doing God a disservice when we believe that His mighty acts, His magnificent power, and His wonders were only for the early believers.

Surely, we must determine to rediscover the prophetic as individuals and as the Body of Christ.

As people of God, we cannot and must not continue to say or think that it is only for a particular type of Christian and not for us. That attitude reeks of conceit.

Let us not fall prey to the Sadducean doctrine which taught that God stopped speaking when He finished speaking with Moses and that no alleged communications via angels, ethereal or human, could possibly be valid.

It is said that the aristocratic Sadducees did not accept individual communication with God; in their day they rejected the prophetic and frankly, too many of us nowadays have adopted this same idea.

Prophecy demonstrates God’s reality. It did in biblical times and it does in our time.

Beloved, Heavenly vision is a gift from God. Hearing from God as His spokesperson, is a privilege and an honour which any one of us can experience.

The eyes of the Body of Christ are supposed to see in the prophetic, whether with dreams and visions or direct communication with the voice of God.

God gives us eyes for seeing and ears for hearing (Proverbs 20:12) the spiritual as part of our inheritance through Christ Jesus.

Let us, especially in this season of Lent, reconnect with God, repent, and rediscover His wonderful gift of the prophetic.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Rediscover the Prophetic” ©2026 March 11, 2026

 

When nothing comes

I've been sitting in front of my laptop all day and nothing has come to me, but I must write something, so I'm just going to tell you exactly what's happening.

All day long, I’ve heard nothing and I’ve felt nothing. So, what am I to do? Pray you say? I have been praying. 

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. – Psalm 22:2 (NLT)

What do you do when nothing comes? Like me, you’ve prayed and now you’re waiting and waiting and waiting yet still nothing just silence.

God has been silent or so it seems. Perhaps we have not been listening or perhaps God’s silence is an invitation to draw closer to Him, to understand that even His silence has purpose. Perhaps God is teaching us that though He is silent, He is never absent.

Okay, so as I’m writing, something’s coming…

When nothing comes, don’t think that it’s an indication of God’s abandonment, for He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (ref. Deuteronomy 31:6-8), but see it as an opportunity to build stronger faith and deeper trust.

This is a deafening silence that has more to do with the complete lack of a response than the lack of noise, because everything and everyone around you can still be heard – the hum of the refrigerator, birds singing, the whir of the blades of the fan spinning and the muffled voices from the television in the other room but no response from God.

So, today I waited; all day I waited to hear from God what He wants me to tell you. But now, many hours later, I know. It’s exactly what I’m telling you now. I understand why I had to endure this all-day silence.

When nothing comes and God seems distant and unreachable and you feel cast aside, it’s not any of those things, He is neither and has not cast you aside. God’s silence is never a sign that He has left but a test of whether you believe He hasn’t.

God’s silence always feels unbearable but, in the silence, we need to turn to God in faith and in trust, daring to believe even when nothing comes.  It is preparation, not punishment; God’s silence is the proving ground of your faith and trust. It’s not about what is spoken, it is about what is not – the quiet work being done in you.

When nothing comes, continue to hope. When nothing comes, continue to believe. When nothing comes, continue to trust. When nothing comes, continue to have faith.

I cannot find God anywhere— in front or back of me, to my left or my right. God is always at work, though I never see him. But he knows what I am doing, and when he tests me, I will be pure as gold. – Job 23:8-10 (CEV)

Beloved, you may be in a season of silence when nothing comes, but God wants you to know that He has not left, He is not lost and neither are you. The silence is temporary, but what it produces in you isn’t.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “When nothing comes” ©2026 March 10, 2026

 

Lent is…

 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights… (Matthew 4:1-2 NIV)

According to Dictionary.com, Lent is the period of forty weekdays lasting from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, observed as a time of penance and fasting commemorating Jesus' fasting in the wilderness. (see Matthew 4:1-11)

This is a rather very generic definition of Lent and several other dictionaries and publications use similar wording, but Lent is so much more than that.

Lent is a time when we ought to reflect deeply upon the Passion, Crucifixion, Resurrection and even the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Lent is a time for us to take an honest review of our Christian walk which should not just be confined to forty days but spill over into the entire year and beyond; it is a lifelong process of conversion.

Beloved, your walk with God means choosing mercy over indifference and courage over silence and Jesus’ time in the wilderness must be your example of what your spiritual journey should look like.

Let’s look at some other aspects of what Lent is…

Lent presses us to examine the substance of our allegiance

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NIV)

Lent clarifies where devotion rests

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Lent reminds us that trust in God is expressed through trust in one another

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

Lent strengthens patience that is rooted in promise

This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (Habakkuk 2:3 NLT)

Lent trains us to respond to fear with remembered faithfulness

But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4 TLB)

Lent invites us to live faith through action

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:17 NIV)

Lent forms people who seek healing for the world God loves

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

Beloved, Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, renewal and restoration; it is a perfect time to become grounded in truth, sustained by grace, and open toward the future God continues to form.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Lent is…” ©2026 March 9, 2026

(some parts used with permission from Revd Mark Robinson)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wilderness of Uncertainty

 

The season of Lent invites us into a wilderness experience, a time to honestly reflect upon our spiritual journey. In the wilderness there is much uncertainty, as that is the place where we are forced to examine the condition of our hearts head-on.

Beloved, Christ experienced the wilderness of uncertainty long before us, so now we can deal with our own journey into the wilderness trusting that He is with us every step of the way.

In this regard, allow me to share a reflection that is not my own but was written by Revd Mark Robinson and Revd Dr. Tessa Henry-Robinson.

Trust in the Wilderness

Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart.

Reflection

Trust is often forged in wilderness places. Today’s scripture reminds us that the journey through uncertainty is not wasted terrain but formative ground. The wilderness exposes what comfort can conceal. It reveals where trust rests — in provision, in control, or in God.

Pressure clarifies allegiance. When resources feel thin and outcomes uncertain, the heart is uncovered. Lent invites us to examine what sustains us when visible security is stripped away. Trust does not deny vulnerability; it anchors vulnerability in the faithful guidance of God.

The wilderness does not last forever, yet it leaves its mark. In this season, God shapes a people who remember that survival was never self-made and that endurance is sustained by grace. Trust grows where memory and dependence meet possible.

Prayer

God of the wilderness, search my heart. Reveal what shapes my trust. Steady me when certainty fades. Teach me to depend on you in every season ~ Amen.

Invitation

Recall a difficult season you survived. Name how God sustained you.

Say quietly:

“God, you have led me before.”

What about Lydia?

 

What do you know about Lydia? Have you ever heard of her? Maybe you have but many persons haven’t. Has she been mentioned in any sermons? Perhaps, but for the most part she’s been overlooked.

Long story short…

Apostle Paul had recently met a young Christian named Timothy. Impressed by all the good things believers were saying about Timothy and recognizing that the favour of God was on his life, Paul invited this young man to accompany him on his city tour, going from town to town to newly established churches where they gave the believers the rules and decisions from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. They told them to obey these rules. So the churches were becoming stronger in their faith, and the number of believers was growing every day. (Acts 16:4-5 ERV).

One night, Paul experiences a supernatural vision of a man beckoning him to come to Macedonia. Even though this place was not on his schedule, Paul immediately responds to the call and goes to the leading city in that part of Macedonia, a roman colony called Philippi and spends a few days spreading the Gospel.

On the Sabbath Day, Paul and the others who were travelling with him, went outside of the city gates to find a special place where some people met for prayer on a riverbank and that is where his encounter with Lydia occurred. She was with a group of other ladies sitting on the riverbank chatting and Paul took the opportunity to talk with them.

Lydia was a businesswoman from the city of Thyatira, a centre of commerce in the Roman province of Asia who lived in Philippi. She was a seller of Purple, a very costly dye extracted from a marine mollusc that gave out a milk like fluid that turned purple or scarlet on contact with air when crushed.

We aren’t told too much about Lydia, but from her trade we can deduce that she must have been a woman of great wealth. What we are told is that Lydia was already a worshiper of God who listened intently to Paul, and as she listened, the Lord opened her heart and she accepted all that Paul was saying (ref. Acts 16:14).

That day Lydia experienced a conversion and in this regard so did Paul, as she was his first convert.

When Lydia went to the special place of prayer by the riverside that Sabbath day, she never could have suspected that her life would be forever changed. This was a pivotal moment for them both and for the ministry’s development at Philippi.

Lydia and her entire household were then baptized after which she urged Paul and his fellow missionaries to make her home their headquarters in Philippi (ref. v 15) and according to verse forty, before they left, it was where they met with the believers and preached to them.

Yet another barely mentioned protagonist who played a crucial role in the growth of the Kingdom. Additionally in Philippians 4:15-17 (GW) it is written,

You Philippians also know that in the early days, when I left the province of Macedonia to spread the Good News, you were the only church to share your money with me. You gave me what I needed, and you received what I gave you. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you provided for my needs twice. It’s not that I’m looking for a gift. The opposite is true. I’m looking for your resources to increase.

Lydia’s generous hospitality may have been the catalyst for this unique financial relationship between the Philippian church and Paul.

Beloved, in this season of Lent, let us be encouraged by this brief encounter with Lydia, a faithful follower of Jesus who allowed Him to open her heart to receive and accept His message. Let us be generous in our hospitality and in our giving to others and towards the building up of His Kingdom here on earth.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “What about Lydia?” ©2026 March 6, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Come to Me”

 

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.” – Matthew 11:28 (TPT)

We always feel that we have to be rid of our heavy burdens before going to Jesus, but Jesus is calling you to Him just as you are, a weary burden bearer.

Jesus’ “Come to Me” isn’t meant for other people, it’s meant for you. He sees you spiritually, physically and emotionally dehydrated and is offering you to be refreshed by Him as your oasis in a parched life. He wants you to come to Him with your real life, unpretentious.

“Come to Me” with your problems

“Come to Me” with your stress

“Come to Me” with your busyness

“Come to Me” with your grief

“Come to Me” with your tight finances

“Come to Me” with your hungry belly

“Come to Me all who have everything under control” is not the offer. If you have it all figured out then good for you, ignore the call. The rest of us weary people will go to Him. Of course I’m just joking. Jesus’ call to come is open to everyone.

Every one of us is carrying a burden of some kind; a burden of being depended on, a burden of listening to a friend’s problems, a burden of care, a burden of your own making – we are heavy laden with this and that, holding on to burdens like a ship carrying precious cargo and still we wonder why we’re so exhausted all the time.

Beloved, stop waiting to come to Jesus, His invitation is for right now and Lent is a great time to accept it. Jesus is telling you to come to Him as you are – come with your mess. He is telling you to come and unload your burdens on Him, whatever those burdens might be, even those invisible burdens that you don’t realize you’re carrying. Jesus is longing to refresh your whole life, the only thing He wants from you are your burdens.

“Come to Me”, I come to You Jesus, weary, carrying heavy burdens that I can’t keep holding. I give them all to You. I release every one of them now. Thank You for relieving me of these burdens, for refreshing my life and for being my oasis.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Come to Me” ©2026 March 5, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

To Return

 

The act of changing your mind and turning the direction of your life toward God, is repentance; to repent may simply mean to return but the process is a profound journey which moves you from self- and sin-centeredness to God-centeredness.

In both the Old and New Testaments there are several examples of persons who, remorsefully changed their minds in choosing to return to God and in so doing their lives made an about turn. They repented.

The King James Version of the following verses, describes God as repenting,

Exodus 32:14

And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

Jonah 3:9-10

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?  And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Jonah 4:2

And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

In these verses, God changed His mind about people who had changed their minds and repented. Please do not see this change of God as a change in His essential character and nature, it isn’t, however, what it reveals is that God does change His intention toward a people  who habitually change their minds and their direction.

These three verses demonstrate that God changes His mind from wrath to mercy, but He also changes His mind from blessing to judgment as in the case of king Saul where God told Samuel,

“I repent that I have made Saul king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.”  – Samuel 15:11 (RSV)

Saul, appointed by God and blessed to be king, had turned back from God. Many times, we too turn away from God, but God is merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and He is willing to show us grace, but we must be willing to turn back to God, to change our minds, to turn the direction of our lives, to return to Him in repentance.

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection heralded an era of grace and under this wonderful dispensation, we must make a conscious decision to turn from disobedience and our own way of living to the better way found only in God through Jesus. We have to return to God if we are to survive the evil that is pervading the earth even now. We cannot and must not wait to return.

Beloved, to return to God in genuine repentance, is the only response to the gift of grace He has afforded us. Jesus, in Matthew 4:17, preached the need for repentance and in Acts 2:38, Peter said, “Every one of you must repent”. Yes, every single one of us must repent.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “To Return” ©2026 March 5, 2026

 

 

 

Return

 

We are in the midst of the season of Lent, when we ought to be reflecting on the circumstances leading up to Jesus’ sacrificial death upon the cross at Calvary and His resurrection.

Beloved, Lent is a time for you to return to Jesus just as you are, broken and lost and failing at faith. He is certainly not expecting you to come spiritually perfect, without flaws but desires an honest reencounter.

In this regard, allow me to share a reflection that is not my own but was written by Revd Mark Robinson and Revd Dr. Tessa Henry-Robinson.

Turning and Trust

Scripture: Joel 2:12–13

“Even now,” declares the Lord “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. “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 God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.

Reflection

Let us return to God with honesty and openness. God seeks hearts shaped by love, justice, and mercy. Turning toward God means releasing patterns that damage life and choosing ways that restore relationship. God’s compassion meets people in truth and leads communities toward healing and renewal. Lent continues as a journey of returning — grounded in grace and shaped by the faithful love of God.

 

Prayer

God of compassion and truth, 

Turn my heart toward you. 

Loosen what binds me to harm.

Deepen what grows love and justice.

Teach me to walk in your ways

With courage and humility ~ Amen.

Invitation

Place your hand over your heart.

Breathe slowly.

Say quietly:

“God, I am returning to you.”

 

 

Oceans and Seas

 

The Word of God is filled with symbolic expressions and figurative language; we see this throughout the bible but especially in the Old Testament.

The bible’s authors use of inanimate or abstract objects and things found in nature is rampant, therefore, if we are to truly understand what is being conveyed in the pages of bible, we must determine to recognize and learn this language, through Holy Spirit-led research.

It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. (Proverbs 25:2 ESV)

It is not enough to simply read the text, we must desire to know more, to dive deep into His Word to gain divine insight for ourselves. Too many of us get lost in the theology without ever once experiencing the reality of it.

Take for instance the symbolism of oceans and seas. Today is as good a day as any to understand what these represent spiritually rather than literally, for hardly anything written in the bible carries a literal meaning.

The oceans and seas represent the godlessness of the world and its systems which are dead to God. In the bible oceans and seas can symbolize a satanic world system. When we are told to not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15), it refers to the system, not the world that God created.

John even goes on to say that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). The world system which the oceans and seas symbolize cannot sustain life, that is, spiritual life.

We may be walking around and seemingly getting through under this system but there will always be something missing, causing us to be forever searching for another level of motivation, the next high but unless we encounter the sustainer of life, Jesus Christ, we will continue to feel an inward emptiness gnawing at out souls.

Beloved, understand that Jesus is the creator and source of all matter, He holds it all together.

Colossians 1:17 (ESV) clearly states that Jesus is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Jesus is the source of the invisible yet tangible force that glues everything together at the very core of its structure.

Look at what Job 12:10 (ESV) says,

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Without God in your life, you are subjected to this world’s system of confusion, chaos, oppression, injustice, exploitation, evil, and wickedness. You may seem to be alive but you’re spiritually dead because the ocean not only represents the world but also the underworld – the abode of demons.

Fixated on the things of the world a person becomes a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast (Revelation 18:2 ESV). This verse illustrates that there is a connection between the realm of the flesh and demonic activity.

Look at all the debauchery that has been revealed recently, the hedonistic activity that supposedly intelligent persons, holding high office and held in high esteem have been indulged in for years –  sexual assault of the very young, the killing of innocent children, alleged consuming of the dead and other acts of depravity – theirs is the epitome of a demonic lifestyle.

don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic (James 3:15 GNT)

This world system has produced leaders of nations who are depraved. Ironically, oceans and seas also symbolize the nations. Just as the oceans and seas can be calm or raging or turbulent or dangerous so can nations. There are nations that are at peace and those at war; leaders who choose peace and leaders who choose war.

Powerful nations are in commotion with a sound like the roar of the sea, like the crashing of huge waves. (Isaiah 17:12 GNT)

Beloved, there are several Scriptural parallels of the oceans and seas to the world system, even more than are quoted in this blog post. But despite the connotation here briefly outlined, there is something that you must never forget, God not only treads upon the waves and high places of the sea (Job 9:8 AMPC), also,

The sea is his, for he made it (Psalm 95:5 ESV)

You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. (Psalm 89:9 ESV)

He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. (Psalm 107:29 ESV)

though the waves toss, they cannot prevail (Jeremiah 5:22 ESV)

Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb (Job 38:8 ESV)

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39 ESV)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Revelation 21:1 ESV)

And in Matthew 14:25-26 (ESV),

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.

Jesus is no ghost, He is real and He has dominion over the oceans and seas and though the seas may be raging, to Him those roaring nations are nothing, no more than a drop of water; The nations are nothing at all to him (Isaiah 40:15, 17 GNT).

So let us not be fearful but be faith-filled, focusing on Jesus and not on the tumult of the oceans and seas, trusting that in due time, He will give the order, and the raging waves will have no choice but to cease and there will be calm (ref. Luke 8:24).

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “Oceans and Seas” ©2026 March 3, 2026