The Holy Pause

Scripture: Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing near the Nile.So Pharaoh summoned Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed clothes, and appeared before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, but no one could interpret it. Then I heard that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.”Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, no one is as intelligent and wise as you are. You will be in charge of my kingdom, and all my people will obey your command. Only as the enthroned king will I be greater than you.” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Know this: I’ve given you authority over the entire land of Egypt.”Consider:I don’t know what Joseph’s brother’s plans were when they threw him down a well. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess they didn’t actually have a plan beyond getting rid of their annoying little brother as if they were throwing away a pebble in the shoe. But insofar as they had a plan, it didn’t end up becoming Pharaoh’s right hand man and the most powerful man in Egypt.I’m sure there were points in this story where Joseph wasn’t particularly sure where on God’s map he was either. Finding yourself in the bottom of a well, then sold into slavery, then in prison doesn’t feel like you’re headed to the x marks the spot of the buried treasure. I’d imagine Joseph found himself lost in the desert and considered himself abandoned and forgotten.Except God knew exactly where Joseph was on the map. Joseph’s GPS may have been broken, but God had an eagle eye view of the path and could see where each step Joseph took would take him.I took the youth group to a corn maze once. This may have been the hardest maze ever constructed because one of the youth advisors in my group was a Green Beret and couldn’t figure out where we were. At one point we stumbled into the middle of the maze, to find a man, standing on a bridge, watching us as we moved about the maze. He was there, it seems, to make sure nobody got too lost or ended up too frustrated and afraid to move forward. He stood on the bridge watching, waiting, ready to offer help when it was needed.God is like that man on the bridge for us. Not directing every step or placing obstacles in our way or mixing up the paths, but watching, waiting, seeing our progress through this maze of life and ready to offer help when we need it. We may feel lost, but God knows exactly where we are on the map.Respond:Christian Hope is built on the repeated telling of stories where God has shown up in the darkest hours throughout history. The stories we read from the Old and New Testaments are meant to help us find and shore up our anchor in the midst of storms.Where do you feel lost today? Is there a particularly difficult part of your map which has you turned around, frustrated, or confused? Imagine God standing on the bridge, ready to point in the right direction. Where do you think God would be pointing you today?Pray:Watching God, we are lost. Not all the time, not everyday, but some days we find ourselves in a maze without a clear sense of where to go next. Help us to find the next step. Remind us to look towards the bridge where you stand waiting and watching. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.Consider:One of my favorite stories in all of inventing history is the discovery and creation of the post-it note. In 1968, Dr. Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, was trying to develop a super-strong adhesive for the aerospace industry. At high speeds and excessive heat the existing glues melted and things fell apart, which is not what you want to have happen as you are leaving the atmosphere. He was tasked with creating a glue strong enough to withstand both the heat and pressure of space travel, along with the vibration that comes with sitting on top of a rocket.Dr. Silver utterly failed. He did end up creating an adhesive, but it was the exact opposite of what he had expected. Instead of being stronger than existing adhesives, he created a “low-tack” one which adhesive stuck to surfaces but could be easily peeled off without leaving a residue. It was, by industrial standards, a complete failure because it didn’t produce the result they were expecting.Which is when God steps in. Years later, a colleague realized it was the perfect solution for a bookmark that wouldn’t fall out of his hymnal when he went to the next song. And so, the Post-it Note was born—a multi-billion dollar “accident” found in thousands of hymnals every sunday.When we plot and plan out our path towards a predictable and expected outcome, we feel in control and centered in the future we are sure God has planned for us - because surely God’s plan matches ours, right? When the unexpected come or the path takes a turn away from our route into the future, it causes us uncertainty, bewilderment, and often a deep ache and confusion. Human foresight is often limited by what we want to see, but God’s vision is broader, wider, and deeper than ours, so what if we saw those closed doors as an opportunity instead of a failure? Maybe we didn’t end up where we expected but when we find ourselves in a spot which is unexpected with scenery we don’t recognize, we can find ways to view them as opportunities and not failures. Respond:When was the last time you invented a sticky note? Instead of seeing “failures” or limitations as the end of the story, how could you use God’s creativity to help you find possibilities in this new surrounding? Pray:Father God, This way of faith is full of obstacles, and we are often discouraged when we can’t see the Promised Land beyond the next turn. Fill our hearts with your goodness, open our eyes to see, feel and taste your goodness that we may persevere in answering your call. In the name of Jesus we pray. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: About that time King Herod began to harass some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, John’s brother, killed with a sword. 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 He put Peter in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers, sixteen in all, who guarded him. He planned to charge him publicly after the Passover. 5 While Peter was held in prison, the church offered earnest prayer to God for him.Consider:When pressure rises—whether in our own lives or in the world around us—it’s easy to withdraw, to become self-protective, or to assume nothing will really change, especially if it’s a big problem that makes us feel small and alone. As easy as it would have been for the early church to fall apart amid the level of pressure it was under, the community of the early church chose a different path: they leaned toward one another and toward God.Christian hope is not an individual feeling; it’s a shared practice; it’s not a noun, it’s an action verb! And shared hope softens us. It makes us more patient with difficult people, more generous with our time, and more willing to step into the needs of our city. It also gives weight to our words. When we speak about hope, it isn’t theoretical—it’s something people can see embodied in how we show up for one another.The church doesn’t respond to fear by scattering into private despair. They gather. They pray. They carry Peter’s burden together. Their hope isn’t rooted in circumstances (which are grim), but in God’s character and power. And importantly, that hope expresses itself communally—it moves outward, binding them to one another.That has real implications for how we live now.When our hope is truly rooted in our faith, it reshapes how we treat our neighbors. We’re less guarded, less transactional. We don’t just ask, “What do I get?” but “What can I give?” because our security isn’t at stake, therefore generosity feels a whole lot easier to engage with. Like the early church, we begin to carry one another—through prayer, encouragement, practical help. Hope makes us present and unafraid of “running out” of anything.In a cynical world, arguments alone rarely persuade. But a community that refuses to give up on each other, that keeps showing up, that prays when things look impossible, that gives hope a strength that can’t be diminished! Respond:Who are you carrying in prayer right now? Where have you drifted into isolated faith instead of shared hope? And how might your daily interactions—at home, at work, in our neighborhoods—look different if we believed our hope was secure in Christ? Take a moment to “inventory” your hope today, and see where it may have room to expand outward with a little faith bump! Pray:Thank You that our hope is not fragile or fleeting, but anchored in You. In moments when fear or discouragement try to isolate us, draw us back into community. Teach us to carry one another faithfully—to pray with urgency, to love with consistency, and to show up when it matters most.We trust You with what feels uncertain, and we place our hope in Your unchanging faithfulness.Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;it is good to wait quietlyfor the salvation of the Lord.Consider:I think the hardest part of any interaction with the medical field is the space between when you start to feel bad and when someone gives you a diagnosis. I’m normally a pretty patient person - except in a doctor’s office waiting room. It’s not that I don’t understand all the things happening behind closed doors, the way the Assistants and Staff scurry about preparing the room and the provider, reviewing the chart, and familiarizing yourself with the details of the coming interaction. I get all that.But I feel bad.So I’m grumpy and short-tempered and impatient and snarly. It’s not much different when I’m waiting with my sick kids, because while they are the ones feeling bad, I feel bad because I can’t make them feel better, so now add the frustration and impotence of not having my private store of appropriate medical supplies.I took one of my kids to the doctor a couple of weeks ago for a cough and fever which wouldn’t go away. And though there wasn’t currently a sore throat because of the prevalence of strep throat, the provider thought it best to run a PCR strep test which takes 30 minutes. And while I’m all for caution - It’s hard to wait on a test that’s just going to say negative or no result.We can often feel the same way with God in the space between. There is often a time between when the crisis comes and when the next steps of the process can begin. We find ourselves waiting on God in the waiting room of life for what feels like forever. What we can’t see is the scurrying behind the curtain, the reviewing of the chart, and the preparing of a room for you in God’s office.When we can’t see what God is doing next, we often feel grumpy and short-tempered and impatient and snarly. Those reactions aren’t sinful or wrong - they are normal and human.Lamentations reminds us while we are waiting to remember God’s steadfast love for us. While we may feel as if God is silent, that doesn’t mean God is absent. Sometimes, God is just sitting quietly with us in the next chair, holding our hand while the testing machines whirl. More often, God is working for our future, preparing a path for us, and making sure there are water stations along the way. Sometimes, God is preparing a place for us in his house. All of those are holy waitings, but not empty or unused. They are important and precious times of rest, before we begin what is next.Respond:Christian Hope is built on the repeated telling of stories where God has shown up in the darkest hours throughout history. The stories we read from the Old and New Testaments are meant to help us find and shore up our anchor in the midst of storms.Is there something for which you are waiting or somewhere you find yourself in between? What kind of waiting are you doing? Take a moment and imagine God working away in the background. What kind of work do you imagine God doing to prepare for you?Pray:Redeeming God, we are not very good at the in-between moments of waiting. Remind us while we feel static and frozen, you are not and give us an extra dose of patience when ours is found wanting. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.Consider:You know, I have found myself more than twice (a lot more) thinking “if I can just do this thing” or “if this moment would just end…” I would be willing to bet I’ve spent a good portion of my life wishing away time, waiting for something external to change, and hoping that something other than my own faith or understanding would shift in order to improve my circumstances. After all, the easy work is assuming everything that is wrong is external, and everything that can be done about it is outside of my control, right? At first glance, Paul’s advice in this scripture clashes with how we naturally think about hardship. It definitely doesn’t jive with the concept of general secular optimism… the idea that if we wait it out, circumstances will improve. It sounds like: “Things will probably work out,” or “This won’t last forever.” That mindset isn’t necessarily wrong, but it’s fragile when it is the only thing that we hang our hopes on; because when things get worse instead of better, or do last longer than expected, optimism collapses because it was built on conditional expectations, not solid faith. Paul , in this passage, is pointing us toward something sturdier: biblical hope.When optimism says, “Things will get better if I wait it out,” real Hope says, “God is faithful, no matter what happens next.” Even if the situation doesn’t change, hope hangs in and the spirit of the individual sustains itself through faith in God’s steadiness. Why does this vocabulary and perspective shift matter? Because biblical hope doesn’t depend on circumstances aligning with our preferences. It depends on the unchanging nature of God. When circumstances are good, Hope is steady. When circumstances fall apart, Hope is still steady.That’s the dividing line.Secular optimism rises and falls with headlines, diagnoses, bank accounts, and relationships. Biblical hope remains because God remains.So the question isn’t: “Will things get better?”The deeper question is: “Is God still who He has revealed Himself to be?”Our response, held in Hope, can confidently be yes. Respond:Where in your life are you relying on things improving rather than trusting in who God is? What would it look like to shift from optimism about outcomes to confidence in God’s character?Pray:God, teach me to anchor my hope not in changing circumstances but in Your unchanging nature. When life is uncertain, remind me that You are not. Form in me the kind of endurance and character that leads to a hope that cannot be shaken. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool, inscribed with a flint point,on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.Even their children remember their altars and Asherah polesbeside the spreading trees and on the high hills.My mountain in the land and your wealth and all your treasuresI will give away as plunder, together with your high places, because of sin throughout your country.Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you.I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know,for you have kindled my anger, and it will burn forever.”This is what the Lord says:“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes.They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.Consider:I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve met with someone at the end of a job (or career) who’s said something like: I gave 60 hours a week to this company for 24 years and all I got was a goodbye party and a cake. They won’t even notice I’m gone in two months. On a similar vein, my husband had a manager at Walgreens who was fond of telling employees they were all replaceable. They could work or not work - the store was going to be open the next day either way. The manager saw it as a way to encourage employees to work harder, but I’m not sure if it didn’t have the exact opposite effect, because it forced them to put the job into perspective.How often do we put our trust in things like our work ethics, the ethics of the company we work for, the number in our bank account or size of our 401(k), or the words of a politician or celebrity only to be let down in the end when the reality of human sin takes effect. All the things of earth are like grass, the prophet Isaiah says - and why would put our trust in impermanent, temporary things which don’t have the power to stay any longer than the wind which blows them away?These are all “false hopes” we often lean on: bank accounts, career titles, relationships, or political shifts. We so often misplace our trust in the tangible things just beyond our finger tips, putting misplaced reliance on that which came from dust and will return to dust.The words of this prophecy in Jeremiah might seem harsh and difficult to hear, but it names an often unspoken truth which was as real in Jeremiah’s time as it is in ours. Human hearts will fail us because they are held within someone who is fallible and as sin-filled as ours. This doesn’t mean no one is trustworthy - there are lots of people who do their very best to live honorable and courageous lives. But the farther away someone is from our everyday, the less hope we should entrust to them.Instead, hope must be found in the renewing stream of the one source which never runs dry or lets us down from fatigue, corruption, or greed. When we anchor our hope in God, we find ourselves able to view those who would claim our loyalty with a bit of remove, remembering always they are more likely to disappoint than to save.The shift from “false hope” to “true hope” isn’t about becoming a lazy employee or a cynical citizen; it’s about right-sizing these things in our hearts and placing them in their proper placeTo be like the tree in Jeremiah, we have to grow downward before we grow outward. If our roots are deep in the “renewing stream” of God’s grace, we can handle a dry season at work or a disappointment in politics.When we stop asking our jobs or our bank accounts to give us a sense of ultimate worth—something they were never designed to provide—we actually become better at those jobs. We work with a sense of “remove,” as the devotion says. We can be diligent without being desperate, and loyal without being lost.Respond:Christian Hope is built on the repeated telling of stories where God has shown up in the darkest hours throughout history. The stories we read from the Old and New Testaments are meant to help us find and shore up our anchor in the midst of storms.Where have you unintentionally outsourced your peace of mind to a person or system that doesn’t actually have your best interests in mind? How might reclaiming that hope and placing it back in the “renewing stream” change your outlook this week?Pray:Claiming God, We often confuse loyalty with security. Remind us when we begin to believe our value is tied to a title or a label that can be deleted from a spreadsheet in a single afternoon, our peace of mind will always be fragile. Help us instead to root our identities in your love for us and our identity as children of God. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.Consider:When we first started buying children’s furniture, it was in the wild west days where children’s furniture had started being made out of really light, cheap wood or wood-equivalents, but before they started coming with attachment anchors we supposedly secured them to the wall. (I say supposedly because one time we did actually secure them to the wall and it just ripped out when my son climbed on it. Studs are not always aligned with where you want to put your furniture.)In those bad old days, it was not totally unusual to see videos of children climbing on top of all manner of furniture - dressers, changing tables, nightstands and bookcases - only to be followed by the whole kit and caboodle tipping over leading to often tragic results. Way before then in the really bad old days, I broke my toe trying to turn on my mother’s pull-know TV set which had been placed on a changing table.Anchors are important, if only because they root us into the ground. This Psalm was written during a tumultuous time in the life of Israel, where wars of conquest were being attempted around Israel’s borders, often requiring the king and all his horses to venture out onto the front line of battle. When the troops are deployed, the towns from which they came would feel emptier, more desolate, and were likely without their strongest and most capable citizens. You can almost hear the crying out - Where is my hope? Who can I hold on to? Where can I find rest?The Christian Discipline of hope is so important not because it’s a pie in the sky wish or dream, but because it anchors us into the ground which does not move. When the earth trembles and the sky falls, the anchor keeps up upright in the midst of the gale.But - and here’s the tricky part - the anchor has to be screwed into the furniture before the kid decides to climb on it. Hope is not something we can pull up on a chain and then let splash into the ocean. We must develop it and build it, remembering and retelling our experiences with God, before the storm comes in order for the anchor of hope to hold when the great weight of trial and tribulation comes.Respond:Christian Hope is built on the repeated telling of stories where God has shown up in the darkest hours throughout history. The stories we read from the Old and New Testaments are meant to help us find and shore up our anchor in the midst of storms.What stories do you have to tell? Look back on times in your life where you have had an obstacle to overcome? What did you learn from those experiences which you could bring forward into the future? Start of a collection of stories and times where God showed up which you can refer to in the moments where you feel unable to look towards the future with hope.Pray:Ancient God, we are so thankful your wisdom passes our own understanding. Help us to tap into our roots when our limbs grow weak or tired, so we will know that the story of what has been can shape the story of what will be. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing.He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive.He guides me in proper paths for the sake of his good name.Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me.Your rod and your staff— they protect me.You set a table for me right in front of my enemies.You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over!Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house as long as I live.Consider:We live in a culture obsessed with the “arrival.” We post the photo of the mountain peak, the graduation cap, or the keys to the new house. We treat the space between where we are and where we want to be as a hurdle to be cleared or a nuisance to be endured. However, spiritual life rarely operates in straight lines or instant results. In the kingdom of God, the process isn’t just the path to the prize—the process is the prize.Perhaps no passage of Scripture illustrates this better than Psalm 23. While we often read it at funerals as a final destination of peace, it is actually a rugged travelogue of a life lived in motion.The Psalm begins not with a throne room, but with a pasture: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” A shepherd’s entire job is movement. Sheep cannot stay in one place indefinitely; they would overgraze the land and starve. To thrive, they must move.When David writes about “green pastures” and “still waters,” he isn’t describing a permanent resort. He is describing the pit stops. These are moments of grace designed to nourish us for the next leg of the trip. If we become too obsessed with the “destination” of perfect comfort, we miss the voice of the Shepherd who is already whispering, “It’s time to move again.”The heart of the journey’s value is found in verse 4:“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”Notice the word through. The valley isn’t the destination, but it is the place where the deepest intimacy is forged. You don’t need a guide on a sunlit highway; you need a guide in the shadows. We often pray for God to teleport us to the mountaintop, but God knows that we don’t grow on the peaks—we grow in the valleys. The “destination” mindset makes us resent the hard seasons, but the “journey” mindset realizes that the Shepherd is closer in the dark than He ever felt in the light.Even when David mentions the “table” prepared for him, it is set “in the presence of my enemies.” This isn’t a quiet dining room at the end of a war; it’s a feast in the middle of the battlefield. God offers us joy and refueling while the journey is still difficult.The Psalm ends with a destination: “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” But look at what follows David until he gets there: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” If you are waiting for everything to be “settled” before you start enjoying your life with God, you will be waiting forever. The journey isn’t the obstacle to your relationship with the Divine; it is the laboratory where that relationship is tested, refined, and made real.Respond:The Shepherd isn’t just waiting for you at the finish line—He is walking beside you in the dust. Embrace the pace He has set. The destination is secure, so you are finally free to focus on the walk.Take five minute walk. Take a breath and look to your left and right as you walk, with no hurry, no rush, no plans. Just walk.Where are you trying to rush to today?Pray:Ancient God, help us to be bold when there is a path currently in front of us that looks appealing but feels "uncertain" or "unmapped". Show us the very first step we can take down that path this week, even if we don't know where it ends. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Ephesians 3: 10-21 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.Consider:This portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is a shift in tone and focus from what came before. He has been working to explain the mystery of Christ and his own inability to comprehend it, let alone teach it to others well. This particular passage shifts from explanation and rallying cry for continued faith, to a reminder that his suffering is not in vain, and finally a pretty excited and bold prayer for his community. Paul suggests that the church isn’t just a gathering of people; it is a signal to the entire universe. By living in a community that transcends old divisions or hardships, we move our focus from argument or blame and have the ability to truly commit to love and justice that moves forward, not backward. If we as a beloved community do that, we provide a testimony to God’s love that has a profound and lasting ripple effect!To achieve forward motion and focus on God’s will, Paul prays for an inner change (change of heart) rather than a change in circumstances. He asks for us to be “rooted and grounded in love.” Like a tree with deep roots or a building with a solid foundation, our stability doesn’t come from our own willpower, but from being anchored in the soil of Divine Love.Paul uses a beautiful, almost mathematical metaphor to describe the scale of God’s grace, which covers: * The Breadth: Reaching out to every corner of humanity.* The Length: Extending through all of time.* The Height: Reaching the peak of our potential.* The Depth: Descending into our deepest pains and shadows.NOTHING is too far away from God’s grace to be touched by it. Nothing. And so, the prayer concludes with one of the most famous benedictions in the Bible…"To God be the glory, forever and ever.” It serves as a reminder that anytime we lose sight of the anchor point, God’s glory, we must find our way back and regain our focus. When we point to something other than the glory of God in our justice seeking, in our efforts to love our neighbors AND our enemies, in our efforts to kingdom build, we miss the point. Paul’s prayer almost shouts to us the love, the expectation, and the joy that glorifying God in all we do can bring. Pray:Gracious God, may we be rooted so deeply in Your love that we become a living sign of Your wisdom. Strengthen our inner beings, expand our capacity to understand the vastness of Your grace, and remind us that Your power is at work within us—even when we feel small. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: The Lord proclaims: When Babylon’s seventy years are up, I will come and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me. I will be present for you, declares the Lord, and I will end your captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have scattered you, and I will bring you home after your long exile, declares the Lord.Consider:In my Bible, this chapter of Jeremiah is entitled “disturbing hope”. Disturbing hope feels contradictory. Isn’t hope supposed to make you feel better? Doesn’t hope bring with it joy and possibility?This idea of hope as a net positive runs up against the reality of those times where hope feels cruel instead of kind. We often mistake hope for optimism—a sunny disposition that things will naturally improve. But optimism is based on circumstances, whereas hope is based on a Promise. In the Book of Jeremiah, hope is “disturbing” because it usually arrives only after the false comforts we’ve built for ourselves have been torn down.Hope is disturbing because it demands the death of our current “maps.” We want a hope that guarantees we won’t get hurt or lost. But biblical hope often looks you in the eye while you are standing in the middle of a disaster and says, “This is not the end, but it will be different than you planned.” It is cruel to our ego because it forces us to admit we aren’t in control. It disturbs our peace because it calls us out of the house without backup snacks or a clear destination.If we are clinging to a hope that is merely “wishing for the best,” you are essentially huddling together for warmth while the house is on fire. Disturbing hope is the voice tells you to run into the night because there is a better inheritance waiting, to move away from the destructive fire and towards the relative safety of the outside. It is “disturbing” because it requires movement.True hope is an active, gritty thing. It’s the “courageous act” because it often requires us to wait in the “uncertainty of the destination” while God works on our character. It doesn’t make us “feel better” by removing the storm; it makes us better by giving us the strength to walk through it.When we stop trying to “pre-plan” our way out of suffering, hope stops being a burden and starts being a bridge. We are set free to act boldly not because the path is easy, but because the One who called us is faithful. Hope reminds us while we might lose something precious in the motion, but we will never lose the One who is leading the way.Respond:Does the idea of this kind of “disturbing hope” feel more like a weight or a relief to you right now?If hope feels like a burden, sit for a moment in that tension and try to identify the root reason underneath that feeling of burden or despair.If hope feels like relief, how can you embrace the uncertainty of the outcome which may come with this sense of freedom and release?Pray:Ancient God, help us to be bold when there is a path currently in front of us that looks appealing but feels "uncertain" or "unmapped". Show us the very first step we can take down that path this week, even if we don't know where it ends. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, doesn’t welcome us. Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what he has done—making unjustified and wicked accusations against us. And as if that were not enough, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters but stops those who want to do so and even throws them out of the church! Dear friend, don’t imitate what is bad but what is good. Whoever practices what is good belongs to God. Whoever practices what is bad has not seen God.Consider:There is an old adage in social psychology that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. While this is often discussed in terms of productivity or professional success, it carries a much deeper spiritual weight. Our journey—the path our heart takes, the rhythm of our character, and the direction of our faith—is profoundly defined by the company we keep.In this passage from 3rd John, the author reminds us the people who are around us on our journey are incredibly important, an echo of the words found in proverbs that “Iron Shapes Iron, just as one man shapes another.” This isn’t just a metaphor for improvement; it is an acknowledgment of our inherent design. We were not created to be islands. We are porous creatures, constantly absorbing the attitudes, language, and spiritual postures of those in our inner circle. If those closest to us carry a spirit of gratitude, we find ourselves noticing the sunlight through the trees. If they carry a spirit of cynicism, even the brightest days begin to look gray.Consider the “Inner Five” as the architects of your daily environment. They are the ones who hear your unpolished thoughts and witness your quietest struggles. Because of this proximity, they hold the power to either reinforce your highest callings or feed your deepest insecurities. When your circle is composed of people who pursue truth, practice kindness, and walk with integrity, your own journey toward those virtues becomes a shared momentum rather than an uphill climb.However, defining our journey through others is not just about what we receive, but about the collective direction in which we are moving. Are the five people closest to you looking toward the same horizon? When one person stumbles, the strength of the other four determines how quickly they rise. A journey is rarely defined by a single heroic leap; it is defined by the consistent, daily influence of the voices that whisper in our ears and the hands that hold ours.Respond:Take a moment to reflect on your current circle. Do they challenge you to be the best version of yourself? Do they offer grace when you fail and accountability when you drift? Our journey is too long and too difficult to walk with those who do not cherish the destination. Choose your companions with intention, for they are more than just friends—they are the mirrors in which you see your future self.Pray:Ancient God, help us to be bold when there is a path currently in front of us that looks appealing but feels "uncertain" or "unmapped". Show us the very first step we can take down that path this week, even if we don't know where it ends. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Dear friend, you act faithfully in whatever you do for our brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers. They spoke highly of your love in front of the church. You all would do well to provide for their journey in a way that honors God, because they left on their journey for the sake of Jesus Christ without accepting any support from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to help people like this so that we can be coworkers with the truth. Consider:In the era I call PK - Pre-Kids - my husband and I loved to take a day to go hiking - but we were not what you would call “pre-planners”. Often, I’d just pick a spot on the map, we’d drive there, then we’d take whatever path looked appealing at the time. For a little while Post-Kids, we tried to do the same things - just pick whatever path appealed and it mostly worked out fine, until the one time we picked a path which crossed a fairly rapid river and, while everyone else made it across ok, I fell and dropped my daughter’s favorite stuffy - the one she carried everywhere and I had promised to protect. It was a disaster. We started looking ahead to make sure any path we picked didn’t have any streams to cross.When was the last time you set out on a path uncertain of the destination? In a world where maps are at your fingertips, we no longer step out into the world unaware or unprepared for what happens along the way. We almost never step out the door without a destination in mind. However, this is contrary to the action our ancestors took when building the early church and initially spreading the good news of the gospel. “They left on their journey for the sake of Jesus Christ without accepting any support from the Gentiles”. I don’t leave my house without back up water and a snack in case I get hungry.What would it look like if we learned to live a little more boldly when it comes to acts of faith? Are we afraid of what might happen if we “mess up”? Living into grace and the freedom God provides us isn’t so we have extra time to watch TV. Instead, we are set free in our to act courageously because we do not have to worry about our future. When we say “God is in control”, that isn’t so we don’t have responsibility, it’s so we can step out our spiritual front door and go down the path God makes for us - even and especially when we don’t know the destination.Respond:Take a few moments to consider the "disaster" of dropping a prized possession. What specific "failure" or "mess up" are you most afraid would happen if you followed a path without a clear map? Then ask, how likely is this to happen to me? What is the one next step I can take towards the unknown which leaves me short of encountering this biggest fear?Pray:Ancient God, help us to be bold when there is a path currently in front of us that looks appealing but feels "uncertain" or "unmapped". Show us the very first step we can take down that path this week, even if we don't know where it ends. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you don’t get eaten up by each other!Consider:As the parent of a pre-teen girl, this verse speaks to me in a deep and fundamental way. Why is it middle school girls feel the need to rip each other apart?Of course, I look around our world and notice it is not only preteen girls who want to rip each other apart. It seems many people in our world enjoy nothing more than tearing each other apart. Whether it’s judgement of the crual but silent variety - at least I don’t do that! we think - or the more insidious anonymous comments and insults from behind our screens we seem to revel in separating ourselves from the “other”. Often times we are most cruel to the people nearest by.I’ve grown dispondent over the ways we use descriptors and adjectives to demean and belittle each other. There’s nothing worse than being a Duke Blue Devil (or conversely a Tar Heel). Our family (semi-jokingly) boos Michigan whenever we hear the word. That’s somewhat innocuous and fun as long as it doesn’t go too far.But of course, it goes too far all the time. There’s nothing worse in some people’s eyes than being a liberal. In others, all Republicans are fascists. That doesn’t even go into the casual throwing around of racial and ethnic stereotypes my Middle School Teacher husband has had to stop in his classroom. But - they say - that’s how we talk at home.And where has this gotten us to? We are more dividied than ever and more isolated than ever. Loneliness is an epidemic, and love is a dirty word.What would it look like if we really sought to live as Paul commands us to in this passage. What if we followed the advice “not to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love”? We’d find ourselves in a much different world. As followers of Christ, we can be the ones to boldly proclaim that we love our neighbors, no matter what. We can lead the conversation around acceptance and mutual forebearance and we can choose not to use our identity markers as weapons, but joyful expressions of God’s diverse world.What might our world, our church, our lives look like then?Respond:It can be tempting to separate ourselves into camps or silos, looking out for our own interests first. Where do you see God calling you to bridge a divide instead of building one? Consider one step you can take today to put down your sticks and pick up an invitation instead.Pray:God of light, help me to see myself as you see me, a child of the light. Lift the veil from my view which limits how well I can see myself or others, so that I may more fully bask in your glory. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.Look, I, Paul, am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, having Christ won’t help you. Again I swear to every man who has himself circumcised that he is required to do the whole Law. You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace! We eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit by faith. Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter.You were running well—who stopped you from obeying the truth? This line of reasoning doesn’t come from the one who calls you. A little yeast works through the whole lump of dough. I’m convinced about you in the Lord that you won’t think any other way. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever that may be. Brothers and sisters, if I’m still preaching circumcision, why am I still being harassed? In that case, the offense of the cross would be canceled. I wish that the ones who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!Consider:Paul gets really upset at what he considers artifical rules or structures which, in his opinion, prevent people from experiencing the fullness of God’s freedom. They say there is no Zealot like a convert, and Paul is no exception to that rule. Pre-conversion on the Road to Damascus Paul was all about the rules and was often the first to stone someone who didn’t follow them to the letter. Post-conversion, he goes 100% in the other direction - not wanting any rules at all, creating situation by situation structures and systems for each church’s bespoke needs.That - as they say - is no way to build a railroad. As the church grew it started to lay down universal rules and structures across all the different places and spaces which were part of this new movement. Creeds and Confessions popped up defining exactly what you were allowed to believe and think - and those were taken so seriously people were at one point burned at the stake for heresies like wanting to own their own Bible in a language they could read and understand. There has always been a tension between the structure of the institution and the freedom Christ (and St. Paul) proclaim to be ours in God. While we say we want unlimited freedom, the truth is, most of us need some boundaries and structures in order to feel safe and secure. We want a parent to lay down rules for us, to the point where most people struggle in their 20s to figure out how to recreate those rules for themselves. We feel uncertain and unsafe when there are not clear expectations. The freedom of God’s grace doesn’t always feel like freedom. Sometimes we hear the words “God loves you just as you are” and think, “Yeah - but how do I know we are doing the right thing? How do we know God loves us if there isn’t a checklist of expectations?”The challenge for most of us is to actually hear the good news of the gospel - God gives us freedom and love in equal measure, not conditioned by how well we follow the Ten Commandments. Which is the good news because most of us would fail that test. Maybe the biggest test of faith is how well we can follow the rules, but whether or not we can own God’s love wholly and completely without linking it to our behavior or the thoughts and beliefs in our head. It’s hard work because it is not only counter-cultural, it goes against 3000 years of training. But the freedom to act out of gratitude instead of obligation is a gift we all deserve to open.Respond:How do you find yourself limiting God’s grace on your life? We often try to set up rules, ones which allow us to cast judgement on ourselves and others so we know if we (or they) are “in” or “out”. If God’s grace is the defining factor of your value, how would your attitude towards yourself change?Pray:God of light, help me to see myself as you see me, a child of the light. Lift the veil from my view which limits how well I can see myself or others, so that I may more fully bask in your glory. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: So, since we have such a hope, we act with great confidence. We aren’t like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites couldn’t watch the end of what was fading away. But their minds were closed. Right up to the present day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil is not removed because it is taken away by Christ. Even today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. But whenever someone turns back to the Lord, the veil is removed. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror. We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.Consider:There is a lot of historical debate about the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament - even centering around the question of whether Old Testament and New Testament are the right names by which we should refer to these stories! A full outlay of those debates is beyond the scope of this devotion (and is probably exceedingly boring and confusing!), but it is important to recognize the question at its heart. If Jesus came and created a new covenant for all people, how should we look at and understand the Old Testament. Opinions vary from “not at all important” to “vital and really important and you should do everything it says to do.” This is one of those few occasions where picking the middle answer is probably right.Paul here talks about the light which shown over the Hebrew people on Mt. Sinai, the one which illuminated their relationship with God as being law based. This is the “veil” he talks about Moses wearing. Paul understood the law as serving an important, but faded purpose, because it helped reveal who God was in relationship to the chosen people while also defining what their responsibilities were to God. After Jesus, this veil was no longer needed, because now the Spirit gives the light which defines who are we are as God’s chosen people. It was no longer the law which gave us identity, but Jesus’ claim on our lives.We so often chose the limits, the guardrails, of the law because grace leaves us uncertain. Who are we if we don’t have clear boundary lines over who is in and out? Grace leaves us feeling so … uncertain.Jesus’ light shines on us without filter. This allows the gift of seeing our identity and value through that lens - the one of unconditional love and grace. Our value is not assigned by how well we follow the rules, but how fully we can see God loves us. So let the love of God shine on you, unfiltered and free. Respond:How do you find yourself limiting God’s grace on your life? We often try to set up rules, ones which allow us to cast judgement on ourselves and others so we know if we (or they) are “in” or “out”. If God’s grace is the defining factor of your value, how would your attitude towards yourself change?Pray:God of light, help me to see myself as you see me, a child of the light. Lift the veil from my view which limits how well I can see myself or others, so that I may more fully bask in your glory. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27Then Moses had Israel leave the Reed Sea and go out into the Shur desert. They traveled for three days in the desert and found no water. When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink Marah’s water because it was bitter. That’s why it was called Marah. The people complained against Moses, “What will we drink?” Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord pointed out a tree to him. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.The Lord made a regulation and a ruling there, and there he tested them. The Lord said, “If you are careful to obey the Lord your God, do what God thinks is right, pay attention to his commandments, and keep all of his regulations, then I won’t bring on you any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water.Consider:Our journey often begins with a song of victory - we seem so certain of the destination and confident we will reach it with no issues or obstacles. In Exodus 15, the Israelites have just witnessed a miracle at the Red Sea. They are ready to conquer the wilderness and claim their destiny. But only three days later, the singing stops. They reach Marah, find the water bitter, and their ambition turns into grumbling.This movement from the Red Sea to the bitter waters of Marah reveals a fundamental truth: Ambition without endurance is merely a temporary burst of adrenaline.In verse 22, Moses leads the people into the Desert of Shur. For three days, they find no water. When they finally do find a spring, it is undrinkable. These are the inevitable setbacks that meet any pursuit, but which seem so surprising when we encounter them.We often expect a linear path from the beginning promise to the promised land. We expect our “fire” to carry us through. However, the fulfillment of a goal depends less on the speed of the start and more on the source of the endurance.When Moses cries out, God shows him a piece of wood. When Moses throws it into the water, the water becomes sweet.God did not perform a new miracle by falling rain from the sky, instead pointing Moses to something already growing nearby. Obstacles along our journey often blind us to the resources right in front of us. We are so focused on the horizon we miss the “tree”—the mentor, the small adjustment, or the shift in perspective—that can turn a bitter situation into a sweet opportunity.If the Israelites had let their frustration at Marah cause them to turn back, they never would have reached the abundance of Elim. This is the “stewardship” of our journey. True success is not just about survival; it is about reaching a place where there is enough “water” and “shade” for everyone you are leading.Respond:Are you currently at the Red Sea (celebrating), at Marah (facing bitterness), or at Elim (enjoying abundance)?Each part of the journey reminds us to look for the gift of endurance - and to rely on the resources already around us. What resources do you have available to you which would help you take the next step in your journey?Pray:Leading God, We often begin our journeys with joy and celebration, so certain of its success. Help us to see obstacles not as a stopping point or reason for bitterness, but as a step along the path. Show us the water lying just underneath the obstacles which will help us find our next step towards the oasis you’ve promised. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Isaiah 41:1-10Be quiet before me, coastlands. Let the nations renew their strength. Let them approach and speak. Let’s draw near for a judgment.Who has awakened one from the east and has authority to summon him to serve— giving him nations, conquering kings, making them like dust with his sword, like scattered straw with his bow?He pursues them and passes untouched, needing no path for his feet.Who has acted and who has done this, calling upon generation after generation since the beginning? I, the Lord, was first, and I will be the last!The coastlands see and fear; the ends of the earth tremble; they draw near and arrive.Each helps the other, each saying to the other, “Take courage!”The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who smoothes with the hammer encourages the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “That’s good,” and strengthening it with nails so it won’t move.But you, Israel my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, offspring of Abraham, whom I love,you whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant; I chose you and didn’t reject you”:Don’t fear, because I am with you; don’t be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand.Consider:As a child, I was in the “gifted and talented” program - they call it something else these days. A specialist came to my school and administered the equivalent of an IQ test. I remember puzzles to be solved, blocks to be sorted, and patterns to be recognized - all logic problems which were supposed to identify someone as “academically gifted.” My parents got a report which they never let me see (I found it years later when helping them to pack up for a move) because - I was told - they thought I would use the number at the top to make my brother feel bad. I’m very thankful for the opportunities that testing opened for me and while this may sound like a humble brag - it’s really not. Because while I got the label and the extra classes (and expectations), what I remember the most was how much I wished I was more like my brother. More easily social, more confident, more athletic, more studious. It’s sort of like your hair - you always want the gift you can’t have. Isaiah reminds us every person’s unique ability is important and essential. If every person had the same gift, our society would collapse. While our culture seems to lift up some talents as MORE valuable than others (when was the last time they had a red carpet for Nurse of the Year?) God doesn’t see it that way. After all, God is the one who gave it to you. We are all gifted and talented and what God wants most of all is for us to use our abilities to the best of our abilities. God doesn’t want you to be me, God wants you to be the best version of yourself you can be - and that should be celebrated. Isaiah reminds us - Each helps the other, each saying to the other, “That’s good.”Respond:We often celebrate loud gifts like public speaking or leadership, but the quiet ones are equally important. Isaiah invites us to see those small, hidden gifts as important and valuable for God’s community. Identify one person in your life who has a “hidden” gift and acknowledge it to them today. Sometimes, we only see the value of our own gifts when we see them reflected in the appreciation of others.Similarly, what is one gift you’ve recently discovered you possess that you haven’t yet shared with your community?Pray:Divine Author, we thank you for the unique talents placed within our care. Teach us to cherish these gifts, not as possessions to hoard, but as seeds to sow. May we use our hands to build, our minds to solve, and our hearts to heal, enriching the world together. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture:Romans 8:26-30In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans. The one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because he pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will. We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.Consider:My sister is a Respiratory Therapist. She works for the overnight, weekend shift at her hospital, both for the pay differential and the lack of doctors milling about during the overnight shift. She likes the work and it fits her down to the ground - it’s quiet and consistent, requires calmness and a certain level of remove during times of stress or heightened emotions, and let’s her be available during the school week for her kids. Everything about it is perfect. For her.In the earlier years of her career, my brother-in-law and parents, to some extent, kept pushing her to go to medical school. She never expressed any desire to be a doctor, not even as a child playing with her barbies. (Her plan then was to be a doctor’s wife and go shopping a lot). After that ship didn’t sail, they switched to getting her to get her Master’s degree so she could be the supervising RT on shift. That’s didn’t fly either.The not so subtle message what that she was supposed to want to be a doctor. That there was something wrong with her for being satisified right where she was. Wouldn’t you rather be in charge and, you know, make more money? And truly, she wouldn’t. If she did what the people who were pressuring her wanted her to do, she’d be miserable. And eventually they saw that too. There is often a gap between what we are “supposed” to want or be and what we are actually called to do. We overreach when we feel we must “earn” our place or “prove” our value through constant upward mobility. Verses 29 and 30 argue that the “calling” and “glorification” are already set in motion - and that our value is not found in our bank account or titles at work. Our value rests in God, who has a vision for who you were meant to be.This verse suggests our purpose isn’t something you have to reach for with desperate hands; it is something you walk into with steady feet, because it suits us, it fits with the gifts we were given by the God who made us good. Respond:Sometimes we find ourselves doing something which makes us miserable. Life doesn’t always give us the choice to do what we want to do, but we also shouldn’t find ourselves being disconnected from our purpose.When is a time you have found yourself trying to live up to the spoken or unspoken expectations of others? How would you decide if those expectations were right for you or unrealistic “supposed to”s? Pray:Gifting God,Help us to remember you made us with specific gifts and specific purposes. Help us to see clearly past the pressures other people may put on us towards the future you have planned for us. We want to use our gifts for your glory. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.Consider:Ambition is double-edged sword. We are supposed to be ambitious enough to motivate us to get out of the house in the morning and go get a job. If a child is talented or shows academic gifts, their ambition is “supposed” to make us want to climb the corporate ladder, becoming the youngest CEO in the history of our 300 year old company. And it’s opposite, “that kid lacks ambition” is used to demean or degrade someone, as if the only gift someone can offer is their desire to achieve.This is a very individualistic view of our abilities - the idea being the only way to use those blessings is to personally succeed. But what if we looked at sharing our God-given gifts and talents from a different point of view - as stewarding those gifts for the blessing of our community? What if we understood God didn’t give us those talents for our own glorification, but for the betterment of our community? To be truly ambitious is to recognize one's talents not as personal possessions, but as resources held in trust for the benefit of the community; when we view our growth as stewardship, our success becomes a shared victory.Jesus is able to resist all those temptations in this particular passage not just because he has superhuman strength and moral clarity - it’s because he understood his responsibility not as an individual one, but a community one. He could have taken advantage of any one of the offers laid before him - I’m guessing after days in the desert he was pretty hungry - without compromising his status as “Son of God”. But that exact identity is what enabled him to say no. Jesus knew his gifts weren’t to be used simply for his own glory, but for the benefit of his entire community. He understood his personal growth - and achievement - only held meaning if it is done with and for his community. Ambition isn’t a dirty word if it’s put in its proper place - whatever blessing comes from our personal success is more fulfilling and meaningful if it’s a shared celebration.Respond:It’s easy to focus on the what (the title, the salary, the degree) of an accomplishment, but this devotion challenges us to dig into the impact of those goals and achievements. Take a minute to consider a current personal goal or a personal achievement from the past. With this goal or achievement in mind, consider if (when) you achieved this, who is the first person (outside of yourself) who benefits? How?What is one specific skill or resource you will gain (or did) through this ambition that you didn’t have before to offer others?Pray:Gifting God,May my personal fire light a shared path. Grant me the strength to climb, not for the height, but for the view it offers to help others. Let my success be a harvest for the hungry and my growth a shelter for the weary. May I lead with love and gratitude. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 15: 18-21“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.Consider:In this passage, Jesus speaks honestly to His disciples. He tells them that the world may reject them, misunderstand them, or even persecute them—not because they are doing wrong, but because they belong to Him and in this time and place, that came with a cost and a very real sense of uncertainty. It wasn’t the “tradition” of the religious past, it wasn’t the will of the current political leaders. It was radical, it was risky, and it meant taking some very real steps away from things that were comfortable. Believing in Christ can often be billed or packaged in very appealing wrapping: trust Him, follow Him, love others. A “one and done” type of commitment that gives you the golden ticket to heaven. Yet living out that faith can be difficult. Choosing honesty when others cheat, showing kindness when others mock, or standing firm in your beliefs when people around you disagree can feel lonely. Sometimes faith can put us at odds with the values of the world.But Jesus reminds us of something important: when we face rejection because of Him, we are walking the same road He walked first. The resistance we experience is not a sign that we are failing. Standing on faithful ground means walking the path of support for the weak, the vulnerable, those on the margins. And that is never as simple as it may sound. It can put us at odds with popular culture, but it is what faith looks like when it walks. Persecution does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it appears as quiet ridicule, social pressure, or being left out because of your convictions. Yet even in those moments, we aren’t alone. The God who created us, called us good, and commanded us to love one another as God loved us walks with us, each step of the faithful way.Faith isn’t proven when everything is easy. It grows when we choose to remain faithful even when it costs us something.Respond:Where in your life is it difficult to live out your faith right now? Think of one thing that could use your energy to support a little more fervently. What is one thing that feels complicated but right that you can turn your attention to now as an act of faith? Pray:Lord, following You isn’t always easy. When I face uncertainty, disagreement, or challenge, give me courage to remain faithful. Help me seek YOUR will over my own, especially when it isn’t simple or small. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 19:31-42It was the Preparation Day and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath, especially since that Sabbath was an important day. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of those crucified broken and the bodies taken down. Therefore, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who were crucified with Jesus. When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead so they didn’t break his legs. However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. The one who saw this has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he speaks the truth, and he has testified so that you also can believe. These things happened to fulfill the scripture, They won’t break any of his bones. And another scripture says, They will look at him whom they have pierced.After this Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one because he feared the Jewish authorities. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took the body away. Nicodemus, the one who at first had come to Jesus at night, was there too. He brought a mixture of myrrh and aloe, nearly seventy-five pounds in all. Following Jewish burial customs, they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the spices, in linen cloths. There was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish Preparation Day and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus in it.Consider:Nicodemus is such an interesting through character in this story. We are introduced to him at the beginning as a sort of Jesus Curious - not ready or willing to stake anything of meaning based on the rumors he heard, but curious enough to seek out the person who might have the answer he needed.Nicodemus goes away that first night disappointed, dejected, and alone. He got answers, but they weren’t the ones he wanted to hear. In fact, he didn’t even understand most of them.Still, he keeps popping up in Jesus’ story, little glimpses of a different kind of witness - one who isn’t so sure about this Jesus thing, but can’t quite seem to let it go. While he never quite “got it” on an intellectual level, never showed up at one of the disciple revivals, or was named as one of the 12 most important followers of Jesus, he was the one who shows up with the spices and oil needed to prepare Jesus for death.Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t always mean we are able to say the right words or can quote Thomas Aquinas and cite 140 different Bible verses from memory. In fact, sometimes being a follower of Jesus looks distinctly like the opposite of those things. We can show up for God and be curious at the same time. Certainty is not the definition of faith. Doubts and questions, sometimes, are. Just ask Nicodemus.Respond:What questions do you have about God? Make two lists - first, the list should be things about which you are absolutely certain. (God is love might be an example.) Then, make a list of all the questions you have about God.Which one is longer?Looking at your questions list, put a line through the questions about which there is no answer. Then, circle the questions you’d like answers to - and add next to them where you might find them. Finally, look at the questions which remain. Like Nicodemus, those may just be the questions which you become comfortable with holding in tension with the certainities you already named. And that’s a perfectly faithful response. Pray:Dear God, help me be comfortable with the questions of my heart. Help me to continue to be curious and open to your leading. Remind me that showing up is often the greatest act of faith. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 19:23-30When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and his sandals, and divided them into four shares, one for each soldier. His shirt was seamless, woven as one piece from the top to the bottom. They said to each other, “Let’s not tear it. Let’s cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the scripture,They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. That’s what the soldiers did.Jesus’ mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood near the cross. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that time on, this disciple took her into his home.After this, knowing that everything was already completed, in order to fulfill the scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was nearby, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, placed it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed.” Bowing his head, he gave up his life.Consider:I’ve become a little bit consumed by Jesus’ last words in this passage - “It is completed.” I’ve had the privilege and honor of being at many bedsides while a person has begun the transition to the next life, and none of them have talked about their impending death list as if it’s a task on the end of a list. But that is almost exactly how Jesus seems to be approaching the end of his life on the cross. There is a list of tasks to accomplish before he goes, and he checks them off one by one. When he is finished, he checks the last box and preceeds to die. Which all seems a bit silly to me.So, what if Jesus meant something else, something entirely different?One of the phrases we use at funerals is that a person’s baptism has been completed in their death. The idea is the new life which was begun in that ancient water ritual has now reached it’s logical and only conclusion, our death. It’s this apparent ending which is actually in and of itself a new beginning with Jesus.Jesus’ purpose on this earth was to bring light and life to the world. From the beginning of his ministry he knew how it would end, the only path which he knew he could take led to death. And here, he shows us what it looks like to finish a full and fulfilling life. The Task is over, the battle won. The future has now begun - because Jesus finished his task list and, satisified, let it go.Respond:Here is a reflection activity which will help you explore what truly matters by examining the legacy you wish to leave:* Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted* Close your eyes and take three deep breaths* Imagine you’re at the end of a long, fulfilled life* Open your journal and respond to these prompts:* What would you want people to say about how you lived?* What differences would you have made in others’ lives?* What achievements would bring you the most pride?* What regrets would you want to avoid?Pray:Dear God, help me to see and find the purpose you have for me during the remaining days of me life. Help me, on those last days, be able to look back on the life I led with purpose, clarity, and peace. On the day when our baptism is complete, may it be because we did all you put before us to do. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 17:14-19I gave your word to them and the world hated them, because they don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t belong to this world. I’m not asking that you take them out of this world but that you keep them safe from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t belong to this world. Make them holy in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. I made myself holy on their behalf so that they also would be made holy in the truth.Consider:One of the hardest parts of parenting, for me, is I know things my children do not yet know. That little baby is born without any knowledge or expectations - or experiences - to shape its life yet, but you as a parent know all of the milestones which are before them. Maybe other parents didn’t look at their baby and then worry about their teenage years - but I wouldn’t be surprised if so much of our parental worry isn’t actually anticipating the heartbreak we know is to come. What I pray for them most of all is not an escape from the hard experiences of life which shape them, but that they will be able to face them with strength of heart and solid character which will allow them to come out whole on the other side.When Jesus prays, he doesn’t ask for God to make their path straight or easy. In fact, he explicitly says he prays God doesn’t remove them from the cares and concerns of the world. Instead his prayer is for us to come out the otherside of those hard times with our hearts and mind whole, more able to trust God to lead us through them.Our lives on this earth are precious and bumpy. Jesus’ prayer for us is not to avoid those bumps, but to go over them or through them or under them, knowing the promise of life which comes after the potholes.Respond:Look back on a time when the world seemed extra challenging or difficult for you to navigate. What was your prayer during that time? Maybe write down an example of something you would have asked God during that time.Now, consider re-writing the prayer in light of Jesus’ prayer for you - not to avoid the time of trial, but to go through it with God’s help. How might your prayer look or sound different? Pray:Lord, help me trust You when Your plans feel confusing or painful. Teach me to believe you will help me go over the mountaintop to the other side, heart and soul intact, trusting even more in your favor. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 16: 1-7I have said these things to you so that you won’t fall away. They will expel you from the synagogue. The time is coming when those who kill you will think that they are doing a service to God. They will do these things because they don’t know the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them.“I didn’t say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go away to the one who sent me. None of you ask me, ‘Where are you going?’ Yet because I have said these things to you, you are filled with sorrow. I assure you that it is better for you that I go away. If I don’t go away, the Companion won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.Consider:In this passage, Christ is preparing the disciples for something they never wanted to experience: His departure. For them, His physical presence meant safety, clarity, and direction. The thought of losing Him filled them with grief.Jesus acknowledges this grief and sense of loss. He has led the disciples through and around and into an entirely new theological era and mindset. He isn’t blind to the very human reaction of losing a friend, a mentor, a teacher right at the time it feels he is needed most. But then He says something surprising: “It is for your good that I am going away.” How could His leaving possibly be good?Jesus explains that His departure would make way for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which opened up the door of this new faith to everyone. While Jesus had been physically present with them, the Spirit would come to dwell within believers everywhere. Instead of God walking beside a few disciples in one place, the full expanse of God’s love would take up a place in the hearts of all who follow Christ, not just a few lucky enough to SEE Jesus. Sometimes God’s work in our lives also feels like loss. A season ends, a door closes, or something familiar is taken away. Like the disciples, we may only see the absence. But God often uses those moments to bring about something deeper that we could not experience otherwise, and it will serve us well to keep watch for the unexpected thing. Respond:Think on a time where you experienced a sense of loss over something. Are there things you see now that you could not see then about how God was guiding you toward something new? Have you experienced a loss or change that actually strengthened your faith rather than weaken it? Think on that experience for a moment today. Pray:Lord, help me trust You when Your plans feel confusing or painful. Teach me to believe that even in what feels like loss, You are working for good. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 17:6-9I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.Consider:On the stairwell of my house growing up was an faded picture in a ornate gilt frame. In it was a picture of a man we called “faded 50’s Jesus” - it was the back side of Jesus’ head with long flowing brown locks, neatly trimmed beard, with a long, floor length tunic and sash. He’s sitting on a rock overlooking the city, hands folded in prayer.As kids we made a lot of fun of Mom’s honestly kind of tacky portrait hanging in the middle of the stairwell. Every once in a while we’d bump into it going down the stairs and Jesus would sway back and forth precariously, a little bit of a roller coaster ride for the Holy One to enjoy. We hoped it added a little spice to his day.Looking back on that picture as an adult, I still think it’s kind of tacky. However, I also think it is a powerful image because in it Jesus is not doing anything but looking over the world and praying. There’s no preaching, feeding or healing, just prayer. Prayer long and abiding, constant for the beloved children of God.I wonder if we don’t give prayer a little bit of a short shrift. I wonder if we don’t think of prayer as too idle, not “accomplishing” anything, not productive enough to focus on. And yet, in this last prayer of his earthly life, Jesus promises to do nothing but pray. Nothing but watch over his disciples. Nothing but sit and look over the city.Maybe prayer should be moved up the spiritual discipline food chain, because if Jesus is content to do it for the rest of time on our behalf, we can spend a few moments each day looking over the city with him.Respond:What does prayer look like for you? If you haven’t found a sustainable prayer life, try a different method. Maybe sitting and talking to God doesn’t work for you, but taking a walk and talking to God does. Maybe walking doesn’t work, but painting does. Try on a few different styles of contemplation and see if you can find the one that “fits” your life and attitude the best, so you can create and sustain a meaningful prayer life.Pray:Lord, help me to pray. That’s it. Just help me to see and remember how important prayer is for the shaping and guiding of my life and to see time spent with you as important, valuable, and essential to our daily life. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 16:17-22His disciples said, “See! Now you speak plainly; you aren’t using figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything and you don’t need anyone to ask you. Because of this we believe you have come from God.”Jesus replied, “Now you believe? Look! A time is coming—and is here!—when each of you will be scattered to your own homes and you will leave me alone. I’m not really alone, for the Father is with me. I’ve said these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you have distress. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.”Consider:I once worked with a Pastor who was obsessed with the euphemisms we use when someone dies. You know, the ones like “Passed Away” or “Went to be with Jesus”. He understood why people use them - it’s polite and kind and gentle, we think - so we say things like “they’ve gone to a better place” or “Went home to be with Jesus.” And by obsessed, I mean he kept a list of the ones he considered most outrageous to which he added every time he ran across a new one in an obituary. It wasn’t unusual to find him in his office, holding a newspaper, yelling, “They died. Why don’t they just say that they died?”We do try to soften the impact of hard times in loved ones lives by talking around it or avoiding it altogether. When someone is very sick or has died, we get paralyzed by our fear of saying the wrong thing or hurting someone’s very tender heart. That impulse comes from a place of kindness and compassion, but in trying to make it easier for them (and us) it adds a layer of shame over what it is already a difficult truth. The actual effect of this clouded language is to actually make things worse. Adding a veil over the often painful truth doesn’t make it less, but instead adds to awkwardness and uncertainty. What people most often want is the kindness of acknowledging the truth of their circumstances. The disciples here are actually relieved Jesus finally told them what was to come in plain, understandable language. Jesus had spent a lot of time trying to soften the blow and make it easier for them to face the uncertain future by speaking in metaphors and allusions. It only made them more confused. When Jesus tells them the truth straight out it actually brings relief and peace. We always do better with the plain truth, spoken in kindness and love. Respond:Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle.* Left Column (The Veil): Write down 3–5 euphemisms or “soft” phrases you’ve used recently—or had used on you—regarding a difficult situation (death, job loss, illness, or even a personal failure).* Right Column (The Plain Truth): Beside each one, write the “plain truth” version in the simplest, kindest language possible.Look at your Right Column. Take a deep breath and read those “Plain Truth” statements out loud. Notice your physical reaction.* Does it feel heavier, or do you feel a slight release of tension?* Does the “Plain Truth” give you a clearer starting point for prayer or action than the “Veil” did?* Reflect: Why does the plain truth feel like relief (as it did for the disciples) rather than a burden?Pray:Lord of Truth,Forgive me for hiding behind soft words because I am afraid of the weight of the reality. My “kindness” is often just my own discomfort in disguise.Give me the courage of the plain truth. Help me to stop softening the blow in ways that leave others feeling isolated. Grant me the relief the disciples felt: the peace of hearing things as they truly are.I thank You that You meet me in the unvarnished reality of my life, not in the euphemisms I use to cover it up.Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 16:23-28In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”Consider:In two different sections of the gospel of John, Jesus talk about the change which will come in the relationship between humanity and God. You see, forever and ever, the people needed a mediator, some person or event or ritual to give them access to God. No one could speak to God unless it was in the form of a burning bush, or voice from the clouds, or in one of the more memorable promises in scripture, through the mouth of a talking donkey.Here talks about his ability to remove that barrier between us and God. Prayer is open for everyone.Many American Chrstians have been told a different story from this passage then the one Jesus likely intended - primarily that the “gifts” God will give you - if you just ask him - are monetary. You see preachers on the television telling you if you donate $10 more dollars to their ministry then surely God will bless you with a car or big house or large burly truck. Other times you see “faith healers” who are exploiting the deepest wishes of the sick and infirm telling them if they just believed more - in the form of monetary donations of course - this person can make them well.If you asked Jesus what he thought about those televangelists, the first thing he would say is probably “huh? What’s a tv?”. Then, he’d shake his head and reply - “you humans, missing the point again.”Jesus’s promised blessings are never material items, never more of what you wished you had, or something designed to give you wealth or fame. Instead, God’s blessings come in deeper and richer forms. A restored relationship with a friends. More meaningful connections at church. A more fulfilling career - and blessings which carry farther and wider than a shiny new truck.So you can ask God for both the little things and the big things - then wait for the unexpected blessings which come in surprising and more meaningful ways than you might expect!Respond:How do you count your blessings? The old song from Holiday Inn reminds us that “when we are tired, we should count our blessings instead of sheep.” That way the last thing we remember is the blessings of our day and not all the complaints.So - tonight when you lay down in bed, try making a list of all the little - and big - ways God has blessed you in the last few days. I bet you fall asleep counting those blessings.Pray:Lord, help me remember all the ways you offer blessings. Remind me of the little and suprising ways you show up when I ask - and all the ways you have sent those splashes of colors my way this day. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 16:17-22Some of Jesus’ disciples said to each other, “What does he mean: ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’ and ‘Because I’m going to the Father’? What does he mean by ‘soon’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.”Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, so he said, “Are you trying to find out from each other what I meant when I said, ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’? I assure you that you will cry and lament, and the world will be happy. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman gives birth, she has pain because her time has come. But when the child is born, she no longer remembers her distress because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. In the same way, you have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and you will be overjoyed. No one takes away your joy.Consider:I’d like to take issue with my friend Jesus here in this situation because he’s doing a little bit of what some women call “Mansplaining”. He makes an outrageous claim about childbirth - namely that women forget the pain of childbirth because after the child is born she now has a baby which helps her to forget the pain. Which just goes to show you Jesus never sat in a room full of mothers while the children are in another room. Those mothers are swapping birthing stories - including the number of hours of labor - with the same gusto as someone who climbed the cliff of Normandy. They don’t forget the pain - it’s just that the baby is worth it. (And it’s also true that the adrenaline and endorphins of actual childbirth do make you feel less pain right after the birth, but talk to a mother about the days and weeks after and I promise you’ll hear a different story!)There is deeper truth embedded in that reflection - which, of course there is because it’s Jesus. And that truth is this - we can do hard things. We can climb mountains and birth babies and run into burning buildings. Human beings are remarkably robust and courageous. We are so strong and so capable and so able to endure pain and suffering. But sometimes we forget that endurance and resilience we’ve developed in the past because, for whatever reason, the hard things we’ve done before seem much smaller in the rear view mirror. I actually once had a veteran tell me that during World War II he survived on grass - literally eating grass from actual fields where they were walking - in the same tone he’d told me about buying shoes that morning. We forget how amazing and strong we are and all the obstacles we’ve overcome to reach this point.You can do wonderful things. In fact, God is already doing something wonderful in you. Sometimes we just forget how strong and courageous we can truly be. Respond:Sit down for a minute and make a list of all the hard things you’ve overcome in the last month. Maybe make it two. Or maybe it’s the last year or in your whole life, whatever time period makes sense to you. Then, next to each item, make a note of one act of bravery or courage you did in the course of that hard thing. Did you keep your mouth shut when your boss was being a jerk? Write it down!Then take a minute and notice how many amazing thing you were able to do. Instead of diminishing it or making it smaller than it was, give yourself a moment of credit to remember how awesome you are - and how hard that obstacle was to overcome! Celebrate your success.Pray:God, I know you are amazing and awesome, but sometimes I doubt that I am able to do the hard things or can overcome the difficult spots in the road ahead. Help me to remember all the times and places you’ve helped me be courageous in the past, not as wounds but as badges which celebrate how far I’ve come on this journey. Remind me of my strength. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 16:8-12When he comes, he will show the world it was wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. He will show the world it was wrong about sin because they don’t believe in me. He will show the world it was wrong about righteousness because I’m going to the Father and you won’t see me anymore. He will show the world it was wrong about judgment because this world’s ruler stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, but you can’t handle it now.Consider:The publishing industry has a saying - “If it bleeds, it leads” - which basically means people like bad news. In more modern methods of publishing, like this very platform on which you are engaging with this devotion, they’ve even invented a new idea called “a/b testing”, which allows you to post the same material with two different headlines. And guess which headlines usually wins? The one that is most outrageous, most complicated, most painful or terrifying. The old “If it bleeds, it leads” still applies in the age of YouTube it seems.And, if we are honest, the articles we tend to click on are the ones with the most outrageous headlines. “Local boy saves puppy” just doesn’t seem to draw the same amount of attention as it’s opposite.But, while we love bad news when it’s happening to other people when the bad news is coming our direction, we tend to close our eyes and block our ears. We enter into a state of denial and shock, trying to avoid the bad news all together. But try as we might to ignore it, the bad news doesn’t actually go away. In fact, trying to avoid it makes it worse.Jesus has been trying to get the disciples to hear bad news for about 6 chapters at this point and you can see him growing more and more frustrated. First, the disciples deny it’s coming, then they try to convince Jesus he’s wrong, then they get despondent at which point Jesus tries to smooth it over by saying, “Here’s why is won’t be so bad - someone else will come and help you!”We can’t avoid hard things by pretending they aren’t happening. The bravest and most courageous act in most circumstances is to just step up and face the news, whether or not it’s easy to hear. Once we’ve made that courageous step, the helper does almost always show up - in the form of a friend to support you, the appearance of an inner resolve, or calm, courageous acceptance. Respond:What news have you been trying to avoid? Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and, when you feel ready, allow yourself to own the truth of your circumstances. Let it deep into your heart and mind, identifying the feelings which come with it - without judging them or dismissing them. When you are ready, open your eyes. What do you notice about your body, your heart, and your mind? Repeat this process whenever you start to feel overwhelmed and notice how your mind and heart change over time. Maybe it will help you feel more calm and centered, or it will light a fire for change, or it will allow you to face the future with confidence. Pray:God, help me be brave and courageous. When the headlines are printed about my day and the circumstances of my life, help me click on both the happy ones and the hard ones. Allow me to develop the centered, secure heart which can face each story with openness and willingness to see the helper come. I know you will send one. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 15:22-27If I had not come and spoken to them,they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.Consider:Our culture teaches us asking for help is a last ditch effort - the moment of last resort when you’ve exhausted both yourself and all your possible options. Asking for help means you’ve given up trying - to fix the problem, to heal the situation, to fix the gap in you that makes it impossible for you to just do it yourself.I run into the situation from time to time when it comes to opening jars in my kitchen. Last night, as I was making our weekly pizza, I went to open the pizza sauce jar. Try as I might, the jar lid would. not. open. Though my husband was sitting a mere 5 feet away and would have been able to pop it open in a few seconds, I stubbornly struggled and wrenched on this lid. Then, I pulled out the old standby trick - hitting the rim of the jar lid with a spoon. It breaks the seal, making it easier to open. Eventually my daughter looked at me and said “Do you want me to get Dad and see if he can open it?” Every “I am woman hear my roar” bone in my body literally exploded at all at once.But my stubborness had only made it much harder to open the lid, because now not only was it not open, but the jar lid was bent making it much harder to grip. And, despite all my maneuvering, the sauce was still stubbornly inside of the jar. If I had relented and asked for help from the beginning when I couldn’t open it the first time, we’d have had pizza much earlier. It’s ok to ask for help. It’s also ok to make someone else take help - as Jesus does in this picture. When our own stubbornness gets in the way, we could also acccept help from a friend who steps in a brings us a casserole, instead of saying “no, it’s ok. I can stop at the store” as our mind frantically whirls through our calendar.I think we all have a lot to learn on both ends of this spectrum. But it begins when we stop making “help” a four-letter word.Respond:When was the last time you accepted help without guilt, shame, or self—judgement?It’s time to practice. Reach out to someone you trust and ask for help with one small item or task in your life - even if you don’t reallly think you need it! Growing a muscle takes time and consistency, so start small and see what happens!Pray:God, I so often start off my prayers with the words “help me.” But I wonder how ready I am to actually recieve the help you offer? Open my heart and remove the shame, guilt, and judgement I feel when I admit I can’t do everything. Set aside my pride and allow me to be thankful for the gift of friends who will show up when I am vulnerable enough to ask them. Amen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 15:12-17My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.Consider:Remember that book which came out … gosh … maybe 30 years ago - Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten? (I think that was the title?). The premise of the book was simple - the basics of what we need to know to live a fulfilled, happy life we learn in the sandbox and on the carpet circle during Kindergarten. Share with your friends, be kind, pay attention to the teacher. Don’t talk when it is not your turn. This commandment - Love one another as I have loved you - is one we all learned in the equivalent of Church Kindergarten. It’s the first thing we teach our kids. Jesus loves me this I know - so I should love my neighbor as myself.It’s always amazed me the ways we adults can create loopholes in what is a very straightforward commandment. We apply all this qualifying adjectives. Well, we say, I don’t have to love that person because they are a jerk. Or - the “hard love” equivalent - I’ll love that person when they learn to pull their own weight and lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. Or “Cruel to be kind” style of love where we shame and demean people so they will shape up and fly right. We put all these caveats and conditions on love so we don’t have to change our own point of view or sacrifice anything for the sake of those we deem unlovable.There are no loopholes in Jesus’s commandment. Love is the center, the root of his story. There is no version of authentic Christianity that isn’t grounded in the purpose of bearing fruit by planting love - not the hard kind or the conditional kind, but the kind of love that requires sacrifice because it’s asks something from us to give it.No qualifying adjectives to change it or shape love into something more comfortable.There are no loopholes. No exceptions. Respond:Where do you put conditions on your love? Is there a person in your life to whom you find it particularly difficult to show God’s love? What would need to change in your own attitude to offer them the kind of love Jesus offers to you? I invite you to sit for a minute or two in that uncomfortable space between the knowing and the offering, naming the gap between your feelings and actions towards this person. Then - don’t do anything. Don’t make a phone call or send a note. Just live for a few days in the tension to see what ideas might pop up for you. When you feel ready, then you can decide how to move forward with love and purpose. Pray:Lord, I confess the conditions I place on my love and the gaps where my heart remains closed. As I sit in this uncomfortable tension, transform my attitude to mirror Your grace. Remind me love has boundaries but not strings. Help me see others through Your eyes until I am ready. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 15: 8-11This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.Consider:I was listening to a podcast last night as I got ready for bed. In the podcast, there were three generations of sports reporters, one from the 90s, one who rose up during the 00’s, and one who is getting his feet on the ground in the last few years. The oldest one was reminiscing about meeting his sports writing heroes - the guys who covered Ali vs. Foreman or the epic New York Jets win in Super Bowl III. These men were heroes in his eyes, the men he wanted to be when he started working. The second podcaster said - I know this will make you uncomfortable, but you are that guy for us. We looked up to you the way you looked up to those guys. You were the person we wanted to grow up to be.I could audibly hear how uncomfortable that made the oldest writer. You could physically hear this discomfort in the silence. This man could wax poeticallly about the men he looked up to, could not to accept similar words of praise. It was too much for him to handle.How are you at accepting words of love or affection? Jesus promises here to love you always, all the time. From birth to death and into the life everlasting, Jesus’ words of love echo throughout your life time.My guess is that brings you more discomfort than comfort. It makes you more uneasy than fulfilled. We are not very good at accepting words of love or affirmation.But what if those words are true? What would happen if we let them sink into our hearts and our souls? I bet we’d find they give us strength and courage to face the day. So, hear those words to you - and sit with them. Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you.Respond:Think back on the last time someone showed you words of affirmation or affection. How did you respond? Did you hear them as true, or dismiss them because it made you uncomfortable or too vulnerable?Write down three ways someone has shown you love in your recent memory. Then, allow those words to sink into your heart and muscles and bones. How does it feel? Do they feel true? Because they are. Let them become the lens through which you see yourself.Pray:Dear God, we have heard the words, “Jesus loves me” so many times, yet we let the narrative of shame and guilt cloud our vision. Help us to hear those words as true. Let them sink into our heart and our bones to become the way we see ourselves today and everyday. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 14:23-29Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me.“I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid. You have heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away and returning to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than me. I have told you before it happens so that when it happens you will believe.Consider:I’m in the season of parenting where a little peace and quiet sounds like an amazing gift. I don’t want to say my kids are loud, but… my kids are loud. They’ve inherited their parents ability to project voices at will without the mediating influence of years of being told to be quiet. Our house is a very noisy place.At this point in Jesus’ story, the world had gotten pretty noisy. There had been attempts to stone (primarily) Jesus and his disciples (by-proxy) because of their insistence that the God of Israel was in charge of the world and not the Caesar who was god in Rome. Their words directly challenged the empire in which they lived and threatened the security of their roman colony. Both sets of leaders were interested in keeping his voice down.So, everyone in this story is tired, hungry, in hiding, and stressed about their future. What had seemed like a fun lark with friends during the wedding at Cana had become a life-threatening situation.Jesus’ promise of peace probably sounded both amazing and ridiculous. Peace? What Peace? the disciples might have thought. There is no peace here. There are literally men with stones waiting across the river. What do you mean peace?God’s spirit of comfort and peace doesn’t promise to take away the stress and hard circumstances of life. It doesn’t all of the sudden make everything ok. Your pipes will still break from years of use. You’ll get a flat tire on the way to the doctor’s appointment. You’ll find yourself at the recieving end of scary medical situations. Peace doesn’t mean the hard stuff goes away.Instead God’s peace is the ability to face those circumstances with bravery, courage, and the reminder you are not walking through these situations alone. Peace comes from your community, the ones hearing God’s voice along side of you. God’s peace means accepting circumstances beyond your control with grace and not despair. God’s peace isn’t the absence of noise, but the ability to see beyond it to a time of calm, and, hopefully, a quieter house.Respond:What is a circumstance in your life where you could a dose of God’s courageous peace? Think about the places in your day where there seems to be a lot of static, voices, and competing items asking for your attention? Then, identify the one in which bravery, courage, and grace are most needed - the one where God’s peace will help you face those circumstances. How might you find peace in the midst of that storm?Pray:Lord, in midst of the static in my overwhelming schedule and the competing voices of expectation, I need Your courageous peace. When anxiety blurs my vision, steady my heart. Grant me the bravery to choose stillness and the grace to act with clarity. In the storm, be my anchor and my strength. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 14: 18-21I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”Consider:Jesus has just told the disciples that as he leaves, he will be replaced by…the Spirit. I can imagine that the folks hearing this were both confused and not particularly comforted. They were losing a living, breathing and very visible teacher to be replaced with the Spirit of truth? I know I for one would have questioned this as a fair trade… But if there is anything I’ve learned from Jesus, it is that he always comes through, and I always underestimate the power of what is coming next. And so, let’s lean into this passage.It is incredibly easy to feel isolated in today’s world. Even surrounded by people or connected by technology, a deep sense of loneliness can sometimes creep in. When Jesus spoke the words in John 14 to His disciples, they were facing a terrifying reality: their leader, teacher, and friend was about to leave them. They felt like they were being abandoned.But Jesus immediately steps into their anxiety, before they can truly speak it, with a promise of continued presence and support. It may not have the same look, but it will be the definitive guide moving forward. As God the Creator sent Jesus the redeemer to set things aright, God also will send the Sustainer Spirit to continue to guide the forward motion of the faith. Jesus describes the interconnected relationship between Father and Son: and this new element, the Spirit, will ensure that connection continues to be evident to the disciples. Finally, Jesus bridges the gap between feeling loved and living out that love. In verse 21, He explains that keeping His commands isn’t about rigid rule-following; it is the natural, flowing response of a heart that believes. And once again we are reminded of the whole point: love. Respond:For today, intentionally invite the Spirit’s guidance in 2-3 of your daily decisions—through prayer, reflection, and attentiveness. Instead of asking, “What do I want?” begin asking, “Spirit, where are you leading?” A simple practice in small decisions can help guide you toward seeking the Spirit on larger decisions later! Pray:Lord, thank You for the promise that I am never left alone. In moments of loneliness or doubt, remind me of Your constant presence. Help me to rest in the reality that You are in me, and give me the grace to live into your love through my love for others. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 14: 8-17Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.Consider:I love Philip, he feels so VERY real to me… “just show us God, and that’s it, that will be enough to believe.” Just show me and I’ll believe… no amount of miracle working, no amount of teaching will actually breed belief in some folks… they have to SEE the real thing. No more, no less. And in classic fashion, Jesus gives what is needed, not necessarily what is wanted. Philip wanted a vision. Jesus offered a relationship.All too often I think we get in our own way of doing the work of God because we’ve become too busy looking for “signs” of God. We shouldn’t need a dramatic display of God — we have Jesus and example after example of God’s presence through him. When we long for clarity, Jesus says, Look at Me.If we get right down to it, Jesus has been very specific. The directive is simple…keep my commands. The command is simple to remember but difficult to achieve…love one another.So will we continue to ask things of God like Philip asked? Will we keep looking for those “signs” we need to prove something, or will we take Jesus seriously and know we’ve got all we need to get about the work of really loving one another as God loves us? Respond:Take a few minutes today to actively love a neighbor. Perhaps it looks like cookies to someone who might live alone. Maybe it’s a phone call to a family member you haven’t spoken with in a while. Maybe it looks like simply being intentional to make eye contact and smile at people everywhere you go today. Be active in the command to love neighbor, and at the end of the day, take stock of whether or not you saw more “signs” of God in those moments. Pray:God help us to see signs of you all around us, everyday. For you are, indeed, in and of and through everything. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 18:1-11After he said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples and crossed over to the other side of the Kidron Valley. He and his disciples entered a garden there. Judas, his betrayer, also knew the place because Jesus often gathered there with his disciples. Judas brought a company of soldiers and some guards from the chief priests and Pharisees. They came there carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus knew everything that was to happen to him, so he went out and asked, “Who are you looking for?”They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”He said to them, “I Am.” (Judas, his betrayer, was standing with them.) When he said, “I Am,” they shrank back and fell to the ground. He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”They said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”Jesus answered, “I told you, ‘I Am.’ If you are looking for me, then let these people go.” This was so that the word he had spoken might be fulfilled: “I didn’t lose anyone of those whom you gave me.”Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?”Consider:By this point in the story, the events which are about to unfold are inevitable. Nothing any of the characters do can meaningfully change what happens next - so it might be wise for the people in this story to get on board with the train as it moves forward. Avoiding or trying to stop any of these events will only make the process worse for everyone involved. Peter lops of a guys ear in his attempt to avoid the pain which is to come. Other disciples fall asleep or run away. Judas tries to stop it all by appealing to an outside authority. The only person in the story who seems to accept what is to come is the person for whom those events will cause the most pain! Our own ability to control the events of our future are usually as limited as the options available to Peter, Judas, James, and Jesus. The moments and choices of today were set in to motion long in our past and, because we aren’t outside of time as God is, we can not fully know or anticipate the consequences of those choices. All we can do is make the best of the information we have before us. One thing is for sure, avoiding the pain and loss and hard choices which come next is not only not possible - it always, always makes things worse for everyone going through the storm. And, avoidance often makes the story about us - it shifts the focus away from the person actually standing in the rain and onto our own struggles or difficulties standing inside looking out the window at the thunder and lightening.When the time comes, the bravest choice is often the hardest - to step out of the way and let the person who is about to experience this pain show us how best to walk through it with them.Respond:We can practice this skill of being a “non-anxious presence.” .Think of one small task you have been putting off. It could be making a phone call, replying to a message, or organizing a small part of your home. Set a timer for five minutes. Tell yourself you only need to work on it for this short time. Take action. Once you begin, you may find it easier to keep going. When you are finished, reflect: How did it feel? Was it as difficult as you imagined? What can you do next time?Pray:Lord, grant me the courage to face what I fear. When I retreat into the shadows of avoidance, remind me that your light is there to guide my steps. Replace my hesitation with strength, that I may find peace not by running away, but by walking through. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 17:1-5After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.Consider:In John 17:1–5, we are invited into a sacred moment. What strikes me most about this passage is the clarity with which Jesus speaks. So often, I feel as if I’m stumbling through a call from God, not knowing if I’m following God’s agenda or my own…Jesus has no confusion in His voice. No hesitation. Instead, there is real clarity.Throughout the Gospel, Jesus often said, “My hour has not yet come.” But now He says, “The hour has come.” Jesus’ understanding in this moment is profound- the cross is not a tragedy interrupting the mission — it is the mission. The suffering ahead is not accidental; it is purposeful. He sees the cross as the moment when God’s glory will shine most brightly.Jesus speaks of the authority given to Him to give eternal life. He defines eternal life not merely as endless existence or as a “prize” for doing the right thing, but as relationship:The whole point of His life was to bring people into knowing God and God’s loving purpose for all of God’s children. Every miracle, every teaching, every confrontation, every step toward Jerusalem was aimed at this: restoring relationship between God and humanity. God created the most intimate way to partner with God’s creation; becoming one of them. The goal of it all is to restore relationship, to bridge the gap between where humanity stands and where humanity can be. What must it feel like to have such clarity of purpose? Such full assurance of a path, enough to walk into the end of life knowing that your purpose has been fulfilled. May we all seek to listen closely enough to God to walk confidently into the future, knowing our purpose points directly to the One who created us and called us good. Respond:Take a moment today to sit still and QUIET…find a place where you can have 5 undisturbed minutes. Sit with your thoughts, your worries, your lists, and pay attention. What feels like the thing, the purpose, that tugs the most at you right now? Is it something that feels like it points to God or God’s purpose for you? Is it something that furthers the love and justice of kingdom building? Is it something that ignites creativity and inspiration, or does it drain your energy? Just take note today of where your focus and clarity lies in the things occupying your brain. And if you walk away feeling drained or disappointed, perhaps make a plan to shift one intention and see how that sits with you tomorrow…Pray:Give us clarity, God, on those things with which we are to focus our time, attention, and purpose… Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 15: 1-7 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.Consider:True gardeners use the act of pruning to redirect and encourage growth…pruning is not intended to be seen as a punishment to the plant in the world of flora and fauna, it is indeed the opposite. It is intended to bring the plant into full and abundant life. Shears in the hands of a caring and observant gardener can bring about glorious results. We often view “pruning,” when talking about people, with a bit of trepidation. In our lives, pruning feels like loss—a closed door, an ended relationship, or a dream that didn’t take flight. However, John 15 invites us to see pruning not as a punishment, but as an act of God’s goodness and grace.Jesus identifies God as the Vinedresser. In a vineyard, the vinedresser is the one with the vision. He isn’t hacking away at random; he is looking at the branch not for what it is now, but for what it has the potential to become. When God prunes us, He is removing the “suckers”—those small, green shoots that look like growth but actually drain the life-force of the branch without ever producing fruit. Pruning happens (and needs to happen) when our energy and focus fall to the things that aren’t the fruit of God’s call to us. Pruning takes away hateful feelings and old habits that don’t create new and good fruit of the Spirit. If the Vinedresser didn’t care about the branch, He would leave it alone to become a tangled, unproductive mess. God prunes because God believes we are capable of producing something beautiful and nourishing for the world!Respond:What is something you can notice today that is a “sucker” of your time, your energy, your spirit? What is one thing you can notice that pulls from your focus on God’s good work and the joy of creation? How can it be pruned to take away less of your energy and focus? Pray:God of love, we know you are ever lovingly pruning us to be who you created us to be. Help us be open to the trimming as an act of love rather than loss, and guide us to grow toward you. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 14:1-7Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too. You know the way to the place I’m going.”Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have really known me, you will also know the Father. From now on you know him and have seen him.”Consider:In the midst of the hardest, most difficult point in Jesus’ life, he found himself doing what he always did - offering comfort and hope to the disciples who were both confused and scared. As adults, we sometimes find ourselves in the position of pushing down our own fears, hurts, and worries in order to bolster or support someone who is not equipped to wrestle with the emotional burden which unfolding events force upon them. Whether its death, unexpected loss, broken relationships, or high levels of stress - we grown-ups have found all kinds of ways to mask or hide pain. The root of most of our destructive behavior is this kind of pain avoidance - which ironically leads to even more pain and destruction and loss.Instead, Jesus here models a healtheir way to help others who are in stressful or harmful circumstances. This verse isn't a dismissive "don't worry, be happy" sentiment. Jesus has just told his friends he is leaving, and he has predicted Peter’s denial. The "trouble" is real. However, Jesus offers a shift in focus—not from the problem to a solution, but from the problem to a purpose.Their fears are not dismissed, but instead turned towards the person of Jesus, recentering them in the truth momentarily forgotten - Jesus offers comfort and peace in the midst of the very real storm. We too are invited to look at the character of Jesus. If we want to know what God is doing in our mess, we look at how Jesus treated the messy people around Him.We may not see the “Father’s house” clearly yet, but we see the One who is building it. Faith, then, is the quiet confidence that even when we don’t know the way, we are known by the one who is the Way.Respond:How do you respond to stress? Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed or pushing stress away, practice being aware in the present moment. Do these five steps:Notice five things that you can see.Notice four things that you can feel.Notice three things that you can hear.Notice two things that you can smell.Notice one thing that you can taste.This exercise helps to ground you in the present, so you don’t avoid hard feelings but can address them in a healthier way.Pray:God of Time and Truth, sometimes my mind is racing and the fog is thick. I confess I’ve tried to control what I cannot see. Calm the "check-engine light" of my body and quiet my anxious heart. Remind me that even when I lose the way, I am held by the Way. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 13: 31-38When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”Consider:I’ve shown you how to love one another, so go and do it. Jesus’ most powerful words (to me). Jesus notes that he has lived this life constantly showing HOW to love as God loves, HOW to extend the arm of grace, HOW to be in community with one another. The teacher has taught, the students have learned, and now the time of transition from learning it to living it must take place. And like so many of us, Peter seems to get stuck on the wrong point. Rather than hearing the command to go out and love, Peter only hears Jesus say “you can’t go with me.” Like a child to a parent, Peter focuses in on the “can’t” rather than the message of sending, so much so that he swears he will lay down his life for Jesus…to which Jesus says “no you won’t.” Man I can feel the sting of that moment for Peter. But sometimes the stinging truth is the one that needs to be heard the most. This is the moment when Jesus knows his time is short, and so GETTING this message to stick is of the utmost importance. And even worse than the lack of understanding of the importance of the message, Jesus has to let Peter know that he will not only NOT lay down his life, he will in fact deny knowing Jesus at all! It gives me pause; how often do I vehemently “take up a cause” about something I feel is important, and yet, when it becomes really important to speak up, I can’t seem to find that loud and clear voice. I wonder about how many times I’ve missed the point of God’s message entirely because I was too busy blustering about something I thought would be “the cause” to get loud over. How often have I missed God’s loving call to follow because I became busy building my own causes? May we seek to remember that the “hills we choose to die on” are perhaps not the ones God is looking for at all… God calls us to slow and steady, persistent and gentle, ever present love for one another. That’s it. Respond: Is there something you’ve been really fired up about recently? Are you taking to social media regularly to rail against something? I challenge you today: Take a pause from “the cause” and sit with someone who fills you up spiritually…take a moment to send a card or call a friend, or take a walk with a pet. Do the gentle act of daily love and see how you feel after. Pray:Loving Lord, we are constantly urged to love AND live loudly…teach us how to love well, live with soft but strong voices that always speak to You, and lives that point in Your direction. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 13:21-30After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.Consider:The scene in the Upper Room is often painted with the soft glow of candlelight and stained-glass reverence, but John 13:21-30 captures a moment of raw, vibrating tension. Jesus is “troubled in spirit.” This isn’t a stoic, detached version of Jesus; this is a human being facing the sting of impending betrayal from one of his friends.This passage is more than a story of a “bad guy” doing a “bad thing.” Instead, it invites us to look at the complex dynamics of the relationships—the place where radical inclusion meets the messy reality of human fallibility.Jesus’ distress (the Greek reads more like anxious or agitated) reminds us love is not a passive or easy sentiment. To love with a commitment to justice and wholeness is to be vulnerable. The “trouble” Jesus feels is the cost of an open-door policy. When we commit to building communities that welcome everyone—the marginalized, the seeker, and even the ones we disagree with—we move out of the safety of echo chambers and into the danger zone of being hurt.The most striking moment is when Jesus dips the bread and hands it to Judas. In Middle Eastern culture, sharing a morsel of food was a gesture of special honor and intimacy. Even as the “Satan entered into him,” Jesus offered a gesture of kinship.This challenges our modern “cancel culture” instincts. While we must maintain boundaries for safety and accountability, Jesus demonstrates a love that refuses to dehumanize the other. He doesn’t scream, point fingers, or call for a mob. He identifies the betrayal, then feeds the betrayer. He honors Judas’s agency, even when that agency leads to destruction.There is a gap between the knowing and the offering. Jesus knew. Judas acted. The rest of the disciples sat in confusion. We often find ourselves in that same middle ground—knowing that love is required of us, yet feeling the weight of the “night” closing in.Faith isn’t about having a perfect heart; it’s about staying at the table even when the spirit is troubled. It’s about recognizing we are all, at different times, the beloved disciple leaning on Jesus and the one tempted to walk out into the dark.Respond:Imagine yourself at a table with the person you find difficult to love. In your mind’s eye, see yourself passing them something simple—a glass of water, a piece of bread, a salt shaker.Notice your internal resistance to this small act of service. What does that resistance say about your boundaries versus your desire to remain “kind”? Is there a way to offer a “morsel” of humanity to them without sacrificing your own safety?Pray:God, thank You for the grace of the waiting room. As I hold this tension, keep my heart open and my spirit tethered to Yours. Give me the courage to move not out of obligation, but from a place of deep, intentional love when the time is right. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 12: 37-50Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:“Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”Consider:I LOVE when people like me…I love being noticed for good things, I love when it feels like I’m part of keeping the peace. It feels comfortable, it doesn’t have edges or risks. It works. But we aren’t called to stay in the comfortable spaces, are we? I’m struck by this passage to see that the desire to stay in the good graces of friends and neighbors has overpowered people for millennia. Here is Jesus, standing before folks, and those who really do believe, who really do see him and recognize his divinity stay small and quiet because “what will the neighbors think if I say something?” “How will this affect my reputation?” You have two distinct groups in this passage…the group who doesn’t believe even though they’ve seen plenty of evidence, and the group who believes but is more worried about keeping up appearances than proclaiming the Good News they actually understand. I can admit to waffling between those groups over the course of my life…feeling like my questions were greater than any answer and so my belief wavered, and then believing but worrying about the “look” of my faith to the people I sat at table with who were injured by the church or done with faith in general. And so I can feel Jesus’ sharp words ringing in my ears as much as anyone’s… “I have come to the world as a light” HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE ME? So today I ask myself and you-where are we purposefully turning our eyes away from the Light of Christ, because the easy thing is to just continue along doing what we’ve always done? Where are we not using our voices to speak up because we are concerned that it might offend or turn off a friend or “make us look bad”? It’s never been said that following Jesus is easy. Our challenge today is to weigh the cost and determine what we love more…our faith or our comfort? Respond: A question for today: Do I spend more time seeking other’s approval than I do truly listening to and then living into God’s word? If the answer is yes, take a few minutes not judge, but be curious about why that pull toward human approval gets so much of your headspace and thought. Is there something you’re wanting to speak up about but haven’t yet because it feels risky to your reputation perhaps? Or it stands in contrast to the opinions of friends? The first step toward living into the Light is recognizing those things that keep us in the dark a little too long…Pray:Gracious God, keep my heart soft toward You. Guard me from valuing human approval over Your truth. Help me walk boldly in Your light and respond quickly when You speak. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 12: 20-36Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.Consider:There is so much about this passage I do not understand. But perhaps not understanding isn’t so unique to me…the disciples, the ones who LIVED with Jesus all throughout his ministry also didn’t understand. That, perhaps, makes me feel just a bit better about my confusion.So this whole idea of death brings life and life brings death is perhaps the most confusing to me… Until I take a moment and really zoom in on the seed. A seed must be buried before it can multiply. Jesus is speaking of His coming death—but He is also describing the path of every disciple. When we cling tightly to our own plans, comfort, and control, we remain very “sterile” or unable to grow, lacking the elements that create an environment to thrive in faith… But when we surrender our harsh opinions and hang-ups and holding onto things and plant ourselves in the fertile soil of God’s love, when we receive the Light of Christ’s teachings and guidance, fruit begins to grow. What fruit, you might ask? Well, to name a few: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Respond: How often is Christ’s light shining in our lives, yet we hesitate to “plant ourselves” in that light because we’re afraid of what we might have to let go of?Walking in the light means trusting that the light leads somewhere good.So today, take a moment to think of one place where you’ve avoided a nudge to speak up, or do something, or even just be aware of God’s work to be done around you. How might you find that Light of Christ to grow into today? Pray:God of light, we know that you offer us, time and time again, opportunities to walk in the light you provide, and yet we seem to seek out darkness all too often…the darkness of greed, or jealously, or hate or fear. Darkness feels easier sometimes than the work it takes to follow the Light that is you to truly bear the fruit of the Spirit. Help us do the hard work of not just walking in the Light, but actively looking for it, and growing toward it, everyday. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 12:12-19The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,“Hosanna!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the king of Israel!”Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”Consider:The saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20”, which is a comforting idea - that while we may not understand what is going on while we are in the midst of an event, we hope that more understanding might come in the future. It is often so difficult to understand what is happening while we are in the midst of the events, but when we look back, we often better understand the circumstances and impacts of any one decision we made or event of our lives.Except… Is that always true? Do we understand everything that happens to us better in retrospect or is not also true that our hindsight is often just as clouded as our foresight. How many times have we looked back on an event and felt just as confused and conflicted as we did the first time it happened?The gospel of John likes to insert the phrase - “his disciples did not understand all this” which makes me wonder if they ever gained understanding or if there might always have been some confusion which shaded their understanding of events even when days, weeks, and years had passed. Faith is not based on clear-eyed understanding because we will always find ourselves a bit confused with God’s actions in our lives. There may be times we see and understand completely clearly, but most often we see God through a fog. As Saint Paul put it, we “see through a mirror darkly”. We cannot hope for 20/20 vision when it comes to God. Respond:Think of a specific event from your past—maybe from a year ago, or even a decade—that still feels “blurry” or unresolved. Instead of trying to force a lesson out of it or find the “silver lining,” answer these three questions:* What is the specific “fog” or confusion I am still carrying regarding this event?* How does it feel to admit that I might never fully understand why it happened?* In what ways can I see God’s presence in the midst of that event, even if the purpose of the event remains hidden?Pray:Divine Mystery,I confess that I prefer clarity over trust. I want to see the road ahead and the path behind with perfect vision, yet I often find myself standing in the clouds. Thank you for the reminder that even Your disciples were confused, and that I don’t need to understand You to be loved by You.Grant me the grace to be okay with the “dark mirror.” When my hindsight is just as cloudy as my foresight, help me to stop squinting for answers and instead reach out for Your hand. If 20/20 vision isn’t possible, let Your presence be enough. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 12: 1-11Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.Consider:So much is happening in this passage; everyone named in this passage does, in fact, have a different assumption of Jesus, a different take on what’s happening, and a different agenda for what happens next. I find it really interesting that we have several different perspectives happening at the same time, in the same house, at the same dinner…Mary is being abundant and lavish with her love of Christ, Judas is already on the downward spiral of betrayal and is berating others, Martha is cooking away, perhaps caught in that “doing” cycle again? Lazarus hanging out with the man who just resurrected him (probably still wrapping his head around that!) and the priests are making a death plot. Not unlike the family Thanksgiving table? It may sound ridiculous, but really, let’s think about how many agendas fill a room at any given time…this scene is probably more similar than we care to admit to ourselves! So what are we to take from all of this? Who are we in this story? Perhaps a little bit of everyone? I’d love to consider myself Mary in this moment…giving all the best I have to the Lord sitting before me, being fully invested in knowing how precious this moment it. But if I’m being honest, my stinginess might look more like Judas’s reprimand, or my need to please might look like Martha in the kitchen, or my fear of the “other” might even take the shape of a plotting priest every once in a while. Here’s the thing I know…we will never get it “right” all the time when we are sitting at table with Jesus. We will very likely miss the point entirely, miss seeing the Jesus right in front of us, but our job is to try. Try to be Mary, who showed up fully ready to worship with all she had…try to be the one who sees what is about to happen to Jesus and treasure the moment enough to pour out our very best, rather than worrying about if there will be enough later. The challenge is looking for Jesus at each table we feast, in each room we enter, at each shelter we serve or baseball game we watch or political conversation we engage in. Do we even look when it feels hard? If we don’t, we’re probably missing Jesus all over the place. Respond:What is the “alabaster jar” in your life? What costly thing—time, reputation, comfort, resources—might Jesus be inviting you to pour out in love? Where are the hard places to go and actively look for Jesus? Name one today, and actively make a plan to seek out Jesus the next time you’re there. Pray:God, we know you are all over the place, constantly bumping into us in the simple, complex, joyful and hard experiences of life. Help us see you each time, so that we may be extravagant in our love for you, through our love for your creation and your children. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 11:45-57Therefore many of the Jewish people who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.Consider:Our need for self-protection is very strong. In fact, we have no greater natural drive and motivator than to stay alive - even in very harsh and difficult circumstances. Just think about those post-apocalyptic movies where Keanu Reeves (or Brad Pitt or whomever you’d like to picture!) are wondering across the desert, ashes smeared on their cheeks, searching for food/shelter/water/enemies to destroy. We love those movies - and I think that’s because we admire their ability to make it through the wastelands and survive at all costs.Maybe, then, we can slow down on our judgement of the Pharisees in this story. We’ve been taught to hate the Pharisees for trying to destroy the innocent, peace loving followers of God, and for being the ones to “kill Jesus”. But in John’s story, it’s clear the Pharisees motivation is self-protection. Which doesn’t make it right, just makes it more understandable.After all, isn’t that what motivates us most of the time? We don’t try new things because we are protecting ourselves from the blow to our ego failure provides. We insulate ourselves from different ideas and opinions to avoid the painful work of changing our minds. We stockpile cans of soup for the day when the stores close forever so we won’t go hungry.Our sin causes us to look towards our own self-protection first. Maybe the reason we dislike the Pharisees so much is because we understand them and, in our heart of hearts, don’t necessarily disagree.Respond:Ask yourself: “If I did this and no one—not the recipient, not my peers, and not social media—ever found out I was responsible, would I still do it with the same level of effort?” If your enthusiasm drops when the “credit” is removed, your primary driver is likely self-interest instead of generosity. When you are making a choice, consider: Am I doing this for the outcome or for the identity of being the person who does these things?Pray:In the quiet where no eyes watch, I search my heart. If my hands serve and no voice speaks my name, let that be enough. Strip away the hunger for praise and the mask of virtue. May I love for the sake of love, finding joy in the hidden seed. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 10:31-42Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus.Consider:I don’t know how you would respond when a crowd of people are throwing stones at you, but I’m fairly certain my response would not be within 10 miles of how Jesus responds in this passage. My rule is if someone has weapon, maybe stop saying the things that are making them angry and run away. Jesus on the other hand seems to revel in making it worse for himself. Instead of taking the threat to stone him as a warning sign, he doubles and triples down on the claims which make the people so angry. The central tenet of the Jewish tradition is known as the Shema - Dueteronomy 6:5 - “The Lord our God, the Lord is One.” With a heavy emphasis on both Our God, and One. Jesus would have been rased in this tradition and held those words close to his heart. Yet here he finds himself both poking the religious authorities right in the most squishy parts of their hearts and answering in ways designed to make them even more confused.We often find ourselves in the midst of difficult conversations where our core beliefs rub against the deeply held ideas of another. More and more often, it is getting hard to distinguish between the ideas central to our identity - and thereby very painful when challenged - and those where there is room to disagree. Are there any ideas where it’s ok to let others have a different opinion? Depending on who you listen to, it may not seem as if there is.When we discover we are in the midst of hard, painful conversations I don’t think we should follow the examples of the people in this story - not even Jesus. Neither party is seeking to actually help one another understand their point of view, and neither is particularly interested in hearing with open hearts to the truth the other speaks. The only attempts at conversation is to throw stones and poke each other in the eye. Is it any wonder he has to run away?The next time you find yourself in a disagreement, maybe look at your hands. Are you more concerned about throwing the next stone than hearing someone else’s opinion? Respond:The next time you find yourself in a difficult conversation, practice some active listening. When the other person shares something hard, let them finish their thought. Instead of offering an opinion or a “Me too!” story, identify the last 2 or 3 keywords they said. Repeat those 2-3 words back to them in the form of a question, then wait patiently for them to respond. See how that shapes your conversation for the better!Pray:May my ears be open and my ego quiet. Grant me the patience to hold my words until I truly understand another’s heart. Let me listen not for an opening to speak, but for the truth behind the breath, honoring every voice with my full and silent presence. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: John 10: 22-30Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”Consider:I am guessing we have all had one of those moments when, despite our best efforts, those we are communicating with just don’t HEAR us or SEE what we are doing…am I right? It feels like we’ve offered a million ways to notice what is going on, but to no avail (ahem…putting clothes on the stairs with the eternal optimism that SOMEONE will carry them up, or saying how much you love flowers hoping your spouse will someday buy them for you.)These are of course trivial examples, but it hits at what I believe Jesus must have felt in this passage. He is walking in the temple when He is confronted with a demand: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” The question sounds sincere, but Jesus names the deeper issue—they are not listening, nor have they apparently been paying close attention!Jesus doesn’t offer new proof. He doesn’t throw out a miracle to stop their questions for good. He points to trust. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Faith here isn’t about absolute and obvious certainty: it’s about recognition even without it. The sheep don’t follow because everything is clear, but because the voice is familiar and trusted.Then come some of the most tender words in Scripture: “I give them eternal life… no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Jesus speaks to a connection that outweighs fear, doubt, threat, opposition or confusion. He speaks to trust, real and true trust. This passage shifts the focus from proving who Jesus is to trusting who He says He is. The promise is not a life free of questions, but a life of belonging and love, if only we can believe without asking again and again for “one more bit of proof.”In a world that requires proof to believe, may we remember that God has, is, and always will be present and with us, even when we cannot seem to see. Respond:Take some time today to think on the following ways to engage with this passage:Stay rooted in relationship, not argumentsThe crowd wants a clear verbal proof of who Jesus is; Jesus points instead to relationship and action. A response is prioritizing knowing Christ over winning debates about Christ. In a world that wants to rage over everything, what does KNOWING Christ really look like? It may look like:Embody gentleness and confidence togetherJesus is calm, steady, and unthreatened here. We live this out by holding convictions without aggression—being firm in faith while gentle with people.Pray:Gracious God, we struggle sometimes seeing that which is always in front of us…help us remember that trusting in your love requires our faith, not Your proof. Amen. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Luke 15: 1-7Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.Consider:Have you ever heard the phrase “the church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints”? This sentence comes to mind when I read this passage. The religious leaders of the time are complaining that Jesus is sitting with “those folks,” and they are not being particularly quiet about it. So perhaps the story of the lost sheep doesn’t seem to be just a simple illustration of reclaiming what’s lost; it’s a response to criticism.We usually read this passage and see ourselves as the lost sheep, or we see the “point” of the story being the finding of the lost. We’ve wandered; God comes after us. That’s true, and it’s good news. But how about another angle as well?What if the question isn’t only “Am I the lost one?” but also “Which group am I standing with right now?” What happens if we flip our participation in this story to the other side? The ninety-nine are safe, counted, and close. Yet they’re not the focus of the celebration. The shepherd’s joy erupts over the one who wandered off. Jesus is gently exposing how easy it is to value order, belonging, and being “right” more than restoration and joy.Reading this passage differently means letting it challenge the opinions and hang ups we may harbor, just like the religious leaders. Do we rejoice when the lost are found—even when it disrupts our comfort or our sense of fairness, or shows grace to those we don’t see as worthy of it?Jesus ends with joy, not judgment. Heaven celebrates recovery, not record-keeping. We are to strive to do the same…drop our tally sheets and rejoice with God in all the joys of those being found in the loving presence of our Creator. Respond:Think of one “sheep” you may struggle to celebrate if he/she became lost and was celebrated when found…it can be VERY difficult to read this story with that person in the seat of God’s mercy and joy, but that is perhaps what God asks us to do. Not to endorse things we know aren’t right, not to agree with everyone, but to see that ALL are worthy of searching and recovery by God’s love. Pray:Gracious God, we know this story from the lost sheep’s perspective, but today we ask that you offer us eyes to see where we are too comfortable in our own fields and free us from a narrow vision that allows an “in” and an “out” group for your seeking and finding love. Amen. . These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com

Scripture: Luke 12:22-34Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”Consider:God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit had a bunch of other options for how to reconcile humanity back to the Holy, to restore open, healthy, loving relationship between humans and the God who sought them out over and over again. There were other options.God had tried several optons. First, God picked a particular person, Noah, who was righteous, only for Noah to immediately go wonky upon leaving the ark. (Maybe 40 days locked in with two of every available animal was too much!) Then he picked a family in Abraham, only for his descendents to pretty quickly hedge their bets with other gods. Ok, God thought. I’ll try again. This time with a whole nation, and we’ll have rules and expectations and a whole system of religion to keep them on track. We all know how that turned out. So then God sent some prophets to sort out those chosen people and see if they could bring the people back on side. That didn’t work either.So, God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit decided to do something drastic - to become human, to enter into and make holy the human experience. I wonder if they thought maybe the problem had always been that God didn’t really understand humans and that’s why it this relationship had never worked. Which gives us the most powerful verse in the whole Bible - “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”Jesus was a volunteer. God had other options.But Jesus volunteered.Respond:Take a few seconds or a minute in silence and let the verse “No one takes me life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” rest in your mind. What part of this verse hits you most deeply today? Why do you think that verse is so meaningful?Pray:Divine Pursuer, thank You for moving beyond laws and prophets to meet us in the flesh. When every other plan faltered, You didn’t walk away; You stepped in. Thank You, Jesus, for being the Volunteer who chose us when You had every other option. May your sacrifice finally heal our hearts. These posts will always be free, however, if you find them meaningful and would like to consider supporting our online outreach, you can donate using this link. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wfpc.substack.com