Devotional Guide -- March 30

Saturday, March 30, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

Do you ever feel that your faith is just not as strong as it could be? That you are going through things that are more difficult than they should be? You know you believe, but you are just feeling a little shaky about why you believe?

Read the above verse very carefully. Faith doesn’t just materialize out of thin air. It is not some whimsical emotion that falls unexpectedly upon us. Hebrews says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Substance is something that we can hold in our hands, evidence of tangible things. So how can we acquire such faith?

Only one way. It comes from God’s Word – both incarnate and written. We receive the Word incarnate as we attend church regularly, hear our pastor declare the truth of Jesus Christ, accept him and trust him as our own savior. We receive the written Word as we open that big Book and read for ourselves the eternal verities that have been so carefully preserved for us.

If we are experiencing wavering faith, the wavering probably is our own fault. We are not regularly hearing good preaching to teach us about the Word Incarnate, and we are not regularly studying Scripture for ourselves.

Prayer: Father, forgive us for not taking better care of our faith by nurturing it.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 29

Friday, March 29, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

Once I watched a train coming down the track, and I noticed that in front of the lower part of the engine, the part that was once called the “cow catcher,” there was a light shining right down on the track, directly in front of the moving train. I’m not sure why it was there because the engineer could never stop the train if he saw something on that portion of the track.

Then, up on the engine, almost at the top, there was another light shining way out in front – a sort of spot light that illuminated the rails a long way down the track. Possibly he could stop if he saw something in that light.

That’s the picture I have in my mind for this verse. God’s Word shines as we move from place to place, giving adequate light so that we will not stumble on some obstacle in our immediate path. We’ve all had the experience of the “lamp unto our feet,” knowing that we barely avoided something that would have been catastrophic.

But that same Word also shines way down the pike, a “light unto our path,” warning us of something dangerous down the road. A word from a sermon or a devotional stops us, and we are spared making a serious mistake.

Prayer: Father, thank you that you have provided lamps to guide our footsteps and lights to illuminate our paths. Cause us to pay attention as you guide us by way of your word. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 28

Thursday, March 28, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11

Isn’t it interesting that we can remember exactly what something at the grocery store costs, especially if it’s a bargain? Or when the price of gas goes up, we can tell you exactly what it costs in Inverness, at Sam’s in Hernando County, and at the station nearest us.

When someone says something to us that hurts our feelings, we quote their remark verbatim for weeks, hashing and rehashing the confrontation in our minds.

We can remember the best hand we ever had at bridge and can tell you who held what in each of the other three hands. Or we can give you a blow-by-blow of how many strokes on each hole it took to play the best golf match of our careers.

But when it comes to memorizing Scripture, we usually say something like this: “I was never good at memorizing when I was young, and now I just cannot do it.” Pretty flimsy excuse. Memorizing is more work than it was when we were young, but we can still do it if we want to. And that Word is every bit as important to our spiritual health as is whatever medicine we take to control our physical aches and pains. The psalmist says that hiding God’s Word in our hearts protects us from sin. I don’t know about you, but I know I need all the protection I can get!

Prayer: Father, cause us to realize how good it is for us to know your word so that we will not offend you with our sin. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 27

Wednesday, March 27, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“’Behold the days are coming,’ says the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.’” Amos 8:11-12

One time when I was in China, a student came to the apartment, saw my Bible on the table, and asked, “Holy Bible? May I touch it?” Of course I told him yes, and even opened it to several passages that I hoped he might understand with a little help from me. Afterward, I thought about how awful it would be not to have access to that Book. I have them all over my house, but he had none and had never touched this book that he called holy.

Amos is talking about having no word from God. He says there will be a time when man will search and search, but God’s word will not be there. And that did happen. For 400 years before the birth of Jesus, God did not speak – to anyone! When he told Zachariah that he would be the father of John the Baptist, that was God’s first recorded communication with man in 400 years!

Can that happen again? Probably. It has happened in places like China and Russia. Perhaps this warning will cause us to appreciate this treasure that we have so easily available to us, even to memorize God’s Word, hide it in our hearts where it cannot be taken from us – ever!

Prayer: Father, cause us to understand how important to our lives your Word is; cause us to drink it in to keep it safe for as long as we live. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 26

Tuesday, March 26, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.” Genesis 22:8

The Scripture says, “Who can understand the mind of God?” and we can easily relate to that question. God created a perfect place for a perfect race, and we failed. Then he said that someone has to pay for our sin. Two thousand years before Jesus, Abraham understood that. (Read Hebrews 11. I think you’ll be surprised at Abraham’s faith.)

This is another one of those “It’s not fair” situations. God made everything to be perfect, we goofed, and he pays the price! It’s just not fair!

But contemplation of this fact is surely worth the effort! We learn that we really don’t understand God. We have no idea how loving and caring he is. We have no concept of what he meant when he said of the first couple, “This is really good.” We cannot grasp how it hurt him when we failed and when we continue to fail. We miss the longing in his voice when he seeks us — wants to return us to a relationship with him. We completely miss that all he ever wanted was to “Walk with us in the cool of the evening.”

Prayer: Father, you give and give to us, and we always come back for more. Once again, we do that. Help us to long for you as you long for us. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 25

Monday, March 25, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it…. But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is the word of flesh which we preach)…. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.” Romans’10:5-10

Today’s Scripture is from the New Testament; Saturday’s from the Old. Paul, in his great Roman systematic theology, makes his point by quoting from Moses in the fifth book of the Bible – Deuteronomy, and you’ll notice that Paul changes little of what we read yesterday from Deuteronomy.

So what is Paul saying? He’s saying that if we think we are going to find salvation by obeying the law, we are mistaken. We simply cannot do that because of Adam’s sin (but that is another lesson). Only one person has ever obeyed the complete law, and his name is Jesus! No, our salvation is in our hearts and on our lips. We believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Christ and confess with our mouths that he is our Lord, and we will be saved! (That’s a Patience paraphrase of Romans 10.) After that, we don’t keep the law because we must in order to be saved; we keep the law as best we can out of love for the Lord who did everything necessary to eternally save us. What a huge difference understanding this can make in our lives. Understanding this is amazingly freeing!

Prayer: Father, thank you for your free gift of salvation – original and on-going – for its being as near as our hearts and words. We do confess Christ as Lord and Savior. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 23

Saturday, March 23, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“For this commandment which I command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” Deuteronomy 30:11, 14

The Bible often uses the word murmuring to indicate that the people in a story are unhappy. Today, we would probably say they were griping or complaining. One of the things that people often murmur or gripe about is how difficult the Bible is to understand. Not so, says Deuteronomy.

What Moses means, I think, is that we actually know what is right and wrong, deep inside. It’s as though we were coded by some spiritual DNA to know that lying, killing, and hurting another are wrong, that using foul words and damning others are wrong. But we do these things anyway, and that little DNA button goes off inside, activating our consciences and making us feel guilty.

The “commandment is not too hard for us,” Noah says. Isn’t God good to give us his law, to reinforce in words what we know in our hearts. In Psalm 19, David says, “The law of the Lord is perfect.” How grateful we should be that God has put the spiritual DNA in us to recognize good when we see it and hear it and that he has given us the written word to reinforce what we know innately!

Prayer: Father, how well you know us – that we don’t always act according to what we know! Forgive us and help us to do what you have taught us is right. Amen

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 22

Friday, March 22, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all he has promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he uttered by Moses his servant.” I Kings 8:56  

Commenting on the words of someone recently elected to office, another elected official said, “There’s a difference in campaign rhetoric and what the candidate knows he can do once he gets into office.” I was stunned. Did he really mean to say that a person can make whatever promise he wants in the expediency of getting elected, knowing full-well that he can never live up to his promises? We can be grateful that is not the way God operates!

The Lord has given us rest – rest – in knowing that not one word of what he has promised will be forgotten. Every word of what he has promised will be done. Not one promise is insignificant. Do we realize just what that means? “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “Lo, I am with you always.” He “will supply all our needs according to his riches in glory.” We can count on God to do exactly what he has promised!

Our lives will certainly be easier and less stressful if we not only trust the Lord’s word but know it well enough to apply it to whatever we are facing at the moment. He never promised that we would be rich in things. He never promised we would be free from troubles. He has promised to be our God when we don’t have things and when we are in trouble!

Prayer: Father, thank you that you are steadfast and absolutely dependable! Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 21

Thursday, March 21, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law…. Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law and observe it with my whole heart.” Psalm 119:18, 34

The entire 176 verses of this wonderful psalm are filled with challenge and promise, both searching and longing – sometimes on the part of man and sometimes on the part of God.

Eight times the psalmist painfully cries out, “Give me understanding,” and in other places he simply implies a great need to comprehend. Seven times he begs, “Teach me.” The whole chapter is about law. Looking at it closely, we recognize the cry of a man who longs to please his Lord. Without a doubt, this psalm can become a guide to our study and our own seeking.

When we don’t understand what God is saying in his Word, we can say to him just that! “Help me! I just do not understand what you are saying to me. I need you to help me understand.” Often that leads to some obscure passage in the Scriptures that reveals something that we have never seen before. Other times it leads to worship and thanksgiving that is so spontaneous we know God himself has led us to a time of rejoicing in him.

Prayer: Father, we want to seek you. Teach us to do that earnestly, in a way that pleases you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 20

Wednesday, March 20, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Psalm 19:2-8, 10a

One of those stern teachers from my childhood gave us this poem to memorize. At the time, though I didn’t understand a lot of what I was learning, I worked so hard to remember all of it. Someday I hope to see her in heaven and tell her how important to my whole life this psalm has been. Often parts of it rise from the depths of my childhood memory bank to encourage me.

Look closely. The Law – that old strict, demanding, perfect Old Testament Law – is simple, pure, and right. It revives, enlightens, and rejoices! If that is true, why do we – do I – look everywhere else for something to revive, enlighten, and rejoice!

Today as I write this, I am lonely and guilty of thinking about how to boost my spirit. These verses that I write about are verses chosen two months ago for this day. Is it coincidental that when I need reminding, they remind me? I think not!

The perfect Law, if it is stored in our memory file cabinet, will rise to the occasion to do its work – perfectly – every time! Our job is to put the memorized verses in our phenomenal mental file cabinet.

Prayer: Father, thank you that Mary Duff encouraged me to memorize this psalm in grade school so that I may share it with the church today. Thank you for your guidance even when I was a child. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 19

Tuesday, March 19, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” II Peter 1:20-21

“First of all.” How often have we who are parents begun some instruction to our children with these words? “First of all, let me tell you this….” They don’t listen, and when they mess up, we add, “Didn’t I tell you that ‘first of all’ you had to…?” Well, we may be all grown up, but we are still like children, and God has to remind us that first of all we must understand something important.

This Book is no ordinary book. Someone did not sit down and begin to put on paper his/her rambling thoughts. No! I love the King James translation of this verse: “…holy men of old wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Some think that men’s quill pens moved supernaturally, almost like what some call “auto-writing.” A better understanding is probably that the Holy Spirit superintended the writing of Scripture, using men, their minds, their way of speaking in the culture of their time, to convey to us guidelines for life that God wanted us to have.

As we read, we should – first of all – realize that this message is not arbitrary, to be accepted if we like! You and I may disagree about relevance of the word, but we must understand that it is actually with God that we disagree.

Prayer: Father, thank you that you cared enough about us to guide others to write so we may learn from you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 18

Monday, March 18, 2019
The Holy Bible: 

God Speaks to Man

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16

We err when we think that we can just study the New Testament and be prepared to live the Christian life. When Paul wrote to his young protege, Timothy, the only Scripture available was what we today call the Old Testament – books of law, history, poetry and the prophets. He didn’t know what he was writing would become Scripture. So he was telling his young friend that the Old Testament was important for specific reasons.

Our desire as Christians is to do good work, to please God, to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to give cups of cold water to those who thirst. These are the things that Jesus tells us we can do for others in order to do for him. This is the New Testament lesson.

We would never send a man or woman out to do a job in business without the proper tools and training, yet we often think as Christians that we can “wing” it and get the job done. Paul says otherwise. We get our instructions from the Scripture, and that includes the Old Testament – God inspired words to teach, correct, reprove, and make us righteous for good work. Going to work without the proper training may result in our being unable to work well – both in the world’s business and in God’s.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the best possible training manual for the work you have left for us to do. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Here’s a thought

Sunday

March 17, 2019

Since Sundays are not officially counted in the forty days of Lent, I encourage you to find your own way to concentrate on the Lord today — through Bible Studies, Worship services, other devotional guides, Christian songs, acts of Christian service, etc. Just in case you’re interested, here’s a verse of Scripture on which to ponder. 

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

One day several years ago, I worked with a particularly energetic young man for whom I held a great deal of fondness. He was fun loving and smart — a delight to be around. 

On this particular shift, he periodically, for no apparent reason, called my name, “Patience.”  Each time I looked up expecting him to ask me a question or to tell me something. No. He just kept on working as if he had said nothing. This made me think. 

What does God do when he hears us say his name? Do his ears perk up? Does he turn his attention to us in anticipation of a comment or question? Is he disappointed to realize that we have mindlessly, casually, and for no apparent reason called his name?

Have you ever said any of the following as a form of punctuation or exclamation or other thoughtless comment?

• Jesus!
• Gees!
• Oh, my God!
• Oh, my gosh!
• omg
• Good Lord!
• Thank God!

Take time today to worship the Lord. Reflect on your language. Does it hurt God or bring him glory? 

Father, Convict us when we casually use your name to punctuate our conversations. Bring us to repentance and forgive us, Lord. Amen. 

Devotional Guide -- March 16

Saturday, March 16, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

This verse sounds like an invitation to always get our own way. Whatever we want, presto! It’s there. If we want a new job, or to get into a good school, or to have some great intellectual understanding, or even a new car, just knock and doors will open as if by magic. Sorry. That is not what this verse is saying.

Read the verses prior to it in Matthew 7. The gospel writer for six verses has been talking about being judged not guilty, about hypocrisy, about dealing fairly and nonjudgmentally with others. Then he drops in verse seven, and once again a little tiny word gives understanding to the verse. It. It will be opened to you. So to what is it referring?

Those first six verses hold the secret. What will be added is the awesome ability to not judge another because we are honest about our own sin; to not see another’s “speck” because we are honest about our own failure; to be judged worthy of the pearls that God wants to give us; of having the door of understanding opened to us so that we can begin to really live as kingdom children.

Prayer: Father, we want your good things, your pearls, to be added to us. Help us ask and seek for the right things, to knock on the right doors, so that you can be free to give and to open to us. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 15

Friday, March 15, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” Matthew 6:33

How do we go about seeking the kingdom? And what are the things that will be added if we do seek?

Kingdom living isn’t easy right now. News is awful! Our comfort is threatened. Manufacturing companies, stores, restaurants, even banks are closing every day. Things don’t look good. How do we live a kingdom life in this financial mess?

I got good advice from a child at Christmas when I was on my way home from Kentucky. I stopped in Atlanta to spend the night with three of my Chinese children. At dinner, the father – a financial analyst – asked me if things were okay with me. To his surprise, I told him I really don’t know. I added that I have decided that God has taken care of me well for so long, and right now I can either listen to the news and get scared, or I can continue to trust God to take care of me. Jason, the eleven year old son of my friends, smiled, gave me a thumbs up sign, and said. “Right! If God is your pilot, let him pilot.” I think young Jason recognized kingdom living — living in trust that God is able to take care of us even in an economic crisis.

It is interesting that the promise is, then, that all these things will be ours as well. These things, which you’ll find if you read the rest of Matthew 6, are food, clothes, water – the necessities of life!

Prayer: Father, Help us to really learn what it means to be kingdom people! Help us to look to you and to trust you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Davotional Guide -- March 14

Thursday, March 14, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Ask and it will be given you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish will instead of a fish give him a serpent…? If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:9, 11, 13

Many years ago, our first daughter entered the university. We lived in the same city; there seemed no need for her to live in a dorm, so she stayed home with us and commuted to her classes and extra-curricular activities every day. Her father and I noticed that she was spending more and more time going to and fro, and we asked her one day if she would like to move to the dorm.

I still remember the shocked look on her face. Moving to the dorm was expensive, and she hadn’t thought it would be a possibility. She wanted to go so badly, but she had not wanted to ask such a huge thing. We talked about it. She moved.

I wonder if that is not somewhat how it is with God and us. He has a wonderful gift to give us – the constant presence of his Holy Spirit – but we think it is too great a gift to ask for, so we don’t ask. How slow we are to learn that he loves us and wants to give us everything we need to live a life of victory and joy in our fellowship with him. Yes, this gift cost him dearly, but he still longs to give it.

Prayer: Father, we need your Holy Spirit. Grant us his presence every day, all the day, so that we have the resource to live. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 13

Wednesday, March 13, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant…my sure love.” Psalm 55:4

I went to Kentucky this past Christmas and took Peggy Benson’s Shadow with me. She was flying to Tennessee and could not take the dog. I was driving and he could go with me. My children live in a zoo, anyway, with two dogs, two cats, and a gerbil! One more dog would not make any difference.

When I got there, Elizabeth came running, “Where’s the dog?” she asked. Shadow ignored her! She was crestfallen!

All during the week, she coaxed him, gave him treats, invited him to sleep on her bed, got toys for him. Still he ignored her! Finally, about three days before we left, she called me to come quickly! Shadow was curled up next to her on her bed! She was elated! Finally, he was her friend.

I hear Elizabeth’s kind of pleading in this psalm as God begs us to listen to him, come to him, so that he can just love us! I envision his expression as he approaches us gently, encouraging us to accept his attention so that we can live, but we ignore him. I wonder if he doesn’t feel the elation Elizabeth did when we at last curl up next to him and enjoy his presence!

Prayer: Father, we are so sorry that you call, and we turn a deaf ear. That you coax, and we ignore. Forgive us. Cause us to come to you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 12

Tuesday, March 12, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.” Psalm 63:1

Do you know what it is to be thirsty and not even know you are thirsty? You’re out on the golf course. Every drive is perfect. Every putt seems to find the hole. Engrossed in the excitement, you haven’t even taken a sip of water!

Suddenly, eighteen holes are over. Adrenalin is no longer pumping, and you are so thirsty that you cannot bear it. You go back to the club house quickly, pause in the “Nineteenth Hole,” and order a tall glass of ice water. Your mouth, though parched, waters as you see the glass being filled. That is real thirst!

Isn’t that what the psalmist is talking about here? Not just thinking, “I would like to have a glass of cool water,” but wanting water to quench unbearable thirst. He depicts a person who will do almost anything for a drink of living water. This is a person who knows what it is to be nourished by God’s holy presence, and suddenly is without God. Only God will satisfy. He seeks God as a dehydrated man seeks water.

This is the kind of seeking that pleases God. We need to thirst for what only he gives.

Prayer: Father, we are thirsty. Make us desperately thirsty. Amen

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director

Devotional Guide -- March 11

Monday, March 11, 2019
The Seekers: God and Man

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

Moses reminds Israel that God has gone before them, that just as he has been with them in their journey, so he will be with them in this new land. Our Scripture today begins with “but” – a conditional word. Israel should know that God is their Lord, that he is there, but they must look for him — seek him!

For years, Moses has led the nation of Israel through the desert. Now they prepare to go into the promised land, and Moses has just delivered an historical account of their covenant with God. These are his concluding words: know who you are and where you’ve been, and remember who the God is who has delivered you.

Isn’t that how it is with us? We move down here from the cold north or up here from the busy south, and God is already here! But we must look for him — seek him. Don’t forget, he wants us to find him, and has positioned himself where we will look. Maybe in a church or Bible study. Maybe in the home of a Christian friend. Maybe in service as we minister to someone in need. We must look for him, but we must look in the right places!

Prayer: Father, as we seek you, help us to know where to find you. We want to find you. Help us to recognize the places you might be and look there. Amen

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director