Jane Lew First United Methodist Church

09/07/2026

Morning devotion for Monday, September 7.

This week's theme is Patience.

Scripture: James 5:7. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth.

Reflection: Nothing tests one's patience more than gardening and tending to plants. There is no real shortcut to get from seed to vegetable or from shrub to flower. You can prepare the soil, amend with fertilizer, and water fastidiously. You can get the right amount of light and sun and keep the temperature in an ideal zone. You can try to control all the circumstances, but you cannot control the growth. For that, there is no substitute for waiting.
In our lives, we often anxiously work to control all of the circumstances that can contribute to the outcomes we want. Whether it is at work, with our health, in our relationships, or with our kids, there is so much that we try to control and manipulate to more quickly get the outcomes that we desire. While there is much we can control, we are wise to recognize what we can't. We might be able to manipulate all the conditions but there are some things in life that we cannot control. There are no shortcuts to the outcomes we want. Once all the conditions are ideal there is no substitute for waiting. Certain things take time, and we don't control the timing.

Morning Prayer of Petition.
Forgiving God, You are evermore patient with me when I frustrate, neglect, or disobey You. Foster in me that same patience in my life toward:
my family, children, and those close to me,
co-workers or classmates with whom I am angry or disappointed,
those with whom I disagree and who seem to work against the very things I value,
myself, when I fail to do what I want or intend to do.
Help me to be as patient with others in my life as You are with me. Amen.

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09/05/2026

Evening devotion for Saturday, September 5.

Scripture: Job 23:17. Still I am not annihilated by darkness,
He has hidden deep darkness from me.

Reflection: by Oswald Chambers, in "My Utmost for His Highest."
Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there, keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will talk in the wrong mood: darkness is the time to listen.

Evening Prayer of Gratitude.
Creator God, with a word You called forth light and it shone. With that same word, You continue to shine light in the darkness of my life and the world. May my eyes be opened so that today I can see your light in:
*healing that is happening for people I love,
*new beginnings that spring up around me,
*moments of peace and calm when I am stressed and anxious,
*surprise encounters that give me perspective and assurance,
*positive news in a world that seems consumed by negativity.
Continue to help me trust and follow You, even in the dark. Amen.

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09/05/2026

Continuing to catch up...

Morning devotion for Saturday, September 5.

Scripture: Romans 13:12. The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let's get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light.

Reflection: Do you have trouble getting out of bed early in the morning, that time when night is over but the sun has not yet risen? It is hard because our body senses the dark and wants to stay in bed, under the covers, and sleep. It takes an almost unnatural effort for some of us to defy this desire and get up, even while it is still dark. Yet this effort is usually worth it.
We live in a world that seems to be dark and ever more chaotic. When we live in an environment of negativity, cynicism, or selfishness, we are tempted to take on those characteristics ourselves, to start acting the same way. If you are around negative friends, you are drawn into negativity yourself. If you only ingest bad news about the world, you grow bitter and cynical. In such situations, it can take an almost supernatural effort to defy the cues we're receiving from our environment not to live differently. Yet, that is what we are called by God to do. Because, while it may be dark now, the light is coming.

Morning Prayer of Petition.
Holy One, You are light, and in Your presence even night is as bright as day. During dark seasons of my life, help me to turn to You with:
*loneliness, in my life or in the lives of people I love,
*anxiety and mental health challenges that threaten my joy,
*grief in and around me over lost loved ones, relationships, or opportunities,
*anger that threatens to consume me or those I care about,
*addiction that menaces so many people including those I know.
May I learn to trust You as I walk through the dark, knowing that in it You are powerfully at work walking with us. Amen.

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09/05/2026

Catching up after getting home from a funeral trip to Oakland, MD.

Evening devotion for Friday, September 4.

Scripture: Matthew 10:27. What I say to you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, announce from the rooftops.

Reflection: Jan Richardson's poem, "The Magdalene's Blessing.
This is your life
calling to you
from a place
you could never
have dreamed,
but now that you
have glimpsed its edge,
you cannot imagine
choosing any other way.
So let the tears come
as anointing,
as consecration,
and then
let them go.
Let this blessing
gather itself around you.
Let it give you
what you will need
for this journey.
You will not remember
the words---
they do not matter.
All you need to remember
is how it sounded
when you stood
in the place of death
and heard the living
call your name.

Evening Prayer of Gratitude.
Creator God, with a word You called forth light and it shone. With that same word, You continue to shine light in the darkness of my life and the world. May my eyes be opened so that today I can see your light in:
*healing that is happening for people I love,
*new beginnings that spring up around me,
*moments of peace and calm when I am stressed and anxious,
*surprise encounters that give me perspective and assurance,
*positive news in a world that seems consumed by negativity.
Continue to help me trust and follow You, even in the dark. Amen.

Morning and evening devotions are from The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer.

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09/03/2026

Evening devotion for Thursday, September 3.

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned.

Reflection: Growing up, I was terrified of storms. The noise, the lightning, and the threat of darkness sent me running for a safe place to hide. As I grew older, the storms transformed into an invitation to be still. To listen. To pray. Our human reaction is to try to eradicate darkness: turn on the lights, light candles and lanterns, do everything we can to make the darkness disappear. We are the same way in our everyday life, coming and going---we do everything we can to run the darkness off. Humans do everything possible to skip human darkness---grief, difficulty, and pain. Yet, for a healthy sleep cycle, your body needs darkness. To see the stars in their glory, darkness is required. Even plants and animals cannot thrive in total and constant light.
The Old Testament prophets and Jesus remind us that there will be darkness in this life: It's up to you what you do with it. Will you sow into the darkness and see what harvest will be reaped? What can you hear? What can you learn? Take a deep breath---the darkness is here to teach us.

Evening Prayer of Gratitude.
Creator God, with a word You called forth light and it shone. With that same word, You continue to shine light in the darkness of my life and the world. May my eyes be opened so that today I can see your light in:
*healing that is happening for people I love,
*new beginnings that spring up around me,
*moments of peace and calm when I am stressed and anxious,
*surprise encounters that give me perspective and assurance,
*positive news in a world that seems consumed by negativity.
Continue to help me trust and follow You, even in the dark. Amen.

Morning and evening devotions are from The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer.

09/03/2026

Morning devotion for Thursday, September 3.

Scripture: Psalm 88:18. You've made my loved ones and companions distant. My only friend is darkness.

Reflection: There are some scriptures that you can feel, that you instantly know are true because they name something deep inside you. Any of us who have suffered from depression know the deep truth of this psalm. In the pit of despair or hopelessness, everything and everyone seems distant. More so, as a person of faith, despite desperate prayers, the loneliness and isolation don't magically subside. Even worse, in the face of unanswered prayers, it can feel as if the distance is caused by God. In the pit of depression, grief, and sadness it seems as if darkness is our only companion, our only dependable presence, and our only friend.
When you are in this place, it can feel like you are the only one, and that no one, especially church folk, could understand what it is like. But the scriptures name this place as one that many before us have walked. Like a cave with marks left by those who've gone before us, we are not the first ones who have been here. And, even now, others sit with us, even though we cannot see them. There is no redeeming the feeling of being in the dark, but there is power in knowing that you aren't alone there, that others have been, and are, there. There is also hope in knowing that many before us, like the psalmist, have come through it to write these words of encouragement and hope, reminding us that the dark is not permanent.

Morning Prayer of Petition.
Holy One, You are light, and in Your presence even night is as bright as day. During dark seasons of my life, help me to turn to You with:
*loneliness, in my life or in the lives of people I love,
*anxiety and mental health challenges that threaten my joy,
*grief in and around me over lost loved ones, relationships, or opportunities,
*anger that threatens to consume me or those I care about,
*addiction that menaces so many people including those I know.
May I learn to trust You as I walk through the dark, knowing that in it You are powerfully at work walking with us. Amen.

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09/02/2026

Evening devotion for Wednesday, September 2.

Scripture: John 1:5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn't extinguish the light.

Reflection: "What to Do in the Darkness" by Marilyn Chandler McEntyre.
Go slowly
Consent to it
But don't wallow in it
Know it as a place of germination
and growth
Remember the light
Take an outstretched hand if you find one
Exercise unused senses
Find the path by walking it
Practice trust
Watch for dawn

Evening Prayer of Gratitude.
Creator God, with a word You called forth light and it shone. With that same word, You continue to shine light in the darkness of my life and the world. May my eyes be opened so that today I can see your light in:
*healing that is happening for people I love,
*new beginnings that spring up around me,
*moments of peace and calm when I am stressed and anxious,
*surprise encounters that give me perspective and assurance,
*positive news in a world that seems consumed by negativity.
Continue to help me trust and follow You, even in the dark. Amen.

Morning and evening devotions are from The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer.

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09/02/2026

Morning devotion for Wednesday, September 2.

Scripture: Psalm 139:11-12. If I said, "The darkness will definitely hide me, the light will become night around me," even then the darkness isn't too dark for you! Nighttime would shine bright as day, because darkness is the same as light to you.

Reflection: There is a tendency to think of darkness as bad. Darkness masks, cloaks, and hides. We use darkness as a metaphor for evil. We are afraid of the dark. But seasons of darkness can be powerful and transformative for us. The night is a time of rest an rejuvenation. The night can be a time of respite and calm. Seasons of darkness where we cannot see exactly where we are going can challenge us to think creatively, see our life differently, and trust in God more fully.
There are opportunities for God to uniquely work in the dark. God can teach us, mold us, lead us, and change us during times of darkness. Right now, you may be in a season that feels like darkness. Maybe you are questioning your work, frustrated in your relationships, waiting impatiently for change, or anxious about the uncertainty of the future. But God does some of God's best work in the dark. In God, there is no difference between night and day.

Morning Prayer of Petition.
Holy One, You are light, and in Your presence even night is as bright as day. During dark seasons of my life, help me to turn to You with:
*loneliness, in my life or in the lives of people I love,
*anxiety and mental health challenges that threaten my joy,
*grief in and around me over lost loved ones, relationships, or opportunities,
*anger that threatens to consume me or those I care about,
*addiction that menaces so many people including those I know.
May I learn to trust You as I walk through the dark, knowing that in it You are powerfully at work walking with us. Amen.

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09/02/2026

Evening devotion for Tuesday, September 1.

Scripture: Matthew 27:45. From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark.

Reflection: In the darkness, God is working. If we cannot believe that, then we will struggle to understand the purpose of darkness. Theologian Barbara Brown Taylor reminds us that "new life starts in the dark...Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark." (from Learning to Walk in the Dark) The Israelite people walked in the dark. Jacob wrestled in the dark. Jonah sat in the dark belly of the great fish. Paul was blinded for three days. The "whole earth was dark" on Good Friday for three hours. Jesus was in the tomb for three dark days.
Every single time, God was at work. When it is dark, remember that God is at work. Deliverance starts in the dark. Healing starts in the dark. Peace starts in the dark. Resurrection starts in the dark. New life starts in the dark. In the darkness, remember God was, is, and will forever be at work.

Evening Prayer of Gratitude.
Creator God, with a word You called forth light and it shone. With that same word, You continue to shine light in the darkness of my life and the world. May my eyes be opened so that today I can see your light in:
*healing that is happening for people I love,
*new beginnings that spring up around me,
*moments of peace and calm when I am stressed and anxious,
*surprise encounters that give me perspective and assurance,
*positive news in a world that seems consumed by negativity.
Continue to help me trust and follow You, even in the dark. Amen.

Morning and evening devotions are from The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer.

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09/01/2026

Morning devotion for Tuesday, September 1.

Scripture: Micah 7:8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, because when I fall, I will rise; if I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.

Reflection: When I fall, I will rise. Has there been a time when God raised you up when you were at a low point? Was there ever a time when God powerfully wove together the mess of your life into something redemptive and beautiful? Has God ever taken your trials and used them to strengthen you? While God does not cause the seasons of struggle and suffering, God shows up in them, works through them, and is a source of light during them.
In fact, sometimes God can do things in our darkness that God cannot do when all is well. You may wonder why you are struggling, or why you are in pain, or why disappointment continues for you. You can ask that question; there is nothing wrong with it. But there may be a more powerful and hopeful question: Even now, where might God be at work in my darkness, shining a light?

Morning Prayer of Petition.
Holy One, You are light, and in Your presence even night is as bright as day. During dark seasons of my life, help me to turn to You with:
*loneliness, in my life or in the lives of people I love,
*anxiety and mental health challenges that threaten my joy,
*grief in and around me over lost loved ones, relationships, or opportunities,
*anger that threatens to consume me or those I care about,
*addiction that menaces so many people including those I know.
May I learn to trust You as I walk through the dark, knowing that in it You are powerfully at work walking with us. Amen.

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