PEARL STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

“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 with all your heart, you will find me.” —Jeremiah 29:11–13 (CEB) Reading this passage today, I think of how often we, like Israel, find ourselves in a kind of exile. Those seasons when our plans fall apart, when we don’t quite know how we e

“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43, CEB) With the recent NFL Draft fresh in mind, we’ve all seen the moment when a rookie hears their name called and, before they’ve played a single down, they receive a signing bonus—the largest guaranteed part of their contract. It’s a gift that comes first, before any performance, before any proving. It’s simply given because they’ve been chosen.

“This is how God’s love is revealed in us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him.” (1 John 4:9, CEB) As I read today’s verse, I was reminded of another verse about God’s love—John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” Both offer slight variations on the same theme, yet they contrast in how they reveal love: one speaks of the love that gives,

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 (NIV) Maybe, of all the things we fear, the most common is the fear of failing. We've all had the experience of starting something — a new hobby or a relationship — and then giving up after a while because it became too difficult. And sometimes that same fear keeps us from starting something we really want to do a

“The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.” — Zechariah 14:9 (NIV) Israel’s longing for a king began with fear — fear of uncertainty, fear of enemies, fear of being different from the nations around them. They wanted someone visible, someone strong, someone who could stand in front of them and make them feel secure. God allowed it, but not without warning. Through Samuel, He told them what human kings would do

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” — Romans 1:17 (NIV) If I were to ask whether you like being right, I’m pretty sure I’d get a near‑unanimous yes. We like being right about silly things—who remembered the lyrics correctly, who predicted the weather, who called the winner of a game. And we especially like being right about the things that matter—

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:30–32 (NIV) The writer of Luke recounts the story of two friends who head out from Jerusalem to Emmaus. As friends do, they likely talked about

“For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” —- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NRSVUE) I am sure this is something you have noticed on your own. We don’t have to look far back in our lives to appreciate that we are not the same people we once were. Even in the span of a few years — sometimes even a few months — our attitudes shift. Ideas we once held tightly loosen their grip. Other convictions deepen and take root.

“All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride.” Galatians 6:4 (NRSVUE) The Masters wrapped up on Sunday with Rory McIlroy taking the win, finishing at 16‑under par. Watching golfers at that level can be both inspiring and discouraging for the casual hacker. When I played more regularly (though never very often or very well), I often struggled to enjoy the game because I kept comparing myself to players who coul

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” — 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NRSVUE) Have you ever driven by a house just days after a fire? The roof is draped in blue tarps, the windows boarded with plywood, the yard still littered with the remnants of what once was. Only a short time before, that same house had vitality. It was a home. Children’s toys scattered across the lawn, families coming and going, a television flickering in the windows at du

“I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.” — Psalm 16:8–9 (NRSVUE) Before the verses of Psalm 16, the ancient Hebrew text begins with a mysterious word — Miktam. We don’t know exactly what it means, but tradition suggests it is a precious, protective prayer, etched upon the heart, to be remembered in moments of vulnerability. And with that in mind, liste

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 (NRSVUE) I’ve talked about my Grandpa Sam in some of these devotions before. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, you listened. Not because he was perfect, but because his words carried a kind of lived-in wisdom. Maybe you’ve had someone like that in your own life — someone whose voice helped gr

“After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.” (John 19:38, NRSVUE) As we left our churches in silence after Good Friday services, today we stand in the solemn stillness of Holy Saturday. What happened in those hours between? That time after the crucifixion and Sunday morning. Scripture

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1, NRSVUE) For those who attend a Maundy Thursday service this evening, you’ll likely hear John 13:1–17, 31b–35. The text is familiar: Jesus knows his hour has come, and the reading ends with his commandment, “that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” But notice how John frames the whole night. Right at the start, we hear: “Having loved his own who we

“Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, NRSVUE) If you watch police dramas, this is a familiar setting: someone is taken hostage, and suddenly the crime scene is filled with flashing lights, tense negotiators, and a family waiting for the phone to ring. When it does, they try to keep the hostage‑taker talking for at least two minutes — long enough, in TV logic, for the call to be traced. Sometimes the

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5–6, NRSVUE) ​We don’t have to look far to see how divided our world has become. It’s in our daily media outlets, our neighborhoods, our families, and God help us, yes, sometimes even within our churches. Harmony isn’t something that comes natural

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NRSVUE) Over the years, I have heard the expression “God’s will” used in all kinds of moments—after the loss of someone dear, before a difficult surgery, in the middle of a crisis we never saw coming. There are two very different ways this phrase can be understood. One interpretation suggests that whatever misfortune we face

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38–39, NRSVUE) Have you ever waited for something? Perhaps someone made you a promise that wouldn’t be fulfilled for a while. It’s like the little boy standing on the porch of the farm with his grandfather, looking out over the vast acres of wheat, when he says, “Boy, one day this will all be your

“One thing I asked of the LORD; this I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 NRSVUE) Many years ago, on a business trip to Paris, I had the opportunity to visit Notre Dame. My first impression was the cathedral’s sheer enormity, followed quickly by its beauty—the vaulted ceilings, stained glass, sculptures, and art. Standing there, I found myself thinking about the nearly tw

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NRSVUE) In the Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown would sometimes exclaim, “Good grief!” It was his way of naming that mix of exasperation and resignation — and yet he always kept trying. Even after Lucy snatched the football away for the hundredth time, just as he was ready to kick it, he’d dust himself off and give it another go. Paul