Lent 2022
View the daily Lenten Reflections below.
Subscribe to Daily Emails
Daily Reflections
Various United Methodist people in the NC Conference, representing a broad spectrum of theological thought that we celebrate and embrace in The United Methodist Church, offer reflections on being Faithful. Learn more about what it means to #BeUMC.
Lent Devotional Appreciation
We are deeply grateful to all the authors who contributed devotionals during the Lenten season. We received devotionals from 38 laity and clergy from across our Conference, all based on this year’s theme of “Faithful: We Are Devoted to an Ongoing, Meaningful Life of Discipleship.” Bishop Leonard E. FairleyNancy MartinezRev. Trey HarrisEffie McGillRev. Rafael MartinezElizabeth…
Easter Sunday – Bishop Leonard E. Fairley
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.” – John 20:1 In the Gospel of John 20:1-9, we find there the story of Jesus’s resurrection and appearing to Mary Magdalene and dispatching her…
Day 40 – Holy Saturday
“Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” – John 19:41-42 Holy Week. Holy Saturday.We gather…
Day 39 – Jaye White
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself…
Day 38 – Sunny Limm
“For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I give you…
Day 37 – Billy Sander
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 There have been many moments in my life where I have been afraid of what is to come. Often in my life,…
Day 36 – Jay Locklear
“He [Hiram] cast two bronze pillars. Each one was twenty-seven feet high and required a cord of eighteen feet to reach around it. He made two capitals of cast bronze for the tops of the columns. They were each seven and a half feet high…Above the round-shaped part and next to the network were two…
Day 35 – Kristina De Jesus
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2 Every Sunday morning, I get up at around 6 a.m. before the sun rises, while everyone else is…
Day 34 – Steve Taylor
“The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went…
Day 33 – Jay Locklear
“Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children…
Day 32 – Heather Locklear
“Then he told this parable: A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down!…
Day 31 – Robin Jones
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23 During the Lenten season, we are asking for repentance and fasting for God’s revelation to us. We approach this season with dread as we are not wholeheartedly willing…
Day 30 – Yvonne Dial
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharoah: Because of My mighty hand he will let them go; because of My mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.’” – Exodus 6:1 The colonists prepared themselves to rebel against the British king and the demands…
Day 29 – Seyun Hwang
“Let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This ‘insider world’ is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus…” – Hebrews 13:13-15, MSG My favorite…
Day 28 – Harry Miller
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35 As a Christian, you never know who is watching…
Day 27 – Jen Swindell
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” – Proverbs 3:3-4 One of my clearest memories in the ordination process was sitting at the Preaching Festival and…
Day 26 – LaNella Smith
“He will also strengthen you to Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” – Psalm 23:6 Years ago, I saw a cartoon that caught my attention. In the cartoon, there were two businessmen, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Jones, walking down the street. Mr. Jones turns and looks at Mr. Smith…
Day 25 – Doris Bluitt
“He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 God teaches us that we are to live a Christian Life…
Day 24 – Ana Maria Pico Noriega
“Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or…
Day 23 – Brenda Brown
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 During this unique time in…
Day 22 – Micah Oxendine
“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” – 2 Timothy 2:1-2, 13 When I meet with my parents at the beginning of each school year, I discover that most of them…
Day 21 – Louise Mitchell
“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” – Deuteronomy 7:9 It is through our faithful God and devotion to Him, that I am a faithful servant called out of darkness to…
Day 20 – Saul Gastelum
“And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).” – Luke 15:34 “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” – Philippians 2:8…
Day 19 – Mattheue Locklear
“Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’” – John 21:17 “Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” – Ira Glass I go back to my childhood in search…
Day 18 – Geeta Goodwin
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 “We are calling ahead to our Raleigh location to make an arrangement to airlift your wife there. It’s a…
Day 17 – Johnny Llerena
“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” – John 8:31-32 I have no memory of the day when I was baptized. I was a baby. I received…
Day 16 – Elizabeth Villegas
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15 In college, one of the most frustrating tests I ever had was identifying twenty-something frog calls. Carpenter frogs, Bull Frogs, Leopard Frog, Pacific Tree Frog, and several more I’ve forgotten with time. Though my favorite frog identification on the test was the…
Day 15 – Pete Rodrigues
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And…
Day 14 – Amanda Rigby
“Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness.” – Isaiah 43:19 Almost exactly a year ago, for the first time in a very long time, I looked up. I remember the moment so clearly. In the middle of a…
Day 13 – Jason Villegas
“I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.” – Isaiah 45:3 Recently, I was rushing to prepare a devotion for a Youth Ministry planning meeting, and at the…
Day 12 – Rachel Price
“Whoever believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and…
Day 11 – Michael Larbi
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” – John 12:23-24 These statements from Jesus are in response to a seemingly…
Day 10 – Lisa Bachman
He then gathered his twelve message bearers together. He gave them the authority over all evil spirits and the power to heal all kinds of sickness and disease. He then sent them out to tell the story of Creator’s good road and heal the sick.’Take nothing with you,’ he instructed them, ‘not even walking sticks…
Day 9 – David Dial
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of…
Day 8 – Katy Medinas-Lockley
“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18 When I was in middle and high school, I was…
Day 7 – Jabe Largen
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?” – Luke 15:4 Lately, in my theological pondering, I have found myself enamored with the notion of God constantly being in pursuit…
Day 6 – Elizabeth Oxendine
“A person may plan his own journey, but the Lord directs his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 It was a hot day in July when my husband and I prepared for a journey to purchase a load of sod. We decided to take the smaller of two trailers available to haul the grass. We arrived at…
Day 5 – Rafael Martinez
“’I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.’ And he worshiped the Lord there.” – 1 Samuel 1:27-28 I was born into a pastoral family and all…
Day 4 – Effie McGill
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – I Corinthians 11:1 As disciples, we must be faithful in living and exemplifying the Word for others to see God in us. It is not enough to read the Word, nor just hear the Word. In essence, we should be “imitators of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:11). As…
Day 3 – Trey Harris
“When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.” – Luke 4:13 In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus begins his ministry, not with the celebration of laying on of hands from a priest but led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where the devil tempted him for forty…
Day 2 – Nancy Martinez
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” – Isaiah 41:10 Approximately 12 years ago I was going through a very difficult time in my life where I felt as if the world was crumbling…