Daily Devotion for March 31, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Luke 9:10-11.

Jesus had sent the apostles out by two’s, instructing them to heal people and to share the good news. In today’s passage, the apostles had returned and reported the results of their work. One can imagine how pleased Jesus must have been to learn that his apostles were now doing the work that he had done before them…perhaps they would indeed be able to carry on his ministry after his time on earth. He took just the apostles with him around the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee to the town of Bethsaida to rest and spend time away together. Upon seeing the crowds coming to follow after them, it would have been perfectly understandable if Jesus had sighed, rolled his eyes, and moved further away with his apostles. But instead, he welcomed the crowd and ministered to their needs.

One of the hardest things I have learned in ministry is to let my time and my plans be interrupted by those who need me. If we are to follow Christ’s example, we must open our arms and cheerfully welcome all who come to us and to our church, letting them see Christ in us. 

Personal Worship Option:

Are you serving as a greeter at worship and other gatherings? Some of us wear name tags and stand at entrances as “official” greeters. But all of us can reach out to the new persons among us, welcoming them and introducing them to others. Pray about doing that.

Daily Devotion for March 30, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Luke 2:41-52.

We will be reflecting on this story in our worship services today. While the storyline of Jesus being left behind in Jerusalem and his parents search for him often becomes the focus of this story, his question to his parents will be our focus today, allowing it to become his question to us: “Why were (are) you searching for me?”

  

People search for Jesus (God) for various reasons. Some simply focus on what happens to them after they die, so they want to know how to get to heaven.  Some search for God because they are fascinated by the beauty and wonder of creation, and they want to know the One who created it all.  Some search for God seeking blessings of riches and power. For others, they have an emptiness inside that they have come to realize can only be filled by God. Still others may simply be curious.  

Jesus was apparently curious as to why his parents would not know where to find him. What is your motivation for searching for him and where are you looking?  

Personal Worship Option:

An old African-American spiritual song reveals that some search for Jesus because they know they need his companionship on this journey of life:

I want Jesus to walk with me. I want Jesus to walk with me. All along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

In my trials, Lord, walk with me. In my trials, Lord, walk with me. When my heart is almost breaking, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

Daily Devotion for March 29, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Matthew 2:1-8.

Yes, it seems strange to read this during Lent instead of around Christmas. But it fits with our focus this week of searching for Jesus. These men who studied the stars had determined that a Jewish king was about to be born but did not know the exact location. A star in the heavens can give you a direction to go but does not shine on a particular spot (even though the movies try to make us think so). When they got to Jerusalem, they had to ask for directions.  

It is interesting to note that, at this point, both these men and Herod want to locate Jesus. But they had very different motivations for their search. The star gazers wanted to worship him and offer him gifts. Herod wanted to kill him and be rid of another potential threat to his throne.  

Two questions come to mind from this passage for us. First, what do you use to search for Jesus? The foreigners had a method that took them to a certain point, but then they needed help. And that help was found in the Scriptures.  That should always be our foundational guide as well. Second, what is your motivation for your search? I will just leave that one for you to answer.  

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer or one in your own words: Guiding God, thank you for your Scriptures that provide foundational guidance to know you more and more fully. I also seek to worship you and offer you the gifts you have given me. Through Christ, Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 28, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Genesis 3:8-9.

Part of our focus this week is on our search for God. But the Bible also tells about God’s search for us, as in this scene in the Garden of Eden. Where does God find you?  

Adam and Eve heard God coming and instead of running to Him, they hid.  Why?  Poor choices led to a broken relationship. Yet, God desired a relationship with Adam and Eve, He loved them. So, it is with us as well. God loves us no matter what.  Broken relationships, poor choices, wrong motives, bring them all to Him. When you hear God - resist the urge to hide. Instead, run to Him, bring him everything and He will embrace you.

 

Personal Worship Option:

In what ways are you hiding from God? He is looking for you to trust Him and experience his father’s heart.

Daily Devotion for March 27, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Isaiah 55:6-13.

I read an article that has the prophet Isaiah comparing the work of God’s Word in our hearts to the growing season and the harvest. Having grown up on a farm I really resonate with this.  In the spring, farmers plant seeds in the ground. Over the summer, God provides water and sunlight, so that the seeds will sprout and flourish.  Several months later, the crop is mature, and the grain or produce is ripe for gathering. Harvest is the conclusion of a long process of growth. Harvest is a time of celebration. 

 

Just as it takes time for a crop to mature, it takes time for God’s Word to become established in our hearts. Some crops have a long growing season; others take less time to ripen. But the process of growth continues in each case. When we seek God through his Word, when we turn to Christ in repentance and trust, we begin to see the Spirit’s work of bringing faith and hope to maturity in us. It takes time, prayer and effort to grow. Give thanks for the work that God does in your life.    

 

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, send your Word into our hearts. Bring us to maturity. Weed out that which holds us back and bring us joy in the work of your Spirit. Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 26, 2025

Devotion:

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Read John 6:22-27.

The day before this passage, Jesus had performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand, and now the crowd was searching for Him again. But Jesus saw through their motives. They weren’t seeking Him because they believed in Him; they were looking for another meal. They wanted the temporary provision, not the eternal sustenance He offered.  

How often do we do the same? We pray for God to meet our immediate needs—financial security, physical health, emotional comfort—but neglect the deeper spiritual nourishment He offers. Of course, God cares about our physical needs, but Jesus reminds us here that there is something far more important: the “food that endures to eternal life.”  

This passage challenges us to consider what we are truly seeking. Do we want just the blessings, or do we truly want Jesus? Do we put our energy into pursuing earthly success, or are we investing in our relationship with Christ? The bread of this world will always leave us hungry again, but Jesus offers something greater—Himself, the Bread of Life.    

 

Personal Worship Option:

Pray this prayer or another one of your choosing: Lord, I confess that I sometimes chase after things that do not last. I seek comfort, success, and provision, yet I neglect the deeper nourishment that only You can provide. Help me to hunger for You above all else. Teach me to work for the food that endures—the life You offer through Your Son. Strengthen my faith and draw me closer to You. Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 25, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Luke 15:1-10.

What does it mean when we say, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps. 23:1)? Phillip Keller offers an answer to this question in his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. “This thought alone should stir my spirit, quicken my own sense of awareness, and lend enormous dignity to myself as an individual. To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me as a particular person immediately gives great purpose and enormous meaning to my short sojourn upon this planet.”

Today’s parable conveys this message as well. It’s the first in a series of three stories Jesus told about finding lost things (a sheep, a coin, a son). All three stories show how much God values us and how much effort He puts forth “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Even more significantly, the story highlights the loving nature of the Shepherd Himself, Jesus. Our Good Shepherd loves each of us so much that He is willing to leave his 99 sheep (“in the open country,” but protected) and search for the one who was lost (vv. 3–4). Notice it’s not the sheep seeking the shepherd but the other way around. God’s love pursues us, as we see throughout the Bible. And when we’re found, there is great “rejoicing in heaven” (vv. 5–7). Joy is always greater when the need and forgiveness are greater as well (see Luke 7:41–43).

Two audiences were listening to this parable. One was “tax collectors and sinners,” lost sheep in need of a Savior (see Luke 5:31–32). The other was the Pharisees. They were also lost but refused to admit it. They pridefully complained about Jesus’ willingness to associate with the other group (vv. 1–2). In this story, Jesus sadly mocked them as “ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (v. 7). They did, of course, but their hearts were closed to Christ.

You may have sheep and shepherds as a part of your nativity set. If you have time today, read the Good Shepherd discourse in John 10:1–18 and reflect on the fact that God is your shepherd, a powerful image used throughout Scripture.

  

 

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, please humble us as we remember that each of us was once a lost sheep. Move us to compassion for the sheep who are still lost and show us how we may join in your loving pursuit of them.

Daily Devotion for March 24, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 42:1-2.

The psalmist is feeling separated from God, and the desire to find and commune with God is an overwhelming and consuming one. Don’t you love the imagery of a deer on a hot summer day, perhaps after having run from and escaped a predator, panting for a drink of cool water? That deer will search until it finds a stream, or it will perish. In a similar way, the psalmist’s soul thirsts for God.

All of us go through times when God seems distant, and we are out of touch. It may happen after a crisis or loss in our lives or at other times. When we moved to Chattanooga, I put one of my Bibles in my briefcase instead of packing it in boxes with all the other books in my study. It was comforting, when we arrived and before all the boxes were unpacked, to open my Bible and read. We began attending UM churches and looking for our new church home. My job was new, the children were in a new school, and we were in a new house and neighborhood. Too much had changed at once, and God seemed so very far away! Then God showed up in worship one Sunday morning in the sancti-gym at Christ Church. I think God had been looking for me the whole time!   

 

Personal Worship Option:

Are you feeling a bit isolated from God now? Pray for God’s presence to become more real to you. During this season of Lent, I am praying for a closer, more personal relationship with God through Christ. I invite you to do that as well. I think God wants that too!   

Daily Devotion for March 23, 2025

 Devotion:

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Read Luke 4:14-21.

Often seen as his first sermon, Jesus teaches after reading this passage from the prophet Isaiah. Luke was intentional to include this scene.  He is the only Gospel writer who does. He apparently saw in this passage from the prophet Isaiah a summary of the ministry and mission of Jesus when he was among us. So, as he wrote his version of the story of Jesus, it is as if he wrote it based on this passage.  The stories and teaching he offers all fit in with who is mentioned in these verses:  the poor, prisoners, the blind and the oppressed. I have heard it said that if the gospel we offer is not good news for those people, then it is not the gospel of Jesus.  

I encourage you to be regularly involved in at least one ministry that meets the needs of people like this. That could be at the Food Bank, a nursing home, a prison, a hospital, among many other possibilities. Who has God given you a distinct “heart nudge” for? Is it children, teenagers, the elderly, a minority group or maybe families in the waiting room at the hospital?  

Jesus saw his ministry as being focused on blessing these people.  May you and I continue his mission by blessing them too.  

 

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer or one in your own words: Missionary God, thank you for the many opportunities all around me to bless other people. Guide me to where I can be the most fulfilled and effective in blessing others for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 22, 2025

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Read Mark 8:22-25.

In the Scripture passage we will focus on in worship tomorrow, Jesus said part of his mission was to give sight to the blind. On more than one occasion he healed people who were physically blind, as in our scene for today. (It is interesting that in this case, it was a two-stage process.) But he also spent much of his time trying to heal the spiritual blindness of people he regularly encountered, including the religious leaders. 

 

As you reflect on this passage today, I invite you to put yourself in the position of both people involved. First, you are the one who is blind. In what area of your spiritual life would you want Jesus to heal you of blindness? Where might there be some spiritual “blind spots” for you that need to be healed so you can see and understand more clearly what it means to represent him in your everyday life?  

Secondly, put yourself in the place of Jesus in this scene, as you seek to represent him to those around you. Is there someone close to you who has some “blind spots” that you can see but they are not aware of them? Those “spots” are affecting their relationships, but they just can’t see it. How might you gently confront them to help them see? How might you offer this healing on behalf of Jesus Christ?  

 

Personal Worship Option:

Clara Scott wrote a beautiful prayer hymn in 1895 that speaks to our focus today. Let this verse and chorus be your prayer today:

Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou has for me; place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Daily Devotion for March 21, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Luke 7:18-22.

John sent his disciples to inquire about Jesus. Notice the report Jesus gave in his answer. This is how he wanted his ministry to be identified. The proofs listed in this passage are significant. They consist of observable actions that Jesus' peers saw.  The prophets had said that the Messiah would do these very things. The physical proofs helped John to recognize who Jesus is.  

John was confused about who Jesus was. John’s doubts were natural, and Jesus didn’t rebuke him for it. Instead, Jesus explained that he had accomplished what the Messiah was supposed to do.

God can handle our doubts, and he welcomes our questions. Do you have questions about Jesus, who he is? What does he expect of you?  Admit them to yourself and to God and begin looking for answers.  

Personal Worship Option:

Reflect on who Jesus is. Spend time asking your questions - be watching and listening for any answers.

Daily Devotion for March 20, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 113:1-7.

This passage of scripture starts with asking us to praise God always, not just occasionally. The well-known verse is verse 3, saying give praise “from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets". It goes on to say God’s greatness is over all the nations.

Despite His majesty, this same God humbles Himself to see and care for the lowly. Verse 7 beautifully illustrates His compassion, describing how He lifts the poor from the dust and raises the needy from ash heaps. God has boundless compassion and power to transform lives. It tells us that no matter how low or broken we feel, God sees us, cares for us, and has the power to lift us out of our struggles. He takes those who are forgotten or downtrodden and gives them dignity and purpose. This verse pushes us to see and reflect on God's heart for the poor and the marginalized. As followers of Christ, we are called to show His compassion. We should bring hope and encouragement to those who are struggling around us. God is infinitely powerful and yet deeply individual and personal. He is with us in our lowest moments, showing us His mercy and grace.

Personal Worship Option:

Take a moment today to praise Him for His goodness and reflect on His incredible love for all of us. Ask Him to show you how you can be His hands and feet to lift others in His love.

Daily Devotion for March 19, 2025

Devotion:

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Read James 2:14-17.

Faith is more than just belief—it is an active response to the love and grace of God. James challenges us with a sobering truth: a faith that does not result in action is not genuine faith. If we merely speak words of kindness but fail to extend a helping hand, our faith is empty.  

John Wesley often spoke of faith working by love. A living faith compels us beyond personal piety and into the world, seeking justice, meeting needs, and caring for the least among us. If we claim to follow Christ yet neglect those in need, our faith is incomplete.  

Imagine seeing a person struggling—hungry, cold, or hurting—and offering nothing but well wishes. Our words alone do not meet their needs. True faith moves us to compassion, compelling us to act as the hands and feet of Christ. 

 

Ask yourself today: Is my faith alive? Are there areas where God is calling me to put my faith into action? It might be through generosity, service, or simply being present for someone in need. Let your faith be visible through acts of love and kindness, so that Christ’s light may shine through you.  

Personal Worship Option:

Pray this prayer or one of your own: Heavenly Father, help me to live out my faith in action. Open my eyes to the needs around me and give me the courage to respond with love. May my faith be more than words—may it be a reflection of Your grace in my life. Amen. 

  

 

Daily Devotion for March 18, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Matthew 19:16-21.

It is interesting to me that Matthew placed this incident right after a very short piece about Jesus teaching that “the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” This man approaches Jesus with a question that people have asked all down through history: What do I have to do to get into heaven? Notice that Jesus simply tells him to keep the commandments. When he follows up seeking specifics and Jesus gives them, the man knows that there is still something missing in his life and asks Jesus what that might be. (Maybe you have the same question for Jesus.) 

I believe Jesus knew that his answer was going to be hard for this man to accept, but he took him seriously and answered his question. If he truly wanted to experience the fullness of the kingdom, he needed to relinquish his attachment to his stuff (his material possessions and wealth). Also, take note of who he was to help if he was willing to take this step: the poor. Jesus regularly guided (and guides) his followers to help the least and last among us. I wonder if that young man ever did what Jesus told him to do?  

Personal Worship Option:

Pray this prayer: Lord, help me to relinquish anything in this world that blocks me from being totally committed to you. Guide me always to use the resources you have given me to help those in need. In Jesus name, Amen.   

 

Daily Devotion for March 17, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Isaiah 61:1-2.

The prophet Isaiah is telling us that God’s mission includes the things listed in these two verses – a mission to champion those who are powerless, poor, and marginalized. Other parts of Isaiah’s writings include the promise of a “suffering servant” of God, the Messiah.

When Jesus returned home to Nazareth, he was invited to speak in the synagogue there. Very intentionally, as Luke tells it, Jesus found these verses in the scroll of Isaiah. In our Bibles, it is a fairly quick process for us to flip through the pages to find a passage. But Jesus had to unroll the scroll with one hand and roll with the other, searching for this passage without chapter or verse numbers. We can imagine the anticipation in the congregation as he searched, found and read the passage, handed the scroll back to the attendant, and sat down to speak. With the words, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” Jesus lets them and us know that he is the promised Messiah, the Christ. And this is his mission, so that means it is now our mission!

Personal Worship Option:

Our church is blessed to have ministries that reach out to the poor, the homeless, those in prison, and others who are marginalized. Pray about which one(s) of those Christ might have you participate in or lead.

Daily Devotion for March 16, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Mark 1:14-17.

“The Gospel According to Mark” doesn’t begin with a birth story.  He wants to get right into the message and ministry of Jesus. So he begins telling Jesus’ story with the time his ministry began. And in these verses, we have the tone-setting message that Jesus offered to begin his ministry: “Repent and believe the good news (gospel)!”  Repent is his invitation to turn away from the ways of this world and turn our life “Godward.” It may be that your turn does not have to be 180 degrees, but more like 90 or 45 degrees. We are all in constant need of adjusting the direction in which we are going. Therefore, we all need this reminder to repent; to make a turn, no matter the degree needed to get back on course toward God and living the way of Christ.

Jesus also invites us to believe his good news - to believe that accepting his gift of grace puts us right with God and frees us from worrying about whether we have done enough to please God. It’s such good news; it makes me want to upgrade it to “great news!”

It’s a great summary of the message Jesus came to offer throughout his ministry: Keep turning toward God and accept God’s “good news” gift! And remember to invite everyone you can to do the same!  

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer or one in your own words: Gracious God, thank you for this reminder to continually turn my life toward you. Forgive me when I get to thinking that only other people need to do that. Help me truly repent and believe your good news. Through Christ I pray, Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 15, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Romans 5:1-8.

According to the Gospel of Mark, the first thing Jesus said in his public ministry included these words: “...believe the good news!” So, what is this good news (gospel)?  Paul writes about it here in chapter five of his letter to the Christians in Rome. Without having any merit on our part, Jesus Christ died for you and me and everybody else. Jesus’ death was not just for certain people; he died for everyone.  It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done (or not done), he freely gave his life for you.  

When we are preparing to serve Communion, we offer our “Prayer of Confession” then the pastor says “Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were still sinners. That proves God’s love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.” That statement comes directly from this passage in Romans.

By what we say and do each day, may those around us know that we represent the One who offers them good news!  

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer or one in your own words: God of good news, we celebrate the good news given to us by Jesus Christ, both in what he said and did. Help us live your good news each day, both by what we say and do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 14, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 103:1-8.

There are several statements of “good news” from these verses. God’s great love for us tells us what he's really like and how that is reflected in our lives. In this Psalm David focused on God’s glorious works.  

Everything in heaven and on the earth is to praise the LORD; even creation praises God. Praising God means remembering all he has done for us, respecting and honoring him, obeying his commands, and doing his will. In essence our life should praise the LORD.

Sometimes that is easy to do and other times not so much. It is easy to complain about life, but this Psalm gives us plenty to praise God. He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires, and gives righteousness and justice. We receive all of these without deserving any of them. No matter how difficult life becomes, there are always blessings to count - past, present and future. When you don’t feel like you have anything to praise God, re-read this Psalm!

Personal Worship Option:

Reflect on God’s faithfulness to you today and in the past. Spend some time thanking God for all his work in your life.

Daily Devotion for March 13, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Ephesians 2:4-8.

The good news of the Bible is that God is rich in mercy. This scripture passage kind of says it all. Mercy is compassion toward people who have done wrong and deserve to be punished. “Rich in mercy” means that God gives mercy to all of us. That’s a huge comfort for us as we know our own heart. Receiving mercy gives us relief that goes beyond words as we know we have sinned and have not always been obedient to God. God’s mercy frees us in ways that only God can.

Paul writes that mercy flows because of God’s “great love for us.” This is not just kindness from God but is rooted much deeper coming from God’s heart. This mercy gives us new life. Paul writes that God “made us alive with Christ.” Here is God’s provision for a world in need of salvation. For God’s rich mercy to have meaning in our lives, it needs to be accepted and embraced. If you find it difficult to accept the mercy that God offers, you need to grow your faith and trust. The Scriptures are clear about the good news of God’s great love for us and the richness of his mercy if we believe.

Personal Worship Option:

O merciful God, help us with the power of your Holy Spirit to trust in your great love and receive your rich mercy. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 12, 2025

Devotion:

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Read 1 John 1:8-9.

John Wesley emphasized both the reality of human sin and the transformative power of God’s grace. He taught that while all people are born into sin, God’s grace is at work in us, calling us to repentance and leading us toward holiness.  

In this passage, we see two crucial Wesleyan themes: 1) conviction of sin, and 2) God’s sanctifying grace. First, we must acknowledge that sin is real in our lives. To deny our need for grace is to deceive ourselves. But confession is the key to experiencing not only forgiveness but also the deeper cleansing work of God. Wesley would highlight that forgiveness is not the end goal—it is the beginning of a journey toward entire sanctification, where God purifies our hearts and empowers us to live in victory over sin.  

How are these themes applied in our life?

1. Conviction and Repentance – Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where sin still lingers. True repentance is more than feeling sorry—it is a turning away from sin and toward God.  

2. Justifying Grace– When we confess, God is faithful to forgive. This is the moment of justification, where we are made right with God through Christ.

  

3. Sanctifying Grace – God doesn’t just forgive; He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This points to ongoing sanctification, the work of the Holy Spirit making us holy and shaping us into the likeness of Christ. 

 

4. Walking in Holiness – Wesley taught that through grace, we can grow in love, overcoming sin’s power. We are called to move beyond just being forgiven to being transformed.  

In the Wesleyan tradition, salvation is not merely about escaping judgment but about being transformed into Christ’s likeness. Confession is not just about being made right with God—it is an invitation into a life of holiness. Keep seeking His grace, and He will continue His cleansing work in you! 

Personal Worship Option:

Holy and Loving God, I confess that I have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. But I thank You for Your faithfulness—that through Christ, I am forgiven. Lord, do not only forgive me but cleanse me. Continue Your sanctifying work in my heart, that I may grow in holiness and love. By Your grace, help me to walk in the light and live a life that reflects Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Devotion for March 11, 2025

Devotion:

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Read Psalm 46.

The first words of this psalm announce its theme: God is our refuge—our fortress and shelter. God is also our strength, our help—the one who deals with the perils surrounding us. And because God is our refuge and help, we have nothing to fear, even if nature throws its worst tantrums at us.

A group of Jesus’ followers feared for their lives in a storm one day, out on a boat in the middle of a huge lake. Then their Teacher stood up and said to the wind and the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind quit; there was dead calm. “Who is this?” they asked. “Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (See Mark 4:35-41.)

The Lord Almighty was in that boat as their helper; the God of Jacob was their refuge.

Our faith is always being subjected to storms and earthquakes. Where can we find safety and security? Listen to Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way...”

There is a certain and trustworthy basis for our faith—the God who made us and everything in our world. In all circumstances, no matter how terrible or frighten­ing, our unchanging God is our refuge and strength.

In what ways has God been your refuge and strength?

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, we know who is God: you are. Help us to remember this when our worlds shake and our hearts tremble in fear. Shelter us, Jesus, in your strong, safe arms. Amen.