Obedient Heart

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam 15:22)

God has rejected Saul as king over His people, Israel, because Saul doesn’t not listen to instructions from God; he was doing what he feels is right.

God is disappointed in Saul. Not only that, throughout the history of Israel and Judah, the kings failed God. Yet, again and again, God did not give up hope on His people.

Ultimately, God sent only His Son, Jesus Christ into this world for us. Saul prioritizes his own reputation and the approval of others, whilst Jesus priorities doing the will of the Father above His own life.

Saul disobeys God’s command but Jesus—the Prince of Heaven—humbles Himself. He prays to His Heavenly Father, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”


During this season of Lent, we often practice “sacrifices”—giving up certain foods, habits, or activities that may distract us. These are meaningful disciplines, but 1 Samuel 15:22 reminds us that God isn’t looking for the “fat of rams” or the mere absence of chocolates or social media. He is looking for a listening heart.

If we fast from food but continue to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit to forgive a neighbor or act with justice, we fall into the same trap as Saul. True sacrifice is the surrender of ourselves .

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I have substituted religious activity for real obedience. This Lent, help me not just to give things up, but to take Your Word in. Soften my heart so that I may heed Your voice and follow the path of Jesus, the one who was obedient even unto death. Amen.

Come Home

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–24) captures the journey of shame and guilt and the ultimately hopeful arc of us turning back toward God, our Heavenly Father.


In the Methodist tradition, we believe in Prevenient Grace—the grace that seeks us out before we even know we need it—and Justifying Grace, which welcomes us home just as we are.

The younger son demands his father’s inheritance, even wishing his father dead. He leaves home, squanders everything in reckless living, and finds himself feeding pigs—humiliated and hungry. Finally, he “comes to himself.” He realizes how wonderful life was back home and immediately makes a decision to return. Not as a son, but as a servant.


With shame, he practices the speech he will tell his father: “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”


While he is still far off, his father sees him, is filled with compassion, and runs toward him. In the ancient world, respected men would not run because they had to uphold their dignity. But the father runs to his son, not minding his dignity. This is how much he loves his son and rejoices to see him coming home! The father does not wait for the son to finish his rehearsed apology; he embraces his son, covers him with a robe, puts a ring on him, and throws a massive celebration to welcome him home.


A robe: covering his shame.
A ring: restoring his identity.
The sandals: signifying freedom, not slavery.
A feast: celebrating resurrection.


The father says, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”


John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, felt his heart “strangely warmed” when he finally realized he didn’t have to earn his way into God’s favor. Like the prodigal son, Wesley moved from the “spirit of bondage” to the “spirit of adoption.”


This Lent, let us ask ourselves: What is the one habit that has distanced me from God? Where have I wandered from God? Am I trying to work my way back to God as a servant, or am I ready to be embraced as a child?


We don’t need to live in guilt and shame. When we come to our senses, God is already running toward us, looking for us with wide-open arms. Lent is about coming home to God.


Prayer:
Gracious God, like the younger son, I have often looked for life in places that leave me empty. I thank You that Your grace is swifter than my wandering. As I journey through this Lenten season, help me to “come to myself.” Give me the courage to come home this Lent. Clothe me again in Your grace. Teach me to live as Your beloved child. Amen.

Find Rest in God

Psalm 62 is a beautiful invitation to find rest in God.

David experienced attacks from enemies, yet he places his trust in God alone, knowing that He is dependable, trustworthy and powerful.


In a world of constant noise, Psalm 62 calls us to quietness and rest in God.


God is our rock
God is our salvation
God is our fortress
God is our refuge

Let us not put our trusts in false securities:
-money
-power
-influence
-ourselves

David encourages us to “pour out your hearts to Him.” It is comforting to know that God wants to hear from us. He wants us to come to Him for help because He is our Heavenly Father who loves us and truly cares for us.


Reflection question:
What would it mean for God to be your refuge?

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Teach my restless soul to be still in You.
Break my dependence on what cannot save me.
Be my rock when I feel shaken,
Be my refuge when I feel overwhelmed
and my hope when I feel despair.
In the Name of Jesus Your Son, Amen.

Living in the Light

1 John 1:5-9, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.“

Light shines.


John tells us that God is light. Not that God has light. Not that God creates light. But that His very nature is light: holiness, righteousness, truth, and love.


John reminds us that if we confess our sins, we will be forgiven and cleansed. Not because we are worthy, but because God is faithful. If we hide our sin or continue sinning, we will deepen the darkness. We are children of the light. We no longer belong to fear, shame or hidden sin. As we walk in the light, we reflect God’s light to the world.

Reflection:

• Where in my life am I tempted to “hide” my sin?


• What specific attitudes, words, or actions need to be brought into God’s light today?


• What fear keeps me from confessing fully?


• Do I truly believe God Who is faithful will forgive me?


• What practical step would help me walk more consistently in the light?

What Does the Lord Requires of Us?

Lent invites us to return to what truly matters. Through the prophet Micah, God says He does not delight in religious performance—nor in empty rituals or religious perfection.


What does God require of His people? To do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him.
Justice means treating others fairly, standing with the vulnerable, and refusing to benefit from systems that cause harm. In the Methodist tradition, this is the call to social holiness.


To love mercy—the Hebrew word carries the meaning of covenant love—is to show compassion that is not reluctant, but delighted. Lent reminds us that we have received God’s grace. As Methodists, we are often mindful of God’s grace for us, undeserved sinners. We show mercy because the mercy we extend to others flows from the mercy we have been given by God.


To walk humbly with your God is to live in daily dependence upon Him. We are not our own masters. During Lent, we learn humility as we fast, pray, confess our sins, and surrender ourselves to God, allowing Him to transform our hearts to be like Jesus, His Son.


Micah 6:8 reminds us that true devotion is not measured by what we give up for 40 days, but by how deeply we allow God to reshape our lives.


Reflection Questions:
(1) Where is God calling me to act justly, not just think compassionately?
(2) Is there someone I need to show mercy to instead of judgment?
(3) What does walking humbly with God look like in my daily routine?

Abiding in God

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” — John 15:5 (NIV)


Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. It is a time when we remember that spiritual growth comes through pruning, pressing, and crushing.
Grapes are beautiful on the vine—round and sweet because they are deeply connected to the source. When grapes stay connected, they grow healthy and strong. However, if they detach from the vine, they wither.
In the same way, we are called to abide in Christ. In the Methodist tradition, we are reminded that God’s grace is always at work—shaping us, sanctifying us, and drawing us toward holiness. Sometimes that shaping feels like pruning.

Lent invites us to ask:
What in me needs pruning?
Where is God refining my character?
Am I willing to be transformed for the sake of bearing fruit?
Am I staying connected to the Vine through spiritual disciplines?

Grapes serve their purpose not just by hanging on the vine. To fulfill their greatest purpose, they must be harvested and pressed. Only then do they become something greater—juice, nourishment, and wine.

Through prayer, fasting, acts of mercy, and self-examination, we allow God to press out what is selfish or prideful within us, so that what remains is love. And love, when poured out, becomes nourishment for the world. As Methodists, we believe in sanctifying grace—the truth that God is not done with us yet. The crushing is not destruction; it is transformation.
This Lent, may we trust the Vine.
May we yield to the Gardener.
And may our lives become fruitful for the glory of God.

Prayer:
Gracious God,
Prune what is not of You.
Press out what keeps us from loving fully.
Help us remain in Christ, the True Vine,
So that our lives may bear fruit that lasts.
Amen.

“Pruning Audit” Exercise:
Take 10 minutes with a piece of paper. Draw a simple vine with several branches.
On each branch, write a commitment or habit you currently have.
Circle the one that feels “withered” or is sucking the life out of your relationship with God.
Pray: “Gardener, I give you permission to prune this so I can bear more fruit.”

Where Is Your Heart?

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21
Lent is a season of self-examination. We intentionally search our hearts for things that distract us on a day-to-day basis as Christians. Today, let us examine our relationship with money.


Money itself is neither good nor bad. It is simply a medium of exchange for goods and services. Yet money demands our time and attention because it has subtly become our sense of security and identity. We may say we trust God, but our anxiety often rises and falls with our bank balances. We may cling tightly to what we have earned and find it hard to let go of it to help someone in need.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks clearly about treasure (money) and the heart. What we value most reveals where our devotion truly lies.


Lent invites us to examine ourselves:
Do I trust money more than God?
Does my spending reflect my Christian faith?
Is generosity a habit or an exception?
Where does my heart run for security?
What do I truly treasure?

When Jesus was tempted by the evil one in the wilderness (Matthew 4), He resisted the temptation to turn stones into bread. He refused to use His power for self-gratification. In a world that tells us to have more, buy more, and upgrade to the latest shiny gadgets, Lent reminds us of our true identity in Christ. We are loved and cared for not because of what we have, but because we are God’s children.


In this season of Lent, let us learn to trust in God. May God teach us to see Him as our greatest treasure. May our hearts follow our true treasure—Jesus Himself.


Choose one financial discipline during Lent:
Give intentionally: Increase your giving, even slightly.
Spend mindfully: Before purchasing, ask, “Is this necessary?”
Fast from excess: Pause non-essential spending.
Practice gratitude: Thank God daily for His provision.

Bearing Fruits

In his letter to the churches in Galatia, the Apostle Paul contrasts life led by the flesh with life led by the Spirit. Spiritual maturity is not measured by religious effort, but by the fruits of the Holy Spirit we are bearing.

In the Methodist tradition, this transformation is called sanctification—the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit making us holy in heart and life.

Lent is a season of pruning. We let go of habits, distractions, and sins that keep us from fully abiding in Christ. Pruning is not the goal. Our goal is fruitfulness: bearing the fruits of the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit cannot be forced or manufactured. It grows as we remain connected to Christ through Scriptures, prayers, acts of mercy and God’s grace.



Reflection:

If someone observed my life this Lent, which fruit of the Spirit would they most clearly see? Which would they find it hard to see?

Mask off

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Matthew 6:1-6, NIV)

Jesus isn’t condemning public worship; He is condemning theatrical religion. The Greek word used for “hypocrites” in these verses refers to stage actors wearing masks.

The Methodist movement was born because John Wesley noticed that many people were “mask-wearing” Christians—attending church but lacking the “power of godliness.”


Reflection:
The Audience: When I do a good deed or say a prayer, am I seeking “applause”? From whom? If no one sees my good deeds, will I still continue to do them?


The Door: Jesus says to “shut the door” when we pray. Am I authentic before God? What is my life like when no one is watching?


The Reward: Performance-based faith gets its reward immediately (human praise). Secret-based faith may not bring immediate rewards, but we will receive a reward from the “Father who sees in secret.” Which type of reward am I seeking?

In the Methodist tradition, we talk about “going on to perfection”—which is a journey of being perfected in love. John Wesley recognized that we cannot simply “will” ourselves into holiness; instead, it is God who empowers us for holy living.

When we practice spiritual disciplines such as studying the Scriptures, fasting, partaking in the Holy Communion, visiting the sick and advocating for justice, we aren’t “earning” merits with God. Rather, we are drawing close to the God who loves us.


During Lent, these spiritual disciplines take on deeper significance. We remember we are shaped by what we consume—not just physical food, but the Word and the Witness of the faith community. As we pray and fast this season, let us remember that we are being molded into the image of Christ, one “holy habit” or spiritual discipline at a time.