March 2nd, 2023
by Sarah Turner
by Sarah Turner
Day 9
Thursday, March 2
John 4:43-53
After two days Jesus left for Galilee.(44 Jesus himself had testified that prophets have no honor in their own country.) 45 When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him because they had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem during the festival, for they also had been at the festival.
46 He returned to Cana in Galilee where he had turned the water into wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. 47 When he heard that Jesus was coming from Judea to Galilee, he went out to meet him and asked Jesus if he would come and heal his son, for his son was about to die. 48 Jesus said to him, “Unless you see miraculous signs and wonders, you won’t believe.”
49 The royal official said to him, “Lord, come before my son dies.” 50 Jesus replied, “Go home. Your son lives.”The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and set out for his home.
51 While he was on his way, his servants were already coming to meet him. They said, “Your son lives!” 52 So he asked them at what time his son had started to get better. And they said, “The fever left him yesterday at about one o’clock in the afternoon.”53 Then the father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son lives.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.
Reflection
Verse 48 strikes me. Jesus said to him, “Unless you see miraculous signs and wonders, you won’t believe.” Growing up in the Show Me State, I learned to associate that I needed to be shown things before I believed them. I thought that was a little silly, but maybe there is more truth to that when we look at ourselves and our own lives.
I am often like the royal officer and ask Jesus to come fix my problems before it is too late. My 17-year-old daughter, Ellie, has special needs (epilepsy and a genetic deletion that causes learning delays). I have been thinking about her next steps in life and had my mind spinning in circles lately. I know there is no quick fix or answer to what I am asking of Jesus. Being honest, I was in a funk for a week. I went to church and listened to the message on Sunday and listened in my CoreGroup. I could almost see Jesus smiling at me, saying patience, Diane. A calm came to me that said it is ok to go through rough patches, you do not need to have all the answers now.
Maybe like the royal officer, I believed more when I picked Ellie up from school and she told me about her volunteer work at Straub’s or how she learned how to cope and talk through some hard feelings with her teacher. It helped me believe and say to Joe we don’t have every answer, but I believe that the Lord is watching over Ellie.
Prayer
This is a Lenten prayer for our impatient moments of wanting an answer too quickly or trying to answer our own question by logically spinning circles in our minds. May we slow down and know that Jesus is there, ready to add calm to our lives. May we look for the signs that make us believe and share them with each other. And remember the Lord’s assurance that it is ok to not have all the answers and to pray for a sign or wonder now and then. Amen.
By Diane Wiegel
Thursday, March 2
John 4:43-53
After two days Jesus left for Galilee.(44 Jesus himself had testified that prophets have no honor in their own country.) 45 When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him because they had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem during the festival, for they also had been at the festival.
46 He returned to Cana in Galilee where he had turned the water into wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. 47 When he heard that Jesus was coming from Judea to Galilee, he went out to meet him and asked Jesus if he would come and heal his son, for his son was about to die. 48 Jesus said to him, “Unless you see miraculous signs and wonders, you won’t believe.”
49 The royal official said to him, “Lord, come before my son dies.” 50 Jesus replied, “Go home. Your son lives.”The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and set out for his home.
51 While he was on his way, his servants were already coming to meet him. They said, “Your son lives!” 52 So he asked them at what time his son had started to get better. And they said, “The fever left him yesterday at about one o’clock in the afternoon.”53 Then the father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son lives.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.
Reflection
Verse 48 strikes me. Jesus said to him, “Unless you see miraculous signs and wonders, you won’t believe.” Growing up in the Show Me State, I learned to associate that I needed to be shown things before I believed them. I thought that was a little silly, but maybe there is more truth to that when we look at ourselves and our own lives.
I am often like the royal officer and ask Jesus to come fix my problems before it is too late. My 17-year-old daughter, Ellie, has special needs (epilepsy and a genetic deletion that causes learning delays). I have been thinking about her next steps in life and had my mind spinning in circles lately. I know there is no quick fix or answer to what I am asking of Jesus. Being honest, I was in a funk for a week. I went to church and listened to the message on Sunday and listened in my CoreGroup. I could almost see Jesus smiling at me, saying patience, Diane. A calm came to me that said it is ok to go through rough patches, you do not need to have all the answers now.
Maybe like the royal officer, I believed more when I picked Ellie up from school and she told me about her volunteer work at Straub’s or how she learned how to cope and talk through some hard feelings with her teacher. It helped me believe and say to Joe we don’t have every answer, but I believe that the Lord is watching over Ellie.
Prayer
This is a Lenten prayer for our impatient moments of wanting an answer too quickly or trying to answer our own question by logically spinning circles in our minds. May we slow down and know that Jesus is there, ready to add calm to our lives. May we look for the signs that make us believe and share them with each other. And remember the Lord’s assurance that it is ok to not have all the answers and to pray for a sign or wonder now and then. Amen.
By Diane Wiegel
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Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 4Explore - Week 3God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideSENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23Lent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
March
Lent Devotional Day 8Lent Devotional Day 9Celebrating BEYOND // M-Note 3.3.2023Lent Devotional Day 10Who Is Jesus: BONUS Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 11Lent Devotional Day 12Lent Devotional Day 13Who Is Jesus: Week 1 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 14Lent Devotional Day 15Lent Devotional Day 16Lent Devotional Day 17
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