Fourth Church

"So why sing? Because we can! And it feels good. Singing is not a spectator sport. Everyone should sing, even if only on the refrain — or until your words escape you! " bit.ly/4jUSbrD #devotions

"This psalm reassures us that even in our darkest moments God is with us and ready to lift us up. God never abandons us. Instead God helps us to endure life’s pain when we allow God’s presence to provide us comfort." bit.ly/4iKie3 #devotions

"I mean in the choices I make about how I use my voice to advocate for, protect, and serve the marginalized members of my community; the choices I make about how I speak to and about people I disagree with; the events I do (and don’t) show up to." bit.ly/3SdXIOe

"Most of us won’t require such a dramatic conversion experience, but this story shows us the extent to which God will go to reach us — God will pursue us and never give up." bit.ly/3Grl3tr #devotions

"Jesus is on that shore to remind them (and us) that everything has changed, nothing is normal. He does this gently, reminding them who they are fishing for. Jesus’ invitation is to be in community with him." bit.ly/4cYV3BO #devotions

"A lot of the time we look for Jesus in people, forgetting to also let Jesus himself in, to see Jesus in ourselves. And so he insists when we feel short, when we think we have to give in order to get. Yes, he has gone to be the guest of a sinner." bit.ly/42OFAiS

"Christian ministry is powerful and will be noticed when it is faithfully deployed and will be rightly criticized when it is withheld or used in furtherance of worldly aims." bit.ly/42LNUj #devotions

"As we are celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, this psalm is about resurrection joy — the joy that comes from facing hardship and moving past it. The joy of love and hope winning over darkness. The joy of new life." bit.ly/4iBJuSe #devotions

"The writer John bursts forth with a powerful declaration of God’s — and Jesus’ — eternal being and enduring love. God’s authority is established, not as a distant and capricious demagogue, but as the source of all blessings." bit.ly/4jLjQLx #devotions

"Heavenly Creator, there are so many beauties to life and faith, as well as many mysteries. Help me never to forget the first fruits and the harvest that Jesus’ resurrection has ensured for me." bit.ly/4jMMBYp #devotions

"The words foresee Christ’s return to usher us to an eternity spent with him. A fresh new world where we no longer worry about our struggles and pain. A universe of joy and peace, of hope and happiness. A time when evil loses its grip on our world." bit.ly/3EsZV5

"Heavenly Father, your Son Jesus saw human life in its roughest moments, and he triumphed. Send us now into new work, just as he received new life in resurrection." bit.ly/441M9Rs #devotions

"Hear the Easter good news, then: he has been raised, and the world is not the same. The guards are on the ground, the tomb is empty, and so we continue to meet the Lord in our day-to-day; God continues to find us, even in despair." bit.ly/3GeEyoN #devotions

"Grieve what must be grieved. But know that joy comes in the morning. Not today, not now. But in the morning, joy will return — whether in brief flashes of hope and possibility, or in a rush of surprise and transformation in which everything is new." bit.ly/42jbLYQ

"O God, our Help and Hope, in you we are never forsaken. Draw near to us as we dare to stand at the foot of the cross on this day. May your presence embolden us to resist all evil in the name and for the sake of your Son who is our Savior, Jesus Christ." bit.ly/4lygVHQ

"We have been given a new commandment: that we love one another as Christ has loved us. ... We are to live lives defined by empathy, humility, and selflessness, because truly following Jesus means we cannot live any other way." bit.ly/4ju7Dea #devotions

"Mary’s actions were indeed special, and Jesus recognized this in making this statement. He wanted us to remember her act of love. This strikes me as a reminder of the importance of acting out of love and that acts of love will be remembered." bit.ly/42tmrms #devotions

"Rather than getting distracted by what-ifs and feeling anxiety that disaster is near, we can focus on the present moment, be kind, respect each other, and reach out to help, as Jesus taught us to do." bit.ly/42nfbtL #devotions

"Dear Creator God, please help our disbelief. Make us strong as you made Jesus strong. Make us brave as you made Jesus brave. For it is in believing in Jesus, our light and our Redeemer, that we are granted eternal life." bit.ly/42IDUIP #devotions

"I don’t want to spoil the story for you, but a week from today we will focus on the only detail that matters: God wins. Death never has the final word. As we enter this Holy Week, I want the wisdom and discipline to focus on the details that matter." bit.ly/42Hkbcw