MonroeOHUMC

  Monday, March 17 – The Risk of Love Scripture: 1 John 4:16-21 John writes that God is love, and those who live in love live in God. Love is not just an idea or an emotion but a way of being in the world. This kind of love drives out fear because it is grounded in divine security rather than human uncertainty. Yet, John also acknowledges that loving others can be difficult. How can we say we love God, whom we have not seen, if we refuse to love those around us? Loving others requires trust, and trust can be frightening. We may fear rejection, misunderstanding, or even failure. Jesus understood this fear, yet He loved boldly, even in the face of rejection. What if we chose to do the same? What if we embraced love as an act of faith, trusting that God holds us no matter the response? Daily Action Steps: 1. Think of one relationship where fear is keeping you from fully loving. Offer that situation to God. 2. Take a small step toward love today—through encouragement, listening, or s...

Day 12 -- Saturday, March 15, 2025 Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16 Devotion: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin." These words remind us that Jesus intimately understands our wilderness experiences. The Son of God himself walked through human temptation and struggle. When we feel alone in our wilderness, this truth offers profound comfort. Jesus doesn't observe our struggles from a distance—he knows them from the inside. The wilderness of temptation, isolation, and testing are territories he has personally navigated. Because of this, we can "approach the throne of grace with boldness," confident that we'll find understanding and help. What are you struggling with that you hesitate to bring to God? What weakness makes you feel ashamed or isolated? Today, remember that Jesus has been there. Your wilderness is not unfamiliar territ...

  Day 11 -- Friday, March 14, 2025 Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21 Devotion: "I am about to do a new thing," God declares through Isaiah. "Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" These words were spoken to people in exile—their own wilderness season. Their past was marked by God's deliverance through the Red Sea, but now God was promising something new: "I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Sometimes we get stuck looking backward, trying to recreate past experiences of God's presence. But the wilderness invites us to look for God in new ways. The same God who made a path through the sea can make streams in the desert. Our wilderness seasons aren't detours from God's plan—they're often the very places where God is doing a new work within us. What "new thing" might God be doing in your life right now? Where have you been focusing on the past instead of watching for fresh growth? Today, ask ...

  Day 13 : Sunday, March 16, 2025 Scripture: Luke 13:31-35 Devotion: Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, expressing a deep, compassionate longing to gather the people as a hen gathers her chicks. Even when we resist God’s care, He remains patient and tender. In our wilderness seasons, we might push God away, yet He continues to invite us into the safety of His embrace. God’s love is both strong and gentle, a safe place where we can find refuge. Action Steps: Take five minutes to sit quietly, imagining God wrapping you in a warm, protective embrace. Reach out to someone who may feel alone, offering them a reminder that they are not forgotten. Write a prayer expressing where you feel vulnerable and asking for God’s shelter. Prayer: Compassionate God, draw me close to You. When I wander, bring me back. When I am afraid, cover me with Your peace. Amen. Breath Prayer: “Under Your wings, I find refuge.” Suggested Image: A mother hen shel...

  Day 10 -- Thursday, March 13, 2025 Scripture: Exodus 16:1-12 Devotion: Just weeks after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites found themselves complaining in the wilderness. The freedom they had longed for didn't look like they expected. Hungry and uncertain, they even idealized their past slavery: "If only we had died... when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread." How quickly we forget God's faithfulness when facing new challenges! The wilderness has a way of surfacing our deepest fears and insecurities. Yet God responded not with anger but with provision—manna each morning, just enough for the day. The wilderness became a classroom for trust, teaching the Israelites (and us) to rely on God's daily grace. Where are you grumbling today? What "fleshpots of Egypt" tempt you to look backward instead of forward? God's provision rarely comes as a lifetime supply all at once. Instead, like manna, it arrives daily...

  Day 9 -- Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Scripture: 1 Kings 19:3-13 Devotion: Elijah was at his breaking point. After a powerful victory on Mount Carmel, a death threat sent him fleeing into the wilderness. Exhausted and afraid, he prayed to die. But God didn't scold Elijah for his despair. Instead, God provided for his physical needs first—rest and nourishment—before speaking to him in "a sound of sheer silence." The wilderness often strips us down to our basic needs and raw emotions. Like Elijah, we may find ourselves depleted—emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Yet God meets us in that vulnerability with tender care. Sometimes what we need most isn't an immediate solution but rest, sustenance, and the quiet space to hear God's gentle whisper. Where are you feeling depleted today? God's first response to Elijah wasn't correction but compassion. The same gentle care is extended to you. Even when you feel you've reached your limit, God hasn...