Daily Devotional by Text and Email
For those who are looking to “go deeper” and really dig into the season of Lent, we’ve put together a devotional called “Psalms Our Lord Said.” We will be looking at Psalms (prayers and songs from the Old Testament) that show up in the Gospels and learning what these connections between Old and New Testament have to teach us about Jesus. These devotionals have been written by pastors and Christian scholars from throughout Virginia (and beyond). A few times each week, we will send a link (by text and email) that will take you to the devotional for the day. To sign up to receive these daily devotionals by text, simply text “LENT” to (571) 487-8557. To sign up to receive them by email, simply send an email with the subject line “Sign me Up for the Lenten Devotional” to info@haymarketchurch.org.
You can find all of the devotionals (all those that have been published so far) here.
April 17 – Psalm 111
Written by Matt Benton, Pastor of Bethel UMC in Woodbridge, VA. Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Theologian Kathryn Tanner says that God is the giver of all good gifts. That God’s essense; who God is and what God does, is to give us good...
April 16 – Psalm 88 and Luke 23:49
Written by Ashleigh Elser, Assistant Professor of Religion, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden Sydney, VA Psalm 88 translation by Robert AlterA song, a psalm for the Korahites, for the lead player, on the mahalath, to sing out, a maskil for Heman the Ezrahite.Lord,...
April 15 – Psalm 22 and Matthew 26:46
Written by Stephanie Kimec Parker, Pastor of the Gathering at Scott Memorial, Virginia Beach, VA In Matthew 26, after Jesus had been on the cross for 3 hours, Jesus cried out with a loud voice “Eli, Eli Lema Sabbach thani” - “My God, My God, why have you forsaken...
April 14 – Psalm 42 and Matthew 26:38/Mark 14:34
Written by Elaine Ellis Thomas, Rector of All Saints Episcopal Parish, Hoboken, NJ My conversion did not come easy. God had to work hard to entice me, and music was God’s weapon of choice. “Here, little girl, sing this solo on Christmas Eve.” “Here, young teenager,...
April 13 – John 15:35 and Psalms 35 and 69
Written by Brian Johnson, Pastor of Haymarket Church in Haymarket, VA The structure of John's Gospel is a little weird. All of the Gospels, in their own way, zoom in on Holy Week, and especially on the crucifixion – giving us much more detail about the events of...
April 12 – John 19:24 and Psalm 22:18
Written by Brian Johnson, Pastor of Haymarket Church in Haymarket, VA It always strikes me as such a unique detail. We are witnessing a universe-shattering event. God-in-the flesh is being murdered. The Creator of the universe is being killed by people who...
April 11 – Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11, and Mark 11:12-19
Written by Brian Johnson, Pastor of Haymarket Church in Haymarket, VA Today's entry is kind of cheating a little bit. Because today we aren't talking about a Psalm that shows up in the Gospels – instead, we are talking about two Old Testament references. But,...
April 10 – Psalm 118 and Matthew 21:9
Written by Matt Benton, Pastor of Bethel United Methodist Church in Woodbridge, VA Psalm 118 is a Psalm of Victory. Literally. I’m not dipping into any special pastor knowledge to say this; it’s the Psalm heading in the NRSV. Psalm 118: A Psalm of...
April 8 – Psalm 118:22-23 and Matthew 21:33-46
Written by Brian Johnson, Pastor of Haymarket Church in Haymarket, VA The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. – Psalm 118:22-23...
April 6 – Psalm 109
Written by Joe Lenow, Rector of St. James' Parish, Lothian, MD. Psalm 109 (Book of Common Prayer)1 Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; *for the mouth of the wicked,the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.2 They speak to me with a lying tongue; *they...
April 4 – Psalm 31
Written by Drew Colby, Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Manassas, VA One year on Good Friday a friend decided to recite all 150 Psalms out loud while kneeling in front of the cross at his church (a practice I do not recommend, dear reader, because I care...
April 1 – Psalm 41:4-10 and John 13:1, 12-20
Written by Taylor Mertins, Pastor of Raleigh Court UMC in Roanoke, VA The synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) treat us to the scene of Jesus’ final evening with his friends as they sit around a table sharing...
March 30 – Psalm 8 and Matthew 21:16
Written by Hung Su Lim, Pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Richmond, VA A few years ago, I visited the Grand Canyon. It was an exceptional experience to sense the vastness of the creation. It was...
March 28 – Psalm 98 and Luke 1:54
Written by Grace Han, Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Alexandria, VA. O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! Psalm 98 isn’t a very “Lenten” Psalm. After all, Lent is supposed to be serious and somber. We put away our...
March 25 – Psalm 69 and John 2:7
Written by Taylor Mertins, Pastor of Raleigh Court UMC in Roanoke, VA Jesus was nothing if not zealous. Jesus sees possibilities where we, too often, see failure. Jesus believes in those who have quit believing in themselves. Jesus makes a way where there is no...
March 23 – Psalm 110
Written by Michael Petrin, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Marywood University, Scranton, PA The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at my right hand,until I put your enemies under your feet.” – Psalm 110:1 Christians often forget that Jesus was...
March 21 – God among gods – Psalm 82 and John 10:34
Written by Lauren Lobenhofer, Lead Pastor of Cave Spring UMC, Roanoke, VA I often hear people ask, “Where is God when bad things happen?” Where is God when God’s people suffer from poverty and illness, or when creation is damaged or destroyed? In the face of...
March 18 – Drive. Repent. Repeat.
Written by Dan Kim, Pastor of Gum Spring United Methodist Church in Gum Spring, VA. Psalm 62, New Revised Standard Version Song of Trust in God AloneTo the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;from him comes my...
March 16 – Psalm 48 and Matthew 5:34
Psalm 48 and Matthew 5:35 Written by Jonathan Page, Pastor of Herndon United Methodist Church in Herndon, VA. We humans love protection. We do a lot to keep ourselves safe, and, amazingly, it often chalks up to what we are wearing. Usually these are temporary...
March 14 – When the Words of Scripture Fill Our Hearts – Luke 1 and MANY Psalms
Written by Brian Johnson, Pastor of Haymarket Church in Haymarket, VA The first chapter of Luke is soaked with Psalms. When we put together this project, we gathered a list of times that Psalms are quoted in the Gospels. We found 38 total...
March 11 – Psalm 37 and Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37 and Matthew 5:5 Written by Charlie Baber, Pastor of Youth Ministry at University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, NC “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 When Jesus delivers the beatitudes in his Sermon...
March 9 – Psalm 91:9-13 & Luke 4:1-13
Psalm 91:9-13 & Luke 4:1-13 Written by Taylor Mertins, Pastor of Raleigh Court UMC in Roanoke, VA The temptation scene set out in the wilderness really is as strange as it sounds. And when you...
March 7 – Between Baptisms: The Desert Highway; Psalm 2:7 and Mark 1:9-11
Written by Anna Adams Petrin, Lecturer in Religious Studies at Marywood University, Scranton, PA I will announce the decree of the LORD:The LORD said to me, “You are my Son.It is I who have begotten you this day. – Psalm 2:7 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth...
March 4 – Psalm 78:17-24 & John 6:25-35
Psalm 78:17-24 & John 6:25-35 Written by Taylor Mertins, Pastor of Raleigh Court United Methodist Church, Roanoke, VA. Jesus spends the afternoon feeding 5,000 through his divine mercy. And,...
March 2 – Psalm 72 & Luke 1:68
Psalm 72 & Luke 1:68 Written by Lindsey Baynham Freeman, Pastor at Welborne United Methodist Church in Richmond, VA Psalm 72, a prayer for the king, is all about reversals & God’s wondrous works throughout all creation. It is a litany that walks us through...