Memorization Verse**

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” — John 1:16

Introduction

Welcome to the second week of our Lenten journey weekly devotionals. Last week, we practiced letting go of our need to control. This week, we look at an even deeper habit: our tendency to try and earn our way into God’s favor. We explore the difference between “working for” love versus “working from” love. May this devotional be a guide and a blessing for you!

-Pastor Chelsea, Haymarket Church

The Word for the Week

Read: John 4:7-15, 25-26

“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ … The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’”

The Reflection: The Well of Performance

In John 4, we meet a woman at a well. She is there at noon—the hottest part of the day—likely to avoid the judgmental whispers of her neighbors. Her life has been a series of attempts to find security and belonging, yet she remains “thirsty.”

Many of us approach our faith like that well. We think of “grace” as something we must draw out of the ground through the hard labor of being “good enough,” “busy enough,” or “religious enough.” Our human impulse tells us that if we don’t perform well, God will grow tired of us. We treat God like an employer rather than a Father.

But Jesus doesn’t ask the woman for her resume; He offers her a gift. He reveals that grace isn’t a wage we earn at the end of a shift; it is a spring that bubbles up from within us because of His work, not ours. This week, we practice moving from “Earning” to “Receiving.”

Weekly Prayer Focus: The Open Heart

Find a quiet space. Place your hands over your heart, pressing down firmly. Think about the “spiritual chores” or “perfect behaviors” you feel you must do to make God happy with you. Feel the weight of that pressure.

Now, relax your hands and rest them gently on your lap, open and still.

Prayer of Affirmation :
::Breathe in:: I am already loved.
::Breathe out:: Just as I am.

Prayer: “Lord, I surrender my need to prove myself to You. I stop trying to pay for a gift that is already free. I am loved not for what I do, but because I am Yours. I receive Your living water. Amen.”

Weekly Reading Plan: The Well and the Bread

(Reading Schedule Thursday to Thursday)

• Thursday February 26th: John 4:1-26 (The Woman at the Well: Receiving the gift of Living Water)
• Friday February 27th John 4:27-54 (The Harvest and Healing: Trusting the Word of Jesus over physical proof)
• Saturday: February 28th | John 5:1-18 (The Healing at Bethesda: Grace for the one who cannot help himself)
• Sunday: March 1st | Worship and Rest
• Monday: March 2nd | John 5:19-47 (The Authority of the Son: Learning to listen to the Father’s voice)
• Tuesday: March 3rd | John 6:1-21 (Feeding the 5,000: Receiving abundance from a meager offering)
• Wednesday: March 4th John 6:22-59 (The Bread of Life: Shifting focus from “working” to “believing”)
• Thursday March 5th (Next Week): John 6:60-71 (The Words of Eternal Life: Choosing to stay with the Giver)

Family Friendly Conversation Starter

The “Gold Star” Challenge:

Give everyone a sheet of paper and ask them to list 3 things they did today to “earn” a gold star (e.g., cleaned my room, did my homework, was nice to my sibling).

• Ask the Kids: If you didn’t do those things today, would I still love you?
• Ask the Adults: Do we ever feel like God only gives us “Gold Stars” when we are busy or perfect?
• The Big Idea: In God’s kingdom, you get the “Gold Star” just for showing up! We do good things because we are loved, not so that we will be loved.

The Week 2 Lenten Challenge(s)

Pick one a day for the whole week (or try a different practice each day) and reflect on your experience in a journal or with a friend.

The “Effort” Fast

To practice releasing the need to earn grace, we invite you to fast from Performance. We often “perform” our goodness so that others (and God) will validate us. Try one of these:

• The “Hidden Good”: Do something kind or helpful this week for someone else, but tell no one. Do not post about it, do not mention it in conversation, and do not wait for a “thank you.” Practice knowing that God seeing it is enough.
• The “To-Do List” Sabbath: Pick one evening this week to intentionally leave your “to-do” list unfinished. Sit for 20 minutes doing absolutely nothing “productive.” Remind yourself: “God loves me even when I am doing nothing.”
• The “Correction” Fast: When you feel the urge to correct someone or “prove” you are right in an argument to maintain your status, let it go. Practice being “unimportant” for a moment, trusting that your worth is held by Christ, not by your reputation.

The Goal: Every time you feel the need to prove your worth, let it be a reminder to say: “Jesus, Your grace is enough for me.”