Author: Cheryl

2025
Lenten Devotional
“To be Christian without prayer
Is no more possible than
being alive without breathing”
Martin Luther
Introduction
As we journey through Lent together this season we will be exploring what it really means to pray the Lord’s Prayer. My prayer is that this journey will enrich all of our lives and those whom we encounter as we move through each day.
Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking God by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” [Daniel 9:3]
Today we mark the first day of Lent with the Imposition of Ashes, a Christian tradition that has been carried down for centuries. For the next 40 days, we have the opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ life, ministry and sacrificial death as we prepare our hearts and minds for Easter. This year, we will focus on the prayer that Jesus prayed when his disciples asked him to teach them how to pray. They were familiar with the very public and pious prayers of the Pharisees…
but what they saw in Jesus was very different. He started his teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:5-6 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. = (Mathew 6:5-6)
Jesus invites us into a private conversation with our heavenly father where we are free to honestly and vulnerably share what’s on our hearts and minds. This world is full of woes and worries. And Jesus offers us place of hope and healing as we grow closer to Him through prayer.
Question to consider: How can you cultivate a more private and sincere prayer life?
Prayer: Dear Lord, It is humbling to consider that you, who are creator and Lord, are interested in knowing me personally. Thank you for inviting me into conversation with you. Help me to learn how to connect with you in the way that Jesus did. Teach me to be open and vulnerable and receive the love and acceptance that you offer to me. Thank you for this season of reflection and connection with you. In Jesus name. Amen!
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” [Luke 1:1a]
The Disciples were impressed with Jesus’ prayer life and wanted to know how to connect with God the way that He did. Mark 1:35 gives us a glimpse of what Jesus’ prayer practice looked like: 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Prayer was a priority for Jesus, and he made room for it in his day. We are invited to do the same. Dallas Willard has famously said “Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” Slowing down, even for a little while, to spend time with our Savior each day is essential to our spiritual, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Questions to Consider: What does Jesus' early morning solitude and prayer teach us about the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God? How can we emulate Jesus' practice of seeking a quiet place to connect with God in our own lives? What aspects of your life could benefit from more intentional time spent in prayer and solitude?
Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for inviting me to join you for a time of conversation. Thank you for your love, compassion and grace as I share the things that are on my mind. Help me to slow down, to stop rushing, even for a little while and to carve out time and space so we can spend time together. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Friday, March 7, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6-7]
Part of the title of this lent season is “Hope for our Time.” In our world there are many things to be worried about. And Hope seems to be in short supply. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus invites us and models for us how to approach God about all our concerns. As he goes through the different parts and principles of the Lord’s Prayer, which we will do over the next several weeks, we learn that when we surrender to God and His will, He will meet our needs, guide our steps, and show us how to live with an eternal view. Our hope comes from God. The more time we spend connecting to Him in prayer, the more that becomes evident in our lives.
Questions to Consider: What are the areas of your life where you tend to worry most? How can you actively practice bringing all your concerns to God in prayer?
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am anxious about ___________________. Thank you for wanting me to come to you with all my burdens and concerns. May your peace guard my heart and mind as I surrender these cares to you. In Jesus name, Amen!
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
Matthew 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven,
The term “Father” can be polarizing for some people. For those who grew up with a loving father, who cared for them, the image of a Heavenly Father brings thoughts of peace and nurturing comfort. But for those who did not have that kind of earthly father, or who did not know their father, calling God “Father” can come with some pain or confusion. Prior to Jesus, the term “Father” was rarely used to describe God. They knew him as Sovereign Lord, Creator, King, but the intimate way that Jesus spoke of his Abba Father, was the way that he would have spoken to his earthly father, Joseph. This radical intimacy that Jesus had with God was confusing and challenged by the Jewish leaders of the day. Yet, Jesus teaches us that this is the way we get to approach and speak to God. He isn’t a far-off King, unfamiliar and uninterested in us. He is our Abba, our “dad” whom we can go to whenever we want.
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” By Brennan Manning, Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging.
Question to consider: How does addressing God as 'Our Father in heaven' impact your approach to prayer?
Prayer: Dear Abba, what a privilege it is to call you dad! Though our earthly fathers sometimes fail us and confuse our understanding of you as Father, we are grateful that you are patient and kind and that you will heal those “father” wounds as we share them with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” [1 John 3:1]
The word “lavish” is not one I use very often. It’s akin to extravagance or over the top or maybe even reckless. But that is the kind of Love that God has for us. God’s love is
Unconditional: God's love is not based on our actions or merit but is freely given.
Sacrificial: The ultimate expression of God's love is seen in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Overflowing: God's love is abundant and never runs dry.
Transformative: Experiencing God's love can change our lives.
Questions to consider: How can understanding yourself as a Child of God influence your daily life and decisions? How can recognizing your identity as a child of God who is lavishly loved by their father impact how you interact with other? How does this verse provide comfort, hope and assurance during times of struggle?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your extravagant, lavish love. I know I don’t deserve it, but I am dependent on it. Help me to see myself the way you seem to and reflect that in the way I interact and treat other people. Thank you, Abba! Amen!
Monday, March 10, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; [Psalm 68:5-6a]
As discussed, a few days ago, the idea of God as “Father” can be challenging for some who did not have an earthly father to relate to. In Psalm 68 we see the power of redemption. God cares for the vulnerable, the overlooked, the outcast. God sees and knows the needs of those who are hurting and tells us He is our father, provider, protector, advocate and hope.
Questions to consider: How has God cared for you when you have felt vulnerable, lonely or ashamed? How does this verse challenge us to care for those in need in our communities? How can we actively reflect God's care for the vulnerable in our daily lives?
Prayer: Thank you for being my perfect father. For showing me the love, compassion, and protection that comes from you because you care for me. Teach me to respond to the needs of those who are vulnerable in my community. Show me how to live as your child every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Rev. Karin Mazzeo, First Baptist Church of Redlands
3 May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. 4 He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God.”
[2 Corinthians 1:3-4]
When Jesus taught us to pray “Our Father who art in heaven” he meant more than a title for God. It is an intimate approach to our dad, whom we have learned is our comforter, protector, and hope who lavishes his love on us.
Questions to consider: How does this impact the way that your approach God in prayer? In what ways have you personally experienced God's comfort during difficult times? How can you use the comfort you've received to comfort others facing hardship?
Prayer: Our Father who art in Heaven, thank you for your compassion in the face of _________________________. I seek your comfort for ____________________________________________. Help me to receive and to reflect this compassion toward others who also need your comfort. In Jesus name, Amen!
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.’” [Luke 11:2]
Hallowed is an adjective meaning made holy, consecrated, or greatly revered and honored. Scripture tells us that God surprised Moses at the burning bush when he asked for God’s name. God simply said, “I Am Who I Am." Our ancestors in faith never pronounced God’s name which they translated as YHWH. They used "Adonai" instead of speaking God's hallowed name. The scriptures are filled with many names and metaphors to help us grasp the hallowedness of God’s name. So, when you pray, what name do you use most often when you address YHWH? Experiment this day with naming YHWH. What name helps you to remember to hallow God’s name?
Prayer
Sovereign mystery, your name is above all names. Give me the courage to explore the many names and metaphors found in scripture that name you to help me grasp that you are unnamable. No one word can capture your fullness. With humility, I will hallow your name all the days of my life. Amen.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Modern people are sometimes tempted to think of God as a concept. But the Lord’s Prayer says that God is personal, God lives and acts, God has a name, for we pray to God saying, ‘hallowed be your name.’” Stanley Hauerwas
As we continue to reflect on this phrase of the Lord’s Prayer, “hallowed be your name,” how is God more than a concept for you? How is God personal, a living and acting God? I remember being on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where it was believed that Jesus met with the disciples after his resurrection. Where Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” In that moment God personally collected my tears as I wept, for God knew that I was the one who needed to be fed, to be nourished by the living Word. God was palpable and present, living and acting in my life, lightening the burdens I carried. When has God become more than a concept, more palpable and present in your life?
Prayer
Holy One, I cognitively know that you are always with me yet help me to recognize this truth in the depth of my soul, for you are far more than a concept. You are a living and acting God. Amen.
Friday, March 14, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Today, increasing numbers of people have been repelled by Christianity because of its witness – Christians who are unkind, judgmental, self-centered, materialistic, insensitive, racist, and more. ‘If that’s what God-followers are like, you can keep your religion, because I’m not interested.’ The truth is, every Christian at some point profanes God’s name.” - Adam Hamilton
It is so easy to point fingers or criticize those “Christians” people who are blatantly unkind or judgmental, self-centered and racist. Yet, as my mother always said, “When you point your finger at someone else, there are always three fingers pointing back at you.” The simple gesture of pointing has always reminded me that humility is in order. My profaning of God’s name may not be blatant, but I certainly know that I fall short all too often from the holiness to which I am called. I don’t hallow God’s name when I complain or gripe about others or when, in my busyness, I overlook or ignore the pressing need of another. My mom’s wisdom continually calls me back as I seek God’s mercy when I fall short. What about you? What helps you remember that we all profane God’s name at some point?
Prayer
Loving God, I am so grateful for your steadfast love and faithfulness. You never give up on me even when I profane your name through my words or deeds. Give me the courage to be humble not only in your presence, but in the presence of others. Thank you for loving me still. Amen.
Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“The church has lost its sense of awe and mystery pertaining to the holiness of God. We have whittled God down to a nice and comfortable deity who fits nicely into our precise doctrinal positions; a god who supports our social crusades and outreach ministries but never stirs the waters; a god who approves our casual spiritual experiences and our obligatory and perfunctory worship. We have lost the sense of God as radical encounter with the holy.” By Frank A. Thomas
This quote by Frank Thomas is a wake-up call to church going folks who fall into the routine of church. We get so busy “doing” church that we forget that we worship a God who is “hallowed,” a God who cannot be nailed to our pews and pulpits or be controlled through our policies and doctrines. Yet, we try. We take the “hallowedness” out of your name, making you nice and comfortable for us good church folk. How have you fallen into just “doing” church? What is needed for you to wake-up to the uncontrollable aliveness of our holy God? What can you do to help others wake up as well?
Prayer
Merciful God, forgive my myopic vision of “doing” church. Forgive my routineness that masks your divine holiness that should drop me to my knees daily. I am so grateful that your mercy is new every morning. Amen.
Sunday, March 16, 2025 – Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Do not be like [those who heap up empty phrases], for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” [Matthew 6:8-9]
Can you remember when you first learned how to pray? If you were a child, then you probably learned a prayer of grace at the dinner table or maybe you learned a bedtime prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” As youngsters we learn to close our eyes, bow our heads, and clasp our hands. Yet, is this only posture of prayer? If you are in awe of something – a magnificent sunset, a newborn puppy, a stunning vista that takes your breath away - chances are you are wide eyed with arms and hands extended with exuberance. As we continue to explore, “hallowed be your name,” experiment with your prayer posture and see what happens! How do you experience the presence of God differently based on your posture?
Prayer
Holy God, with eyes wide open and my arms lifted high I offer a word of thanksgiving to you this day. Thank you for the word that will be preached. Thank you for the word that the Spirit will live out through me. Thank you for the gift of this community of faith. Help me to be present to your hallowed presence throughout this week. Amen.
Monday, March 17, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“When we emphasize public, verbal, and social prayer forms, along with group rituals, while not giving people any inner experience of their own inner aliveness (the “Indwelling Spirit”), it tends to keep religion on the level of a social contract; this is often what we call cultural Christianity or civil religion… Surely this is why the prophets so often criticized the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the sanctuary.” By Richard Rohr
Prayer is so much more than our words. Richard Rohr makes this point in his book titled, The Naked Now. He writes, “Jesus seemed to prefer a prayer of quiet, something more than social, liturgical, or verbal.” Jesus got up early before dawn or got up and went to a lonely place to pray. How do you pray other than on Sunday mornings? Are you comfortable with silence, given that mystics remind us that this seems to be God’s first language. In Luke’s Gospel, the Lord’s prayer is the only verbal prayer. Could it be that prayer is more about changing us than attempting to change God? Try spending some time in prayer this day without words, get up early or go to a place where you are alone and just be present to the One whose name is hallowed in silence.
Prayer
Speaking God, I admit it is hard to just listen. Words come easier than silence for my mind is always whirling with thoughts and things that need to be done. Give me the courage to be still and know that you are God. Help me to experience your hallowedness as I wait in silence with you. Amen.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“There are some rabbis who have taught that the name of God is actually the sound that a human being makes when they breathe in and out… If it's true that when we breathe, we speak the name of God... then we have a constant reminder of the call that is upon our lives, the call to be holy… Breathe in. Breathe out. Remember you are called to be holy, for the Lord our God is holy.” By Leon Bloder
Breathe in. Breathe out. There is a chant that I learned that speaks to this rhythm. Here are the lyrics, “Breathe on us Holy Spirit, Breathe in us breath of God, to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” Connecting with the hallowedness of God can be as simple as marveling at our often consciousness ability to breathe. Our brains are wired to keep us breathing whether we are paying attention are not! So, when we stop and consciously breathe in and breathe out for even a short while, we can experience the hallowedness of this God we claim. We can experience the interconnectedness of all life for without breath we cease to be. Take time throughout this time to breathe in and breathe out consciously. Then just maybe we will be more aware of our holiness.
Prayer
Living and active God, breathe in me a renewed sense of your call and claim on my life to be holy. Help me always remember that any holiness in my life is a gift because of your hallowedness. Thank you for reminding me through this prayer that my whole life is to be lived in response to your hallowedness. Amen.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” Matthew 4:17 (NRSV)
This is the first description of the message of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel According to Matthew. The message is that the kingdom of heaven (God) has “come near.” Other versions say that it is “at hand.” I once heard Richard Foster illustrate this by saying, two people are walking down the street and one says to the other, “the restaurant is at hand, let’s go in!”
The Kingdom of God is not just a future, far away reality. It is a present reality as well, and Jesus invites us to come be a part of it. “Repent” simply means “turn around.” We may need to reset our direction, or change paths, in order to begin to experience the Kingdom. When we pray, “Your kingdom come,” how are we getting on the right path?
Prayer: Dear God, help me as I pray, “Your kingdom come,” to look for ways that you are answering that prayer in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“When you read “Kingdom of God,” mentally rephrase it as the ‘ruling style of God.’ It imagines how the world would be if the biblical God actually sat on an imperial throne down here below.” - John Dominic Crossan, The Greatest Prayer, Discovering the Revolutionary Message of The Lord’s Prayer, p.78
As you imagine God actually sitting on an earthly throne, or being in charge, or being the most influential one in the world, what one or two things would be different than they are now? What would the “ruling style of God” look like in practical terms? Is that what we are praying for when we pray “Your kingdom come?”
Prayer: God, stir our imaginations so that we can visualize “your kingdom come.” Amen.
Friday, March 21, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
Dallas Willard writes, “God’s own ‘kingdom’ or ‘rule,’ is the range of his effective will, where what he wants done is done.” Willard goes on to say, “...the kingdom is not something to be ‘accepted’ now and enjoyed later, but something to be entered now. It is something that already has flesh and blood citizens, who have been transformed into it and are fellow workers in it.” The Divine Conspiracy p 25 and p 28
If the kingdom of God is a present reality that lasts forever, when we pray “your kingdom come,” it doesn’t mean that it is not already here, but that we want the influence of God’s effective will to expand. When we see justice for those who are oppressed, or people who are hungry, fed, or even evidence of God’s work in our lives, transforming us to be more kind or patient or loving, we see God’s kingdom. How have you seen God’s kingdom come?
Prayer: Our God may your kingdom come and may we be coworkers with you in seeing that your will is done. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redland
“This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more.” Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church
This picture of the kingdom of God reminds me of the parable that Jesus tells of the person giving a banquet and all the “proper” people, that people that one would expect to be at the banquet, have all sorts of reasons for not coming. The host then tells his people to go out and gather up anyone they find, and “compel” them to come.
How comfortable does this image of the kingdom make you? There are times that I feel grateful to be one of the “oddballs” compelled to be there by the host. Other times, I feel uncomfortable with the “oddballs” that are there with me. I pray that I will grow to live out life in the kingdom, grateful to be with those who are hungry and those who said “yes”.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the invitation to participate in your kingdom. I pray that I will do so with gratitude, enjoying the beauty and welcome of that community for me and everyone else. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
The kingdom of God is justice and joy; For Jesus restores what sin would destroy. God's power and glory in Jesus we know; And here and hereafter the kingdom shall grow.
The kingdom of God is mercy and grace; The captives are freed, the sinners find place, The outcast are welcomed God's banquet to share; And hope is awakened in place of despair.
“The Kingdom of God is Justice and Joy,” verses 1, 2, hymn by Bryn Rees (1973)
When we pray, “Your kingdom come” and we begin to understand what God’s kingdom is all about, we can see “the kingdom of God is at hand,” in Jesus’ “mission statement” in Luke 4:16-21: bringing good news to the poor, release to the captive, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed and the year of the Lord’s favor. We begin to understand that it is not a passive prayer, but a call to action.
Prayer: Loving God, help me to see where I fit into the prayer for your kingdom to come, following the example of Jesus, Amen.
Monday, March 24, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
Describing the kingdom of God as evidenced by the community developed by Jesus and his early disciples: “...the share-community was to seed the world, forming an alternative ‘polis’… of peacemaking, collaboration, grace, and freedom. The new ‘polis’ would embody Christ's presence and draw all of creation toward God's dream of wholeness, thanksgiving, and joy.” Diana Butler Bass, “The Cottage” June 23, 2022
“Share community”, whose symbol is the table, shifts the paradigm a bit as we think about what the Kingdom of God is like and about. How does this idea of “share community” impact your imagination of the “Kingdom come?”
Prayer: Our God, we pray that our understanding of the Kingdom will become even more evident in our communities of faith every single day. In Christ, Amen.
Tuesday, March 25 - Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Thy Kingdom Come: to pray this means seeing the world in binocular vision. See it with the love of the creator for his spectacularly beautiful creation; and see it with the deep grief of the creator for the battered and battle-scarred state in which the world now finds itself. Put those two together, and bring the binocular picture into focus: the love and the grief join into the Jesus-shape, the kingdom-shape, the shape of the cross–never was Love, dear King, never was Grief like thine! And with this Jesus before your eyes, pray again, ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’”
N. T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer, p. 31
How do you see the world through the eyes and work of Jesus?
Prayer: God, please give me the patience and will to see the world in binocular vision. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wednesday, March 26
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
Dear Father, always near us,
may your name be treasured and loved,
may your rule be completed in us
may your will be done here on earth
in just the way it is done in heaven.
Give us today the things we need today,
and forgive us our sins and impositions on you
as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.
Please don’t put us through trials,
but deliver us from everything bad.
Because you are the one in charge,
and you have all the power,
and the glory too is all yours — forever —
which is just the way we want it!
Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 269
It isn’t hard for something that we repeat each week for years to lose its meaning for us. Reading or hearing a different version, or someone else’s poetic take on it can stir up our imagination. What strikes you about this rendition of the Lord’s Prayer by Dallas Willard? Has it caused you to notice something new? What would your rendition of the prayer look like?
Prayer: Pray the Lord’s prayer in whatever version you prefer today.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“So when Jesus directs us to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ he does not mean we should pray for it to come into existence. Rather, we pray for it to take over at all points in the personal, social, and political order where it is now excluded: ‘On earth as it is in heaven.’ With this prayer we are invoking it, as in faith we are acting it, into the real world of our daily existence.”
Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 26
It might be easy to hear in this statement that Christians want to take over and force everyone around us into a restrictive set of rules and way of thought. But when we are reminded of Jesus’ mission, as he declared in Luke 4:16-21 (bringing good news to the poor, release to the captive, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed and the year of the Lord’s favor) we realize this is not what the kingdom to taking over means. And in fact, the first place for the kingdom to come and God’s will to be done is in each one of us, praying the prayer.
Prayer: Dear God, may your kingdom, which is already here, take over in me, and through me bring about your good all around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“‘As in heaven’ reminds us that God’s will for creation was always there and ever the same, but that window of opportunity opened in the first century CE and ‘as in heaven’ became ‘so on earth’.”
That is what John says most accurately and poetically at the start of his gospel:
In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God…
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
And we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son,
Full of grace and truth.
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace
(John 1:1-2, 11-16)
“The Word is the eternal vision and creative dream of God for the world. It is the ‘will’ of God for justice and righteousness, which ‘became flesh’ in Jesus of Nazareth.” John Dominic Crossan, The Greatest Prayer, p.117.
It is in the incarnation that we first see “on earth and in heaven.” Jesus shows us what it looks like.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for showing us your kingdom in the life of Jesus. Help us to know Jesus better and become true disciples of his. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Theologian and scholar Walter Brueggemann writes beautifully in 'The Prophetic Imagination' that real hope comes only after despair. Only if we have tasted despair, only if we have known the deep sadness of unfulfilled dreams and promises, only if we can dare to look reality in the face and name it for what it is, can we dare to begin to imagine a better way. Hope is subversive precisely because it dares to admit that all is not as it should be. “And so we are holding out for, working for, creating, prophesying, and living into something better---for the kingdom to come, for oaks of righteousness to tower, for leaves to blossom for the healing of the nations, for swords to be beaten into plowshares, for joy to come in the morning, and for redemption and justice.”
Sarah Bessey, Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith
In what ways have you found hope after despair? Where do you see hope in the prayer “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?”
Prayer: God of hope, help me live out the hope that comes after despair so that others may see you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples. God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Then the one seated on the throne said, ‘Look! I’m making all things new.’” Revelation 21:1-5 CEB
This is the vision of John in Revelation of how it is all going to end up–heaven coming to earth in the form of the New Jerusalem–the “city of peace.” God is dwelling with humanity and there will be no mourning, crying or pain. It sounds like what Jesus shared in the beatitudes. How does this connect with the prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?”
Prayer: God who loves us, enough to dwell among us, give us a vision for your world so that we can strive to live in it now. Through Jesus we pray, Amen.
Monday, March 31, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! We are praying, as Jesus was praying and acting, for the redemption of the world; for the radical defeat and uprooting of evil; and for heaven and earth to be married at last, for God to be all in all. And if we pray this way, we must of course be prepared to live this way.”
N. T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer, p. 31
What insights do we get from the rest of the Lord’s Prayer to live this way? What is one thing that I can do today or this week to help me align more with what I am praying?
Prayer: Dear God, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice – a practitioner… Disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom of the Heavens to every aspect of their life on earth…The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”
Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship, p. 9, 11
Do you agree with Willard that this is the greatest issue facing the world today? Why or why not? What would it look like to live the life of the Kingdom into ever corner of human existence?
Prayer: Dear God, help me to learn from Jesus how to live the life of the Kingdom into every corner of my existence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 – Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
Have you ever wondered why we even pray this phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread”? After all, we have plenty of bread—plenty of food. Too much, actually. So, do we really need to ask God for daily bread?
If we think seriously about our situation, though, we see that all we have ultimately comes from God. In the Book Lord Teach Us, by Hauerwas and Willimon, we read these words:
“The act of asking for bread is for us a daily reminder that our lives, like our bread, are gifts from God. Daily we are dependent upon God. Just like the Hebrews in the wilderness who would have starved had not God sent the gift of manna (Exodus 16:1-36), so we would perish were it not for the daily, mundane, essential gifts of God. We therefore are bold to ask God for daily bread.”
So, as we think about it, we realize we’re not self-sufficient; our ability to earn our bread—our very lives depend on God. These words are a needed reminder of that.
Prayer: Loving and providing God. Help me to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from you. Amen.
Thursday, April 3, 2025 – Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
God not only feeds us daily bread, but God also uses others. As Hauerwas and Willimon remind us,
“Bread is a communal product. No bread is eaten alone. The farmers in Iowa, the bakers in New York, the delivery truck drivers in your hometown all make bread a corporate endeavor. None of us eats or lives alone. … every time we ask God for bread; we are acknowledging not only our dependence upon a beneficent God but also our dependence on other people. No bread comes to our table without the work, the sacrifice, and the gifts of strangers whom we do not know and cannot thank.”
We don’t often think about this. It’s a good path to gratitude.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the reminder that you have created us to be in community, to depend on one another. Teach us the gift of gratitude.
Friday, April 4, 2025
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
Adam Hamilton writes: “God's primary way of answering this prayer is, as we’ve learned of prayer in general, through people… people who pray those words and remember that in them they are praying, ‘Here I am, use me.’”
We who have more than enough become the answer to the prayers of those who are lacking. We become the angels, the miracle workers, and the source of manna from God. When we who have more than enough and pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," the emphasis should be on the us and our…We are praying for those who struggle, and, when we have more than enough, we are praying, me and others so that all of us may eat.
It changes things, doesn’t it, when we see we’re praying the prayer beside our hungry brothers and sisters, and open our hearts to the possibility—the necessity of sharing? How might you be used by God to help give this daily bread?
Prayer: God, open my eyes and heart to opportunities to share your bread.
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
Adam Hamilton points out that the word “daily”, is a translation of Greek the word “siepiousian” (epee-ooh-see-on). It appears in both Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer and Luke’s version. He writes,
…”epiousian” would seem to mean "that which is needed for us to be" or "that which is essential." Daily doesn't fully capture the meaning of this Greek word… This petition in the prayer is better translated as: ‘Give us today the bread that we need to exist.’”
While it’s certainly true that we need physical bread to exist, it’s also true that one doesn’t live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3). We remember that Jesus said, I have food to eat that you do not know about. Hamilton puts it this way, “When Jesus told us to pray for our “epiousion” bread-our essential, substantial bread, … he was teaching us to ask for and receive the bread that satisfies our soul. Jesus knew that we can have all the bread that we want, and yet be spiritually starved, just as we can have all the wealth that we could hope for, yet still be impoverished.”
Prayer: Loving and merciful God, we dare to ask for the bread that satisfies our souls. Open our hearts to receive it and our mouths to proclaim it.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
We remember that Jesus said, I am the bread of life (John 6:35). The words that immediately follow show this to be the bread that is essential—the bread that satisfies our longing: Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). We come to the table, his table, and find there the visible symbol, the visible reminder that it is by being joined with him that we have life and have it abundantly. Just like the two who journeyed to Emmaus, we recognize him in the breaking of bread.
Hauerwas and Willimon say it best:
When we want to meet God, we Christians do not go up some high mountain, do not rummage around in our psyches, do not hold hands. We gather and break bread in Jesus' name. That's where he has chosen to meet us, that's where our eyes are opened, and we recognize him. … In praying for daily bread, we are praying for daily presence of God among us.
Prayer: Bread of life, thank you satisfying my hunger and thirst both body and soul. Amen.
Monday, April 7, 2025
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus reminds us that sharing our bread with others feeds Jesus himself: … for I was hungry, and you gave me food…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me, In the poem, The Vision of Sir Launfal, James Russell Lowell puts it this way:
The Holy Supper is kept, indeed, In whatso we share with another's need,— Not that which we give, but what we share,— For the gift without the giver is bare; Who bestows himself with his alms feeds three,— Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.
How does it change our attitude about caring for the “least of these” when we realize how closely Jesus identifies with them? Is there a difference between giving and sharing?
Prayer: Loving one, teach me how to share. Help me to make my sharing a communal act.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian Church
Adam Hamilton has reminded us that, when we pray for our daily bread, we’re praying for what’s essential for us.
What is essential for us as Christians? What is essential for our spiritual health? Jesus told his disciples (and tells us) I have food you don’t know about. He said these words just after his encounter with the Samaritan woman—an encounter that transformed her. It seems clear that Jesus’s food was doing God’s will. As we learn to be true followers of Jesus, we begin to learn the truth that what is essential for us—what our essential food is—is knowing and doing God’s will. So, Hamilton says, “Our food is to do the will of our Father, which is the very thing we pray just before praying for our daily bread.”
Prayer: Bread of Heaven, feed me; teach me your will and give me the courage to do your will. Amen.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Pray then in this way: … And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
This fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer has the most variations in our ecumenical traditions given the biblical variations. Matthew 6:12 is the quote shared above. Matthew 6:14 states it another way, saying, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Then in Luke 11:4 we find this phrase, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive everyone who is indebted to us. In the Reformed tradition we say, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” What variation do you pray and how to do these variations help or hinder your understanding of this petition?
Prayer: Forgiving God, I am so grateful that your mercies are new every morning. Help me to learn to be as merciful as you. Amen.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“There are three important biblical dimensions of forgiveness: release, restoration, and redemption. One who has been forgiven a debt has been liberated from a burden; the forgiven one is also restored to a former state; the one who forgives has paid a price for the other’s freedom.” John C. Purdy
How have you experienced these three different aspects of forgiveness: liberation, restoration, and redemption? Reflect on experiences when you were the forgiven one. Reflect on experiences when you were the one to forgive. How were these experiences different? To forgive others doesn’t negate the harm caused but it does release you from carrying the burden of anger and resentment that will eventually harden your own heart. To be forgiven for a wrong you have inflicted on another is a completely different story. It is not easy to confront the hurt you caused. Spend some time reflecting on the breadth and depth of God’s forgiveness in your life as a source of being able to forgive.
Prayer: Loving God, I admit that this is not easy work, to forgive or to be forgiven. To forgive is to let go of resentment and anger. To be forgiven is to look deep into my own soul. I cannot do this soul work alone, so I cry out to you, O God, to make my heart malleable. Amen.
Friday, April 11, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Forgiveness is both individual and social.” John C. Purdy
Even though forgiving someone who has wronged me is hard, it is even harder to forgive trespasses that are systemic, that are socially engineered to sin against a class of people. Social sins like racism and sexism wreak havoc in people’s lives generationally, often impacting the well-being of families and whole communities. How do we begin to forgive these wrongs that are embedded in our society? What work needs to be done? We must uncover what is covered. We must begin listening to the stories of those sinned against, for only then will we understand our social and societal sin.
Prayer: Holy One, help me recognize and live the truth of this ancient African word, “Ubuntu.” This word reminds me that “I am what I am because of who we are all.” Social sin may be more deadly than individual sin. Help me to be a part of uncovering what it covered to heal our nation. And the world. Amen.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Among the most powerful human experiences is to give or to receive forgiveness… When we forgive, we choose the goodness of the other over their faults, we experience God’s goodness flowing through ourselves, and we also experience our own goodness in a way that surprises us. That is an awesome coming together of power, both human and divine.” Richard Rohr
I so appreciate Rohr’s phrase, “When we forgive, we choose the goodness of the other over their faults.” We see beyond the pain they have caused to touch the divine image of God buried deep within them. As people of faith, we are constantly challenged by the gospel to see the image of Christ in the other. All are created in the image of God, even if they don’t know it or claim this truth. Seeing Christ in the other is exceptionally difficult in extreme circumstances of harm, yet we hear Jesus saying to Peter, “Not, seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times.” I want to be clear that this doesn’t mean we should condone or accept abusive behavior or continual harm. Yet, for our own sake we are invited to learn to see the other as God sees them.
Prayer: Seeing God, this is incredibly hard when I think of others who have harmed me deeply. How can I see your divine spark within them? I cannot without your help, O God, for only you work within me can make this possible. Amen.
Sunday, April 13, 2025, Palm Sunday
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Matthew 5:7
Today is the celebratory entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back of a humble donkey. As Jesus nears Jerusalem, Luke records, “Jesus wept over the city, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace!’ It’s as if Jesus was already forgiving the people for what was to come. So, blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Yet, what does mercy mean? It means offering “compassion or forgiveness toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” With God’s help, as we traverse this emotional week let us reflect on the power of mercy not only for our own lives, but for those whom we may still need to forgive.
Prayer: Loving God, it is not easy to walk through this week remembering the breadth and depth of emotions from exuberant joy, to devastating denial, to the unimaginable fear of Jesus followers. I admit it would be easier to jump from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. So, give me strength to walk through this week with Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
‘To forgive is to set a prisoner free, only to discover that the prisoner was you.” - Lewis Smedes
When we hold onto wrongs that we have done to others through guilt or shame or when we hold onto wrongs others have done to us with resentment, bitterness or anger it is like we are carrying a heavy backpack or suitcase with us through life. Try carrying 30 to 40 pounds of extra weight with you wherever you go, when you go the grocery store or to church, when you attempt to garden in your backyard or take a walk with your pet. I imagine you will be winded easily. You might even be tired and irritable most of the time. Whether you are carrying guilt or shame about something you did, or resentment, bitterness or anger about something someone did to you, your whole life will be affected. Set the prisoner free.
Prayer: Forgiving God, I need help. I have carried this weight of unforgiveness for so long it feels normal. It is hard to forgive myself, let alone to forgive others. Give me the courage to be forgiving of myself and others. Amen.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“If we don’t ‘get’ forgiveness, we’re missing the whole mystery. We are still living in a world of meritocracy, of quid-pro-quo thinking, of performance and behavior that earns an award. Forgiveness is the great thawing of all logic, reason, and worthiness. It is a melting into the mystery of God as unearned love, unmerited grace, the humility and powerlessness of a Divine Lover.” - Richard Rohr
What colors your world view? Are you still living in a world of quid-pro-quo thinking. Are you still holding grudges and resentments like prized possessions? Or are you ready to melt into the mystery of God’s unearned love and unmerited grace not only for you, but for those whom you may be holding grudges and resentments towards. John’s Gospel reminds us that “God so loved the world.” Jesus came for all of humanity, not just for us. Jesus came for the sinners and the saints, the faithful and unfaithful, for the kind and the mean, for the Roman elite and the peasants. Jesus came for all. As this week continues to move towards the cross, may we melt into the humility and powerlessness of a Divine Lover who simply beckons us to love.
Prayer: Divine Lover, your steadfast love and unmerited grace never cease to amaze me. For like Isaiah I have cried out, “Woe is me,” in your Divine present. Yet, you love never gives up on me. Help me to “get” forgiveness this day and every day. Amen.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down… Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36]
Palm Sunday is but a memory and tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, when Jesus will gather his friends at table. Jesus knows that there are plots in the work to end his life. Jesus knows that the disciples will scatter. What is about to transpire will not be easy for any of his followers and so he says to them, “Be on guard and be alert.” Jesus also knows that to do it alone is not an option for them. They need God’s strength to endure what is to come. We need God’s strength to endure our cultural context. The good news is, God is with us. We are not alone. But often we forget this truth. We think life it just up to us and our ingenuity, but it isn’t. God is with us, so guard your heart and be alert to God’s love within you and among us.
Prayer: Holy God, I pray for strength to endure the days ahead. I pray for strength to do what is mine to do. Guard my heart with your love, so that I might bear your love daily as I live and move and have my being in this your world. Amen.
Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. Jesus, said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’”
Jesus was eager to share this meal, even though he knew his suffering was to come. Was he eager to establish what we know as the Lord’s Supper, the sharing of bread and cup? Was he eager to spend quality time with the apostles? Jesus may have been eager, but the disciples were distracted because after sharing the bread and the cup they immediately started arguing over which one of them was the greatest. Seriously? After hearing, “This is my body, which is given for you,” and “This is the new covenant in my blood,” a fight breaks out over status! Unfortunately, then and now followers of Christ still clamor for status or recognition. As we come to the table this day, let us focus not on ourselves, but on Jesus.
Prayer: Loving God, the powers and principalities of this world were threatened then and now by Jesus’ way of love. Give me the courage to live in the power of this love, laying aside any need for status or even recognition. Teach me to love for the sake of your love. Amen.
Good Friday, April 18, 2025
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian Church of Redlands
“When we are faced with hard times and impossible choices. We are, as individuals and as a people, easily tempted and prone to willfulness. But we are not strong enough to resist those forces that tempt us to disobey God. So, we cry out for help, saying, ‘And do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one.’” - John C. Purdy
This might be the hardest day of our journey as we bear witness to the one who stood for compassion and justice as he was crucified by the powers and principalities of the church and state. Jesus ended up on the cross because he lived the radical message of God’s kindom and that way of being in the world was at odds with the power and money of the Roman government and the Temple. As Mary sang in the opening chapters of Luke, “God scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.” This is not necessarily good news to those with power and privilege who want to retain it and grow it at all costs. We are living in such a time, so be prepared that as we live into the way of Jesus we too may suffer.
Prayer: Steadfast and loving God, in the face of such trials Jesus did not swerve even though it cost him his life. I know for certain that I do not have that type of strength without your living and active presence in my life. I am not strong enough on my own and so I cry out this day, “do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one.” Amen
Saturday, April 19, 2025 Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Silent Saturdays. The day between the struggle and the solution; the question and the answer; the offered prayer and the answer thereof.” - Max Lucado, “The Silence of Saturday”
Saturday: the day between Good Friday and Easter. The day of waiting. One can only imagine the agony of waiting and wondering and even hopelessness that they felt on that Saturday. Even as we have explored the Lord’s Prayer all these weeks, we often feel the silence of praying the prayer and waiting for the answer. Yet, even in the silence of Saturday, there is hope.
Prayer: Dear God, even when we feel your silence, help us to wait on you. Help us not to lose hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Easter, Sunday, April 20, 2025 Rev. Shawn Zambrows, The First Baptist Church of Redlands
“Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord’s Prayer is about.” - N. T. Wright, Surprised By Hope, p. 293
Today as we celebrate the Resurrection, and we begin to finish this journey with The Lord’s Prayer, let us pray the prayer in the context of Jesus’ victory over death. Let us find understanding and strength and courage and hope with each word.
Prayer: For yours, dear God, is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen!

Christ in Risen!
Christ is Risen, Indeed!
Rev. Sylvia Karcher, Community Presbyterian
Rev. Karen Mazzeo, First Baptist
Rev. Cheryl Raine, First Presbyterian
Rev. Rachel Reeder, First Lutheran
Rev. Dr. Shawn Zambrows, First Baptist
“Prayer does not change God,
but changes the one who prayers”
Soren Kierkegaard

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