Grow • Pray • Study
daily Devotional Guide
Our Grow • Pray • Study (GPS) Guide offers daily readings and thoughts that follow along the Scriptural themes of our Sunday Worship services.
G•P•S - Grow, Pray, Study Guide, 3/30/26 – 4/4/26
Faith UMC, Church
MONDAY 3/30/26: Mark 11:12-25, The fig tree and the temple
“Not being in season” has tripped up interpreters over the centuries. It seems unjust if taken literally, but if it is symbolic of the people of God, perhaps Mark is telling us that the fruit of God’s people should never be out of season. Jesus has two critiques of the temple: the place of prayer used for commercial purposes and the exclusion of Gentiles (ethnoi in Greek). What fruit is the church called to produce today?
TUESDAY 3/31/26: Mark 14:1-9, Why waste this perfume?
John’s Gospel identifies this woman as Mary, Lazarus’s sister, and has Judas scolding her. In any case, the greed is hardly veiled by a weak appeal for the poor; while the woman’s devotion cannot be mistaken for anything but genuine. She appears to be the only one who understands the gravity of the situation, and her response is to pour out everything she has in gratitude. What does this text say to you today?
WEDNESDAY 4/1/26: Psalm 22, My God, my God!
From the cross, Jesus cries out the first line of this psalm. Clearly the words of this psalm are on his heart. At the very least, Jesus feels the words of the psalm on the cross. Jesus feels abandoned. But read on in the psalm. It ends with the hope of future generations coming to God. As you read this psalm, connected the words to the life and death and hope of Jesus. What is God speaking to you today? Prepare your heart for worship this week.
THURSDAY 4/2/26, Mark 14:10-42, Staying awake
We are a long way off from the Palm Sunday parade. In the story, disciples begin to peel off from Jesus, beginning with Judas. Though Peter pledges loyalty, we will witness his faltering. Finally, when Jesus’s betrayal is at hand, the disciples are unaware enough to stay awake. Why does the author portray the disciples in such a light? What is it that turns them around?
FRIDAY 4/3/26: Mark 15:21-41, The centurion gets Jesus right
Mark’s entire Gospel reads like a mystery novel, in which the reader knows the answer but none of the characters know. The mystery is, “Who is Jesus?” The narrator tells us in the first verse: God’s Son. But in the story, nobody gets it (except the demons, who Jesus silences before people get the wrong idea from demons). Even when Peter gets it right, he gets it wrong, because he refuses that the Son of God will be killed. Only the centurion, witnessing the sacrifice, utters the true answer to the mystery of who Jesus is. This is God’s Son, the crucified one.
SATURDAY 4/4/26: Matthew 28:1-10, The first word of the Risen Christ
For Easter, we turn to the resurrection story in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew weaves in many end-times symbolism in his telling of the story, earthquakes, lightning, and angels. Then, when all the noise fades away, the risen Jesus finally appears, ready to speak the first word of a new world. Join us in worship as we celebrate the victory of life and love over death, and the unlimited life we have in Christ! You matter to God.
Faith UMC, Church
MONDAY 3/30/26: Mark 11:12-25, The fig tree and the temple
“Not being in season” has tripped up interpreters over the centuries. It seems unjust if taken literally, but if it is symbolic of the people of God, perhaps Mark is telling us that the fruit of God’s people should never be out of season. Jesus has two critiques of the temple: the place of prayer used for commercial purposes and the exclusion of Gentiles (ethnoi in Greek). What fruit is the church called to produce today?
TUESDAY 3/31/26: Mark 14:1-9, Why waste this perfume?
John’s Gospel identifies this woman as Mary, Lazarus’s sister, and has Judas scolding her. In any case, the greed is hardly veiled by a weak appeal for the poor; while the woman’s devotion cannot be mistaken for anything but genuine. She appears to be the only one who understands the gravity of the situation, and her response is to pour out everything she has in gratitude. What does this text say to you today?
WEDNESDAY 4/1/26: Psalm 22, My God, my God!
From the cross, Jesus cries out the first line of this psalm. Clearly the words of this psalm are on his heart. At the very least, Jesus feels the words of the psalm on the cross. Jesus feels abandoned. But read on in the psalm. It ends with the hope of future generations coming to God. As you read this psalm, connected the words to the life and death and hope of Jesus. What is God speaking to you today? Prepare your heart for worship this week.
THURSDAY 4/2/26, Mark 14:10-42, Staying awake
We are a long way off from the Palm Sunday parade. In the story, disciples begin to peel off from Jesus, beginning with Judas. Though Peter pledges loyalty, we will witness his faltering. Finally, when Jesus’s betrayal is at hand, the disciples are unaware enough to stay awake. Why does the author portray the disciples in such a light? What is it that turns them around?
FRIDAY 4/3/26: Mark 15:21-41, The centurion gets Jesus right
Mark’s entire Gospel reads like a mystery novel, in which the reader knows the answer but none of the characters know. The mystery is, “Who is Jesus?” The narrator tells us in the first verse: God’s Son. But in the story, nobody gets it (except the demons, who Jesus silences before people get the wrong idea from demons). Even when Peter gets it right, he gets it wrong, because he refuses that the Son of God will be killed. Only the centurion, witnessing the sacrifice, utters the true answer to the mystery of who Jesus is. This is God’s Son, the crucified one.
SATURDAY 4/4/26: Matthew 28:1-10, The first word of the Risen Christ
For Easter, we turn to the resurrection story in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew weaves in many end-times symbolism in his telling of the story, earthquakes, lightning, and angels. Then, when all the noise fades away, the risen Jesus finally appears, ready to speak the first word of a new world. Join us in worship as we celebrate the victory of life and love over death, and the unlimited life we have in Christ! You matter to God.