Lent Devotional 2019

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About Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of women and men for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Student

Certificate Programs

Special Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Church Planting Initiative (monthly), Continuing Education (monthly), World Mission Initiative (monthly), Metro-Urban Institute (quarterly), and Kelso Museum. Alums, there's also one for you!

Lent Devotional APRIL 7, 2019

Scripture

Psalm 84

1  How lovely is your dwelling place,
         O LORD of hosts!
2  My soul longs, indeed it faints
         for the courts of the LORD;
    my heart and my flesh sing for joy
         to the living God.

3  Even the sparrow finds a home,
         and the swallow a nest for herself,
         where she may lay her young,
    at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         my King and my God.
4  Happy are those who live in your house,
         ever singing your praise. Selah

5  Happy are those whose strength is in you,
         in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6  As they go through the valley of Baca
         they make it a place of springs;
         the early rain also covers it with pools.
7  They go from strength to strength;
         the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

8  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9  Behold our shield, O God;
         look on the face of your anointed.

10 For a day in your courts is better
         than a thousand elsewhere.
    I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         he bestows favor and honor.
    No good thing does the LORD withhold
         from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
         happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Devotional

The Rev. Graham McWilliams, D.Min. – Reformed Theology / Minister, Comrie and Dundurn Parish Churches, Church of Scotland, Perthshire, U.K.

As God’s people we face many difficult challenges, both personal and political, and we continue journeying through them in Lent. At this time of the season, we may feel exhausted in our Christian faith. Looking to the cross of Christ before us, we may be thinking, “Lord, how can I find the energy to go on?” And that is where we must stop, because living a life in faith is not about our finding anything. It is about receiving! As the psalmist says, “Happy are those whose strength is in you.”

We have no strength but God’s. We need no strength but God’s. If the many challenges of the world have caused you to begin depending on yourself to overcome them, stop for a moment. Recognize that you are walking a more difficult path—a human path—than the one God intends for you. Behold your shield once more. Humbly bow your head in acknowledgement of your straying and receive the strength of God, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Know that you are able, once more, to lift your head, follow your heart, and continue your journey through your own valley of Baca with the cross of Christ as your guiding light, not your immediate goal.

Prayer

Loving God, in our faith we know that You are always with us; yet the world tries to shield us from You, and we have become downcast. We pray that Your power and strength would overcome our human frailty, so that we may continue our journey through this pilgrimage of Lent until we can lift our heads upward to see the glory of Your risen and ascended presence. Amen.

Lent Devotional APRIL 7, 2019

Scripture

Psalm 84

1  How lovely is your dwelling place,
         O LORD of hosts!
2  My soul longs, indeed it faints
         for the courts of the LORD;
    my heart and my flesh sing for joy
         to the living God.

3  Even the sparrow finds a home,
         and the swallow a nest for herself,
         where she may lay her young,
    at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         my King and my God.
4  Happy are those who live in your house,
         ever singing your praise. Selah

5  Happy are those whose strength is in you,
         in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6  As they go through the valley of Baca
         they make it a place of springs;
         the early rain also covers it with pools.
7  They go from strength to strength;
         the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

8  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9  Behold our shield, O God;
         look on the face of your anointed.

10 For a day in your courts is better
         than a thousand elsewhere.
    I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         he bestows favor and honor.
    No good thing does the LORD withhold
         from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts,
         happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Devotional

The Rev. Graham McWilliams, D.Min. – Reformed Theology / Minister, Comrie and Dundurn Parish Churches, Church of Scotland, Perthshire, U.K.

As God’s people we face many difficult challenges, both personal and political, and we continue journeying through them in Lent. At this time of the season, we may feel exhausted in our Christian faith. Looking to the cross of Christ before us, we may be thinking, “Lord, how can I find the energy to go on?” And that is where we must stop, because living a life in faith is not about our finding anything. It is about receiving! As the psalmist says, “Happy are those whose strength is in you.”

We have no strength but God’s. We need no strength but God’s. If the many challenges of the world have caused you to begin depending on yourself to overcome them, stop for a moment. Recognize that you are walking a more difficult path—a human path—than the one God intends for you. Behold your shield once more. Humbly bow your head in acknowledgement of your straying and receive the strength of God, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Know that you are able, once more, to lift your head, follow your heart, and continue your journey through your own valley of Baca with the cross of Christ as your guiding light, not your immediate goal.

Prayer

Loving God, in our faith we know that You are always with us; yet the world tries to shield us from You, and we have become downcast. We pray that Your power and strength would overcome our human frailty, so that we may continue our journey through this pilgrimage of Lent until we can lift our heads upward to see the glory of Your risen and ascended presence. Amen.

About Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of women and men for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Student

Certificate Programs

Special Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Church Planting Initiative (monthly), Continuing Education (monthly), World Mission Initiative (monthly), Metro-Urban Institute (quarterly), and Kelso Museum. Alums, there's also one for you!