Day 1: The Labels We Carry

Scripture Reading

John 9:1 to 3: As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

Reflection

The world is quick to categorize us before it ever truly knows us. In the sermon, we see how the disciples and neighbors looked at the man born blind and saw a problem to be solved or a sin to be punished. They used his disability to define his entire identity. Jesus, however, rejects these labels. He sees not a tragedy, but an opportunity for the glory of the divine to be revealed. We often carry labels given to us by others or by our own past failures. We might call ourselves a failure, an outcast, or a disappointment. Today, recognize that your identity is not found in the labels the world places on you. Your life is a canvas where the light of the world intends to display beauty and grace.

Prayer Prompt

Ask the Creator to help you release a specific negative label you have been carrying and to replace it with the truth of who you are in Christ.

Day 2: Clear Eyes and New Perspectives

Scripture Reading

John 9:6 to 7: After saying this, he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Reflection
The phrase "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" serves as a powerful reminder of what happens when we encounter the light. For the man in the story, receiving sight was just the beginning. Having clear eyes means more than just physical vision; it involves a shift in how we perceive our circumstances and the people around us. When Jesus healed the man, he gave him the ability to see the world as it truly is, a place where the divine is actively working. We often walk through life with a cloudy vision, obscured by fear or tradition. To walk with clear eyes is to look for the movement of the spirit in the mundane and the miraculous alike.

Prayer Prompt
Pray for the clarity to see a difficult situation in your life through the lens of faith rather than the lens of fear.

Day 3: The Danger of Squeezed Eyes

Scripture Reading

John 9:13 to 16: They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore, the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

Reflection
It is a profound irony that those who claimed to be the most religious were the ones most blind to the miracle before them. Like the character Tim in Jurassic Park, the religious leaders squeezed their eyes shut because the truth was too threatening to their comfort zones. They were more committed to their rules than to the restoration of a human being. We can fall into this same trap when we become so attached to our traditions or our "rightness" that we miss what the divine is doing right in front of us. When we prioritize our own certainty over the transformative work of Christ, we risk sitting in the dark while the light is shining brightly.

Prayer Prompt
Invite the spirit to reveal any areas where you have closed your eyes to the truth because it feels uncomfortable or challenging.

Day 4: A Testimony of Experience

Scripture Reading

John 9:24 to 25: A second time, they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

Reflection
You do not need to have all the theological answers to be a witness to the light. The man in our story did not understand the complexities of the Sabbath laws or the origins of Jesus, but he knew his own story. His "sass" in the face of the authorities came from the unshakable reality of his experience. When we are pressured to explain every detail of our faith, we can find peace in the simple truth of what Christ has done for us. Your personal story of moving from darkness to light is the most powerful evidence of the divine at work.

Prayer Prompt
Thank the divine for the specific ways your life has changed since you began following the light, and ask for the courage to share that story.

Day 5: Full Hearts in the Face of Rejection

Scripture Reading

John 9:34: To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

Reflection
The religious leaders chose to cast the man out rather than change their hearts. Rejection is a painful reality for many who choose to follow the path of Christ, especially when that rejection comes from within religious circles. However, the man was able to endure this because his heart was becoming full. When we find our identity in the love of the creator, the exclusion of the world loses its power. Being "cast out" often places us exactly where Jesus is waiting to meet us. A full heart is not one that is protected from pain, but one that is so rooted in divine love that it cannot be emptied by the opinions of others.

Prayer Prompt
Pray for those who feel rejected or excluded by religious communities, asking that they would feel the immediate and loving presence of the divine.

Day 6: Finding Christ in the "Dark" Spaces

Scripture Reading

John 9:35: Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

Reflection
Jesus did not find the man in the temple or the courts of the religious leaders; he found him in the "secular" world after he had been discarded. The sermon reminds us that we often expect to find the divine only in sacred places, but the light of the world frequently appears in the spaces we have labeled as dark or godless. If you feel like you are in a season of darkness or if you are in a place where you don't think God exists, look again. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Christ is often most present in the very places we feel most alone.

Prayer Prompt
Ask the Creator to help you see the light in a place or a person you have previously dismissed as being "in the dark."

Day 7: Creating God in Our Image

Scripture Reading

John 9:39 to 41: Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."

Reflection
Anne Lamott noted that we can tell we have created God in our own image when it turns out God hates all the same people we do. The religious leaders were blind because they assumed their vision was perfect. They used their "sight" to justify their own prejudices. To follow Jesus is to constantly submit our vision to the light, allowing the spirit to correct our blind spots. We must be willing to ask the haunting question, "Am I the blind one?" Genuine faith requires the humility to admit that our understanding of the divine is often limited by our own biases and fears.

Prayer Prompt
Ask for the humility to have your own views challenged by the radical and inclusive love of the Creator.

Day 8: Walking in the Light

Scripture Reading

John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Reflection
The journey of the man born blind concludes with a clear identity and a full heart. He is no longer defined by his past, his disability, or his rejection. He is defined by his relationship with the light. As we conclude these eight days, remember that following Jesus is not a one-time event but a daily decision to walk toward the light. We don't have to fear the shadows of the world or the "tombs" of our traditions because the light of Christ is always bringing resurrection. Do not put darkness in the spaces where Christ is trying to get you to see the light. You have clear eyes and a full heart; you cannot lose.

Prayer Prompt
Commit your way to the divine today, asking for the strength to keep your eyes open to the light and your heart open to the world.

Day 1: Fasting from False Remedies

Scripture Reading: John 9:1-3 (NRSV)
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him".

Reflection
Lent is a season for fasting, not just from food, but from the false beliefs that clutter our spiritual lives. In the southern United States, many grew up with "home remedies" like feeding a cold or putting onions in socks to draw out illness. We often apply similar "folk wisdom" to our spiritual lives by assuming our suffering is a direct punishment for sin. The disciples wanted to blame the man or his parents for his blindness. Jesus invites us to fast from this "either-or" theology. Instead of looking for blame in our past, we are invited to look for how God’s work can be revealed through our present struggles.

Prayer
Ask God to help you identify any false "remedies" or labels you have relied on for security, and pray for the grace to fast from the need to blame yourself or others for your current hardships.

Day 2: The Lenten Desert of Eavesdropping

Scripture Reading: John 9:8-9 (NRSV)
The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man".

Reflection
In the desert of Lent, we often confront the voices that have defined us. The man born blind had spent his life "eavesdropping" on what others said about him, hearing them debate his sin and his status while he sat on the side of the street. We often let the world’s diagnosis of our lives define who we are, sticking to labels of past mistakes or family history. Lent is a time to stop sitting by the road and listening to these "neighbor" voices. When the man responded, "It's me!", he was claiming an identity that no longer relied on his status as a beggar.

Prayer
Pray for the ability to silence the voices you have been "eavesdropping" on that tell you you are defined by your past, and ask God to help you hear God's voice above all others.

Day 3: Dust and Ashes

Scripture Reading: John 9:6-7 (NRSV)
When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

Reflection
 The Lenten season begins with ashes and a reminder that we are dust. Jesus took that very dust, mixed it with spit, and used the "messy reality" of dirt to bring about a new creation. This mirrors the Creator forming humanity from the dust in Genesis. Jesus does not shy away from the grimy, uncomfortable parts of our lives. During Lent, we allow Jesus to rub his hands on our mistakes and defining labels. He uses the "mud" of our lives not to embarrass us, but to re-create our vision.

Prayer
Offer the "dust" of your life to Jesus today, asking him to take the messy parts you are ashamed of and transform them into a new way of seeing.

Day 4: The Journey to Siloam

Scripture Reading: John 9:7 (NRSV)
...saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

Reflection
Lent is often described as a journey. Jesus gave the man a command: go and wash. He did not promise him immediate sight, but the man went anyway, perhaps simply because he wanted to wash the spit and dirt off his face. Our Lenten disciplines are often like that walk to the pool of Siloam. We follow the instructions of the Teacher even when we don't fully understand the outcome. The healing was found in the act of washing. We are invited this season to wash off the "old labels" and start walking in the direction Jesus points us.

Prayer
Identify one specific Lenten discipline or act of obedience you can practice today, and ask for the perseverance to follow through even if the "light" has not yet broken through.

Day 5: Repentance as New Sight

Scripture Reading: John 9:10-11 (NRSV)
They kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight".

Reflection
The word "repentance" often means a change of mind or a new way of seeing. When the man washed in the pool, his absolute darkness turned to fuzziness and then sharpened into color. He began to see the world as it truly was, not as he had imagined it. In Lent, we repent of the "darkness" we have lived in and ask for the light of Christ to change our vision. This new sight allows us to see hope and salvation where we once saw only destruction. We become people who believe that the darkness of the world does not define it.

Prayer
Ask God to sharpen your spiritual vision this week, helping you to see the "colors and shapes" of God's grace in places you previously thought were only dark.

Day 6: Dying to the Old Self

Scripture Reading: John 9:12 (NRSV)
They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know".

Reflection
Lent leads us toward the cross, where the old self dies so that the new self can live. The blind man experienced a "crisis of identity" because his neighbors no longer recognized him. He no longer fit into the box they had built for him. If we truly follow Jesus, there is a change in how we look and sound to the people around us. We must be willing to let our "blind beggar" identity die. We no longer lead with our labels or past qualifiers. We are, in a way, no longer the same person.

Prayer
Pray for the courage to let go of an old identity or label that you have been clinging to, even if losing it makes you look "different" to the people around you.

Day 7: Anticipating the Light

Scripture Reading: John 9:3 (NRSV)
Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him".

Reflection
As we conclude this week of Lent, we remember that the man’s story is not over. He has been healed and can see the world, but he has not yet seen the face of the one who healed him. He knows he has changed, but he is still waiting for a final confrontation with the "Light of the World". We, too, are in a period of waiting. We look at our "handicaps" and weaknesses not as permanent stains, but as places where God is being revealed. We are preparing to come face-to-face with the Light that repels even the deepest darkness.

Prayer
Reflect on the ways Jesus has already "rubbed his hands" on your life this Lent, and pray with anticipation for the day you will see his face clearly.

Day 8: Walking in the Middle of the Street

Scripture Reading: John 9:35-38 (NRSV) Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him.
 
Reflection
The Lenten journey often leads us to a place of isolation before we find true communion. The man in the story was no longer welcome in his old circles because he no longer fit the "blind beggar" label. Instead of gripping the walls of the buildings for safety as he once did, he began walking down the middle of the street with his head on a swivel, taking in a world he never imagined. This is the ultimate goal of our Lenten reflection: to stop hiding in the shadows of our past mistakes and start walking boldly in the light of Christ. We may not yet fully see the face of the one who changed us, but we know our vision of what can be has been forever altered.

As we move closer to the end of this season, we prepare for that final confrontation where our new sight leads us face to face with the Light of the World.

Prayer
Ask God for the courage to "walk down the middle of the street" this week, refusing to hide your transformation or retreat into old, comfortable labels that no longer define you.

Day 1: God at Work Before We Can See It
Scripture Reading
“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”
Matthew 4:17 (NRSV)

Reflection
One of the hardest spiritual disciplines is trusting God when there is no visible evidence that anything is happening. The story of First Baptist Church Wilmington reminds us that long before a million-dollar check appeared, long before votes shifted or leadership changed, God was already at work. Ms. Evelina’s faith was not rooted in outcomes but in her confidence in who God is.

Matthew tells us that Jesus begins his ministry not after the bad news passes, but right in the middle of it. John is imprisoned. Political danger is real. Fear is justified. And yet Jesus declares that the kingdom of heaven has already come near. Not someday. Not once the conditions improve. Already.
This is where faith stretches us. We often believe God is present once things work out. Scripture invites us to trust that God is present before we do. The kingdom does not arrive when the problem is solved. The kingdom arrives when God shows up, even when the problem remains.

Today’s invitation is not to ignore the challenges you face, but to loosen their grip on your imagination. God is not waiting for clarity, certainty, or control. God is already moving.

Prayer Prompt
God, help me trust that you are at work even when I cannot see it. Give me faith that rests not in outcomes but in your presence. Teach me to believe that your kingdom is near, even here. Amen.

Day 2: Light in the Middle of Bad News
Scripture Reading
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
Matthew 4:16 (NRSV)

Reflection
Darkness has a way of convincing us that it is permanent. Bad news piles up, uncertainty lingers, and fear begins to feel like the most honest response. Yet Matthew reaches back to Isaiah to remind us that light does not wait for darkness to retreat. Light shows up right in the middle of it.

Jesus begins his ministry among people who know loss, oppression, and disappointment. He does not offer them an escape route. He offers them light. A light strong enough to guide, not necessarily to explain. A light that makes movement possible even when the path remains unclear.
The story of FBC Wilmington unfolds in much the same way. Conflicting votes. Tight timelines. Financial impossibilities. Still, step by step, light kept appearing. Not all at once. Just enough to keep moving forward.

Faith is often less about seeing the whole path and more about trusting the next step. God does not promise to eliminate the darkness. God promises to meet us within it.

Prayer Prompt
God of light, shine where fear and uncertainty cloud my vision. Help me trust the light you offer today, even if tomorrow remains unclear. Give me the courage to keep moving forward. Amen.

Day 3: When Faith Sounds Unreasonable
Scripture Reading
“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:27 (NRSV)

Reflection
There is a moment in the story when Ms. Evelina’s faith feels excessive, even embarrassing. A single person giving a million dollars sounds unreasonable. It sounds detached from reality. It sounds like wishful thinking.

Yet biblical faith has always made people uncomfortable. Abraham believing in descendants he would never see. Moses stepping toward the Red Sea. Mary trusting a promise that upended her life. Faith often looks unreasonable right up until it becomes clear that God was in it all along.

Jesus does not call disciples by offering them safety or logic. He calls them into trust. Trust that the God who calls them is already ahead of them. Trust that impossibility is not a barrier for God.

Today’s devotion invites honesty. Where does faith feel unreasonable in your life? Where have you dismissed hope because it sounded impractical or unlikely? Sometimes the question is not whether faith makes sense, but whether we are willing to trust God beyond our calculations.

Prayer Prompt
God, forgive me for limiting what I believe you can do. Stretch my imagination beyond what feels reasonable. Help me trust you with what feels impossible. Amen.

Day 4: God’s Timing Is Not Our Timing
Scripture Reading
“To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NRSV)

Reflection
One of the most striking details in the Wilmington story is the timing. A resignation. A replacement. A vote reversal. A lunch invitation. None of it was planned. None of it could have been scheduled. And yet each moment arrived at exactly the right time.

Jesus begins his ministry not when conditions are safe, but when they are ripe. God’s timing is rarely convenient, but it is often purposeful. We want God to act according to our calendars. God works according to a deeper wisdom.

Waiting can feel like failure. Delay can feel like abandonment. But Scripture reminds us that waiting is often where trust is formed. God’s silence is not absence. God’s delay is not denial.

If you are in a season of waiting, do not assume nothing is happening. God may be aligning people, preparing hearts, or shaping you for what comes next.

Prayer Prompt
God, help me trust your timing when mine feels urgent. Give me patience in seasons of waiting and faith that you are still at work. Amen.

Day 5: Following Before We Feel Ready
Scripture Reading
“Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Matthew 4:20 (NRSV)

Reflection
Jesus does not wait until the disciples feel confident, prepared, or certain. He calls them in the middle of their routines. Nets still wet. Boats still rocking. Questions unanswered.

Following Jesus rarely begins with confidence. It begins with willingness. The disciples do not know where this path leads. They only know who is calling them.

In the Wilmington story, faith required movement before reassurance. Decisions were made without guarantees. Steps were taken without clarity. And yet obedience opened the door for God’s provision.

Discipleship is not about having all the answers. It is about trusting the One who calls us forward. God does not ask us to feel ready. God asks us to follow.

Prayer Prompt
Jesus, give me the courage to follow you even when I feel uncertain. Help me trust your call more than my comfort. Lead me forward in faith. Amen.

Day 6: When God Answers More Completely Than Expected
Scripture Reading
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”
Ephesians 3:20 (NRSV)

Reflection
Mike Queen’s confession is deeply human. He was not accustomed to prayers being answered so completely, so directly. Many of us relate. We often pray cautiously, guarding ourselves against disappointment.

Yet God’s generosity is not restrained by our expectations. Sometimes God answers in ways that leave us speechless. Not because we lacked faith, but because we underestimated God’s abundance.

The million-dollar gift did more than purchase a building. It reshaped a community’s understanding of what God could do through them. It expanded their imagination.

When God answers boldly, it invites humility. It reminds us that faith is not about predicting outcomes, but about trusting God’s character.

Prayer Prompt
God of abundance, forgive me for praying small prayers rooted in fear. Open my heart to trust in your generosity and your power. Amen.

Day 7: God’s Got This
Scripture Reading
“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’”
Matthew 4:19 (NRSV)

Reflection
Before Jesus ever says “follow me,” he announces that God’s kingdom has come near. That order matters. The call to follow rests on the assurance that God is already at work.

“God’s Got This” is not a slogan meant to dismiss struggle. It is a declaration of trust. It is the belief that no darkness is too deep, no challenge too complex, no future too uncertain for God.

Hopeful imagination dares to live as if God’s promises are true. It dares to step forward, not because the path is easy, but because God is faithful.

Whatever lies ahead, the invitation remains the same. Trust. Follow. Believe that God is already there.

Prayer Prompt
God, help me live with hopeful imagination. Teach me to follow you with trust and courage, believing that no matter what comes, you have this. Amen.