Daily Devotions and Podcasts

SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:6-13  While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” WORDS OF HOPE The woman approached Jesus with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume. She broke it open and poured it on his head. Her act was extravagant, costly, and prophetic. In a culture that often silenced women, she offered total devotion at the exact moment. While others calculated the “waste,” she recognized Jesus’ approaching death and responded with surrender. Jesus called it beautiful and promised her story would be told wherever the gospel is preached. This account speaks powerfully because today is Women’s Equality Day commemorating the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. The 2026 United Nations International Women’s Day theme is Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. The theme demands more than symbols and demands structural changes by dismantling barriers and discriminatory systems. The unnamed woman embodied that spirit. She did not wait for permission. She acted boldly, offered her best, and absorbed the criticism. Jesus’ defense of her reveals the consistent pattern that God honors the costly contributions of women—from Deborah and Mary to the suffragists who risked everything for the vote. Too often, voices still cry “waste” when women pour out their gifts in leadership, advocacy, or ministry. Jesus’ words cut through the noise: “Leave her alone. What she has done is beautiful.” Female devotion is not peripheral to the gospel. It is central. We are invited to live this out. Women are called to steward their gifts courageously. Allies must emulate Christ by protecting, amplifying, and partnering with them. Practical devotion includes advocating for education and justice, resourcing women’s ministry, and mentoring the next generation. Extravagant worship of time, talent, and treasure poured out on Jesus prepares the way for Kingdom impact. PRAYER Receive this Blessing Lord Jesus, teach us to break open our own alabaster jars—not only in worship, but in justice and action. Give us courage to pour out costly devotion dismantling barriers, defending the overlooked, and advancing dignity for every woman and girl. Let the fragrance of our lives honor you and lift others into freedom and opportunity. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR David Sims Deacon

SCRIPTURE Galatians 6:9  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. WORDS OF HOPE Some days I feel like I need to see these words from Paul in great big letters on a neon sign at every turn. Trying to do good is hard. It is frustrating. It is tiring. It is often dismissed or even looked upon as doing wrong. Obviously, these feelings are not unique to our twenty-first century lives as Paul felt the need to offer them to the Galatians in around 50 A.D. As followers of Christ, our days should be filled with acts of doing good. Some days this comes easier than others. I find myself often trying to shut down the voice in my head that says, “You are only one person. You can’t make any real difference in the world.” Depending on my frame of mind, I take those words as either a “get out of jail free card” accepting them as truth and doing nothing; or, I rebel against them doing my best to prove them wrong. Neither of these responses is rooted in what Paul is teaching. Doing good is not an issued challenge that we can choose to accept or not, it is a responsibility…and a gift…given to each of us every day. Sometimes God has a round-a-bout way of teaching us such lessons. The other day I was reading an article in Architectural Digest, not a periodical I normally read, about how the use of GLP-1 in this country is noticeably changing home building in this country. People want larger closets because as they feel better about their physical selves, they find joy in buying clothes. The extra-large gourmet kitchens of the last several decades are being downsized to simply “functional” as food becomes less of a focal point in daily life. Though the details of this article were fascinating, I was most interested in the numbers. How many people did it take to create this big swing in new home design? Approximately one in eight adults are taking this medication, 12% of the adult population. In the big scheme of things, that is not a huge number; and yet, one person at a time that decided to do something good for themselves resulted in a noticeable change in the home building industry in general. This example makes me examine more closely the potential that each opportunity, choice, or decision, we have has in effecting change in the world around us. Though those that identify as religiously progressive are still outnumbered by both moderates and conservatives, 19% to 38% and 28% respectively. This gives me hope that each of us doing good in the world around us can and will come together with a voice that is strong enough and loud enough to change things for good. If 8% of a population can come together to initiate bigger closets, surely 19% of us have a chance at uniting to build bigger hearts and minds. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.” PRAYER God of all goodness, protect me from the weariness that comes from striving to be good in the world. Please give me strength and courage to keep going. And, let me never forget that all the goodness I am able to bring to those around me, I am giving in your name. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare