Lent Day 24 – Lenten Devotion – Monday, March 17, 2026
Today’s Lenten Devotion Is Followed By An Extended St. Patrick’ Day Devotion!
“Seven Words: Simple Powerful, Renewing Words, In Grace Alone”
Open Our Eyes, Lord
Cull
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch him
And say that we love him
Open our ears Lord
And help us to listen
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus
“Then the Pharisees also began to ask the man how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.””
These days, technology and personal security systems are ever changing. Truly the variety and number of products to protect us continues to evolve, and the scope and range of the products available is more advanced than what was popular a year ago.
We can now start our cars remotely; and yet, do you have any locks around your house that unlock by themselves, without you operating a device? Any doors or windows that open all by themselves?
The Holy Spirit opens us. We cannot open ourselves to the Spirit! The Spirit never forsakes us. The Spirit forever in grace is working to unlock us and open us to believe!
If you have been wondering why you have not been able to open yourself to The Christ or why you have not been able to unlock the gift of faith further and further in your journey, maybe you have been trying to do it on your own.
The blind man could not give himself the gift of sight. The gift had to come from The Christ. Trust and see! Celebrate you have been unlocked! The Christ himself in his death and resurrection and The Spirit in daily power indeed open you and renew you, to believe.
Let us pray: Lord, I so try to give myself faith. I try to open my eyes and heart and spirit to you, all by myself. Open me. Unlock me. Give me sight. Give me faith. I surrender to you. I cannot do what you can do. By your Spirit, open me again, and renew me in your grace alone. I need you; I believe you. In your name I have been opened as I pray. Amen.
Here is a special St. Patrick's Day devotion:
My Life Is in You, Lord
Gardner
My life is in You Lord
My strength is in You Lord
My hope is in You Lord
In You it's in You
My life is in You Lord
My strength is in You Lord
My hope is in You Lord
In You it's in You
In You
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.”
Happy St. Patrick's Day! So, do you have big plans to celebrate? Some people really get into it, even if they are not Irish. The music and people and gatherings and food and details and color add joy to the day.
What do you know about St. Patrick? Some historians tell conflicting accounts, but surprisingly many stories agree. St. Patrick was born in 385. His Christian family was of Roman citizenship. At the age of 16, St. Patrick was taken by marauders, sold into slavery, taken to Ireland. After 6 years he escaped. Upon his escape he vowed to become a missionary. After completing his training, he then vowed to return to Ireland to evangelize the country and its people. In 432, St. Patrick arrived back in Ireland and began to Christianize the country. He died in the year 461.
It took great risk and a devoted heart for St. Patrick to behold, to trust the same Spirit who raised Jesus, had come to take hold of him, to dwell in him, to give his life to be a missionary. It took great risk to proclaim Christ. It took great risk to go back to the land and the people he had escaped from, the land and the people who had taken him into slavery, and to preach and to proclaim and to celebrate the powerful and renewing grace of Christ which forgives and saves.
How does the same Spirit who raised Jesus, who called the Apostle Paul, who led St. Patrick, take hold of you, renew you, dwell in you and move your heart today? Believe anew, The One who came to save and to guide and to give Spirit to St. Patrick, has big plans for you, each and every day; and more than enough grace for you, too. Share the hope and paradise in these seven simple powerful words: "Truly, my life is in you, Lord!"
Let us pray: Jesus, it is easier for me to celebrate and not so easy to take risks. By your compassion and grace, behold, paradise breaks forth and your Spirit takes hold of me, and dwells in me. As I remember and celebrate the mission and ministry of St. Patrick, I surrender to your call for me, for me to make you and my neighbors first, for me to boldly proclaim, "my life is in you, Lord." In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
