A Note

From Pastor Mark

Love Outpoured: Waiting With Hope
Romans 8:18–21
(Scripture reading for March 11)

Paul writes in Romans: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed… creation itself waits with eager longing.”

Lent understands those words.

This season never asks us to pretend life is easy. It makes room for worry, grief, fatigue, and the quiet burdens we carry. Yet Paul does something surprising — he does not deny suffering, but reframes it. He says creation groans not because hope is lost, but because hope is coming.

That is the heart of our Lenten theme: Love Outpoured.

God’s love is not poured out after everything is fixed. God’s love is poured out in the middle of the waiting.

Our daily Love Outpoured devotion is meant to be a simple pause each day where we practice that hope. Not dramatic faith, but steady trust — the kind that learns, slowly, to expect God’s presence in ordinary moments.

We often think growth comes from big spiritual experiences. But Romans 8 shows something quieter. Transformation happens over time, when God meets us again and again in small ways. A few minutes in Scripture may seem small, yet day after day the Spirit reshapes how we see life.

Paul says creation waits with “eager longing” — standing on tiptoe, leaning forward. That’s what daily Scripture trains our hearts to do.

Instead of letting schedules, worries, or headlines define the day, we begin with God’s promise. Gradually we notice changes: patience comes easier, forgiveness sooner, hope steadier. Not because life got simpler, but because love has been poured into us.

So this Lent, don’t aim for perfection — aim for presence.

Miss a day? Begin again tomorrow.
Busy morning? Read it later.
Late night? Let it be your last word before sleep.

The goal isn’t completing a religious task.
The goal is letting God meet you daily.

Together at Shepherd of the Prairie, these small daily moments form a shared rhythm of hope. We practice trusting that the present moment is not the end of the story.

Love is already being poured out.
God is already making all things new.

So each day this Lent, open the devotion, stand on tiptoe, and
wait with hope.

I’ll look forward to seeing you worship!

Pastor Mark

Contact Pastor Mark at: pastormark@sotpmail.com