This week, Pastor Amber was invited to contribute a Lenten devotional to a special project with Raise the Roof Academy, a nonprofit empowering children and families in Uganda.
For this project, children in the Raise the Roof Academy choir wrote prayers around different themes, and people from around the world were asked to write corresponding Lenten devotionals. You can learn more about Raise the Roof Academy and this project at:
https://www.raisetheroofacademy.org
Day Eleven – Theme: Death, Grief, and Misery
Rev. Amber Armistead, Pastor at Sparta First United Methodist Church
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
— Isaiah 41:10
Life often brings trials, challenges, and seasons of deep pain. Yet even in these moments, the Lord offers us hope, comfort, and peace. The world can feel heavy—filled with anxiety, stress, loss, and fear—but God calls us to release those burdens into divine hands. We were never meant to carry the weight of hurt alone. God knows this.
Through the saving grace of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed and restored. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened and sustained by the beauty of God’s love for us. We are reminded, again and again, that we do not walk this life alone.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). These precious words speak directly to the hearts of all who grieve. Grief comes in many forms—death, the loss of relationships, divorce, moving from what is familiar, or any change that leaves our hearts aching. God sees every sorrow. God wipes every tear. God offers rest to those who are weary from carrying grief by themselves.
In every season of sorrow, each of us is invited to seek God’s presence in our pain. Sometimes that presence is found in something as small and sacred as the warmth of sunlight on our skin, a bird’s song drifting through the air, or a quiet moment of stillness that reminds us of God’s nearness. Our tears are counted. Our stories are known. And in every moment, God is close.
May you find comfort in the Lord who holds you tenderly in times of sorrow. Trust that God is watching over you, strengthening you, and gently showing you that you are beloved, that your life matters, and that you are never alone.
Student Prayer – Stephania Nakikomeko
Dear God,
Where there is pain, bring healing. Where there is sorrow, bring peace that lasts.
We lift every person who is grieving or carrying pain. Hold them close and comfort them.
Wipe the tears of those who have lost loved ones and remind them that You are near to the brokenhearted.
Walk with everyone who is mourning and let them feel Your love gently restoring their hope.
In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
