Different traditions emphasise slightly different themes, but common threads include:
Selfâexamination â looking honestly at the heart
Turning back to God â the ongoing call to repentance
Strength for the journey â recognising our dependence on Godâs grace
Living water / spiritual thirst â especially in lectionaries that use the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)
đ Typical Scripture Themes
Many churches read passages that highlight:
Godâs patience and mercy
The danger of spiritual complacency
Christ offering renewal and transformation
The call to bear good fruit
đŻď¸ A simple reflection you could use
Hereâs a short devotional thought you might appreciate for your blog or meetings:
âLent invites us not simply to give something up, but to wake up.On the Third Sunday in Lent, we remember that God meets us in our thirst,offering living water that restores, refreshes, and redirects our steps.â
The Second Sunday in Lent is traditionally understood as a week of deepening discipleship, where the focus shifts from simply entering the Lenten journey to actively wrestling with what it means to follow Christ.
The heart of the Second Sunday in Lent is the cost and call of discipleship. Many churches read passages where Jesus challenges His followers to trust, surrender, and walk faithfully even when the path is uncertain.
Common lectionary themes include:
Godâs covenant faithfulness (often through Abrahamâs story)
Trusting God when the future is unclear
Jesusâ call to take up the cross
Growing in spiritual maturity
đ Typical Scripture Readings
While readings vary by tradition, these are commonly used:
Old Testament: Godâs covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12 or 17) â highlighting trust and promise
Psalm: A psalm of confidence, such as Psalm 27 â âThe Lord is my light and my salvationâ
Epistle: Encouragement to stand firm in faith (Romans 4 or Philippians 3)
Gospel: Jesus teaching about discipleship (Mark 8, Matthew 16, or Luke 9)
These passages together emphasise faith, obedience, and the journey of transformation.
âď¸ Spiritual Focus for the Week
Many Christians use this week to reflect on:
Where God is calling them to deeper trust
Habits or attitudes that need surrender
How to walk more closely with Christ in daily life
What âcarrying the crossâ looks like in practical terms
Itâs a week that often feels more introspective than the first Sunday, inviting a quieter, more reflective posture.
đŻď¸ In Worship
Churches may highlight:
More reflective hymns (e.g., Take Up Thy Cross, Be Thou My Vision)
Themes of covenant, promise, and faith
A continued absence of âAlleluiaâ
Purple vestments and a focus on repentance and renewal
đą A Thought for Reflection
A simple prayer often associated with this Sunday is:
âLord, teach me to trust You more deeply and follow You more faithfully on this Lenten journey.â
Let us pray to the Lord our God for help. He is readily listening for our words. He wants to know us, and He wants us to trust in Him. Through Him, we are safe. Through Him, we will not perish. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name [âŚ]
“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
Mark 6: 34
When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
When I was looking for readings for today’s blog I felt I had to put both of the above readings up.
Generals John Gowans & John Larsson of The Salvation Army were two very talented officers in the Salvation Army who wrote 10 musicals.  This song is from the second musical, titled âHoseaâ â the story of the Old Testament prophetâs faithfulness and forgiveness towards his unfaithful wife, relating this to Godâs forgiveness of His people who had broken their promises to Him.
1. If human hearts are often tender, And human minds can pity know, If human love is touched with splendor, And human hands compassion show, Chorus Then how much more shall God our Father In love forgive, in love forgive! Then how much more shall God our Father Our wants supply, and none deny!
2. If sometimes men can live for others, And sometimes give where gifts are spurned, If sometimes treat their foes as brothers, And love where love is not returned,
3. If men will often share their gladness, If men respond when children cry, If men can feel each other’s sadness, Each other’s tears attempt to dry,
Here I am! I stand at the door b and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,c I will come in d and eat with that person, and they with me.
Have you any room for Jesus,
He who bore your load of sin?
As He knocks and asks admission,
Sinner, will you let Him in?
Refrain:
Room for Jesus, King of Glory!
Hasten now His Word obey;
Swing the heartâs door widely open,
Bid Him enter while you may.
Room for pleasure, room for business,
But for Christ the Crucified,
Not a place that He can enter,
In the heart for which He died?
Have you any room for Jesus,
As in grace He calls again?
Oh, today is time accepted,
Tâmorrow you may call in vain.
Room and time now give to Jesus,
Soon will pass Godâs day of grace;
Soon thy heart left cold and silent,
And thy Saviorâs pleading cease.
Along with the Chorus ‘Behold me standing at the door’ this is one of my favourite invitation hymns of all time. As you listen to the video and if you feel the need to accept him please do as I have.
Behold Me standing at the door,
And hear Me pleading evermore,
With gentle voice: oh, heart of sin,
May I come in? May I come in?
The hymn was written in 1870 by Lydia Odell Baxter, a woman whose life was marked by chronic illness and long periods of confinement. For nearly thirty years, she lived as an invalid, often bedridden, yet her room became a place where pastors, evangelists, and Christian workers came not to comfort herâbut to be comforted by her.
Despite constant pain, Lydia radiated a deep, unshakeable joy. Her âsecret,â as she told visitors, was simple but profound:
âI have a very special armor. I have the Name of Jesus.â
Whenever discouragement crept in, she would whisper His name, and peace would return.
đ Her Love for Biblical Names
During her years of illness, Lydia became a devoted student of Scripture, especially fascinated by the meanings of biblical names. She loved to talk about them with friendsânames like Sarah (âprincessâ), Samuel (âasked of Godâ), and Isaac (âlaughterâ). But her favourite name, the one she clung to in suffering, was JesusââSavior.â
This deep affection for the name of Christ naturally blossomed into the hymn we know today.
âď¸ Writing the Hymn
Lydia wrote âTake the Name of Jesus with Youâ just four years before her death, while still confined to her bed. The text was later set to music by William H. Doane and first published in 1871 in Pure Gold for the Sunday School.
The hymn quickly spread, becoming especially popular during the MoodyâSankey revival campaigns of the late 19th century. Its messageâcarry Jesusâ name as a shield, a comfort, and a joyâresonated deeply with believers everywhere.
đŹ Why the Hymn Still Speaks
Knowing Lydiaâs story gives the hymn a richer texture. These werenât abstract words; they were the lived testimony of a woman who found strength in the name of Jesus when her body failed her. Her sickroom became a sanctuary of encouragement, and her hymn continues that ministry today.
Itâs no wonder the Salvation Army and many evangelical traditions still treasure itâyou can almost feel her faith woven into every line.
John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811â1875) was an Irish Anglican clergyman and one of the most prolific hymnwriters of the 19th century. He wrote around 300 hymns, many of which remain in use today.
đ Background
Born in St Columbâs, Londonderry
Educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Served in several clerical posts in Ireland and England
Later became Rector of St Nicolasâ Church, Guildford
Died after a tragic fall while inspecting church rebuilding work in 1875
âď¸ His Hymns
Some of his bestâknown hymns include:
Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might
O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness
On Our Way Rejoicing
Sing to the Lord a Joyful Song
His writing is known for its joyful, uplifting tone and strong sense of the church year â something that aligns beautifully with your interest in Advent, remembrance, and devotional themes.
đ§ Why the Name Confusion?
âMansellâ and âMonsellâ are often mixed up because:
The names sound similar
Older printed sources sometimes used inconsistent spellings
Handwritten parish records can be ambiguous
But all authoritative sources confirm Monsell as the correct spelling.
John Gowans (1934â2012) served as the 16th General of The Salvation Army from 1999 to 2002. Born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, he grew up in a Salvation Army family and eventually became one of the movementâs most influential leaders and creative voices.
âď¸ His Creative Legacy
Gowans is especially remembered for his partnership with John Larsson, with whom he coâwrote ten full-length Salvation Army musicalsâworks that shaped the worship and culture of the Army for decades. These include:
Take-Over Bid (1967)
Hosea (1969)
Jesus Folk (1972)
Spirit (1973)
Glory (1975)
White Rose (1977)
The Blood of the Lamb (1978)
Son of Man (1983)
Man Mark II (1985)
The Meeting (1990)
These musicals blended theology, storytelling, and accessible music in a way that resonated deeply with Salvationists worldwide.
đ Writing and Spiritual Voice
Gowans also wrote the beloved âO Lord!â prayer-poem books, which many Salvationists still use devotionally. His writing styleâsimple, honest, and deeply humanâmirrors the reflective tone you often appreciate in hymn stories and devotional writing.
đ Leadership and Ministry
Before becoming General, Gowans served in a wide range of appointments across the UK, France, and the USA. His leadership was marked by warmth, creativity, and a strong pastoral heart.
It’s that time of year again when we think of the homeless people especially at night when the temperature drops very low, very often to freezing or below.
Let us spare a thought for those who will not be able to afford a Christmas dinner as we sit down to ours on Christmas day .
I also admire those volunteers from many organisations such as The Salvation Army who give up their day to cater not just for the homeless but for the old and people on their own.
Matthew 25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on his right, âCome, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.â Then the righteous will answer him, saying, âLord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
Non-Christians claim that Christmas trees are a religious symbol of Christmas. Is a Christmas tree really a religious symbol of Christmas equal to a Nativity scene?
It depends on how religious symbol is defined. If it means anything to which religious significance can be attached, then yes, because many Christians have attached religious significance to the Christmas tree (e.g., the Tree of Life, both in Eden and on Calvary). But if a religious symbol of a holiday is considered a tangible object intrinsically attached to that holiday, and without which the holiday wouldnât be the same, then no, because the celebration of Christmas does not require Christmas trees. Christmas trees are a decoration that Christians incorporated into their celebration of the holiday over the centuries. They did not become widespread in the English-speaking world until German relatives of the British royal family brought the custom to Great Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries. Christians justified the custom on religious grounds by explaining that the evergreen tree can symbolize eternal life. Even today in many traditionally Catholic countries, far more emphasis is placed on the much older Christian custom of erecting Nativity scenes, a tradition attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). In short, although Christmas trees are a beloved custom in much of the English-speaking world, they are not necessary to the celebration of the holiday and are not nearly as symbolic of the holiday as the crèche. If it is agreed that a religious symbol should be understood to mean a tangible object intrinsically attached to that holiday, then Christmas trees are to Christmas what dreidels are to Hanukkahâa beloved custom but not a religious symbol.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree How lovely are thy branches O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree How lovely are thy branches
Your boughs so green in summertime Stay bravely green in wintertime O tannenbaum, o Christmas tree How lovely are thy branches
Let us all remember In our gift giving and our merriment With our family and friends and loved ones The real and true meaning of Christmas The birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum How lovely are, are thy branches O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum How lovely are, how lovely are thy branches
The pillars all please faithfully Our trust in God unchangedly O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum How love, lovely are thy branches
On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder and Blitzen Ha ha ha ha
Christian Devotions, Health and General issues of the day 