Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: GENESIS 12:1-8; ROMANS 8:28-39 “But I don’t want to go.” For months I begged Mom. I didn’t want to leave our home to move to a new state hundreds of miles away. I didn’t want to say goodbye to friends and neighbors I had known forever. I didn’t want to start all over again, especially in the middle of the school year. “Why can’t I stay here?” But I knew why. Cancer. We had lived in Florida my whole life, but now Mom’s doctor said the Florida weather didn’t pair well with her treatment. So my dad took a new job in North Carolina. And they would not leave me behind. I just wished we didn’t have to move so far away. Change was scary. Making new friends had always been hard for me. Would they like me? Would I do well in school? What if I didn’t like it? In Genesis 12, God told Abraham to leave his home in Haran and take his family to Canaan… hundreds of miles away. So Abraham gathered his family and everything they owned and walked across a hot, dusty land to their new home. When they arrived, he pitched a tent and built an altar, “and he called on the name of the LORD” (verse 8). But I often wonder: Was Abraham afraid to go? Did he ever ask God if he could stay? What gave Abraham hope during this time of transition? The answer? Abraham looked ahead at what God had promised him—to make a great nation in this new place. In the same way, we can trust in the promises God has given to us, His people. Because Jesus died and rose again, everyone who puts their faith in Jesus is part of God’s family, His nation (1 Peter 2:9). God is always working in our lives, and He is using even the toughest situations for our good (John 5:17; Romans 8:28). One day, Jesus will make all things new—then terrible things like cancer and homesickness will be gone forever. But in the meantime, we can take the next step knowing He’ll be with us through it all. • Carolyn Bennett Fraiser • What changes are you facing in your life? What next steps might God be calling you to take? • How can Jesus’s promise to be with us affect the way we see any situation? [Jesus said,] “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (CSB) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:27-30; JOHN 1:14; 5:19-20; HEBREWS 1:1-12 Have you ever celebrated the Day of the Epiphany? While most North Americans celebrate December 25 as the big gift-giving day of the season, other cultures celebrate January 6 as the day for presents and other surprises. On January 6, the Day of the Epiphany, many people traditionally remember the day when the Magi brought gifts to young Jesus. In many Spanish-speaking countries, children leave out grass and water for the Magi’s camels the day before Dia de los Reyes (the day of kings). They awake to find their shoes filled with gifts “from” the visiting Magi. In Germany, children dress up as the Magi and carol from house to house, asking for charity donations. The Epiphany is celebrated in Italy with bonfires and special treats; the French make a holiday gateau des rois or king cake. There are many other traditions as well. The word epiphany means revelation or manifestation. The Day of the Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God, born as a baby into the world. As He lived among us, Jesus was a living revelation of who God is—that means Jesus reveals to us what God is like. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Throughout His life, Jesus demonstrated God’s power, His love, His mercy, His holiness, His wisdom, and more. The words Jesus spoke were the very words of God (John 5:19). And Jesus’s death and resurrection fulfilled God’s plan of salvation for His people. The Magi experienced the epiphany of seeing young Jesus. And Jesus invites each of us to have this epiphany as well. Do you see Jesus as God Himself? He invites us to see His glory as “the one and only son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That’s exactly who He is! • Laura N. Sweet • How did Jesus demonstrate God’s power while He lived among us here on earth? How did He demonstrate God’s mercy? His love? • Why is it important that Jesus is both God and human? How does this affect the way we understand His death and resurrection? The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV) 

READ: GENESIS 1:26-27; 3:1-11; 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20; GALATIANS 2:20 I’m fat. My skin is broken out. My nose is too big. I’m ugly. Thoughts like these have haunted me most of my life, particularly during my teenage years. I often wondered what was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I look different? Sometimes, just looking in a mirror made me want to cry. My weight bothered me most, so I tried anything to reduce it. I refused my body nourishment, exercised too much, adopted specific and irrational eating rituals, and spiraled into binge eating. All of this was an attempt to quiet the sadness inside. I thought if I could control my weight tightly enough, I would be happy. What I couldn’t see back then was that I was believing a lie. I hated my body for how it looked. I thought it was worthless. I didn’t think God cared or had anything to say about it. It took me many years and much wise Christian counsel to realize that nothing could be further from the truth. God created all of us in His image, the crown jewels of His originally good creation. It was only after humanity’s fall into sin that we began misusing our bodies and considering them shameful. But even in our broken state, God came to save us. Fully God and fully human, Jesus was born into the world. He has a body like we have, and that’s why He could die on our behalf and make us right with God again, no matter what our bodies look like (Psalm 34:5; Romans 3:22-26). And there’s more good news. Before Jesus came, God provided His people with a temple, a place for His presence to dwell so they could worship Him. But now, God doesn’t make His home in a physical building anymore. He lives in us. That’s right, He chose to make the body that I hated and mistreated for so long into His new temple. Scripture tells us that we are not our own, we were bought at a very high price. And that price was the blood of Jesus. Therefore, we are called to glorify Him with our bodies. So, if you are ever tempted to view your body as I did, please remember that you are worth much more than you think. The staggering reality is that we, bodies included, are immeasurably valuable because God created us, loves us, died for us, and lives in us. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing. • Alissa Griffin • Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them.” How does the fact that we bear the image of God affect how we view our bodies? • After Jesus died on the cross, He rose from the grave, and His disciples saw His resurrected body. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can look forward to the day He will raise us from the dead—then we’ll have resurrected bodies too, and we’ll live with Him forever in restored creation! On that glorious day, we won’t struggle with sin and brokenness anymore. How might knowing that our bodies will be resurrected change the way we view ourselves? What does this say about how valuable our bodies are to God? • What does it mean to honor or glorify God with our bodies? (Hint: read Romans 6:13 and Ephesians 5:29) • Today’s devotion mentions disordered eating. If you are struggling with disordered eating or think you might have an eating disorder—such as anorexia nervosa (extreme restriction of food intake), bulimia nervosa (eating large amounts of food followed by purging), or binge eating disorder (repeated episodes of consuming large amounts of food in short periods of time)—who is a trusted adult you could talk to about getting help? Treatment for eating disorders can be long and complex, usually requiring therapy and nutritional counseling, but Jesus will walk with you every step of the way, and He’ll provide fellow Christians to...

READ: JOHN 16:33; ACTS 16:16-25; ROMANS 8:28-39; HEBREWS 12:1-3 So cold. Such nasty weather. The wind is terrible. The voice in my head was full of complaints. I was ready to get inside and tell everyone just how miserable I had felt on my morning walk. I can’t do this. I frowned. How was I even going to make it inside? It was too cold. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head: I needed to change my thinking if I wanted things to get easier. A hymn came to mind, and I started singing it in my head as I continued forward. In what felt like just moments, I had covered all the ground I needed to cover, and I was back in the warmth. In Acts 16, life couldn’t have been fun for Paul and Silas when they were in prison. They hadn’t done anything wrong, yet they were publicly “stripped and beaten with rods” (verse 22), then locked up with criminals in the worst part of the jail. What did the two men do as they sat in the dank inner cell, bloody and bruised, with their feet held fast in stocks so they couldn’t even move their legs to ease the pain? They sang. What did they sing? Songs to God. Sometimes we need to change our focus in order to get through difficult times. Instead of focusing on the trouble in front of us and the pain we’re dealing with, we need to focus on how great our God is and all that He has done for us. Instead of focusing on the cold wind against our faces, we can thank God for the sunshine He created to go along with that wind. There are going to be struggles in our lives. There is nothing we can do to stop them from coming. When they come, though, will we store up complaints to share with others—or will we turn our focus onto Jesus and praise God? • Emily Acker • Have you ever found yourself praising God in the midst of a hard time? What was that like? • God sees all that we go through, and He has so much compassion on us. Jesus has promised to be with us in all our troubles, and He can truly empathize with us because He experienced our suffering when He lived among us and was put to death on the cross. Whenever we’re struggling, He weeps with us— and He also reminds us that He loves us, that He rose from the dead, and that He promises to raise His people too. We can trust that God is in control, and He will work things out for our good. How can these truths help us praise God in the hard times? Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! Psalm 147:1 (NIV) 

READ: PSALM 34:17-22 I wasn’t hiding I’ve always been here All of this time There is no need to fear I wouldn’t leave you This is not the end Broken as it is Your heart, I will mend I am always good I have good plans for you My gentle hand will guide In all that you do I am your Father You can come to me Always, in any moment I will give you peace • Bethany Acker • Can you think of a time you felt like God wasn’t there for you? Throughout our lives, we all go through times like these, and it’s easy to wonder if God has left us. Thankfully, God has given us so many promises in His Word, assuring His people that He will never leave us. Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, He is always with us. (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 139:10; 147:3; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 7:7-11; 11:28-30; 28:20; John 14:27; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Hebrews 13:5) • God always wants us to turn to Him. When we are brokenhearted, He wants to give us the comfort we so desperately need. He is a loving Father who is always there for us. Consider taking a moment to talk to God about times He’s felt far away, asking Him to help you see how He was with you then, and how He is with you now. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) 

READ: MARK 10:17-22; LUKE 15:11-24; JOHN 13:1-5 Duke Zeroth pounded on the cell door, then slid to the floor. Every gold piece, mansion, animal, field, and even his wardrobe—gone to pay debts. And still he owed more. Zeroth clutched his head. Surely he couldn’t have invested everything in that partnership with Lord Drune—the traitor! Even now, Drune was duping a new victim. Zeroth crawled onto a pile of hay. Something dug into his back as he tossed and turned. He reached into the hay, expecting to find a rock. Instead, he withdrew a metal cylinder. As he raised it, something rustled. He removed the cap, releasing a warm glow. A parchment fell out—a note. “I will come for you. Only write and ask.” Below the words was the seal of the king. A second piece of parchment and writing supplies tumbled from the cylinder. Zeroth moaned. Was it just last year he’d offered himself to be a king’s courtier? The king had seemed to approve of him, but then! That condition—to give everything away before entering the palace. Everything! All that made Zeroth powerful and respected and self-sufficient. To write to the king now would seem cheap. It was too late. If the king knew into whose hands this message had come, he would never give Zeroth a second chance. Zeroth shoved everything back into the metal container and closed out the light. Prisoners’ cries and the jailer’s laughter haunted him. Too dark! He uncapped the cylinder again, releasing the glow. He took a breath. The king never lied. Ever. This was his last hope. “I’ve been so foolish,” he wrote. “Please, would you come for even me?” He slipped the missive into the cylinder and replaced the cap. As he fell asleep, the soft glow remained. He awoke to someone washing his bruised feet. Zeroth sat up straight and stared into the face of his king. “Sire! You shouldn’t—” The king held out his hand. “Will you come to my court now?” Zeroth’s face burned. “But I have only these filthy rags.” “Leave them,” the king said. “I have brought you a new robe. Come, follow me.” • Judith DeStefano • Today’s allegorical story is inspired by several passages. In Mark 10:17-22, we see Jesus’s conversation with a rich young ruler. And in Luke 15:11-24, Jesus tells a parable—a story of a son who rejects his father and ends up destitute. How does the end of Jesus’s conversation with the rich young ruler compare to the end of Jesus’s parable of the lost son? • How do both of these passages show the heart of God for people? (Hint: look especially at Mark 10:21 and Luke 15:20-24) • Having a relationship with Jesus is worth everything we have, and more (Matthew 13:44-46). Maybe you want Jesus, but you feel like you’ve really messed up. Remember, Jesus has already done all that was needed to forgive you and bring you into His eternal kingdom by dying on the cross and rising from the grave for you. He loves you with an unshakable love. If you want to know more about what Jesus has done for us and what it means to receive Him, see our "Know Jesus" page. • Throughout our lives, we all find ourselves prizing earthly things above a relationship with Jesus. Even after we’ve put our trust in Him, our hearts still wander sometimes! Yet He always longs for us to repent—to turn back to Him and follow where He leads. Are there any choices you’re making that are keeping you from pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus? Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about this. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “...

READ: PHILIPPIANS 3:1-11 Have you ever read Philippians 3:1-11? Paul says some pretty surprising stuff in this passage. He talks about all the good things he did—studying God’s Word, living a holy life, and obeying God’s good law—and he calls it all garbage, rubbish, or dung. We might look at passages like this and wonder, “Why on earth would Paul say that?” By this point in his life, Paul had learned a few things about God. He encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus, and Jesus totally changed his life. Paul realized that all the old things he had been doing were fruitless attempts to earn his own righteousness—or right standing before God. And anything we do to try to earn our own righteousness can rightly be called “garbage.” Only Jesus can actually make us righteous, and He offers it to us as a gift. So, when we do good things to try to earn our righteousness or favor with God, we are trying to do Jesus’s job for Him—and that never works. Jesus is the only one who can save us. He lived a sinless life, took our sins upon Himself, and died to give His righteousness (or sinlessness) to anyone who trusts in Him. Then He raised Himself from the grave, defeating sin and death and ensuring the resurrection of His people so we can be with Him forever. As followers of Jesus, it is important for us to study God’s Word and seek to follow God’s good law. But if our actions don’t flow from resting in Jesus and what He has already done, then no matter how good those actions may seem, they are worthless. Good behavior can never make us whole and right before God; only Jesus can do that. But when we rest in the truth of the gospel, it changes the way we approach everything. It frees us to see how Jesus cares about every aspect of our lives, not just the ones we might consider “holy,” like going to church and doing devotions. Our relationships, our health, our work, our hobbies—all of these things are transformed by the gospel. Jesus cares about all of these parts of your life because He cares about you. Rest in Him, friend. He’s got you. • Taylor Eising • It can be difficult to discern when we’re doing things to earn our righteousness, and when we’re doing them because of what Jesus has done for us. And we’re never going to get it right 100% of the time— that’s what forgiveness is for. When we’re not sure about our motivations, it can be helpful to ask, “Am I doing this to get God to love me, or am I doing this because God loves me?” I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. Philippians 3:9 (NLT) 

READ: 2 CHRONICLES 34:29-33; ACTS 19:18-20; ROMANS 12:1-2; HEBREWS 12:1-3 “King Josiah!” Shaphan called out as he burst into the palace. “We found this book in the temple.” The king said, “Read it to me.” When the scribe did, Josiah tore his robes and wept. Shaphan read the Book of the Law, the story of God’s love for His people and the rules He gave to sustain His covenant with them. Josiah recognized that Jerusalem was full of sin—the breaking of God’s good rules. There were idols at every corner. So Josiah destroyed them. The next era of Jerusalem was filled with fire—but instead of burning incense to false gods, the city had a thick cloud of smoke over it from burning the shrines, altars, and temples of the idols. It’s easy to think we don’t have idols like they did. But consider this: when tragedy strikes, do you post about it, or pray about it? When you’re overwhelmed, do you start scrolling, or open your Bible? Often, we go to created things before we go to the Creator (Romans 1:25). Humans have a desire to worship. But we tend to forget who made us with that desire, and we try to fulfill it by worshiping unworthy idols of many different forms. But only God is worthy of being at the center of our lives, and anything or anyone else we put there is an idol. For example, social media, scrolling, and gaming can be idols if they occupy God’s rightful spot. So what can we do? We can look to Jesus, the only one who could fulfill the law and forgive our sin—including the sin of idolatry (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4). Once we know Jesus, we have the power of His Holy Spirit in us, so we can burn those idols like Josiah did long ago. (Note: please don’t literally burn your phone—the fumes are toxic.) “Burning” could look like setting restrictions on our technology usage and asking others to keep us accountable. Once we’ve removed an idol, our hearts need to be built up to become an altar to the true God. Like Josiah called Jerusalem together to read God’s laws and recommit themselves to the Lord, we can read God’s Word and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us refocus on Jesus. Because when we look at what He did for us on the cross, every idol pales in comparison. • L. M. • Consider taking a moment to ask God what created things have become idols in your life. What could you do to “burn” them? Who is a trusted Christian you could talk to about this? • When you’re tempted to go back to old idols, how could you take time to pause and draw near to Jesus, relying on Him to provide your sense of worth, security, and satisfaction? “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 (WEB) 

READ: 1 KINGS 19:3-8; MATTHEW 9:20-22; REVELATION 21:4 Pain and illness are terrible results of the Fall, which is when sin and death entered the world. Whenever we or someone we know is affected by an illness, God wants us to pray for healing in faith that He will heal all believers in one of three ways: natural healing, supernatural healing, or ultimate healing when Jesus comes back. Jesus, who is God, is at work in all three types of healing, and we see examples of each type in the Bible. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is suffering from utter exhaustion to the point of having suicidal thoughts. In this case, God uses natural means to solve his ailment: sleep and food. Unfortunately, not all illnesses can be cured by a snack and a nap (but those things certainly don’t hurt!). God also uses doctors, counselors, and modern medicine to bring about incredible healing using natural means. When we pray for natural healing, we can thank God for the gifts He has given to the people administering treatment and pray for wisdom in forming a treatment plan. Jesus uses supernatural healing in Matthew 9 when He heals a woman without any medical intervention (see also, Luke 8:43). God brings supernatural healing several times throughout the Bible with the end goal of guiding someone to trust in Him. Often, He heals in this way to deepen our faith—to show He is undeniably in control. When we pray for supernatural healing, we can do so with bold faith, knowing that God is certainly capable of healing in inexplicable ways, and that He is at work whether supernatural healing is His plan for a particular person or not. Lastly, Jesus will heal all believers when He returns to make all things new and resurrect us from the dead. As Christians, we might not experience full healing now, but we can know that Jesus will bring an end to our pain and suffering. On that glorious day, we will have perfectly healthy bodies, minds, and souls through the power and promise of Jesus’s death and resurrection. Until that day, never stop bringing your pains and illnesses to Him in prayer. He loves us so much. He sees, He cares, and He will act in His perfect timing. • Taylor Eising • Have you ever seen natural or supernatural healing? What was that like for you or the person being healed? • Why does Jesus care about our health? • Why can we always have hope in Jesus, even when we are surrounded by pain and illness? (Romans 8:19-39; Hebrews 4:14-16) The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. Psalm 41:3 (NLT) 

READ: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18; 1 TIMOTHY 2:1; JAMES 5:13-18 You’re halfway through the story, and the heroes are stuck. Nothing is working, and the enemies are closing in. You don’t see any way of escape. But, somehow, things turn out okay. Maybe a sudden turn of events changes everything. Maybe they knew something you didn’t. Or maybe they had a secret weapon, more powerful than you or their enemies ever dreamt of. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a secret weapon, something we could pull out to help us when we just aren’t powerful enough? If we’re soldiers of God’s kingdom, shouldn’t He have equipped us with some really strong way to influence our world? Good news: He did! It’s called prayer. What? No bolt of lightning? No neon laser beam? Words we say to God…what sort of a weapon is that? But look deeper. Our actions are limited in ways that prayer isn’t. The fact that we don’t have to do anything is exactly what makes it so powerful. We can influence the other side of the world as we pray for God to change people’s hearts and even work miracles. And the reason we have access to the all-powerful, all-loving God is because of Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16). Ever heard of George Müller? He took care of 10,000 orphans in nineteenth century England, receiving tens of millions of British pounds in today’s money without ever asking anyone—except God—for money or help. George Müller knew the power of his secret weapon. You might be thinking, “Well, he’s basically a missionary. But can I be a prayer warrior?” Absolutely. Who do you know who needs prayer? A friend who doesn’t know Jesus? Someone who’s going through a tough time? Consider making a commitment to pray for them every day for a week. Choose a specific time to help you remember—maybe right before bed or on the way to sports practice. Keep building up the habit of prayer. As you bring your requests to Jesus, the ultimate Healer, you can rest in His promise to restore what is broken—whether it be now, later, or when He returns to make all things new. • Christiana Albrecht • Can you think of a time you experienced an answer to prayer? Consider taking a moment to thank God for this! • What are some things in your life, or in other’s lives, that you could start praying about today? • When can you set aside time to pray? What could help you remember? • Why is it hard to motivate ourselves to pray? Why do you think Satan would tempt us not to? The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (NIV)

READ: MATTHEW 28:16-20; ROMANS 10:14-15; 1 PETER 3:15-16 In the Bible, Jesus commissioned His disciples to tell people about Him. As Christians, that is our commission too. And, personally, it’s one area I’ve struggled with. You see, I’m not an extrovert. In fact, there have been times when I’ve wondered if my voice is actually being heard at all. I’ve never imagined myself as the outspoken Peter or the zealous Paul, who both spoke passionately about their devotion to Jesus and His teachings in front of large crowds. When I was younger, there were many times I worried about not being able to share Jesus with others in the same wonderful ways I’d heard preachers do. It would have been easy for me to give up, thinking, “What use am I to God? Why can’t I be like the courageous witnesses I’ve seen openly professing their faith?” Now I am older, and I’ve realized that God, the Creator, knows exactly who I am. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. So I write about faith, trials, and dilemmas in the hope that it helps a reader follow Jesus in this broken world we live in, or even trust in Him for the first time. All of us are called to share Jesus, but all of us have different skills that enable us to reach out to a variety of personalities. Witnessing doesn’t have to look like speaking in front of large groups, and it doesn’t have to be on a platform. It can be in the songs we sing, the words we write, or the loyalty and patience we have. Most of all, it is the kind actions and the integrity we show in our everyday lives that are a testimony to God, who loves us dearly. • Cindy Lee • How might God be inviting you to share Jesus with other people? There are many different ways we can reach out in a troubled world. Consider taking a moment to talk to God about this. Additionally, who are trusted Christians in your life who could help you discern the Holy Spirit’s guidance and tell you what gifts and skills they see in you? • How did you hear the good news of Jesus? Was it through your family, friends, a preacher, books, or some other way? Then he [Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 (CSB) 

READ: JOHN 1:12; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; GALATIANS 2:20; 1 PETER 2:9 What am I? I thought as I stared down at my hand, now covered in words written in permanent ink. Cruel words, words that had been carved into my heart for years, now written all over my hands—they stabbed me, again and again, like knives in my heart. This can’t be who I am. I thought desperately. Lazy, slow, fat, short, stupid, weak… Every word stung with fresh pain when I looked at it. Insult after insult, crawling up my fingers and over my knuckles like ugly insects. Oh, God, no. This can’t be who I am. Where had the prayer come from? How had God come into this? God didn’t belong here, with this hand, covered in my failures; with this heart, full of bitter self-hate. But I looked out the window, over the bare trees reaching for the open sky, flushed pink with the evening sun. I was kneeling on the floor, crushed beneath the weight of the letters on my hand. What am I, God? This isn’t who you are, Becca. I blinked at the soft whisper in my heart. That writing isn’t you. That writing is what they think of you. It isn’t what defines you. I will tell you what you are. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are treasured… Above all, you are loved. Replace those words with My words, Becca. All that matters is what I think of you, what I say of you. Because I know you. And I love you. “Okay, God,” I sobbed. “But it’s so hard. These words—they won’t just go away.” By My power, they can. Slowly and painfully, they will leave as you replace them with My words. It won’t be easy. But I will help you. I will remind you. I will love you. I looked up, back out the window at the setting sun. I lifted my hand and looked at the words, feeling their sting. No. I picked up a red marker from the floor. I opened my hand and, right over my palm, wrote the words, YOU SAY. The red ink, like Christ’s blood, covered some of the letters of shame on my hand. A sense of calm that I hadn’t felt in a long time settled over me. And while I knew it wouldn’t be easy, little by little, the poison of the words of shame would give way to the peace of the red letters, of what God thought of me. I would let His words guard me from the sting of lies. God would define me. I am what You say of me. • Rebecca Roskamp • What letters of shame have you been carrying? Consider taking a moment to bring these to Jesus. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. Psalm 139:1 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 18:15, 21-35; COLOSSIANS 3:13 Have you been hurt by something someone said to you lately? Maybe you were left wondering how they could have been so insensitive. In my own life, I recently experienced a family tragedy. To make matters worse, one of my relatives said something unkind to me. I thought about how I should react. Should I just get angry and bitter? The verse Matthew 18:15 spoke to me: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” Instead of getting angry and complaining, I decided to let my relative know how I felt. Since we live far away from each other, I texted her. I simply let her know that, even though I assumed she had no intention of hurting me, I felt hurt when I heard what she said. We should instead pray about God’s will for my family. She realized her mistake and stopped all those unkind remarks! In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells a parable of a servant who owes a large debt to his master, but his master has mercy on him and forgives the whole thing! But then, this servant acts unmercifully, attacking a fellow servant who owes him a much smaller debt. Jesus calls us to be merciful and show grace to others. God has forgiven our sins, and so we should forgive others. I know that sometimes I say wrong things too, and God has forgiven me. I could have lashed out at my relative, but instead I chose to give her grace because God has shown me grace. We all need the grace of God, and I was glad this matter was resolved in a peaceful way. It’s important to direct our focus on the grace of God and what He has done for us, and not on the people who have hurt us. For all we know, they may have already confessed their sin to God and received His forgiveness for what they did to us! In Ephesians 4:32, Paul says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Let us think more about Jesus and His love and sacrifice for us. • Kelly Choy • Have you ever told someone that their words hurt you? How did it go? • Can you think of a time you said something you regretted? God has so much mercy on us, and through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He has already made the way for us to be forgiven. If you have the chance, consider apologizing to the person you said those hurtful things to. But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 2:1-12; LUKE 2:8-20 On the night Jesus was born, there was a lot of celebrating going on! And those celebrations continue on to this day—all around the world. In the USA, where I live, our Christmas celebrations center around putting up a Christmas tree and a nativity scene. On the actual day, we have a big meal and exchange presents. In Norway, they start celebrating on Christmas Eve. They generally have porridge for lunch, and one lucky person gets an almond hidden in their bowl. That person wins a pig made of marzipan! Then, church services start after the church bells ring at 5:00 pm, and afterwards people go home for a special dinner. In Poland, on Christmas Eve everyone watches the sky, eagerly waiting to spot the first star of the night. Once a star is spotted, dinner begins! This tradition is to remember the magi, who followed the star to find Jesus. They also have a tradition of putting hay on their dinner table underneath their tablecloth. This reminds them that Jesus was born in a manger. In the Gambia, they have parades at Christmas time. They carry with them something called a fanal. It’s like a lantern they make out of bamboo with white paper hung over it, usually in the shape of a boat and decorated with candles or lights. In Russia, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th. They go to church and then come home to a meal with twelve dishes—one dish to honor each of the first twelve disciples. In reality, it doesn’t matter how we celebrate Christmas but rather who we celebrate. Christmas is the time we set aside to celebrate Jesus: He loves us so much that He became human, died on the cross, and rose again to save us from sin and death. And that’s always worth celebrating! • Melissa Yeagle • What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Why is it so important that Jesus—who is God—became a human? (Hint: read John 1:1-17; Romans 8:3-4; Hebrews 2:14-15, 17) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 2:1-12 Three wise men, three kings, three magi—who were these people? The truth is, we don’t know a lot about them. But the Bible and history together do tell us a few things. To begin with, the Bible never says there were three. The only reason we say “three wise men” is because they gave three gifts, so historically, Christians have talked about three people. And what are they called, anyway? The technical term is magi, which is a Greek word referring to a certain group of people, possibly from Persia, who studied the stars and offered predictions and words of wisdom to rulers. When they traveled, they tended to do so in large numbers, so maybe a better title for the song “We Three Kings” would be “We Caravan of Magi.” God showed these magi a star that predicted the coming of a great King. As they traveled, probably for months or even years, He led them to Jesus, who would have been about two years old at the time. They recognized Jesus as the King whose birth had long been foretold. God opened their eyes to show them that this toddler was their Savior, and they bowed down and worshiped. These travelers from afar recognized Jesus as God before most of Israel, Jesus’s own people, did! This incredible part of the story of Christ’s birth shows that Jesus is fully God. The very stars proclaim who He is. Jesus is God, and because of His goodness and holiness, His handiwork cannot help but praise Him. His Name and His divinity are written all throughout creation, and if we earnestly seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us. Like the magi, we can join creation in praising our Savior (Psalm 19:1-3; Romans 1:20). • Taylor Eising • Why is it important that Jesus is fully God? Could His sacrifice on the cross have saved us if He wasn’t fully God? (Hint: read 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11) • Has God revealed Himself to you in any unexpected ways? What are some ways we can catch glimpses of God’s goodness in creation? • It can be really hard to wrap our minds around the fact that Jesus is both completely God and completely human. It’s a divine mystery that can only be understood through faith. What questions do you have about this? God invites us to bring all our questions to Him! Additionally, who is a trusted Christian in your life you can talk to about this as well? All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. Psalm 145:10 (NIV)

READ: LUKE 2:1-7; HEBREWS 4:14-16 Did you know that Jesus probably wasn’t born in a stable? If you take a look at Luke 2:1-7, it doesn’t say “stable” anywhere. We usually hear about Jesus being born in a stable because it says He was laid in a manger, which is where animals eat, and in our current time and place, animals live in stables. Makes sense, right? The problem is, in the time and place that Jesus was born, animals were often brought into a special room in the house at night to protect them from thieves and predators. Archeologists are discovering that most homes in the area were built with one small room for the animals, one larger room for the family, and one room upstairs for guests. The room for the animals even had large bowl-shaped indents in the floor, called mangers, to hold their food. Also, the Bible says Joseph had family in Bethlehem, so he and Mary would have been welcomed into a relative’s house with open arms. In that culture, failing to show hospitality brought an incredible amount of shame. When the Bible says there was “no room” for them, it probably means the upstairs guest room was full, so they likely stayed downstairs with the family and animals. So, when Mary gave birth, she was probably surrounded by family to help with the delivery. But the house was packed so full that the only place they could put Jesus was in the manger. Why does this all matter? Well, the circumstances of His birth say something very powerful: Jesus is human. He had a relatively ordinary birth for His time and place in history. He was surrounded by the people He came to save, right from His first moments out of the womb. Jesus experienced everything it meant to be human. Although He is also fully God, He became every bit as fleshy as we are, so that He could save every bit of who we are. • Taylor Eising • Why is it important that Jesus is fully human? Could He have taken our place on the cross if He wasn’t fully human? (Hint: read John 1:14; 14:6; Romans 5:12-21) • How could the fact that Jesus is fully human affect our relationship with Him? • As we study God’s Word, why is it important to understand the culture and history of the Bible? This High Priest of ours [Jesus] understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 (NLT) 

READ: MATTHEW 1:18–2:6 What a fairytale! Angels, a virgin birth, a manger, shepherds, magi…it’s a great story to make us feel all fuzzy and warm at Christmas. But can we seriously believe the story of Jesus’s birth is true? God knew the Christmas story was going to be wildly unique. In fact, He made it that way on purpose. Why? So we could know that it really is true. How? He told us about it beforehand. The Old Testament prophecies aren’t just Christmas poetry—they’re compelling evidence that the baby in the manger was the Son of God and the Messiah, the promised Rescuer. Micah 5:2 says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.” The prophet Micah said the Messiah would be from the lowly town of Bethlehem…and these words were written about 700 years before Jesus was born in that exact town! Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” Isaiah’s words were also written about 700 years before Christmas. The name Immanuel means “God with us.” So Isaiah is saying that God will come to be with us, born of a virgin. This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus’s mother Mary became miraculously pregnant while she was still a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38). Isaiah 11:1-3 says, “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding…His delight will be in the fear of the LORD.” Jesse was the father of King David. When we look at Jesus’s genealogy, we see that He is a direct descendent of Jesse (Matthew 1:6; Luke 3:32). And the fact that Jesus is found discussing theology with the religious leaders at age twelve, and later the Holy Spirit comes and rests on Him at His baptism, shows us that He fits this prophecy entirely (Matthew 3:13-16; Luke 2:41-52). Those three verses only scratch the surface of all the prophecies that were fulfilled in the miracle called Christmas. Truth stranger than fiction? Sometimes it’s meant to be, so that we know it’s no coincidence. • Christiana Albrecht • Why is it important to know that Jesus fulfills the promises of Scripture? (If you want to dig deeper, read Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 10:43; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15) He [Jesus] began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Luke 4:21 (CSB) 

READ: MATTHEW 2:10-11; LUKE 1:46-49; REVELATION 21:3 All the trappings of Christmas fill me with joyful expectation leading up to the day we celebrate Christ’s birth. However, last year sadness stole my joy. In mid-December, our granddaughter was diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor on her fibula, requiring surgery and extensive physical therapy. Sad and worried, I began just going through the motions of Christmas. A week before Christmas day, my daughter-in-law’s great-aunt died—followed by the death of my cousin, who was as close to me as a brother. At that point, I felt no joy. I wanted Christmas to be over. But then, something happened. Messages of joy surrounded me. Our Sunday sermon revolved around the joy of Jesus coming into the world, and the benediction from Romans 15:13 stayed with me all day: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” So, when I was overwhelmed with sadness and grief, I repeated, “I trust you.” My daily devotions focused on finding joy in difficult situations, like a change of plans, a bad accident, or hurt feelings during the holiday season—and they used non-Christmas verses like 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” and Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.” All these prompted me to pray for joy. When I awoke on Christmas Eve thinking of Philippians 4:4, which says “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” my outlook changed. Our grand darling was under the best care at Mayo Clinic. I remembered happy times spent with my daughter-in-law’s aunt and many Christmases with my cousin. My joy returned. My trust in Jesus deepened. An angel didn’t appear to me like one did to the shepherds, but I do believe I was reminded about the “good news” of “great joy” so I could celebrate with joy the birth of my Savior. • Rose Ross Zediker • Have you been going through something difficult lately? Do the holidays stir up painful memories or grief for you? Many of us feel melancholy during the Christmas season, and that’s okay. God invites us to be honest with Him about all these things. He longs to comfort us in His love, and He doesn’t stop there. He also reminds us that He is the source of unchanging joy. We can carry His joy in our hearts because God’s promise was fulfilled. Our Savior was born! Consider taking some time to talk to Him about the hard things, and also to take hold of His joy today. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 (NIV) 

READ: ISAIAH 9:6-7; 53:3-12; MATTHEW 1:21-23; PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 Every Christmas, when I read about the coming of Christ, I linger over the beautiful, contrasting descriptions of how Jesus draws near to us, even though He is holy. It’s truly a profound mystery—for Jesus IS a paradox. These contrasts led me to write today’s poem (which is also a song for me personally) because at Christmas, we celebrate history’s most incredible contrast: God Himself being born, fully human, as a sacrificial Savior—while also ruling the universe as highest Lord and King. I hope meditating on these paradoxes in Scripture will help us see how God may sometimes draw us near in unexpected ways to help us experience true fullness of joy, perhaps in losing our life to save it (John 15:11; Luke 9:24). Holy Child, the Prince of Peace,O promised Savior King!Come to fill our hearts with joy—O Man of Suffering! Mighty God, a virgin’s child,Maker of stars who cried;Creation groaned to see it so—Yet Christ was glorified! Slain for the world He fashioned,God’s holy arm laid bare;Come to free us from the curse—To conquer dark despair! Jesus Christ, begotten Son,Risen that we might be…Freed from sorrow, sin, and grave—Made new eternally! Come now, come see,on bended knee—Rejoice, O earth and sing!Our guilt and shame He cast away—Hail Jesus, Savior King! • G. Kam Congleton • Jesus is fully God, and He is also fully human—what a paradox! Those two statements seem to contradict, but both are equally true. Which of the paradoxes about Jesus from today’s poem catches your attention? • What questions do you have about paradoxes in the Bible? Who are trusted Christians you could talk to about this? • If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 2:1-2; Romans 8:22-23; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 13:8; 21:1-5; 22:1-5 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. Isaiah 52:10 (NIV)

READ: LEVITICUS 19:18; ROMANS 12:14-21; COLOSSIANS 3:12-15 A friend and I returned from Christmas shopping. I checked my jewelry box. Another pair of new earrings was missing! I had been excited about wearing them to school on Monday. I told my mother, and she discovered it was that same friend, who I’ll call Josie. My heart hurt that one of my best friends was stealing from me. I had trusted her. We shared meals and secrets, but she stole from me. I was so mad I felt like I couldn’t forgive her. At school, she was always smiling. My anger and bitterness didn’t cause her pain. I was miserable while she was happy. Later, I learned that Jesus Christ came to earth to die in my place for my sins and rise again to give me new life. I chose to admit my wrongdoing, receive His forgiveness, and follow Christ. I knew that I had been forgiven much—and that Jesus called me to forgive others as well. I wanted Josie to apologize to me so I could forgive her, but I realized that I can forgive her no matter what she does. It felt like forgiving her meant we had to be great friends again. But while forgiveness is freely given, trust is earned. It’s okay to let go of the hurt in my heart without inviting someone who has stolen from me back into my house. It felt like I should hold back forgiveness to punish her, but the Bible tells us that revenge belongs to the Lord. When I hold resentment in my heart, the only person it hurts is me. As Christmas approaches, I remember that Jesus was born to bring us forgiveness. Since He laid down His life to offer me forgiveness, He will empower me to forgive others. Jesus was born to bring peace on earth (Luke 2:14), and letting go of unforgiveness brings peace to my heart. • Mary Schilling • Are you struggling to forgive someone who has hurt you? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about the wrongs that have been done to you. Jesus grieves our hurts with us, and one way He helps us heal is by helping us let go of unforgiveness. And as we reflect on how much God has forgiven us, we often find it becomes easier to forgive others. You can thank Him for forgiving you, and you could even try picturing God’s forgiveness flowing through you to others. • God will punish every sin at judgment day—but the sins of those who trust in Jesus have already been paid for by Jesus’s death on the cross. How might knowing that God will handle every wrong in His perfect justice help us let go of the desire to punish someone? (Psalm 86:5; Proverbs 20:22) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)