Today Daily Devotional

Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. — Matthew 28:9 Can an event that took place two thousand years ago benefit humanity today? When Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, his body lay in a stone-sealed tomb. And then . . . he took a breath; his body stirred; God raised him from the dead. And before some of his followers came to visit the tomb, an angel rolled away the stone so that they could see Jesus had risen. What difference does that make for us today? Well, whatever I am doing today, I know that my Lord and Father will see me as his child clothed in the righteousness of the risen Christ. The Bible teaches us that, as God’s children, we have been crucified and have died with Christ, and we have been buried with him and have risen to new life with him. And we experience this new life in amazing ways as we grow in faith, serve the Lord, and meet with others in Jesus’ name—in our churches, neighborhoods, college campuses, workplaces, and more. We are also assured that when Jesus returns, the bodies of all who have died believing in him will be raised to live with him. Just as Jesus left the tomb in his resurrected body, I will rise from the grave with mine! Yes, an event that took place two thousand years ago offers us a world of comfort and joy! Lord, even as we begin to enjoy new life in you today, we look forward to our own resurrection, when we can live, body and soul, with you! Amen.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” — Matthew 7:21 It takes me just a second to say “Jesus is Lord.” Lord means “owner” or “master.” I also believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. Does this mean I am saved? The answer is “Yes . . . if”: “Yes, I am saved, if I truly mean and believe what I say.” If you declare or confess that Jesus is Lord, that he is your owner and master, and that God raised him from the dead because he died to pay the price for your sin, to bear your guilt and shame, and to take your punishment—then, yes, you will be saved. Well, almost. There is only one way to know if we truly mean it when we say, “Jesus is my Lord!” Jesus teaches us, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). And in 1 John 2:4 we read, “Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.” As Lord, Jesus has the right to instruct us how to live our lives, and all who are saved are happy to live out his instructions. Jesus, our sinful nature died and was buried with you when you paid for our sin. And we have risen with you to a new life. You bought us with your blood. You are our Lord, and we love you. By your Spirit, guide us each day to follow you and honor you. Amen.

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. — Romans 10:9 When one of our daughters was young and we told her to do something, her response was sometimes swift: “You’re not the boss of me!” The idea of having an owner or master, even if it is Jesus, does not come naturally to us. In fact, the notion of being independent from God is what led humanity into sin. But is having a divine Master or Owner really so bad? My bicycle “lives” in my garage. It is not rusty from sitting in the rain, and the rubber grips are not degraded from extended exposure to the sun. Though I have owned it for years, it still looks new. Every summer I see “ownerless” bikes. Some lay at the bottoms of creeks and rivers. They are coated with mud and rust. Which bicycle has a better life? The bike lying in a creek never has to work! But no one rides it, either. My bike gets a good workout in nice weather—and it doesn’t mind! It was created to be ridden. The outcome is similar for horses and dogs and other domesticated animals that live longer and healthier lives under the care of a good master than they can in the wild. The simple truth is that we will never truly be independent. We are created to live for God, and we will either be servants of Jesus or servants to sin. Being a servant to sin leads to death. But Jesus is the perfect Lord, who loves us—and living for him brings perfect joy! Jesus, you are Lord. You love us and care for us. Help us to find our true joy and purpose in living for you. Amen.

His mother Mary . . . was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. — Matthew 1:18 There are lots of misunderstandings about what may happen to us after we die. Many people think that babies who die become angels, for example, and it’s common to see artwork about souls playing harps in the clouds. Reflecting on Jesus’ incarnation can help us think more biblically and clearly, however. The eternal Son of God took on human flesh about 2,000 years ago in the womb of Mary. While remaining fully God, he became fully human as well. He lived a perfect life, without sin. Then, giving up his life to pay for the sin of all who would look to him for salvation, he died. His human body was laid in a tomb. And on the third day his body rose to life again and walked out of the tomb. Several weeks later his human body ascended to heaven, where he is seated at God’s right hand. And one day he will return in the flesh to welcome all of God’s children to full life with him in the new creation. Matthew 28 tells us that some of Jesus’ followers met the risen Lord on the morning of his resurrection. Two of the women kneeled on the ground, grasped his feet, and worshiped him! One day, in our own resurrected bodies, we too will meet Jesus in the flesh to worship him. Body and soul are created to be together, and so it will be in eternity! Lord and God, our hearts stir within us as we long for the day when we too can meet you in the flesh and worship you! By your Spirit, move us to love and obey you today and every day! Amen.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth. . . . — Colossians 1:15-16 Who is Jesus? Many different answers are given to this question. The truth is that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. From all eternity God has existed in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Every human being, except one, did not exist before being conceived and born. By coming into existence, people become sons and daughters, and their parents become fathers and mothers. But there was never an event in which God the Son came into existence. God the Father and God the Son have an eternal relationship of Father and Son that has always existed. (“Firstborn” in Colossians 1 does not mean “born first”; it means “most exalted”—see Psalm 89:27.) At a point in time, God the Son took on humanity in the womb of Mary, a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38). He was born in Bethlehem and received the name Jesus. Jesus is fully God and fully human. He is one person with two natures—human and divine. Each of us is also one person, but with only one nature—human. Jesus lived a perfect life. He was without sin—though he was tempted and can sympathize with our struggles (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-15). And he laid down his perfect, sinless life as payment for the sin of all who would repent and trust in him for salvation. What a Savior! Jesus, you are our God, our Savior, our Brother, and our Lord. By your Spirit, guide us to honor and praise you each day! May we never cease to love you! Amen.

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28 Life can be hard, even brutal. Wars rage; diseases kill; disasters strike; accidents maim and take lives; loved ones betray. The list goes on, and questions arise. Where is God? Does he know? Does he care? Sufferings and struggles are often described in terms of what we call the problem of evil. “And if God is all powerful and all loving,” people ask, “why do suffering and evil exist? An all-powerful and all-loving God should be able to prevent suffering and evil, right?” Well, we need to recognize that sin, evil, and suffering entered the human experience through human disobedience. And suffering and evil are often connected to the choices people make. But God, who is all powerful and loving, has provided a way for us through Jesus to have eternal life with him—where suffering, sorrow, and evil will be no more. In the meantime, though, there is still trouble in the world, and that can make life hard. Why does God allow this? Because he is patient with us, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). All good things in life come to us from God (James 1:17). And, thankfully, God limits the extent to which evil can harm us. If he didn’t, things would be far worse. In addition, God can use suffering and evil—for which he is not to blame—to bring about good. And this can lead people to find comfort and salvation in his loving arms. Father God, in this broken, suffering world, we thank you for your love and mercy. Amen.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! — 1 John 3:1 It is a stunning truth: God the Father is not only the Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but he is also the Father of each one who trusts in the sacrifice of Jesus for their salvation. Ponder this glorious truth for a moment. The God who, out of nothing, created the heavens and the earth and everything in them and who upholds and rules them is not simply my God, but he is also my Father! God the Spirit testifies to our spirits that he is our “Abba, Father.” Abba is an Aramaic word that children would use to call on their father; in English the equivalent for this could be “Daddy” or “Papa.” Marveling at the fact that the Almighty God is our “Abba, Father” is good for our faith. If you are able to travel out into the countryside at night, leaving the glare of city lights behind, look up at the star-filled sky. When I can do that, I often marvel and think, “My Father made all of this.” God has a name for every star, and he knows if any go missing! Though he is so powerful and mighty, God also loves me so much that he gave his Son to die for me. Our almighty Father loves us so much that we can trust him to provide whatever we need for body and soul. And he will turn to our good whatever troubles may come our way in this world (see Romans 8:28). Lord and God, we stand in awe that you are our Father and that you love us more than any earthly parent could. Help us to grow in our love for you and our trust in you. Amen.

God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky . . . and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” — Genesis 1:26-27 Around the world there are many different religions and many different views about who or what God is. Some people believe there is one God, some believe there are many gods, and some believe there is no god at all. Some people say that God is whoever or whatever you want him or it to be, so it doesn’t matter what you believe. While it may be fashionable to view God in a way like that, neither the Bible nor logic will allow it. The Bible teaches that there is one God who created the heavens and the earth. The one God has revealed himself to us as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And while the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, there are not three Gods but one God. This teaching is sometimes described with the word Trinity, and we can think of this in terms of “tri-unity.” Some people argue that this is a human-made teaching. But in Genesis God says, “Let us make mankind in our image,” referring to a plurality in the Godhead. And Jesus commanded his followers to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The truth of God in three persons is found throughout the Bible. And the one, true God is completely wise, just, and good! Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for your love and grace. Help us to truly know you, love you, and honor you. Amen.

By grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. . . . — Ephesians 2:8 The Bible teaches that when Adam and Eve—the parents of all humankind—sinned against God, their human nature became corrupt. And this corruption has been passed along to every generation. This means that we all have a sinful nature and that we all sin. But Jesus Christ, God’s Son, became human and provided us the remedy for sin, and the Bible states clearly that the remedy must be received through faith. As Paul says, “It is by grace [we] have been saved, through faith”! Believing that we are sinners and that only Jesus can save us is the faith that brings salvation. And we are responsible to live wholeheartedly for the Lord, doing the good that he has prepared for us to do. In fact, we are eager to do that out of gratitude for all that God has done for us in Christ. We can be tempted, however, to get lazy in our life of faith, so we do well to test whether our faith remains true. One way to do that is to examine our relationship with God. Throughout the Bible God uses a picture of marriage, in which he is the husband and his people are the bride. When the people’s affections shift from God to other things, God compares that to adultery. So, to test if our faith is genuine, we can ask ourselves if we are faithful in our relationship with God, if God is our deepest joy, and if our deepest love is for the Lord rather than for anyone or anything else. God, grant us the wisdom and the will to test our faith regularly. May we truly love and be faithful to you in all that we think, say, and do. Amen.

Those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness [will] reign in life through . . . Jesus Christ! — Romans 5:17 Sin will be punished. God is a God of justice. Does this mean there is no hope for all of us who sin? No. Two thousand years ago, God the Son took on human flesh and was born to Mary. He lived in perfect obedience and then gave up his own perfect life for us to pay for the sin of all who would repent and believe in him. God is just, and sin is punished. Salvation is freely available for all! It is fashionable today to say that Jesus is the way of salvation for Christians while other religions offer other ways to God. It is also common to hear that Christianity is a white, European religion. Both assertions are false. Christianity did not originate in Europe, and Christian communities were established throughout the Middle East, India, and Africa before the faith spread to Europe. Believers from many tribes and nations are present on the college campus where I serve. In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read that there is one mediator between God and humankind—and that is Christ Jesus. And “there is no other name under heaven” by which we may be saved (Acts 4:12). God is just, and sin has been punished and paid for by Jesus, who was fully human, God in the flesh! Hallelujah, what a Savior! Jesus, thank you for becoming human, for living and dying in the flesh in order to pay for our sin. Thank you for becoming the way to eternal joy for all who trust in you! Amen.

You are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. — Psalm 5:4-5 Imagine that you have purchased a new car. Then one day you find deep gouges in the fender and scratches in the paint. You are upset, but fortunately your doorbell camera has caught it all. The perpetrator is a neighbor. He appears before the judge, who also happens to be a neighbor. The judge says to him, “It is clear that you are guilty, but I remember that last winter you shoveled the snow from my sidewalk, so on the whole I think you are a pretty good person. Case dismissed.” You return home, and you see the judge and the other neighbor having a good laugh. What are you thinking? Most of us would say, “This is not right; this judge is corrupt!” Today there are many people who think, “If God was truly kind and loving, he would just forgive everyone.” But if we think that through for a moment, a God who dismissed lying, stealing, rape, murder, genocide, and other sins as nothing serious would be horrible! A God who brushed evil away would not be good; he would be like a devil. Sin must be punished. And God is a God of justice. Knowing that sin is serious and that it is impossible for any of us to live sinless lives, we know deep down that our sin has to be punished. And thankfully God has also taken care of that for us—through Jesus. Lord, we confess that we are sinful, and we thank you for not tolerating evil. Thank you for the cross of Christ, where justice and mercy meet. Amen.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 6:23 Sin is a topic that many people tend to avoid. Others make light of it. Las Vegas, for example, is sometimes called “Sin City,” and foods that are tasty but not healthy are often called sinfully delicious or decadent. Sadly, a world that chooses not to reflect seriously on sin does so at its own peril. But what is sin? Sin can be described as having two sides, like a coin. One side of sin involves breaking the commands of God. God’s commands are in the Bible—for example, the Ten Commandments and various other passages. The other side of sin involves not living up to God’s good purpose for our lives. Jesus summarized our purpose when he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (see Mark 12:30-31). Acting contrary to God’s commands and failing to love God and others are the two sides of sin. Sometimes these are called sins of commission and sins of omission. But is sin really that serious? After all, we are only human, some would say. But the Bible is clear. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death.” But the Bible brings good news as well! While “the wages of sin is death,” “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”! Lord God, we confess that every day we sin against you in the things we do, and in the things we fail to do. Please forgive us, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. — 1 John 1:8-9 According to psychologists, we all live in denial at some point in our lives. Denial is a coping mechanism that can help us come to terms with difficult situations. It allows us time to adjust to new realities. But denial can also be deadly. Denying medical symptoms, for example, is not wise. An even more serious form of denial is quite common in our world today. Many people deny that there is an almighty, all-knowing God who is holy and just and to whom we are all accountable. Countless people live their lives denying that God exists, that God sees and knows all things, and that they will meet God face to face after their earthly life is finished. Romans 1:18-21 tells us that God reveals himself clearly to us through creation. God’s power and divinity are on display for all to see, but people ignore and suppress these things and go their own way. Nonetheless, God makes himself known to us even more clearly in the Bible. The Bible reveals God in great detail and teaches us about our broken relationship with him. It teaches that death—physical and eternal spiritual death—is the result of sin, but also that there is a remedy for sin: Jesus! Lord God, thank you for making yourself known to us through the beauty of all that you have created. Thank you also that we may enjoy your beauty for all eternity through your Son, our Lord and Savior! Amen.

Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you . . . . You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 We live in a world obsessed with comfort. The number of air conditioning units in the world is expected to triple by 2050. Tens of billions of dollars are spent on pain medication every year, and the market is forecast to increase 50 percent by 2032. Myriads of other products offer comforts we “can’t live without.” And yet nearly every day in my work as a college chaplain I meet and pray with people who are anxious and stressed out! We all need comfort, and we all have important needs, especially for our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. But too often we look for comfort in the wrong places. Being part of a community and having a sense of belonging is part of the answer to finding comfort for daily living, but the best way to find comfort is in a right relationship with God, who provides the true and lasting comfort of full life forever. The apostle Paul reminds us that we do not belong to ourselves but have been bought at a price—through the blood of Jesus, God’s Son—who came to offer us new life through the gift of his own life. Belonging to Jesus, we are connected to each other as well. This world provides only limited, temporary comforts. But belonging to God through Jesus offers true and lasting comfort for both body and soul, during life and in the face of death. God, thank you that we are not our own but belong, “in life and in death,” to you. Amen.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. — Psalm 96:3 As we wrap up our month together, let’s return to our theme passage, Psalm 96. As I read this psalm, I notice something remarkable. It assumes that God is at work at all times in creation and among all the peoples and nations of the world. Sometimes it can be tempting for us to believe that we are responsible to bring God into places where he is not. But the truth is that God is already present wherever we may go. Our call is to bear witness to him and to his work in our midst. I recently spent a couple of days with a small group of church leaders and members from across my denomination. I heard story after story about God at work in their church communities. It didn’t matter if their church was urban, suburban, thriving, or struggling—every person had stories to tell about God changing lives and communities. There were stories of discipleship, mission, service, worship, and sacrifice. We began as strangers around the table, and soon we embraced each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We clearly saw the presence of Jesus in one another. We were all different, but we each had similar stories of the faithful God working through the small and loving actions of his people. May God use you and me to “declare his glory . . . among all peoples.” God, guide us to declare your glory and to point out your amazing work that is all around us in every part of the world. May your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” — Luke 10:17 Wally was a church member who had a big heart for mission. He and I led a course for several years about the basics of Christian faith, and we saw a lot of good change in people’s lives during that time. I remember thinking sometimes as I drove home, “It doesn’t get any better than this!” It seems that Jesus’ disciples sensed something like that in their own context when he sent them out in pairs. Jesus celebrated their success by declaring that through their work, Satan himself was being defeated. What a statement! It truly doesn’t get better than that! This month we have focused on some big mission words: gospel, witness, holistic, and intercultural. These are important words and concepts. But they don’t mean a thing if they remain just ideas. They come alive and truly mean something when they describe how we join Jesus in the work of changing lives and renewing communities. As Wally interacted with the people he met, whether it was in his greenhouse operation, talking to a visitor at church, striking up a conversation at the coffee shop, or hosting our course, he wasn’t thinking about those big words. He just wanted to make sure that every person knew they were loved with an everlasting love and that they would meet Jesus. Jesus commissions us, his disciples, with the same call. Jesus, help me to be available to you. In my interactions with others, may I bring your message of life, healing, and hope. Equip me with your Spirit, Lord. Amen.

“. . . the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” — Numbers 6:26 Last year, my wife and I completed a 900-kilometer (560-mile) hiking trail that stretches from Niagara Falls to Lake Huron in Canada. It took us about 60 hikes over five summers to finish it. One of the things we noticed whenever we would start a new hike was the immediate sense of peace and calm we felt as we followed a path into the woods. We were soon immersed in the beauty of nature. It was our happy place. Some of the greatest gifts of God are moments when we can catch a glimpse of God’s peace. Where and when have you experienced that gift? Sabbath is designed to be a day of peace for us—a day when we interrupt our regular routines to focus on God through worship, play, and rest. Thankfully we do not have to be in our “happy place” to receive that peace. The blessing of Aaron in Numbers 6 is God’s promise to turn his face toward us wherever we are and to bring us peace. We see the same in the ministry of Jesus. After his resurrection, Jesus greeted his grieving disciples with a beautiful message: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:21, 26). On this Sabbath day, may you experience the gift of God’s eternal peace in Jesus for whatever burden you may be carrying. Jesus, my life longs for the peace that transcends all understanding. Grant me your blessing of peace today as I give up my worries and anxieties to rest in you. Amen.

Before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. — Revelation 7:9 This passage is one of the most powerful pictures of heaven in the Bible. John sees a vast crowd of people from every nation and language, and all are celebrating and worshiping Jesus with all their heart. Everyone is dressed in white robes, waving palm branches, and praising God. What a vision! It seems that John himself is so astonished that one of the elders by the throne comes to him and asks, in effect, “Who do you think these people are?” John is unsure, so he replies: “Sir, you know.” It turns out that every person in the crowd has experienced the forgiveness of Jesus and received new life. The white robes, ironically, are white because they have been washed in Jesus’ blood (v. 14). This week we have been focusing on the intercultural mission of God, and Revelation 7 is a clear picture of the impact of that work. A few months ago I met with about 50 church planters and their spouses who represented 15 different countries. We learned together and enjoyed beautiful moments of worship in several languages. I looked around the room at these gifted and faithful leaders, and it seemed like a taste of what John describes here. May it be so in every one of our churches! Lord, we long for the day when we will join in with the vast multitude around your throne. May your church increasingly reflect the intercultural beauty of the world you have created and redeemed. Amen.

I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. — 1 Corinthians 10:33 About 15 years ago my wife and I spent time with a small team in a West African country. One day we enjoyed a meal of rice and chicken served on a large platter. We gathered around the food, and each person took a portion with their hand. I did the same, but then I heard a shout and saw fingers pointing at me! I jumped back in shock, wondering what I had done wrong. Then my hosts burst out laughing. I am left-handed, and, without thinking, I had used my left hand to scoop food from the communal platter—and that was a no-no in that culture. We had a good laugh together over my mistake. To engage with people of other cultures means that sometimes we are going to make mistakes. That’s a part of learning in contexts that we are not familiar with. But when we take on a posture of vulnerability and humility, we also find our lives deeply enriched through our friendship with people whose background is different from ours. In our passage from 1 Corinthians today, we see the example of Paul adjusting his behavior to the culture of others wherever possible, in order to honor them and to glorify God. We represent God faithfully when we respect other cultures and are willing to learn. Jesus, help me to grow in curiosity and openness to coworkers and neighbors whose cultural backgrounds may be different from mine. May your love shine through me as I seek to bring your goodness to others. Amen.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. — 2 Corinthians 9:12 The countries of Sudan and South Sudan are among the world’s most difficult places to live in today. Millions of people in these countries have been displaced by civil war, political unrest, and disasters. Yet Jesus continues to be at work. The mission agency I serve provides a training program for pastors and church leaders called Timothy Leadership Training (TLT). Reverend Patrick, a church leader in South Sudan, recently reported that 43 pastors and ministry leaders completed the TLT program and are making a difference in their communities. Though non-Sudanese people cannot generally enter these countries right now, we can still bless and encourage churches and believers there through programs like TLT. This reflects the joy that flows through 2 Corinthians 9. Here Paul celebrates the generosity of the church in Corinth as it gives to bless churches in other lands. And their investment in God’s kingdom will result in blessings multiplied for both the giver and the receivers. Most significantly, this work honors Jesus. As we consider our place in God’s worldwide mission, we cannot underestimate how our partnership with other ministries can benefit people in places we cannot go. Wherever we are, our generosity can bless Christian brothers and sisters around the world in extraordinary ways. God, help us to grow in the grace of giving. May our generosity minister to others around the world and honor you. Amen.