Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring. Exodus 14:13

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 14:1-4, 8, 10-14

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Hudson Taylor was troubled. He’d left England to share the gospel about Christ in China, and ministry—though challenging—had gone well. But in 1865, as he considered sending more people to minister to a more dangerous part of the country, without protection, he felt “intense conflict.” After wrestling with God in prayer, he wrote, “The Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself to God . . . [recognizing] that all responsibility . . . and consequences must rest with him.”

Moses received a call from God that likely left him troubled. As he was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea” (Exodus 14:2). This meant they were trapped between Pharaoh and a vast body of water! The Israelites trembled as “Pharaoh approached” (v. 10). Panic-stricken, they told Moses, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (v. 12). But Moses replied, “Do not be afraid” (v. 13). And he was right. God provided rescue and victory for His people as they rested in Him (vv. 15-31).

At times, we won’t understand what God’s doing in our lives because we don’t have His view. It was during such a moment that Hudson Taylor wrote, “As his servant it was [my responsibility] to obey and to follow him.” We too can rest in God’s view and plans.

Reflect & Pray

Why is it vital for you to surrender to God’s plans for you? How can you rest in Him?

Loving God, please help me rest in Your perfect plans for my life.

Today’s Insights

Exodus 14:1-14 shows the tension between how things can appear to us and what God’s really doing. When the Israelites were fleeing from Pharaoh, God told them to turn back, placing them in what looked like a military trap—boxed in between Pharaoh’s army and the sea (v. 2). But this was God’s plan to lure and defeat Pharaoh once and for all (v. 4). When Israel panicked (vv. 10–12), Moses reminded them that their rescue wasn’t dependent on their strength but on God’s (vv. 13-14). Even when we don’t understand His plans, this passage invites us to trust that His purposes are always good.

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Let us run with perseverance. Hebrews 12:1

Today’s Scripture

Hebrews 12:1-3

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To become a lawyer in California, Maxcy Filer had to pass the state’s grueling, three-day bar exam. So he took it not once, not twice, but forty-eight times before passing the tough test. His goal? To advocate for the underprivileged in Compton, his beloved city. Between his first and last attempts at passing the exam—across twenty-five years—Filer and his wife raised seven children, all who went to college. When Filer was sworn in, the judge said, “Three words about Maxcy Filer: perseverance, perseverance, perseverance.”

His story prompts me to think of people in the Bible who persevered. The writer of Hebrews recognized some: Noah, who “by his faith . . . became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith” (11:7). Or Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (vv. 8-21), Moses (vv. 23-28), and others. Such examples inspire us.

The writer then exhorts believers in Christ: “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (12:1). We then read, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1). How will we do this? By “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (v. 2). As we consider Christ’s sacrifice for us, we “will not grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).

Challenges to our faith give us opportunity to endure in His name. In His power, we persevere.

Reflect & Pray

What faith challenge is testing you? How can you persevere in Jesus?

As I persevere for You, please inspire me, dear Jesus, to keep going.

Today’s Insights

Because of severe persecution (see Hebrews 10:32-39; 13:3), Jewish believers in Jesus were pressured to abandon their faith and revert to Judaism. The unnamed writer of Hebrews encourages these embattled believers to remain faithful by “keeping [their] eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (12:2 nlt). He reminds us of the superiority of Christ, who as God Himself is the final revelation of God (chs. 1-4). Jesus—through His sacrificial work as the superior High Priest and as the once-for-all perfect sacrifice for sin—is the only one who can truly save (chs. 5-10). The writer likens our journey of faith to a long-distance foot race. The lives of faith of the saints who’ve completed their races (see ch. 11) inspire us to persevere to complete our race by keeping our eyes fixed on Christ, our champion who Himself endured challenges and completed the race (12:1-3).

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My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. Isaiah 55:8

Today’s Scripture

Isaiah 55:6-13

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Although it was Palm Sunday, a day to celebrate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, for Mary Edwar it became a time of deep pain. Leaving their church after the service, she and her husband, Kareem, were holding hands when a bomb went off. The device killed Kareem and injured Mary, causing her to miscarry.

While Mary recuperated, she felt furious while grieving for her husband and child. But somehow reading the Bible calmed “the volcano inside her.” In particular, when she struggled to comprehend why God allowed the atrocity, Isaiah 55:9 helped: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” As she understood that God extends grace even when He’s dishonored, she felt soothed by His Spirit.

Mary considered Isaiah’s message from God to His wayward people. While calling them back to Himself, God sought to expand their understanding of His merciful character. Even as the heavens are “higher than” the earth, so were God’s ways “higher than” theirs (v. 9). So too will God show love and grace, more than they could imagine.

While grieving deeply, Mary was stunned to receive God’s gift of peace. She welcomed Jesus’ consoling love, which He poured out in the events that we mark during Holy Week. He’s eager to give us His peace too; we need only to look to Him.

Reflect & Pray

How does reflecting on God’s loving nature help you? How have you found peace when reading the Bible?

Creator God, You cherish me. Even when I’m wracked with pain and doubt, you provide hope and love.

Today’s Insights

Isaiah 55 begins with a divine invitation: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters” (v. 1). God will expound on this imagery of life-giving water in verses 10-11 as He compares His very words to His method of caring for creation: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, . . . so is my word that goes out from my mouth.” Precipitation brings life to the earth; God’s words give life to our spirits. Even in times of grief and doubt, God gives us His peace: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace” (v. 12).

Find love and peace in the practice of lament.

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Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. Psalm 119:49

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 119:49-56

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“No, you can’t go to the lake,” I said to my daughter with my head tucked under the sink as I fixed a broken pipe. “Dad, you promised that after I had finished my chores, I could go,” she reminded me. I’d forgotten what I had said because I was preoccupied. My problem blinded me to my promise.

As my daughter did with me, the psalmist reminded God of His promises. “Remember your word to your servant,” he wrote, “for you have given me hope” (119:49). Thankfully we don’t have a heavenly Father who’s distracted and forgetful. We can come to Him not only with our hurts, problems, and disappointments but also in confidence knowing He’s a good Father: “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (v. 50).

God invites us to meditate on the Scriptures so we can remind Him of His promises—not because He forgets but because He desires that we know Him well. That’s why the psalmist says, “I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them. . . . Your decrees are the theme of my song” (vv. 52, 54).

Because of my distractions, my daughter needed to remind me of my promise. When she did, I gladly let her go to the lake. We can be thankful that our heavenly Father is never preoccupied or too busy. He loves to hear us pray His words back to Him.

Reflect & Pray

What’s one of your favorite promises from God? How will you thank Him for faithfully keeping it? 

Father in heaven, I easily get overwhelmed with the busyness of life. Please help me to remember Your promises to me. 

Today’s Insights

Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, is an acrostic poem structured alphabetically as a mnemonic device for aid in memorization. It contains twenty-two stanzas of eight verses each, which correspond to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For example, verses 1-8 each begin with aleph, the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet; verses 49-56 each begin with zayin, the seventh letter. The singular focus of all 176 verses is God and the Scriptures. The unnamed psalmist, ridiculed and persecuted for his faith in God, declares his determination to obey and make God’s word his delight and wholehearted devotion. The psalmist asks God to “remember [His] word” to him (v. 49), for it sustains and preserves life (vv. 49-52). God is omniscient; He can’t forget anything. The psalmist is imploring Him to remember His promises to him. God is faithful and is never too busy for us. Praying God’s promises found in Scripture can bring us hope and comfort.

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During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. Deuteronomy 29:5

Today’s Scripture

Nehemiah 9:19-21

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My niece, a college freshman, was busy with schoolwork and adjusting to a new residence. Because of recent security issues, her school required a vehicle pass. Since applying for this would be one more task on her long to-do list, I offered to do it. “Thanks!” she later said, surprised it had taken me only minutes in the campus office.

What she didn’t know was that the otherwise simple task had taken half a day of coordinating with the office, fixing a glitch in her application, and gathering unexpected documents. But I didn’t tell her this. “Anytime!” I said.

Love is in the details. Here, it was in taking care of details my niece was unaware of. Scripture tells us of God’s love as seen in two seemingly small details of the Israelites’ life in the wilderness: their clothes and shoes. Throughout forty years of walking, their “clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on [their] feet” (Deuteronomy 29:5). In fact, their feet didn’t even swell! (8:4).

God’s people had been unfaithful, but He showed “great compassion,” not abandoning them (Nehemiah 9:19). “They lacked nothing” (v. 21). God provided the “big” things, such as His presence, the counsel of His Spirit, and food and water (vv. 19-20); and the “smaller” but necessary things, such as clothes and shoes.

God shows His love in ways we may overlook or be unaware of. Such is His love, that He sees every detail of our life.

Reflect & Pray

What details in your life show God’s love? How do they help you trust Him?

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your enduring love.

Today’s Insights

Nehemiah 9:5-37 is a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God by the Levites as the people were assembled. They listened to a reading of “the Book of the Law of the Lord their God” and then confessed their sins and worshiped “the Lord their God” (v. 3). When the Levites prayed, “For forty years you sustained [the Israelites] in the wilderness” (v. 21), we might forget that their time in the wilderness refers to God’s discipline of them. Because of Israel’s constant complaining and faithless lack of gratitude, every adult over the age of twenty had to die so the next generation could inhabit the promised land. And yet, God still cared for His wayward people. Now, as His perpetually wayward people were re-entering the promised land from their exile, He still showed His love for them by faithfully caring for their every need. Today, God still shows His care for us in the details of our lives.

For further study, read Love in a Minor Key.

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Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. Luke 12:15

Today’s Scripture

Luke 12:13-21

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Some years ago, artist Michael Landy counted up everything he owned, making a list of 7,227 possessions. What he did next was eye-opening. Setting up a factory in London’s busiest shopping district, Landy publicly destroyed it all. Clothes, artwork, love letters, even his car, were broken down, placed on a conveyor belt, and fed into grinders. As consumers darted in and out of department stores nearby, Landy’s performance art asked, “Who are we without our possessions?”

It’s an important question because most of us buy things to define ourselves or secure our futures. Jesus told a parable about a man who horded his wealth and embraced a consumerist lifestyle. “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years,” the man tells himself. “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry” (Luke 12:19). But what was left when his life was “demanded” from him that night? Only God’s rebuke at having missed what’s most important (vv. 20-21).

It isn’t a sin to own things. Michael Landy still needed clothes. But when we’re tempted to find life and identity in what we own, Jesus reminds us that “life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (v. 15). Who would you be without all your goods? Still a dearly loved child of God (Psalm 103:17; Ephesians 5:1). Out of this secure identity, we can be rich toward God and others.

Reflect & Pray

What do your possessions say about you? What might being “rich toward God” (v. 21) mean for you?

Dear Father, please help me resist the lie that I am what I own, and live richly toward You and others instead.

Today’s Insights

Luke’s gospel emphasizes God’s justice for the poor (1:52-53; 14:12-14). Luke describes a reversal in God’s kingdom, where the poor are blessed while the unjust wealthy are judged. In Luke 16:19-31, for example, a rich man ignores a suffering beggar, but in death, their roles are reversed. Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:16-21 warns against greed (v. 15) through depicting a rich man who shows no concern for using material possessions justly. In Jewish tradition, material abundance was considered something entrusted for the sake of others (see Proverbs 19:17; Deuteronomy 15:7-11). But the rich man thinks only of himself, as seen in his self-referential language (Luke 12:19). He’s identified by God as a “fool” (v. 20). In contrast to the rich fool, those who know they’re loved by God are freed to invest in what truly lasts—God’s kingdom and the needs of others (vv. 32-34).

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There is neither Jew nor Gentile . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Today’s Scripture

Galatians 3:23-29

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Watching sporting competitions and meeting athletes was a dream come true for me when I attended a Summer and Winter Olympics as a young reporter. I was enthralled by hearing people from all over the world speaking in different languages and celebrating their various countries.

I’d been fascinated with the Olympics since I was a teen, but it had become an obsession. After I said yes to following God while at the Summer Games, I felt God was asking me to lay down my idol of sports. But I still had a love for the nations. I still enjoy watching the Olympics, but my heart is truly stirred when people of different backgrounds and from different nations come together during a church service or gathering to pray and to worship the King of kings. What a sweet taste of heaven on earth (Revelation 7:9)!

When we remember who we are in Christ, we remember that we belong to God’s family and His family is international.

The apostle Paul declared to the believers in Galatia, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26). “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (v. 28).

No matter where we’re from or where we live, let’s rejoice that as believers we’re one in Christ with our brothers and sisters around the world.

Reflect & Pray

How can you show love to people of different backgrounds? How can you pray for the nations?

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me one in Christ with other believers.

Today’s Insights

In Galatians 3:28, Paul isn’t abolishing all ethnic, economic, social, or gender distinctions in the church. Rather, in speaking of our salvation, the apostle says that God treats everyone—Jew, gentile, male, female, slave, and free—on the same basis. All have sinned (Romans 3:23) and all need a Savior (Acts 3:19; 17:30). Both Jews and gentiles need to believe in Jesus (Romans 3:22-24; 10:9-12) because everyone is saved in the same way: by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). God gives everyone who believes in Christ a privileged status: “In Christ Jesus [we] are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26). Whether male or female, rich or poor, Jews or gentiles, we’re part of the “great multitude . . . from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9) who will stand before God’s throne in heaven worshiping and proclaiming, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (v. 10).

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Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Joshua 8:1

Today’s Scripture

Joshua 8:1, 18-19, 24-27

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With branches of scraggly leaves growing upward like hands raised to the heavens, the unique trees we saw while hiking Joshua Tree National Park in California intrigued us. Many believe the trees were dubbed “Joshua Trees” by pioneers, who were reminded by the trees of an Old Testament story where Joshua lifted high a javelin as a sign of God’s presence and help.

After entering Canaan, the Israelites needed God’s help in battle. After being defeated at the city of Ai due to their sin (Joshua 7:11-12), the Israelites were likely afraid to fight the city again. But God encouraged Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (8:1). Then God told Joshua to “hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city” (v. 18). Joshua obeyed God and “did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin” until the battle was won (v. 26). It wasn’t the javelin in Joshua’s outstretched hand that secured the victory. Instead, it was a symbol of God’s promise to help them and be with them.

Reminders of God’s presence with us can be helpful when we face difficult challenges. A Bible verse displayed in our homes, a stunning picture of God’s creation, a cross necklace: These things don’t provide assistance, but God can use them to remind us of His promised presence and power.

Reflect & Pray

What reminds you of God’s presence? How does this reminder help you face challenging situations?

Heavenly Father, in the challenges I face today, please help me to remember Your presence with me.

Today’s Insights

In the Bible, God has given us physical reminders of His love and grace. As the Israelites faced the challenges of the wilderness journey, “by day [God] led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire” (Nehemiah 9:12). Joshua’s holding out his spear reminded the Israelites God was leading them in battle (Joshua 8:18, 26). In the New Testament, Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was alive until he saw and touched His crucifixion wounds (John 20:24-29). The Lord’s Supper helps us remember Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). In our journey of faith, these physical reminders assure us that God is with us “always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Need help noticing God in your daily life? Check out these 5 steps that will help you draw closer to God everyday.

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It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 4:1-2, 8-13

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In March 2024, a US aerospace corporation failed a safety audit conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration. The audit came on the heels of multiple safety incidents, including a flight that had experienced a dangerous drop in cabin pressure when a door-plug panel on the jet had torn away. A spokesman for the company acknowledged that the failures were due to instructions for employees being difficult to understand and altered too often, resulting in them not faithfully adhering to approved procedures.

Paul told the church at Corinth that they should view him and other leaders as faithful and approved “servants of Christ” and declared that he’d been “entrusted” with being a steward for God (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Stewards in Paul’s day were entrusted with overseeing the management and distribution of household resources. Above everything else, a fundamental requirement for those given these responsibilities was faithfulness. Paul labeled himself as a steward who “[worked] hard with [his] own hands” to live out his responsibilities (v. 12)—carefully using what God had given him, especially the wisdom He’d been given and the mysteries of the gospel (vv. 1-2).

As Jesus provides, let’s strive to be faithful stewards, adhering to His approved and flawless standard in our spiritual practices, work duties, and personal relationships.

Reflect & Pray

How can we be faithful to the trust God has given us? What does it mean for you to be a steward for Him?

Heavenly Father, please help me be a faithful steward for You.

Today’s Insights

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address specific problems that had arisen in the Corinthian church: criticism of his ministry (chs. 1-4); sexual immorality (ch. 5); lawsuits (ch. 6); marriage, divorce, and singleness (ch. 7); food offered to idols (chs. 8-10); women in ministry and the Lord’s Supper (ch. 11); use of spiritual gifts (chs. 12-14); resurrection (ch. 15); and offerings (ch. 16).

In chapter 4, he deals with the root cause of these problems. The Corinthians’ arrogance, self-importance, and self-sufficiency (vv. 6-13) had caused division in the church. The apostle deliberately and confidently uses himself as an example of how to be a faithful servant of Christ (vv. 1-2) and to live a Christlike life of simplicity, transparency, integrity, and humility. Today, we can ask God to help us be faithful stewards of what God has given us.

Find out more about being faithful stewards by reading 5 Biblical Truths About Dominion & Stewardship.

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We . . . are . . . always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:11

Today’s Scripture

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

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“I lift mine eyes, but dimm’d with grief / No everlasting hills I see,” wrote the Victorian poet Christina Rosetti in her poignant poem “A Better Resurrection.” Rosetti’s poem describes grasping for hope when she feels none, “numb’d too much for hopes or fears.” Yet Rosetti was anchored in a hope deeper than her feelings of despair. Though she could see “no bud nor greenness” pointing to Christ’s resurrection renewing her life, she confessed, “Yet rise it shall” and prayed, “O Jesus, rise in me.”

In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul also described experiencing suffering “far beyond [his] ability to endure, so that [he] despaired of life itself” (1:8). But he found that his despair taught him to find his hope only in “God, who raises the dead” (v. 9).

And he learned that as we carry the hope of the gospel in the still-imperfect “jars of clay” of our bodies, Christ’s resurrection life and hope shine through, revealing “that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (4:7).

This shift happens in Rosetti’s poem too. As she lifted her broken heart up to God, her prayer became only that the broken pieces of her life would be “cast in the fire” to be molded and transformed into an offering “for Him, my King.” Her poem concludes simply: “O Jesus, drink of me.”

Reflect & Pray

How can voicing our pain honestly to God bring comfort and hope? How have you experienced Him transforming the pieces of your life?

Dear God, thank You that hope is real even when I can’t feel it. Please help me to offer my life to You.

Today’s Insights

What does Paul mean when he writes, “Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 4:3)? We find the answer in chapter 3, where he recalls how Moses would “put a veil over his face” (v. 13) when he descended from Mount Sinai. He had to do so because God’s glory still shone from his face after he’d spoken with Him (see Exodus 34:29-35). At that time, the Almighty was too terrifying to approach (19:12-13). Paul wrote, “Even to this day, when Moses [the Law] is read, a veil covers [the people’s] hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:15-16). The ancient Israelites found God unapproachable, but we, by the power of Jesus, can draw near to Him. We can boldly bring Him all our pain, fears, and doubts and find confidence and comfort.

For further study, read The God Who Upholds You.

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In the morning I will sing of your love. Psalm 59:16

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 59:9-17

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Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot is best known for enduring classics like “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind.” But one of his lesser-known songs is titled “The Minstrel of the Dawn.” (A minstrel is a troubadour, a singer who puts his poetry to music.) Like us, Lightfoot’s troubadour longs to be “more happy than blue.” Although there are always “blue” things to think about or dwell on, the minstrel chooses to focus on happy things as the new day dawns and then to sing about them.

The minstrel of the psalms, David, penned a similar line: “In the morning I will sing of your love” (Psalm 59:16). David had plenty of “blue” things to dwell on—from enemies ready to attack him to fierce men slandering and conspiring against him (vv. 1-3). “They return at evening,” he sang, “snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city” (v. 14). But he chose, as the new day dawned, to focus not simply on something happy but on someone good—God—and then sing of God’s love, “my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble” (v. 16) on “whom I can rely” (v. 17).

You may not be a singer-songwriter, but you can still be a minstrel of the dawn. Like David, you can tell God, “I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love” (v. 16).

Reflect & Pray

What is it that makes you blue or causes you concern? What would it look like for you to sing of God’s love in the morning?

God my fortress and shield, I’m choosing to sing beyond the blues this morning, to sing of Your steadfast love.

Today’s Insights

The heading of Psalm 59 notes the occasion for the song: “When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.” Two attempts by Saul to kill David are recorded in 1 Samuel 19 (vv. 8-10 and 11-17). The latter incident was the impetus for Psalm 59. Despite the grave danger that David faced, his faith compelled him to sing. The refrain repeated in verses 9 and 17 reveals that he viewed God as the source of his strength and safety. He proclaims, “You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely” (vv. 9-10). Our view of God makes the difference in how we navigate life in both the good times and the bad. When our understanding of Him lines up with how He’s revealed in Scripture, we can sing in life’s sunshine and rain.

Learn about finding hope in despair by reading Hope: Discovering the One True Source.

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The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. Lamentations 3:24

Today’s Scripture

James 1:2-8

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Joseph combed the job listings frustratedly. Previous jobs as a waiter had paid well, but regular weekend shifts typical of the restaurant industry made it hard for him as a new believer in Jesus to attend church regularly. “Why doesn’t God answer my prayer?” he lamented. “Wouldn’t He want me to attend church?”

It took a year before Joseph saw that he had to adjust his expectations and try a different industry, where he finally found a job with regular weekday shifts. Thanking God, he realized how the long wait had made him more mature in making decisions. This job change process had also taught Joseph what it means to persevere in life and trust in God to reveal His plans in His time.

That’s what James told Jewish believers in Jesus, who were scattered and facing trials. Encouraging them not to give up, he said, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete” (James 1:4). The process of asking God for wisdom, waiting, and standing firm (vv. 5-6) would not only nurture their patience and trust in God but also help them grow in maturity as they learned more about themselves and God.

Waiting for God’s answer can be tough, but it makes us more mature and steadfast, strengthens our faith, and gives us a deeper understanding of what it means to trust God.

Reflect & Pray

What’s the hardest part of waiting for God’s answer to prayers? How can you draw on His strength to keep trusting in Him?

Dear Father, thank You for the assurance that You’re compassionate and hear my prayers. Please give me the wisdom and patience to keep trusting You.

Today’s Insights

James’ letter is typically classified as wisdom literature because of its stylistic use of short, memorable proverbs and sayings. It also emphasizes themes common in Hebrew wisdom literature, such as divine wisdom (3:13-18), the importance of ethical speech (vv. 1-12), and justice for the poor (5:1-6). James also draws heavily from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, reflecting teachings like joy in trials (James 1:2-3; see Matthew 5:10-12), asking God for wisdom (James 1:5; see Matthew 7:7-11), and the danger of a divided heart (James 1:6-8; see Matthew 6:24).

James urges believers in Christ to see “trials of many kinds” (James 1:2) as an opportunity to trust in and rely more deeply on God while waiting for Him to answer. This deepens our wisdom, perseverance, and faithfulness (vv. 3, 5).

Join Discover the Word as they explore Psalm 62 and learn what it means to “Wait in Silent Rest for God.”

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A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Today’s Scripture

Ecclesiastes 4:8-12

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When my husband, Alan, and I decided to move across the country to Philadelphia to further his education, I didn’t have a job lined up, and we had no idea how we would afford student housing. On a Sunday, shortly before we were to leave, a church acquaintance introduced us to a former student of the university Alan was to attend who knew of an affordable apartment. Then, before we left, a workmate gave me the name of a contact at a Christian ministry. God answered our prayers and gave us opportunities—including an apartment and a job—through His people. Friends and family helped us move and ushered us on with prayer.

The author of Ecclesiastes wrote about the benefits of not going through life alone: “Two are better than one” (4:9). Two get more work done, can help each other through struggles, offer companionship, and ward against danger (vv. 9-11). He went on to say, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (v. 12). A community has even greater benefits. More resources, more support.

Alan and I benefited from the community we left behind. And God helped us build a new community to help us feel at home in the big city. If you feel alone, ask God to help you find a friend, a good church, or a place to serve in a community.

Reflect & Pray

What communities are you a part of? How do you help each other?

Dear God, thank You for surrounding me with friends and family. Please help me to invite others into Your community.

Today’s Insights

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon—“the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem” (1:1)—examines life as he’s lived it. He discusses human life—achievements, hard work, pleasures, and the pursuit of knowledge—to show that without God our human endeavors won’t give us a meaningful life. In chapter 4, Solomon extols the value of community. A person driven by his selfish, competitive spirit to outdo his neighbors (v. 4) is one who lives a lonely, miserable, and meaningless existence (vv. 7-8). In contrast, Solomon writes of another person, who works in collaboration with others instead of in competition. He commends the advantages of companionship in times of inadequacy and adversity. Cooperation is better because it’s mutually beneficial. As believers in Jesus, we belong to the body of Christ, the church, so that we don’t have to face life’s challenges alone. We can reach out and help each other succeed (see vv. 9-10).

Join Rasool Berry as he speaks with Grammy award-winning artist Lecrae as he shares how his community supported him through his career.

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I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. John 6:35 nlt

Today’s Scripture

John 6:35, 41-51

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In the African American home I was raised in, meals often included scrumptious “soul food.” The term originated in the mid-1960s when “soul” was a common term used to describe African American culture. Soul food menu items included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, corn bread, and more. Desserts were a bonus; the “tastebud-tickling” peach cobbler was the most satisfying to me. What a feast!

Feasting in different cultures looks different, but because food is essential for life, Jesus’ words in John 6:35 are significant for all people: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Such claims as these would be outrageous if they were made by a mere human being. But Jesus, the Christ, could make such astounding claims because He’s the very Son of God. He told “sign-seekers”—those seeking immediate, short-term benefit (see vv. 2, 14, 26, 30)—that satisfaction of physical hunger wasn’t enough. As the Son of God, Jesus is the source of true life (14:6) and the sustainer of life. All those who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins through His death and resurrection (11:25-26) share His life. Jesus is the essential food for the soul. Life, nourishment, and true satisfaction are found in Him alone.

Reflect & Pray

How does Jesus nourish and satisfy you? What’s keeping you from seeking the one who says, “I am the bread of life”?

Dear Jesus, You’re the giver and sustainer of life. May I find satisfaction in You.

Today’s Insights

The events in John 6:35-51 occur the day after Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two small fish (vv. 5-14). Because of this astonishing miracle, the crowd “intended to come and make him king by force,” but Christ eluded them (v. 15). When the crowd caught up with Him the next day (v. 25), Jesus knew they were there because of the multiplied loaves of bread. He said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (v. 27). True satisfaction and spiritual nourishment are found only in Christ.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

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All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings. Exodus 35:29

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 35:20-29

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“I am thankful to God for His goodness,” reads the plaque, “in permitting me to have a part in building this broad thoroughfare as a frame to the beautiful picture which He created.” The inscription is attributed to highway engineer Samuel Christopher Lancaster in 1915. It stands at a beautiful scenic overlook on the highway he designed, a road that takes drivers along the breathtaking Columbia River Gorge, with forests, waterfalls, and rocky cliffs.

It’s tempting to take credit for our resources and accomplishments or use them to bring ourselves praise. What would it look like, instead, to think of them as a lowly “frame” around God’s masterpiece? One example is when Moses invited the Israelites to bring gifts to build the tabernacle (Exodus 35:5). “Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them” contributed what they had: precious metal and stone, linen, leather, wood, spices, and oil (vv. 21-28). These costly goods were offered from willing hearts to fulfill what God had commanded (v. 29). Some master craftsmen were especially gifted. But everyone could contribute something, like the women who skillfully spun goat hair (v. 26).

What mattered most then, and today, is the posture of the giver’s heart. “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord” (v. 5). That’s when our resources are put to their best use.

Reflect & Pray

What resources are at your disposal? How could they be used to bring praise to God?

Dear God, I can get caught up in seeking my own praise. Please help my life bring You glory!

Today’s Insights

Building the tabernacle represented a critical moment in the early history of Israel. Having escaped bondage in Egypt, the Israelites were now assembled at the base of Mount Sinai, where the God of their father Abraham reintroduced Himself to His chosen people. The establishment of the tabernacle wasn’t only intended to represent God’s presence among the people but to serve as the center of their national life. This would continue years later when the tabernacle was replaced by Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem, where the people would continue to give of their best in service to God. Today, as the Holy Spirit helps us, one way we bring praise to God is by offering Him our resources.

For further study, read Worshipping God Means More than Singing.

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You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 5:13-16

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When schools around the globe sent their students home for health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic, their buildings and stadiums stood empty. While acknowledging many were experiencing greater afflictions from the virus, teachers sought ways to show their students they missed them and to encourage them to press on through a difficult time. Many schools initiated what they called the “Be the Light” challenge, in which they burned the empty stadium’s lights each night.

During His earthly life, Jesus issued His own kind of “be the light” challenge, saying that we who follow Him are to “let [our] light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16). His charge had a loftier goal than encouragement or moral support; instead, our willingness to reveal the light He’s put in us shows the watching world who God is. The way we live our lives, in both word and deed, reveals the hope Jesus gives us, making it visible to all those around us, like a lamp on a stand.

Jesus calls us “the light of the world” and challenges us to illuminate the paths of others with His light radiating through us when they’re walking a dark road. For those who don’t yet know the hope Jesus offers, sharing His light through the way we live can point them toward God as the source of all hope.

Reflect & Pray

In whom do you see the light of Jesus? How can you cast His light into the lives of others?

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving me hope. Use me, please, to show Your light in this world through the way I live.

Today’s Insights

In Matthew 4:16, Jesus quotes from the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:2) to point to Himself as the fulfillment of prophecy: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” He’s “the true light that gives light to everyone” (John 1:9; see 8:12; 9:5). Now that He’s no longer in the world, those who believe in Him “are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). As “children of the light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5), we’re called to shine our light into a dark world that desperately needs hope. We do this through the Holy Spirit, who guides and empowers us to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) instead of in the wicked ways of the world. He grows in us the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 22-23) that draws others to God, the source of our hope.

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With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8

Today’s Scripture

2 Peter 3:8-13

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Until 1967, units of time were scientifically measured by astronomical patterns: the spin of the earth and its revolution around the sun. But over the centuries, a problem emerged. The earth is actually slowing down in its orbit. Scientists discovered that the unit of the second is longer than it used to be. Gradual though this is, since the days of Christ, the world has “lost” a full three hours of measured time.

Of course, God created the ways we measure time: the astronomy of orbits and revolutions. Scientists’ calculations may be squishier than we’d thought, but we can stand firmly in Peter’s words: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8). He is arguing against doubters who complained that Jesus hadn’t returned yet: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness” (v. 9). God works in His own time for His own purposes.

There’s more! God’s “timing” is born out of His love: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (v. 9). Jesus will return, and God wants everyone to have the opportunity to come to Him. This is an expression of His love. Meanwhile, we’re to “make every effort to be found spotless” (v. 14).

Time, God, and love are linked together: In these last days God’s love is never squishy. It’s the one sure thing.

Reflect & Pray

How does thinking of God and time affect your own life? How might you live differently in light of this?

Dear God, it’s mind-boggling when we try to figure out the concept of time, but please help me embrace that my times are in Your hands.

Today’s Insights

The apostle Peter, like other New Testament writers, was a student of the Old Testament. The book of 1 Peter contains several Old Testament quotes (see 1 Peter 1:24-25 [Isaiah 40:6-8]; 1 Peter 2:6-8 [Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14]; 1 Peter 3:10-12 [Psalm 34:12-16]; 1 Peter 4:18 [Proverbs 11:31]). And even though his second letter doesn’t quote from specific Old Testament passages, 2 Peter 3:8 is a clear allusion to Psalm 90:4: “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” This psalm contains numerous references to time, contrasting God’s eternal nature with man’s transience. Because God loves us, we can rest securely, knowing that our times are in His hands and His timing is perfect.

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No one said a word to [Job], because they saw how great his suffering was. Job 2:13

Today’s Scripture

Job 2:7-13

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“Daddy, my head hurts.” “Daddy, I’m so cold.” “Daddy, can you rub my feet?”

A high fever, chills, and body aches recently descended cruelly upon my teenage daughter. She wanted me to make it better. But mostly she just wanted me near. Eventually we took her to urgent care. “Virus,” we were told. Nothing to do but ride it out.

I sat with my sick girl for hours that day. Rubbing her feet. Getting her medicine. Desperately wanting her to feel better. Occasionally, my selfish side complained, This is hard. Indeed, it is hard to sit with people’s suffering, to witness their hurt up close.

Job’s friends saw his suffering up close too. These three guys are often—fairly!—criticized for their later poor treatment of Job. But it’s easy to forget that, initially, they simply sat with him: “They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:13).

Jobs’ friends remind us that when someone we love is hurting, it’s our presence—our being there, whether we speak or not—that often matters most. Their example reminds us that even though we may not always know what to say, simply sitting with someone in their suffering may be the greatest gift we can give.

Reflect & Pray

Who do you know who’s struggling? How might you be present for them?

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to save our suffering world. Please help me to see those whom You might have me encourage amid their struggles and pain.  

Obadiah is the least-read book of the Bible. Check out this book from Reclaim Today to help navigate the book of Obadiah and learn to hear God’s voice through it.

Today’s Insights

Job’s friends were doing very well in their mission of comfort until they started talking. For seven days, they were a silent presence with their suffering friend (Job 2:13). Silence tends to make us uncomfortable, so we may try to fill that void with words. But in times of great suffering (like Job’s), words alone are often inadequate to express the comfort or help that the hurting person truly needs. We can credit Job’s friends for their sacrificial seven days of silent presence, but they caused hurt when they began to offer answers that didn’t ease Job’s hurt, pain, or loss. We can ask God to give us wisdom to know when to speak and when to offer the comfort of a silent presence with those who are hurting.

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The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Today’s Scripture

2 Timothy 1:6-14

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A group of twenty-two Christian leaders traveled half a day to secretly meet and learn from a pastor who came from another country. If caught, the pastor would be deported, and the others would spend three years in prison. Eighteen of the twenty-two had already been imprisoned for their faith in Jesus.

After the pastor handed out fifteen Bibles he’d brought with him, one woman gave hers to someone else. Like many others, she’d memorized chapters of Scripture so she would have its wisdom secured in her heart if she were to go to prison. She later asked the pastor to pray that their church would be free to gather just like his. Instead, marveling at how they sacrificed, suffered persecution, and risked imprisonment, he prayed that his church would be just like theirs.

Believers around the world are persecuted for their faith in Christ, some more severely than others. And all believers can be tempted to cower when the stakes of living for Christ are raised. But the Holy Spirit enables us to use our God-given gifts with “power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). God will help us share the gospel with boldness and compassion, wherever He leads. Because of all He did for us (vv. 9-10), we can embrace the sacrificial cost of commitment to Christ and preserve “sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (v. 13).

Reflect & Pray

How have you sacrificed to seek and share Jesus? Who will you share the gospel with today?

Mighty God, please deepen my commitment to know You and boldly share You with others.

For further study, read The Power of Prayer in Sharing the Gospel.

Today’s Insights

Imprisonment in the first century was filled with shame. Paul spent a great deal of time in Roman incarceration (see Acts 16; 21; 25-28). As a result, some churches struggled to see him as someone they could claim as their founding apostle (see 2 Corinthians 6:3-12). From that full knowledge of the shame associated with his chains, the apostle writes to Timothy, challenging him to endure all things out of love for God and in the grace that’s been offered through Jesus. No suffering is too shameful in light of everything that God has accomplished on our behalf through Christ.

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No longer will [the Israelites] follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. Jeremiah 3:17

Today’s Scripture

Jeremiah 3:11-17

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The Wild One is a 1953 movie starring Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler, a troubled, brooding leader of a motorcycle gang. In one scene, a young woman notices a gang member’s jacket with the initials, B.R.M.C. When she learns that the R stands for “rebels,” she laughs and touches the arm of Brando as he idly pats a drum. “Hey, Johnny. What are you rebelling against?” He replies, “What do you got?”

What an apt description of our problem! We’re born with a drive to assert ourselves. We want to be in charge, preferably by getting our way. If that doesn’t work, we’ll assert ourselves by dragging our feet. The rebellion is the point.

Why did Israel foolishly worship idols of “stone and wood” (Jeremiah 3:9)? And why did Israel’s “unfaithful sister Judah” only pretend to return to God (v. 10)? Because that’s how they expressed their independence—“the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (v. 17). The rebellion was the point.

But God’s love is stronger. Jesus died for rebels and leaves the door open for their return. “ ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful . . . . Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God’ ” (vv. 12-13).

We may be born rebels, but we can return. Let’s run home to our Father, where we find His forgiveness, love, and help.

Reflect & Pray

When do you take charge in foolish or bad ways? How have you been ignoring God, and how might you return to Him?

Dear Father, thank You for Your forgiveness. I’m coming home to You.

Obeying God takes practice, check out this article to learn more.

Today’s Insights

Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah, the Southern Kingdom, and its capital city of Jerusalem during the reign of its last five kings (Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah). Because of its idolatry and wickedness, the Northern Kingdom, Israel, had fallen to Assyria in 722 bc. During Jeremiah’s time, Judah was following in Israel’s footsteps, despite the reign of a few good kings like Josiah. The people had turned away from God and were worshiping idols. Through Jeremiah, God warned them that their wickedness would lead to discipline, yet He urged them repeatedly to repent and return to Him (Jeremiah 2:19; 3:14). In 586 bc, Judah fell to Babylon. Yet God restored a remnant to the land and promised a Savior, Jesus (23:5-6). Today, God still offers forgiveness and love to all who repent and turn to Him.

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