Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 1 Chronicles 17:16

Today’s Scripture

1 Chronicles 17:16-22

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A pilot and his two daughters took off from Soldotna, Alaska, on a sightseeing trip. Their small plane, however, never made it to its destination. After several local pilots began searching for the missing aircraft, one named Terry Godes finally spied its nearly submerged wreckage on a partially frozen lake. The three family members were standing on its wings as they had been for hours. Thankfully, the trio was soon rescued by the National Guard. Godes humbly sacrificed his time and resources for others—leading to lives being saved. In humility, he said of his efforts, “I was just the guy that saw the plane first.”

King David sacrificed much for the people of Israel, including battling to save them from their enemies (1 Chronicles 14:8-17). Then he heard from the prophet Nathan that through his bloodline a throne would be “established forever,” as fulfilled in Christ (17:14; see Luke 1:30-33). He replied in humility, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (1 Chronicles 17:16). He knew that his life was established by God and His will (v. 19) and that He had ultimately done the work of rescue and redemption for David and his people (vv. 20-22).

Jesus “humbled himself” and made the ultimate sacrifice for us (Philippians 2:8). As He helps us, let’s humbly sacrifice our lives for others.

Reflect & Pray

Why is humility before God so important? What will it mean for you to humbly sacrifice for others?

Loving God, please help me to humbly sacrifice for You and others.

Today’s Insights

The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles offer two approaches to Israel’s kingdom story. In 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, the focus is on the kings and prophets of Israel—from Saul to the final kings of the divided kingdom era. By contrast, 1 and 2 Chronicles focus on the kings of Judah and the priesthood and development of the temple. The writer of 1 Chronicles—which Jewish tradition says was Ezra the priest—considers David’s prayer (1 Chronicles 17:16-22; see 2 Samuel 7:18-29). The prayer has a priestly tone to it, with its emphasis on Yahweh as the covenant-keeping God of Israel. David humbly sacrificed for the people of Israel, but he acknowledged that God is the one who has redeemed His people: “You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God” (1 Chronicles 17:22). Today, as we reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us, we can humbly respond in sacrifice to Him and others.

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[A person] who wrongs another . . . must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done. Numbers 5:6-7

Today’s Scripture

Numbers 5:5-10

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A judge used a unique approach to address shoplifting—sentencing offenders to wash cars in a local store’s parking lot as part of their community service. He hoped it would deter future thefts and serve as a vivid reminder of the consequences of wrongdoing. He emphasized that actions have consequences and accountability matters.

The judge’s sentence reflects the instruction in Numbers 5:6-7: “[One] who wrongs another . . . must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution.” In these verses, we see the importance God places on acknowledging wrongdoing, confessing sin, and seeking restoration. And they underscore a profound truth: Every offense revealed disloyalty to the ideals of Israel’s society and showed that the offender was “unfaithful to the Lord” (v. 6).

Just as washing cars in public serves as a humbling consequence that encourages reflection and responsibility, God called Israel to recognize their sins honestly—confessing them and seeking forgiveness. True freedom came when they confronted their actions, made amends, and embraced His grace.

Today, let’s take a moment to reflect sincerely on our lives before God. As we seek reconciliation and restitution where necessary (see Matthew 5:23-24; Luke 19:8-10), His mercy and forgiveness will restore us to wholeness.

Reflect & Pray

How can you pursue reconciliation with someone you’ve wronged? Why is restitution so important?

Dear God, please show me where I’ve been wrong and help me pursue reconciliation and restitution.

Today’s Insights

Numbers 5 restates a law first given in Leviticus 6:1-7 that when someone harms a neighbor through deceit, theft, or fraud, they must confess and not only make full repayment but add a fifth of the value to it. They must also sacrifice a ram as a guilt offering. Numbers 5 adds a further stipulation that if restitution can’t be made directly to the person wronged, and if they have no close relative to pay restitution to, then repayment should be given to the priest—returning what they’d wrongly taken back to God (v. 8).

This highlights the truth that harming another also damages someone’s relationship with God (v. 6). Yet this provision of offering a sacrifice and making restitution to a priest also highlights God’s grace. Even when it’s impossible to correct the wrong done to another, because of Christ’s sacrifice, when we confess our sin, God still provides a way to a restored relationship with Him.

Watch more on restored relationships.

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You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

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Kiribati, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, is the only nation in the world that exists in all four hemispheres of the globe. The thirty-three islands of Kiribati straddle both the equator and the 180^th meridian. It’s also one of the most remote nations in the world.

We serve a God who cares about these remote places. As Jesus prepared His disciples for His return to heaven, He told them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “To the ends of the earth” is a call to take the message of the gospel to the world’s most isolated spots. But the call wasn’t limited to remote places only. It included their current location of Jerusalem and the nearby regions of Judea and Samaria.

After Jesus gave these parting words to His disciples, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (v. 9). Two angels appeared and said, “This same Jesus . . . will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (v. 11).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important news anyone can ever hear. The challenge for us as His ambassadors is to share that news. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can see that everyone—near and far—gets a chance to hear.

Reflect & Pray

What does it mean to be Jesus’ witnesses “to the ends of the earth”? How does His command inspire you to share His love with others?

Dear Father, please give me a heart for those who don’t know You.

Today’s Insights

The plan that Jesus gave His disciples in Acts 1:8 unfolds throughout the book of Acts. In the very next chapter, the power that Christ promised would come to all the disciples who were gathered in the upper room (2:1-12). Immediately after this event, Peter proclaimed to thousands of listening ears in Jerusalem the story of Jesus and the promise of salvation through Him (vv. 14-39). Over the next several chapters, Peter would go to the believing Samaritans who’d heard Philip’s preaching, and they too would receive the power of the Holy Spirit (8:4-17). Finally, the gentile centurion Cornelius and his family would respond to the gospel and, through Peter’s preaching, they and all who heard the message and believed in Christ—both Jews and gentiles—were marked with the Spirit (ch. 10). When we embrace His call and follow His plan, we can carry the message of the gospel wherever we go in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Discover more about evangelism and reaching out through relationships.

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I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

Today’s Scripture

2 Timothy 4:6-8

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Mark—a marathoner and a dedicated pastor who served two churches over the span of thirty-five years—recently retired. One gift presented to him was a pair of new running shoes. I ran with Mark once over twenty years ago, but throughout his life, he’s run the 26.2-mile race in numerous cities across the country. At his retirement celebration, people from the community and the churches he served also expressed their appreciation for Mark’s faithfulness. Because of God’s power and grace, Mark finished well.

Life’s more like a marathon than a sprint. At times we experience fatigue and we feel like giving up. Yet God’s grace and strength are unending for those who trust Him. As the imprisoned apostle Paul neared the finish line of life (2 Timothy 4:6), he encouraged his protégé Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (v. 7). Life’s paths take us to different places. But regardless of where we are on life’s journey, it’s always good to remember that faith-filled endurance is essential and rewarding (v. 8); that God is the source of our strength (v. 17); and that, by His grace, he “will bring [us] safely to his heavenly kingdom” (v. 18).

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced God’s strength even as you wanted to give up? How can others’ Spirit-empowered endurance inspire you?

Dear Father, please help me to ever be mindful that those who trust in You are candidates for supernatural strength—“they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

For further study, read For When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong.

Today’s Insights

It’s remarkable to consider how much the apostle Paul suffered in his service for Christ and the gospel (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28), and yet he stayed true to his calling and “finished the race” that had been set before him (2 Timothy 4:6-8). How was he able to endure such hardship? He answered that question himself in 2 Corinthians 12:9 while discussing one particular season of suffering. He learned that God’s grace was sufficient, and his weakness wasn’t a liability: “[The Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ ” It was the opening through which God’s mighty power could flow. Today, when we face trials that cause us to feel like giving up, we can lean into His grace and rest in His power and strength.

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A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:13

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 11:11-13

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When explaining how valuable he found time with an older advisor who regularly listened to his concerns, Tomáš said, “He is my hollow willow.” When I looked at him blankly, Tomáš explained that the phrase is a Slovak expression signifying someone who keeps your secrets. In essence, the person is like a willow tree holding confidential information safely within its trunk.

It’s a treasure to have someone to whom we can confide our deepest fears and longings. Perhaps speaking from his own experience, in a section of Proverbs highlighting the power of our words, King Solomon commended the individual who displays discretion or can “[hold] their tongue” (Proverbs 11:12). He also contrasted two people: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (v. 13). The comparison is a helpful reminder to carefully steward private conversations, though we shouldn’t remain silent if we’re genuinely concerned for someone’s safety.

In our digital world where we can quickly spread information, it can be tempting (and easy) to share juicy details that might generate reactions. But gossip not only hurts the individual who trusted you enough to share, it also causes significant damage to relationships when confidences are broken. We can all aspire to be “hollow willows,” people of integrity who can be trusted to keep a confidence.

Reflect & Pray

Who’s someone you know that embodies the ideal of a “hollow willow?” How might you hold others’ words well?

Dear God, please help me steward others’ words responsibly.

Today’s Insights

Along with today’s passage, the book of Proverbs has much to say about the trouble gossiping causes. Proverbs 16:28 states, “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” Twice we read, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts” (18:8; 26:22). In the NLT Study Bible, a note on 18:8 says: “It’s as hard to refuse to listen to rumors or gossip as it is to turn down a delicious dessert. Taking just one morsel of either one creates a taste for more.” Verse 20:19 warns, “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.” Listening to or spreading gossip destroys friendships and leads to a desire for more gossip. As believers in Jesus, God can help us be people of integrity who use speech that honors Him.

Listen and learn more about rediscovering friendship. 

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Our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 3:4-11

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Anna and her husband lived in Argentina with their two children. They kept to themselves and spoke only fluent Spanish. But they weren’t Argentines. They were sleeper agents, spies who’d been born in another country. They’d mastered blending into their host culture, down to how to hold their forks. But a change in their civil registry aroused suspicion, and eventually the couple was caught. As the family was being flown to their true homeland, Anna looked at her eleven-year-old daughter. How would she break the news that they weren’t who her daughter thought?

Believers in Jesus have a citizenship even more vital. We’re agents of a higher king, for “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). The citizens of Philippi were proud of their Roman citizenship; they loyally served Rome as they lived in Philippi. Paul said their loyalty stretched even further. Their highest allegiance was to Jesus, who ruled Rome and Philippi from heaven.

Unlike Anna and her husband, we’re not working secretly against our “host country.” We’re openly working for its good. Our loyalty to Jesus prompts us to serve our neighbors and pray for “all those in authority, that we may live . . . in all godliness” (1 Timothy 2:2). With God’s help we will “seek the peace and prosperity” of our city. We will “pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers,” we “too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Reflect & Pray

How might your allegiance to Jesus serve your neighbors? How might you show that help today?

Gracious Father, please help me encourage my neighbors.

Today’s Insights

The church at Philippi, established by Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:6-40), was a faithful church that actively supported his ministry (Philippians 1:5; 4:15-19). The apostle encourages the believers in Jesus to live exemplary lives “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27) even though they lived in a city that opposed and persecuted them (v. 28). Paul tells them to serve the church and the city with much joy in “the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (2:5), imitating His selfless, humble, and sacrificial servanthood (vv. 1-8). As citizens of heaven (3:20), believers are to “work hard to show the results of [their] salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear” (2:12 nlt). Because of our faith in Jesus, we’re to be “blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault’ ” (v. 15) as we serve our neighbors and pray for those in authority.

Learn how to “love your neighbor as yourself” in every aspect of your everyday life.

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I will put my dwelling place among you. Leviticus 26:11

Today’s Scripture

Leviticus 26:3-12

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Alan is a fifth-generation fruit farmer who manages his family’s cherry, peach, and apple orchard. Over the years, his family has perfected growing trees with maximum yield. They’ve carefully planted saplings for the future, put up a deer fence, and invested in special fans that help keep the air warm when frost threatens their crops. Even so, they’re never assured of a good harvest. Factors like weather, pollinators, and disease are beyond their control.

Yet all of nature is under God’s control. He knows we need physical provision like healthy crops, but He encourages us to look even higher to the ultimate good—Himself. The book of Leviticus contains decrees that God gave the Israelites governing everything from sacrifice and worship to relationships and criminal justice. Obeying His direction would lead to blessing, including provision of a bountiful harvest (26:3-4), but disobedience would result in a curse, where their enemies would enjoy the fruit of their labor (v. 16). More than just plentiful crops (v. 10), God’s blessing included a promise to dwell with His people (v. 11) and look on them “with favor” (v. 9).

The Israelites messed up again and again. So will we. But we can repent, submit, and turn back again to enjoy the gift of His presence (vv. 40-42), manifested in Jesus and now expressed through the Holy Spirit.

Reflect & Pray

In what ways are you seeking peace and provision on your own? What does it look like to walk in God’s presence and in His ways?

May I dwell with You as I follow Your pattern for life, dear God.

Today’s Insights

In Leviticus 26, God promised His people that obedience to His commands would result in their land flourishing with abundant harvest and peace from war. The most significant promise is found in verse 12: “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” At the same time, the chapter warns that rejecting God’s ways would result in famine, defeat in war, and eventually exile from God’s land and presence (vv. 14-35). Yet God assured them that, even then, if His people repented, He’d “remember [His] covenant” (v. 42) with them and bring restoration. Because of God’s faithfulness (v. 44), there’d always be a path back to His presence. The same is true for us today. When we confess our sins, we can enjoy the gift of His presence.

Learn more about overcoming what keeps us from Jesus.

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It is by grace you have been saved, through faith. Ephesians 2:8

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 2:1-9

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When Mark was pulled over by an officer for driving while intoxicated, he was afraid his college football career was over. He was sure he was going to jail. But the policeman instead dropped him off at his college. When Mark asked why, he said, “I’m giving you grace.”

Still, the young man was certain his coach would find out, and he’d lose his scholarship. So when his coach asked to see Mark after practice the next day, he was very apprehensive. Surprisingly the coach said, “I know what happened last night, but I’m giving you grace.” He then suggested that Mark consider attending church the next Sunday.

He went. And guess what the pastor talked about? The grace of Jesus in offering us salvation when we don’t deserve it. Mark got the message. That day, he trusted Jesus as Savior, and he spent the rest of his life serving Him—starting a ranch for boys who need a second chance—who need grace.

It’s by God’s grace that believers in Jesus “have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace does what good works can’t do (v. 9; Romans 11:6). It’s a gift provided by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

The burden of our sin doesn’t have to weigh us down. As Mark discovered, God’s grace can free us and give us life “to the full” (John 10:10).

Reflect & Pray

How have you experienced God’s grace in your life? What are some ways you can show it to others?

Dear God, thank You for showering Your grace on me. Please help my life to be marked by grace and mercy.

Today’s Insights

When C. S. Lewis was asked what makes Christianity unique, he didn’t hesitate: “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” God’s grace is the overarching theme of Ephesians 2. Paul points out how, without grace, we wouldn’t even be aware of our spiritual condition. “You [all of us] were dead in your transgressions and sins,” he wrote (v. 1). A dead body can do nothing to rescue itself. And we were all spiritually dead, “gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts” (v. 3). But God “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (v. 5). It’s all God’s grace, “so that no one can boast” (v. 9). God’s grace draws us to Him. God’s grace keeps us. His grace sets us free “to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10).

Visit go.odb.org/041326 to learn about the extent of God’s grace in offering us salvation.

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[The Lord] is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Joel 2:13

Today’s Scripture

Joel 2:12-18

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“Slow television” is the term used to describe marathon coverage of an event, typically shown in real time. The genre gained popularity in 2009 after the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a seven-hour train journey. Yes, seven hours, on a train. Sounds . . . boring. But it’s gained an audience that finds the scenic ride mesmerizing.

The concept behind slow TV is to show something at the rate it’s experienced instead of the speed with which a narrative drama is told. It’s built around transition and movement instead of tension and plot. Slow TV is a step toward savoring life’s minutes as opposed to counting them.

The poet Francis Thompson wrote of God’s “unperturbed pace.” Thompson meant that God moves methodically, patiently, with steps measured and intentional. We see this slowness even with God’s emotions. In Scripture, the prophet Joel’s call for the people of Judah to repent is grounded in the reality that our God is “slow to anger” (Joel 2:13). Unlike our dramatic narratives, often fueled by tempers and flying-off-the-handle selfishness, God takes a different approach. His anger arrives slowly. To a people who had rebelled against Him, God says, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God” (v. 13).

God’s anger isn’t like ours. He’s slow to anger, a reality that allows us to return to Him with all our hearts.

Reflect & Pray

When and how has God seemed to move slowly in your life? Why is He slow to anger and quick to be compassionate?

Dear God, You’re slow to anger, and I’m ever thankful.

Today’s Insights

The prophet Joel warns Judah of the coming “day of the Lord,” a dreadful, fearful time of judgment upon God’s people for their unfaithfulness (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14, 18). But for those who “[call] on the name of the Lord” (2:32), this day will be a day of salvation and deliverance. God invites Judah, “return to me with all your heart” (v. 12). Joel says that sincere repentance may change God’s mind about sending such discipline (v. 14) because He’s “merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish” (v. 13 nlt). Earlier in their history, against the backdrop of the great sin of idolatry (Exodus 32), God had similarly revealed Himself as “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness . . . forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (34:6-7). God invites everyone to “rend your heart and . . . return to the Lord” (Joel 2:13).

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I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 63

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As I write these words, our Lhasa Apso dog, Winston, lies curled up at my feet. He’d watched me move from where I had been—the chair next to him—to the dining room table. That extra ten feet had been too far away from me.

I’ve been traveling for work a lot lately, and I think it’s getting to him. If I even hint that I’m leaving, or use the word “go,” he’s right on top of me. Practically clinging to me.

In human relationships, someone being “clingy” isn’t normally a compliment. But I see in my dog’s clinginess a vivid portrait of trusting dependence—one that’s mirrored in Psalm 63.

Here, David paints a picture of loving dependence upon God: “You, God, are my God,” he begins in verse 1. “Earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you.” In verse 3, he adds, “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” Near the end, we read, “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (v. 8).

Like David—and maybe even a bit like my dog depends on me—I want to depend on God with my whole being, earnestly seeking Him. Sometimes, I do. Other times, my heart may be cooler, less trusting. But when I repent of my fickle mistrust and return to Him, I remember that He alone fills me. He alone is the one who will leave me “fully satisfied as with the richest of foods” (v. 5).

Reflect & Pray

What helps you experience God’s character as a loving Father most fully? How does trusting Him help us depend on Him?

Dear Father, thank You for Your lavish love. Please help me depend upon You in all that I do.

Today’s Insights

The header for Psalm 63 identifies the author and the situation that inspired the song: “A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.” There’s good reason to believe that it was written when he fled from his son Absalom, who sought to overthrow him as king over Israel (2 Samuel 15-19). In a time of personal and national stress, David poetically and intensely expressed his dependence upon God. Uncomfortable physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual conditions have a way of showing us our dependence on God. Today, weary, wandering people can go to the psalmist’s “wilderness prayer room” for language that helps to give expression to our prayers of dependence. In times of desperation, we can say, “I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you . . . . I cling to you” (Psalm 63:1, 8). When we confess our sins, we see that God alone brings satisfaction to our own wilderness.

Learn more about A Portrait of Dependence.

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Do not fear, for I am with you . . . I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Today’s Scripture

Isaiah 41:8-14

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I shut my eyes as the amusement park ride creeped higher—trying to ignore all the creaking coming from this wildly popular ride I was on. When it stopped for a moment, I made the mistake of peeking and was horrified to see the plunge we were about to take. I closed my eyes again and screamed the whole way down. That childhood memory still makes me shudder.

Sometimes in life it can feel like we’re falling further and further with no one to catch us. But when life seems chaotic and out of control, we can find comfort in knowing that God is with us. As believers, we know that God dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. We can speak to Him and be guided by Scripture.

God wanted to assure the Israelites that He would “catch” them even in the midst of their “fall” of rebellion. He said through the prophet Isaiah, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). God wanted them to know He would help them through their trials (v. 13). How encouraging it must’ve been for the Israelites to know that God hadn’t abandoned them even while they were living as prisoners in a foreign land.

When our life feels like it’s out of control, we can take courage knowing that God is there to help us. We’re safe in His loving and mighty hands.

Reflect & Pray

What challenge are you facing today? How does it feel knowing God is with you?

Dear God, thank You that I’m safe in Your hands.

Today’s Insights

Much of the Old Testament contrasts the false gods of the nations with Yahweh, the one true God of Israel. This section of Isaiah’s prophecy is a classic example of that. In Isaiah 40, God said, “With whom, then, will you compare God?” (v. 18) and notes that pagans “look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple” (v. 20). When God says to His people, “I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (41:10), He’s underscoring the stark contrast with the idol that requires a craftsman to secure “the idol so it will not topple” (v. 7). Despite the challenges facing God’s people, He would rescue them. He says, “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (v. 13). When we face trials, He’ll rescue us too. We’re safe in His hands.

Discover that you are not alone.

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We remember . . . your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope. 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Today’s Scripture

1 Thessalonians 1:2-7

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Emily Kenward walked down Lavender Street in Brighton, England. Having recently become a believer in Jesus, she now saw the street differently. She noticed how many homes had their curtains drawn in the daytime, and how few older people were about, despite the area’s high elderly population. It spurred an idea.

Emily found out where Brighton’s elderly lived and invited them to an afternoon tea. Those who came told a similar story. Now living alone, they often went months without seeing anyone. What they longed for, they said, was a visitor.

Believing in Jesus changes how we respond to the world and its needs. We see this happening to the Thessalonians. Having turned to God (1 Thessalonians 1:9), they had become a model of faith to others by their transformed lives (vv. 6-7). The apostle Paul noted their “work produced by faith” and their “labor prompted by love” (v. 3). True faith had moved them to acts of service that brought honor to Jesus.

Emily was so moved by what she heard at that afternoon tea that she started a charity linking Brighton’s elderly with volunteer visitors. She remembers one woman hugging her tightly, sobbing, grateful for finally feeling seen and heard. The work grew, inspiring others to do the same. It makes me wonder what labors prompted by love the Holy Spirit might inspire you and me to do today.

Reflect & Pray

What need do you see in your community? Listening to the Spirit, what would a labor prompted by love look like to help meet it?

Holy Spirit, please fill me afresh to love others well!

Today’s Insights

Acts 9 introduces us to a believer in Jesus who was prompted by love to serve others. “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha [Dorcas] . . . ; she was always doing good and helping the poor” (v. 36). The Greek word at the root of the word translated “helping the poor” means to “have mercy” or “pity.” In Joppa, there was a specific group of people who benefited from Tabitha’s “acts of charity” (v. 36 esv). We read how “all the widows stood around [Peter], crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas (Tabitha’s Greek name) had made while she was still with them” (v. 39). Her legacy of love for Christ included acts of mercy and kindness for vulnerable people. Her example as well as that of believers in Thessalonica remind those who’ve been “loved by God” (1 Thessalonians 1:4) to allow the Holy Spirit to help us find ways to tangibly show love to others.

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Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Matthew 17:27

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 17:24-27

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In 2024, teenager Keegan happily reeled in a two-foot barramundi. But his happiness became elation when his little sister pointed out a tag on the fish. His catch was worth one million dollars as part of an Australian fishing competition. The annual event had been held since 2015; Keegan was the first to win the coveted top cash prize.

However slim the odds of catching that fish, the odds were far lower that a fish caught at random would have a coin in its mouth. But in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructed His disciple Peter to “go to the lake and . . . take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin” (17:27).

The context of this unlikely catch was a question of whether Jesus paid the temple tax (v. 24). The irony of insisting that Jesus—God’s Son—pay a tax to support God’s temple, wasn’t lost on Him. He pointed out that the king’s children don’t pay taxes to the king (vv. 25-26).

But there was no need to “cause offense” and distract others from His teaching by being perceived as a tax evader (v. 27). So Jesus instructed Peter to catch that fish, which had the exact amount to pay both His and Peter’s tax! Perhaps in part it was a reminder to Peter—and to us—that God is a provider who is always with His children as they follow Him.

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced unlikely events in which you saw God’s hand at work? How does trusting Him free you to live in obedience?

Loving God, please help me rest in Your provision as I follow You.

Today’s Insights

The law stipulated that every adult Israelite had to pay a tax to support the temple (Nehemiah 10:32). When Jesus was reminded that this tax was due, He said that just as kings don’t demand tribute from their own children, He—as the Son of God—is exempt. He’s “greater than the temple” (Matthew 12:6), for the temple belonged to Him. But as a law-abiding Jew, He’d pay the tax so that He wouldn’t be accused of breaking the law and causing others to stumble (17:27; see 11:6). He then miraculously provided Peter with the needed tax, showing that He’s the Lord of creation and will provide for our needs. Christ assures us “not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. . . . Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” (6:25, 32 nlt). As children of God, we can trust Him to provide for our needs.

Learn why we should trust God.

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Do what [the word] says. James 1:22

Today’s Scripture

James 1:22-25

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On my desk is a memo board of reminders. Pinned on it is a list, “10 Habits for Great Health,” that I cut out of a nutrition magazine years ago. Recently, I was stunned that even though I see this list every day, I could only remember four items. The list was such a familiar part of my daily surroundings that I’d glance at it without really seeing it or following what it said.

James describes something similar in the attitude of many believers toward the Scriptures: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and . . . goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:23-24). Many followers of Christ are aware of what the Bible says. However, we may “merely listen to the word” (v. 22), and the extent to which we submit to it ends there. In this way, we deceive ourselves about the power and authority of Scripture, failing to see it as providing the “perfect law that gives [us] freedom” (v. 25).

James tells us to be “doers of the word” (v. 22 nasb). A “doer” looks “intently into” Scripture and “[continues] in it” (v. 25), consistently doing “what it says” (v. 22). Obeying God should be not just something we do, but something that flows from who we are. By His strength, we can live out His Word in our world.

Reflect & Pray

Why do we need to be “doers of the word”? What Scriptural teaching could you ask God’s help for in obeying?

Dear God, thank You for the truth of the Scriptures. Please help me let obedience to You be who I am.

The Hard Task of Reading Well.

Today’s Insights

Our readiness to “do what [the word] says” (James 1:22) can be influenced by how well prepared we are to receive the truths of the Scriptures. Verse 19 encourages the right kind of reception: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” The posture described is one of readiness and welcome. The image that comes to mind is that of an eager, restrained, proactive learner. Believers in Jesus in ancient Thessalonica embodied that kind of deportment. Paul said, “We . . . thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Because Scripture is God-breathed (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17), we can respond to its truth with humility and ask God to help us to obey Him and honor Him with our lives.

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I threw [the gold] into the fire, and out came this calf. Exodus 32:24

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 32:15-24

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“It’s not my fault!” So says Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back when his ship is attacked and there seems to be no escape, only because a repair hadn’t been made. When he says it, you wonder if he bears at least some responsibility for his predicament but doesn’t want to admit it.

I’ve been there. Sometimes it’s easier to find someone (or something) else to blame rather than accept responsibility myself. Scripture shows us that this tendency is as old as sin. Adam and Eve both did it (Genesis 3:11-13), and so did Aaron. When Moses was with God on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, God told him that the people He’d just released from slavery had turned away to worship an idol (Exodus 32:7-8). When Moses returned and confronted Aaron (whom he’d left in charge), Aaron responded, “You know how prone these people are to evil” (v. 22). Then he rationalized about the idol he himself cast, saying, “They gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” (v. 24).

Despite our willfulness, God offers us forgiveness when we admit to Him we’ve done wrong. He assures us that He’s “faithful and just and will forgive us” (1 John 1:9). Forgiven and received by Him, we can be open about our brokenness to the God who took our blame on Himself on the cross, all because of His perfect, sacrificial love.

Reflect & Pray

How have you experienced God’s forgiveness? How might you share what He’s done for you today?

Dear Jesus, thank You for taking my sin, blame, and shame away. Please help me to live for You always!

Today’s Insights

Moses went to God to “make atonement for [the people’s] sin” (Exodus 32:30) and to ask Him to “please forgive their sin” (v. 32). But God asserted His right to discipline the guilty and struck the people with a plague (vv. 33-35). Three thousand instigators of this great sin were also put to death (32:21, 28). God spared Aaron, however, because Moses interceded for him (Deuteronomy 9:20).

Because Jesus gave Himself as “the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:2) and is interceding for us (Romans 8:26), God “will forgive us our sins” when we “confess” them and repent (1 John 1:9).

Watch more on The Scenery of Forgiveness. 

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You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. Mark 16:6

Today’s Scripture

Mark 16:1-8

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At one hundred dollars, Loretta’s utility bill was much higher than usual. “But the Lord will provide,” she told her son. That same day she received a text from her youngest brother: “Loretta, you’re always encouraging me, and I want to thank you. Look in your mail for something from me.” That afternoon in her mail, she found a gift card from her brother for one hundred dollars. A miracle? Not to some, perhaps. To Loretta, however, the “coincidence” felt miraculous. She always expects the living God to provide for her.

Her outlook highlights a lesson in the resurrection story of Jesus. After the Sabbath, three women bought spices to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb. But walking there after sunrise, the women expected not a miracle but a problem: “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:1-3).

Embedded in their question was a curious doubt, especially from these women—including Mary Magdalene—who had traveled with Jesus and witnessed His power. All of them, however, were looking that morning for a dead Jesus.

Instead, “He has risen! He is not here,” they were told (v. 6). That declaration explains what we can expect from the living Jesus: His miraculous resurrection power. He is alive. When we face “heavy stones” that need moving, He will be with us and help us. He’s not in a tomb. He is risen, indeed!

Reflect & Pray

How have you witnessed God working in an amazing way? What does it mean to you to live out Jesus’ resurrection power?

You’re alive, Jesus, and You possess the resurrection power I need!

Today’s Insights

Three key women are named in Mark’s account of the discovery of Jesus’ resurrection: “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome” (Mark 16:1). The women enter the scene on the road to the tomb carrying spices for Christ’s body and asking a legitimate question: “Who will roll the stone away?” (v. 3). Yet their question was needless. The stone had already been rolled away. Mark concludes this vignette with the women even more bewildered than before. And now they’re frightened (v. 8). Luke adds, “Then they remembered his words” (Luke 24:8). Matthew provides more information: “The women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (Matthew 28:8). These three accounts have the ring of authenticity for they reveal the reactions of humans as they discover the remarkable truth that Jesus is risen. Today, the same power that rolled the stone away is available to us when we face stones that need moving.

Visit go.odb.org/040526 to learn more about Resurrection Power.

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Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Matthew 6:20

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 6:1-4, 19-21

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My dad was a hard worker on our farm and in the factory, but he wasn’t a handyman. Sometimes when our tractor or furnace or plumbing failed, a neighbor or friend would fix it. Dad offered to pay even though he knew he couldn’t afford as much as they deserved. But they wouldn’t accept anything; they just loved to help. “Thanks,” he’d say, “until you’re better paid.” I’m still not sure what he meant. Maybe he or someone else did something for them later.

Believers in Jesus who serve others because of their love for Him will one day be rewarded. Perhaps that’s a form of “until you’re better paid.” Jesus told His followers to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). Doing good to others may be one way to store up some of those “treasures.” He said we shouldn’t announce it “with trumpets”; if we do, that’s all the reward we’ll get (v. 2). We can be confident He sees us. The book of Hebrews reinforces this idea: “God . . . will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (6:10).

We don’t serve for rewards but rather because Jesus loves us, and in response we express our love and praise for Him. What a blessing it will be to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Reflect & Pray

What treasures have you stored up? What gifts has God given you to share with others?

Dear Jesus, I long to help others the way You want me to. Please help me point them to You, and lead me to live for Your pleasure.

Today’s Insights

Helping those in need is one of the ways that we “store up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). We take what God has given us and share with those in need. The concepts of loving God and helping the needy come together in 1 John 3:14-18: “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. . . . This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Today, as God helps us, we can look for ways to serve others because of our love for Christ.

Learn more about heavenly treasures by reading The Fool’s Greed and God’s Generosity.

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This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Today’s Scripture

1 John 4:7-12

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What’s so good about Good Friday? Why isn’t the day called Bad or Sad Friday? After all, it’s meant to be a day of sorrowful reflection, not a day of celebration. Sometimes, this day takes other names, such as Holy Friday. In Germany, it’s called Karfreitag, or Sorrowful Friday. So where did we get the tradition of calling it “Good”? Some believe it may have originated from the older tradition of calling it “God’s Friday.”

No matter the origin of the name, it’s still appropriate to call the Friday on which Jesus died “good.” Out of Christ’s sacrificial love, He died for our sins. That’s why Good Friday is good. And the great news is that three days later He rose from the grave in victory.

New Testament scholar D.A. Carson wrote, “It was not nails that held Jesus to that wretched cross; it was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his Father, to do his Father’s will—and it was his love for sinners like me.” We read in 1 John 4: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (v. 10).

The good news of Good Friday is that God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us! Because of that love, we’re called to love others (vv. 7, 11). When we do, we show our love for Him.

Reflect & Pray

What does Good Friday mean to you? How can you honor Jesus on this day?

Dear God, thank You for loving me! Please help me to tell others about You.

Today’s Insights

John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), wrote much about how God loves us. In his gospel, he says that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” to save us from our sins (3:16). In one of John’s letters, he uses similar language: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. . . . He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). Similarly, Paul accentuated that God demonstrated His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sins, which we remember on Good Friday, “we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (v. 11 nlt). K.T. Sim

Visit go.odb.org/040326 to learn about Jesus and His atoning sacrifice.

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This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:25

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

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When I broke my upper arm, my friend Rex surprised me by shipping a care box of frozen soups with a beautiful, silver ladle. I was deeply touched and kept the ladle long after consuming the soup. My arm has healed and dear Rex has since passed away, but his gesture of love continues to express God’s love for me. Every time I lift the ladle, I thank God for His love to me through my friend.

Jesus gave us a tangible gift in the celebration of Communion to help us remember His incomparable love for us (Luke 22:19). The apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians how Jesus broke bread, saying, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Then Christ “took the cup, saying, ‘The cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’ ” (v. 25). God’s lavish love is remembered again and again as we take the bread and lift the cup as believers in Christ.

Rex showed his love through the tangible gift of a care box, leaving a ladle to remind me month after month. Jesus loved us in the life-altering gift of His body sacrificed on the cross for our sins. He left us the practice of Communion to remind us of His unchanging love.

Reflect & Pray

When do you celebrate Communion (the Lord’s Supper)? How might your celebration of it become more meaningful as you remember God’s love for you through this practice?

Dear God, thank You for loving me so sacrificially and for leaving the tangible practice of Communion to remind me again and again of Your love.

Today’s Insights

Paul was “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (1 Corinthians 1:1). As an apostle, he was an eyewitness of the resurrected Jesus (see Acts 1:21-22). But for him, this happened on the road to Damascus (see 9:1-6). He wasn’t present at the Last Supper with the other disciples (see Matthew 26:20-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20), but Christ may have instructed Paul through the disciples who were present on that occasion. On that Passover night, Jesus “took bread” and said, “This is my body given for you.” Then He instructed them, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), thus instituting the first Lord’s Supper. Christ demonstrated His love by dying on a cross. Paul reminds us, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread” (1 Corinthians 11:23). As we remember Christ’s supreme act of love by partaking of Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, we’re inspired to love Him and to love each other.

Join Discover the Word as they discuss Jesus’ final conversation with His disciples at The Last Supper.

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Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12

Today’s Scripture

1 Peter 2:11-21

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At a job interview, Carol was asked repeatedly, “Why did you leave your previous job?” The interviewer had an inkling of the conflict she’d had with her former employer and wanted to know what had happened.

While acknowledging “differences in working style,” Carol refused to divulge her opinion of her former boss, believing that it would be wrong to speak ill of him. Later, after she was hired, her new boss revealed that the hiring personnel liked her response: “We were impressed by your integrity. We wouldn’t want you to bad-mouth your boss—or us next time—either.”

As a new believer in Jesus, Carol had always wondered how to live in a “godly” and “right” way, practically. She realized the answer could be simple: Show integrity and be honorable, honest, and ethical.

First Peter 2:12 points to the importance of integrity in everything: “Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” This includes practical things like submitting to lawful authorities (vv. 13-14); doing good (v. 15); showing an attitude of humility and service (v. 16); and respecting and loving others (v. 17). As God helps us, let’s serve Him in a way that brings honor to His name.

Reflect & Pray

In what simple and practical ways can you live out your faith? What words and actions would you use or avoid?

Dear Father, please give me the wisdom to show integrity, love, and respect for others each day so Your name will be glorified in all I say and do.

Living Right Among Pagans.

Today’s Insights

Peter encourages God’s “chosen people” (1 Peter 2:9) to live honorable and blameless lives, doing good works and living as Jesus lived in an unbelieving, hostile world so as to bring glory to God (vv. 9-21). Paul similarly urges believers in Christ to “live a life worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10)—a faithful and fruitful life that honors and pleases Him (see Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Believers are to live with integrity as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8)—letting their “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise [our] heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 nlt).

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