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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Do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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It began with an email a grieving father sent to me. He had lost his daughter Alyssa—a college junior—in a car accident, and he needed to hear from someone who understood his wrenching pain.

Nearly three hundred emails and four years later, Craig and I were finally able to meet in person. His job had taken him to a nearby city, so on a Sunday we shared a church service, lunch, and memories of our daughters: Melissa and Alyssa—two girls who’d made other people happy, enjoyed volleyball, loved Jesus, and innocently lost their lives in car accidents.

What was the essence of our conversation that day? We discussed our sadness. And we cried. But mostly we spoke of hope. True, authentic hope based on God’s promises. “We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope,” the apostle Paul explained. “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and . . . God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). For the believer, beyond the grave is life—life eternal.

Craig and I ended the day by praying and thanking God that our daughters are secure in His loving arms. The shared love of Jesus binds hearts and gives hope in otherwise hopeless situations.

Reflect & Pray

What loss weighs heavy on your heart? Who can you talk with about it? How can your hope in Jesus help you face this difficulty?

Loving God, thank You for putting others in my life who understand my pain and for providing true, authentic hope.

Today’s Insights

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul comforts believers in Jesus who are grieving the loss of loved ones. He doesn’t dismiss their sorrow but reminds them of the greater reality of their shared hope in Christ’s resurrection and promised return. Because Jesus conquered death, we’re bound together not just in belief but in eternal hope and destiny. In moments that feel hopeless—when grief swells or life seems fractured—the love of Christ is our anchor. We don’t grieve “like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (v. 13), because our hope is rooted in a Savior who lives and who’ll return to take us to be with Him where He is forever. This promise unites hearts across generations, cultures, and death itself. In Jesus, separation is temporary, and reunion is certain. When everything else feels lost, His love holds us fast.

Learn more about types of loss.

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Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years. Genesis 25:8

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 25:7-11

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Thirty years ago, I participated in an activity at an unemployment workshop that I still remember today. My fellow laid-off coworkers and I were asked to write our retirement speeches. Huh? We were looking for work and far from retirement age. But the facilitator revealed the purpose of the activity by saying, “Your speech will probably have little to do with your work.” She explained to us that a job really isn’t the center of our lives. And while we may be grieving the loss of a job, our lives mean much more than being employed.

The details about the end of Abraham’s life remind me of this lesson. He died at a “ripe old age” and had lived a “long and satisfying life” (Genesis 25:8 nlt). Throughout Scripture, we read about Abraham’s faithfulness in following God’s instructions, but we don’t read much about his work. The faith the patriarch displayed (15:6) reminds me of the Teacher’s conclusion in Ecclesiastes: “To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness” (2:26). The Teacher said this after considering the meaning of life and how one can find enjoyment in the midst of work or toil (vv. 24-25).

Even during times of loss and anxiety brought by unemployment, it’s helpful to reflect on Abraham’s example and the Teacher’s words—pointing us to true satisfaction found only in God.

Reflect & Pray

What do you believe you’ll be known for? How does focusing on your legacy help you live today?

Dear God, please remind me to live faithfully as I walk with You—experiencing satisfaction in Your presence.

For further study, read Giving Up on Perfect.

Today’s Insights

Abraham’s faith journey began when he was seventy-five years old: “Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran” (Genesis 12:4). He took his last breath one hundred years later: “Abraham lived for 175 years, and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death” (25:7-8 nlt). What a beautiful end-of-life scene! Yet, while Abraham’s dying “at a ripe old age” or “full of years” (niv) was an accomplishment, he’s most known for being “fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:21). One doesn’t have to be full of years to be full of faith. Today, as we experience times of loss and hardship, our true quality of life and satisfaction comes from faith in the living God, who has revealed Himself in Jesus.

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Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Psalm 107:2

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 107:1-11, 41-43

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Today’s Devotion

They sit side by side on Ball Street in my city—the Grand Ideas Garden and the county jail. My friend Joann loved both places. She loved to sit in the garden, thinking about the goodness of God and her love for Him because of what He’d done in her life. She also loved to share with the women in the jail and tell her story of God redeeming her life after many bad choices and wandering far from Him. Often, she would tell me of her passion: her dream that all the women there would someday understand and experience the love of God for them personally.

The psalmist told his fellow Israelites to “tell their story” of how God redeemed them from their enemies (Psalm 107:2). They had “wandered in desert wastelands,” “they were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away” (vv. 4-5). At times they rebelled against God, and He disciplined them (vv. 10-12). Yet every time “they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, . . . he delivered them from their distress” (v. 6). They had much to give God thanks for and to talk about with others. As the Israelites learned, and we can learn also, He has a love that will never let us go.

We too can take opportunities to “ponder the loving deeds of the Lord” toward us (v. 43), give thanks to Him, and tell our own story of His rescue.

Reflect & Pray

What has God done for you to transform your life? Who can you share your story with?

You are so good, and what You’ve done for me is worth telling others about, dear God. Please give me the words and open my mouth to speak about You.

Look at what Scripture says about witnessing to others.

Today’s Insights

The book of Psalms is divided into five books or subsections. Psalm 107 is in Book 5 and celebrates Israel’s salvation history. Much of it is a reminder of the ways that God had delivered Israel time and again in her history. Some have speculated that this psalm may have been written after the Babylonian captivity upon Israel’s return to the land of promise they’d received so many years before. As such, it’s fitting to say, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (vv. 8-9). But gratitude isn’t reserved for Israel alone, for God has done loving deeds for all people. Today, as we reflect on His loving deeds to us, we can share our story with others.

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There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-7

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Today’s Devotion

In January 1967, the town of Winneconne discovered it had been mistakenly omitted from the official Wisconsin state road map, costing the town vital tourist revenue. So the town decided to secede from Wisconsin and become its own sovereign state on July 21 of that year. Some say the secession was a move to embarrass the state government, while others claim it was a tongue-in-cheek act of humor. In any case, months of negotiations resulted in state and town coming together again on July 22, 1967.

Most division isn’t as good-natured or as easily resolved. Division is such a threat that the book of Proverbs lists “the person who stirs up conflict” (6:19) as one of seven things “that are detestable to [God]” (v. 16).

Division may not only cause problems but misrepresents Jesus and His Father. The night before the cross, Christ prayed that His followers would be one in Him, “that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).

Jesus made it clear that our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ (or lack of it) impacts the world’s belief in Him! Perhaps that’s why Paul told the Ephesians, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). May we allow the Spirit of Christ to make us one—that the world may be drawn to Him.

Reflect & Pray

What are some of the things that can divide you from other believers? How can those potential points of conflict be resolved, so that the body of Christ might know and display unity?

Dear Father, please give me a heart for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Learn how you can cultivate unity within your church and community.

The book of Obadiah is the least read book of the Bible. Check out this offering from Reclaim Today to learn how to apply the teachings of Obadiah.

Today’s Insights

Disunity keeps the church weak and ineffective in its role of making disciples. In John 17, Jesus prayed for unity among believers in Him (vv. 20-23). He knew they’d need each other as they faced trials because of their faith. Paul also had much to say about the importance of unity. In Ephesians 4, he urged believers “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (v. 1) and to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (v. 3). In Philippians, he called Euodia and Syntyche “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (4:2). Finally, in Colossians he urged his readers to “bear with each other and forgive one another” and “put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (3:13-14). When believers in Christ are unified in love for Him, they bring hope and light to a dark world (Matthew 5:14-16).

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Be careful that you do not forget the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:12

Today’s Scripture

Deuteronomy 6:10-19

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Today’s Devotion

“Oh no!” That was my response upon opening a beehive and discovering the colony had suddenly died. It had been a thriving hive with lots of honey. I’d carefully maintained it throughout a mild winter and anticipated an early harvest. But a cold snap in the warm weather had led to collapse.

I checked with local experts. “Many beekeepers lost hives this time,” they reassured me. Mild winters present challenges for bees, even healthy hives. Bees fan their wings to maintain warmth in the hive in winter, but when the weather warms briefly, they exhaust themselves seeking even more food. If temperatures drop quickly, they don’t have strength to keep warm. Their “distraction” leads to destruction.

Even good things can become dangers when they turn us from what matters most. Moses cautioned God’s people about this after they left Egypt and before they entered the land God was about to give them—a land with “houses filled with all kinds of good things” that they “did not provide” (Deuteronomy 6:11). “When you eat and are satisfied,” Moses warned, “be careful that you do not forget the Lord” (vv. 11-12).

Remembering God in our blessings helps us because He is the source of “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17). When we humbly respond to His goodness by loving Him with heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), we find in Him the best blessing of all.

Reflect & Pray

What are you grateful for? How do all good things ultimately come from God?

Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your goodness to me. Please help me to remember You today!

For further study, read The Goodness of Creation.

Today’s Insights

Our reading from Deuteronomy 6 takes us to a major moment in Israel’s story. The Israelites had left Egypt and had depended on God’s miraculous daily provision in the desert just to be alive (8:16). They were now on the threshold of entering a settled land with cities, homes, wells, and farms they had no part in building (6:11). In moving from slavery to satisfaction, they’d be tempted to forget the source of all this goodness. Jesus would identify Himself as this source one day when feeding multitudes, providing enough for everyone to eat and be satisfied and even to have leftovers (Matthew 14:18-21). As we reflect on God today—the source of all good things—we can respond with gratitude.

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We know that suffering produces perseverance; . . . and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

Today’s Scripture

Romans 5:1-5

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Today’s Devotion

Jess was getting on in years when he first heard the children’s folktale about the boy and the butterfly. Right away, he understood the story’s lesson on gaining strength from struggle. In the tale, a boy is given a butterfly cocoon but told not to open it. But as the cocoon slowly twists and shudders in his hand, the boy can’t resist using scissors to split it open so the butterfly inside can escape.

Freed from the struggle, however, the butterfly falls to the ground and dies without ever flying. “What happened?” the boy cries. Jess, after a long life, understood instantly. “The boy prevented the butterfly from using the muscles needed to grow strong and fly.”

The children’s lesson may be a fable, but it affirms the bracing biblical truth taught by Paul to persecuted believers in Jesus in Rome: “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

Paul wasn’t saying to celebrate pain or deny its heartbreak. He confirmed instead that God will use life’s troubles to build our character, growing our hope in Him.

It’s in His strength that God develops our trust in His overcoming power. The butterfly was cheated from growing stronger to fly. But in Christ, we can rejoice as struggles lift us with character to God our deliverer.

Reflect & Pray

What’s your attitude regarding struggle? How has struggle grown your trust in God?

As I face life’s struggles, dear Jesus, I thank You for building my character and trust in You.

How can we find joy amidst struggling? Join the Discover the Word podcast as they discuss Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Today’s Insights

Paul’s argument throughout the book of Romans is complex, and there’s a reason that it forms the foundation of much of our theology of salvation. Chapter 5 comes as the conclusion to his opening argument—that no one is justified (made right) by God on their own. The gentiles failed, and the Jews couldn’t perfectly keep the law. Only through faith (modeled by Abraham as Paul points out in the previous chapter) can we enter into a right relationship with God. But that relationship won’t always be framed in roses. Faith results in more than the hope we have; it’s also experienced in the refinement we undergo as we endure suffering. We become more like Christ as we grow in both character and faith in the midst of our struggles.

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These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:3

Today’s Scripture

Luke 8:1-3

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After wiping down tables with disinfectant, Shelia stooped to tie a garbage bag filled with used cups and plates. She heaved the bag over her shoulder and turned to survey the church’s multipurpose room. She’d volunteered to clean it for the next gathering and wanted to make sure it was ready. A thought fluttered through her mind: Would anyone notice?

It’s easy to wonder if our everyday contributions to the kingdom are valued. Whether we clean, balance spreadsheets, lead a Bible study, or give money, so many of us remain unseen in our places of service and unnamed in public commendations.

In Luke 8:1-2, the historian catalogs the faithful service of women in the ministry of Jesus. He lists three by name from among the women freed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary of Magdalene; Joanna the wife of Chuza, who managed Herod’s household; and Susanna. Then Luke says, “Many others . . . were helping to support [Jesus and His disciples] out of their own means” (v. 3). Luke spotlights these unnamed women who invested themselves in supporting the gospel, and so underlines their value.

Just as God includes unnamed women in His account of valuable contributions to His kingdom, He sees our efforts. He knows our names (John 10:3), and He sees our investment in His work (Hebrews 6:10).

Reflect & Pray

When have you felt overlooked and undervalued? How does knowing that God included unnamed women in His catalog of contributions encourage you?

Dear God, thank You that You see me, know me, and value all I give You.

God made you with a purpose. Learn more about your worth in Jesus by watching this video.

Today’s Insights

Luke gives more attention to Jesus’ interactions with women than any other gospel writer. The women—both named and unnamed—mentioned in Luke 8:1-3 are one example, but others include His encounter with the widow of Nain (7:11-17), the “sinful” woman (vv. 36-50), Mary and Martha (10:38-42), a disabled woman (13:10-17), and the women who “mourned and wailed for him” prior to His crucifixion (23:27). Luke 2 also includes an extended account of Mary’s experience prior to Christ’s birth. In the ancient world, women were often undervalued or devalued, but Jesus elevated their status by showing great care for them. This can remind us today that when we feel undervalued and overlooked by others, we can be assured that we’re valued by God. He sees and knows all that we do in His name.

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[God] rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. Daniel 6:27

Today’s Scripture

Daniel 6:25-28

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When the Transit Agency of Central Kentucky (TACK) renovated its headquarters, it wanted to make sure people noticed. Instead of a subtle sign or announcement, it installed a massive, nearly twenty-two-feet-tall thumbtack at its entrance. The thumbtack, a world record, is an undeniable marker that no passersby can miss.

In Daniel 6, God used something undeniable to get people’s attention: He miraculously rescued Daniel after he’d been placed in a lion’s den for choosing to defy King Darius’ decree by continuing to pray to God (vv. 10-23). The prophet survived because he’d “trusted in . . . God” (v. 23). Darius then declared that—unlike the dead idols of the Medes and Persians—Daniel’s God was “the living God [who] endures forever” (v. 26). He alone “rescues and . . . saves [and] performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (v. 27). It’s remarkable that even a pagan king acknowledged God’s power and sovereignty. Like a giant, divine “thumbtack,” God’s act of power couldn’t be overlooked.

Sometimes God gets our attention as He does something significant and undeniable (v. 27)—supernatural rescues, right-on-time provisions, and heart transformations. Other times, He works quietly as we watch and wait. Let’s stand in awe of what He’s doing in and around us today—trusting in Him and His great power (v. 23).

Reflect & Pray

How has God captured your attention? How can you share with others what He’s shown you?

Sovereign God of heaven and earth, I stand in awe of Your inspiring power.

What is God calling you to? Find out more about journeying with God by reading this woman’s story.

Today’s Insights

An important theme in the book of Daniel is that while human kingdoms and powers rise and fall, behind the scenes God and His eternal kingdom are what will truly endure. Daniel declares, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others” (2:20-21). In a world that denies God’s power, remaining faithful to Him carries personal risk. The politically motivated scheming of others led to Daniel being cast into a lions’ den because of his faithfulness to God (6:3-8, 11-16). But when God delivered him, King Darius himself concluded that God is the ultimate ruler: “He is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end” (v. 26). Daniel’s story reminds us to trust and rely on God and His great power.

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A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 11:24-31

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Today’s Devotional

An auditorium full of medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine listened intently as ninety-year-old Ruth Gottesman spoke. As she concluded, Ruth announced—to the students’ gasps, cheers, and pandemonium—that she was donating $1 billion so they could finish their education tuition free. This is the largest donation ever given to a medical school. Yet in the interviews that followed, you would have thought that Gottesman was the one receiving the gift. She expressed joy, delight, and honor to be able to give her money away.

Proverbs tells us that this is how generosity works. The one who “gives freely,” far from being left diminished or bereft, finds blessings they hadn’t anticipated (11:24). When we open our hands to others, we’re left with something more—not less. “Whoever refreshes,” Scripture says, “will be refreshed” (v. 25). We’re often tempted to tightly grip whatever we have, fearful that we’ll be taken advantage of or left with nothing. God’s economy works differently, however. Jesus went a step further, stating that it’s “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

We can be generous with our lives and our resources, offering what we have to others in need. And then, in return we’ll find that we end up receiving too. There’s plenty for everyone in God’s kingdom.

Reflect & Pray

How has giving to others blessed you? Where might God be asking you to be more generous?

Dear God, please help me to be generous like You, and trust that I’ll have all I need.

For further study, read The Fool’s Greed and God’s Generosity.

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How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14

Today’s Scripture

Romans 10:12-15

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Today’s Devotional

As our bus traveled higher and higher on the narrow road along the Andes Mountains, my teammates were busy laughing and singing. I was staring out my window—aghast that there weren’t any guardrails between us and the abyss to our right. I was feeling a bit fearful and anxious as we kept going up and up and up, and I started to wonder why our short-term mission team had come to this remote part of Ecuador. Then it dawned on me: God must really love these people if He would send His own Son to die for them. Surely I could get through a scary bus ride to express that love with them.

It ended up being such a joy to do short Bible lessons, share our testimonies, and pray with the people who welcomed us in the various towns we visited each day.

The apostle Paul was committed to telling others about Jesus so they too could put their trust in Him. In Romans 10:13 he says that all who call on Jesus “will be saved.” But “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15).

There are people all around us who don’t know Christ. Let’s ask God for the courage to share the good news of Jesus with others, pray with them, and invite them to a church service or activity.

Reflect & Pray

How can you share the message of Christ with those who don’t know Him? What tangible things can you do this week to show someone that you care?

Dear God, please help me to share Jesus.

Learn how to follow Jesus’ example in helping others by clicking here.

Today’s Insights

Romans 9-11 have presented a challenge to Bible scholars, as these chapters don’t seem to fit into the flow of Paul’s argument for the gospel of God’s grace. The Bible Knowledge Commentary offers helpful insight on the apostle’s purpose in writing this section: “Paul here discussed God’s sovereign choice because of a practical problem. The Jews gloried in the fact that as Israelites they were God’s Chosen People. But now in God’s program of salvation in the church, Jewish involvement was decreasing while Gentile participation was becoming dominant. Had God, then, abandoned the Jewish people?” The apostle answers this question directly in chapter 11: “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!” (v. 1). Romans 9-11 celebrate God’s sovereignty and perfect wisdom, concluding with the doxology in chapter 11 (vv. 33-36). We may not always understand God’s ways, but we can join in His purposes by sharing the gospel with others and looking for ways to show them God’s love.

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