You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune. Obadiah 1:12

Today’s Scripture

Obadiah 1:4-9, 12-13

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One of the deadliest wildfires in US history decimated the town of Lahaina, Hawaii, in August 2023, killing ninety-nine people and destroying more than two thousand buildings. Still reeling from the devastation, residents experienced additional trauma when some looters pillaged buildings and greedy realtors attempted to gobble up land.

The corrupt desire to take advantage of tragic circumstances is the backdrop of a strong message from God to the nation of Edom. The prophet Obadiah warned the Edomites, Israel’s enemies for generations (Ezekiel 35:5), of God’s coming justice because the Edomites used their geographic advantage (Obadiah 1:3) and acquired wealth (v. 6), alliances with other nations (v. 7), wisdom (v. 8), and military strength (v. 9) to exploit the weak. Obadiah also rebuked the way Edom gloated as Israel was sent into captivity. Instead of compassion, Edom looted Israelite homes and marched through defeated cities in victory (vv. 12-13).

Although Lahaina residents saw despicable actions, they also experienced kindness when churches on the island became hospitality centers offering shelter, hot meals, and emergency supplies.

When someone is suffering, we face a similar choice. We can try to benefit from their loss. Or we can respond in the way God desires, like the churches in Lahaina, with kindness and generosity.

Reflect & Pray

When have you been tempted to take advantage of someone’s suffering? How does God’s love compel us to kindness?

Dear God, please help me extend kindness when someone is hurting.

Learn more about Edom read, The Big Story in a Little Book.

Today’s Insights

Edom’s betrayal of Israel cuts even deeper than one nation taking advantage of another nation’s plight (Obadiah 1:1-13). The nation of Edom descended from Jacob’s twin brother, Esau (Genesis 25:24-30). The tension between the brothers continued throughout their lives, but it’s epitomized in Jacob stealing Esau’s birthright and blessing from their father (25:29-34; 27:1-41). That family tension continued to plague Jacob’s descendants (Israel) for centuries (see Numbers 20:14-21).

The prophecies in Obadiah condemn Edom for rejoicing in God’s judgment against Judah and exploiting their vulnerabilities (Obadiah 1:12-14; see Amos 1:11-12). When someone is suffering, we honor God when we respond with kindness and generosity instead of exploitation.

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In [God’s] great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

Today’s Scripture

1 Peter 1:3-9, 13

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Each fall in my youth, my grandmother got the JCPenney Christmas catalog. With a zealous delight, I spirited it away to ponder its marvelous images.

These days, those images show up on our smartphones daily—the algorithmic distillation of our hopes and dreams, a personalized feed tailored to us. It’s easy to get lost in them. Recently, experts have named this digital phenomenon dreamscrolling. A survey conducted by OnePoll indicates that the average U.S. smartphone user dreamscrolls more than two hours a day! The images that tantalize our hearts invite us to hope, to believe, that if we just had this one thing, it would all be good.

Scripture, in contrast, invites us to relinquish our grip on material things. In 1 Peter 1:3-4, we read, “In [God’s] great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” Peter contrasts our temporal yearnings with the promise of something that will satisfy: placing our hope in God’s grace. Later he adds, “Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (v. 13).

Truth? I’m a dreamscroller. But I’m asking God to help me gradually learn to lean into His bigger hope, to set my desire fully on Him.

Reflect & Pray

What are you truly seeking when you dreamscroll? What’s captivating your heart?

Dear Father, the world is full of promises that will only leave me empty. But my hope in You will never disappoint. Please help me set my hope on You today.    

Discover more about faith in a digital world.

Today’s Insights

The apostle Peter wrote to encourage believers in Jesus scattered throughout the Roman provinces (1 Peter 1:1) in what is now Turkey. They faced persecution from three places: the Romans under evil Emperor Nero (AD 37-68), the Jews, and their own families. The Romans persecuted them because they refused to worship the emperor as God and to worship at pagan temples. The believers also didn’t support Roman ideals and rejected the immorality of that culture. Peter reminded them to stay strong (vv. 6-9), for they have a “living hope” (v. 3) and an everlasting “inheritance” (v. 4). Of 1 Peter 1:3-5, theologian Ray Stedman wrote: “Here is the hope of heaven—a place in eternity that is already reserved for [believers in Jesus]. . . . We not only have a living hope for the future and eternity, but we have present power—right now, today!” When we focus on Christ and set our desires on Him, the things of this world lose their appeal.

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The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. John 20:20

Today’s Scripture

John 20:18-20, 30-31

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Early winter 1941. The Sunday service had just concluded. As their father lingered at the little north-country church, my dad and his siblings walked the short distance home. When their father came up the snowy hill to the farmhouse, he was crying. He’d just learned Pearl Harbor had been bombed. His sons—my dad included—would be going to war. Dad always recalled the moment in vivid detail.

Researchers call such events “flashbulb memories”—moments seared into our minds. Think of 9/11, or the day you lost someone close. Think too of your most joyous experience.

Imagine the flashbulb memories of Jesus’ disciples. They witnessed miracle after miracle. Suddenly catastrophe struck. The Son of God was arrested and crucified. But then, resurrection! Mary Magdalene hurried to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18). Still, the disciples hid in fear. They didn’t believe the news (Luke 24:11), not until “Jesus came and stood among them” (John 20:19). Then, “The disciples were overjoyed” (v. 20).

John recorded some of those moments, saying, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (v. 31). “Flashbulb memories” with eternal significance.

Reflect & Pray

What flashbulb memories do you have? How would you describe your biggest spiritual decision and what it means?

Dear Father, thank You for being with us in all our moments, big and small, and for the biggest event in history—the resurrection of Your Son.

For further study, read A Prayer for Remembering History.

Today’s Insights

The gospel of John contains many “flashbulb” moments—significant events that are impressed on our minds—which shed light on Jesus’ identity and mission. Perhaps that’s why John uses variations of the phrase “come and see” four times in his gospel (1:39; 1:46; 4:29; 11:34). As the individuals in the story are invited to come and see what John is unveiling about Christ, the reader is also invited to pay attention. The apostle is shining the light on Jesus’ person and work so that we “may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in his name” (20:31). This life He offers is eternal: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (3:16). Because of Christ’s resurrection—the most significant event in history—those who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins will spend eternity with Him.

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A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 31:24-31

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Rosie’s birthday celebration was unforgettable. The food was tasty, the table banter was fun, and the presence of her first grandson was icing on the cake! These good things, however, paled in view of her two sons’ tributes to her. Though Rosie’s marriage didn’t last, her exceptional skills as a single mom marked her sons. Their accolades reflected how she did everything possible to provide for their needs. The younger son’s comment best captured Rosie’s posture before them: “She is a God-fearing woman.”

In Proverbs 31:10-31 readers get to see what fear-informed wisdom looks like in the home. The fear of the Lord (v. 30), which is a humble reverence for God, compels one to be trustworthy (vv. 11-12) and hardworking and thrifty (vv. 13-19). And, while the wise woman possesses a “home first” attitude (vv. 21-28), that doesn’t mean “home only.” Meeting the needs of outsiders also gets attention (v. 20).

As with Rosie, the lifestyles of God-fearing women don’t go unnoticed—especially among those who live with them (v. 28). It’s not surprising when those closest to them sing their praises. Want to be a God-fearing follower of Jesus? Why not ask God for His help? And don’t be surprised when those prayers are answered—even in challenging circumstances.

Reflect & Pray

How do others inspire you to live in humble awe of God, even in less-than-ideal circumstances? How can you reverently seek Him and His wisdom?

Wise Father, please give me courage to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in the way I love, honor, and respect You.

Today’s Insights

The book of Proverbs introduces us to two central figures—Woman Wisdom and Woman Folly. Woman Wisdom is the embodiment of God’s wisdom. She entreats the public to follow her way, which is also the path of flourishing (1:20-33). Woman Folly, on the other hand, seduces those who hear her voice, causing them to choose the path of foolish disregard of divine wisdom (9:13-18). At the close of Proverbs, we’re also introduced to the “wife of noble character” (31:10; see also 12:4), whom we can understand as a person whose life genuinely reflects the wisdom of Woman Wisdom. This same phrase—“woman of noble character” (“wife” can also be translated “woman”)—is also used to describe Ruth (Ruth 3:11). Her faithful care of her mother-in-law, Naomi, is a concrete example of what being a woman of noble character looks like in practice—having a character of such faithfulness that others notice it.

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The Lord said to [Moses], “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property.” Numbers 27:6-7

Today’s Scripture

Numbers 27:1-7

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“No matter where you are, what you’re going through; use what you have and make the most of it,” said the young woman in a TV interview. Her words prompted me to listen carefully to the full story. I learned that she was one of six sisters working toward nursing degrees. They were once homeless and struggling, yet they worked together to reach their common goal. And at the time the story aired, all six sisters were completing the nursing program at a local university.

Numbers 27 tells the story of another group of sisters who worked together and supported each other. The five daughters of Zelophehad made an appeal about an inheritance law. They gathered together and stood before Moses to plead their case, saying, “Our father died . . . for his own sin and left no sons. . . . Give us property among our father’s relatives” (vv. 3-4). God answered with this revolutionary statement: “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance” (v. 7).

The five sisters came together and sought God’s mercy as they stood before Moses. And God provided what they needed as they banded together before Him.

Working together isn’t always easy as believers in Jesus. But as we seek God’s wisdom and direction with humility, we’ll find He can help us serve well together in Christ.

Reflect & Pray

How can you work better with other believers in Christ? How does it encourage you to serve with others?

Dear God, please show me how to work with other believers to accomplish goals that honor You.

Today’s Insights

In Numbers 27:1-7, Zelophehad’s five daughters act as one in their request to receive their father’s inheritance in the promised land. Their boldness in making the request (they followed proper protocol in approaching the leaders at the tent of meeting) is an example of both faith and humility. There was no provision in Israel at that time for women to receive an inheritance; it was only passed through the men.

Moses models the character of a good spiritual leader in responding to their request. Since there was no precedent for women to receive an inheritance, he inquired of God, who said, “You must certainly give them property” (v. 7). The courage of the women and the character of Moses led to a positive solution where the good of the people was served. As we face challenges today, we can seek God’s wisdom for ways to serve together well in Christ.

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What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ . . . was raised on the third day. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Today’s Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

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Thomas de Mahy was one of many aristocrats executed by rioting mobs during the French Revolution of the late eighteenth century. According to one legendary account, upon reading his death warrant, de Mahy responded, “I see that you have made three spelling mistakes.” If true, de Mahy pointedly disregarded a drastically more significant matter—his imminent death.

Today we’re in danger of unintentionally missing a crucial point, one that concerns the body of Christ (the church). There are those who would distort its purpose. Maybe we see the church as a political action committee or as a place to be served. Perhaps we see it as a mere religious institution. The church’s priority, however, has always been the good news of Jesus.

Paul told the believers at Corinth, “What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). While other things may have an appropriate time and place, the gospel is of first importance.

How can we be agents of God’s good news to a world so saturated with bad news? By asking God to empower us to share this good news whenever possible.

Reflect & Pray

How was the gospel shared with you? What could you do to be prepared to share that good news with others when the opportunity arises?

Gracious God, thank You for bringing me to You through the gospel of Jesus. Please help me share that good news with others.

Today’s Insights

After Paul’s dramatic conversion, he joined other eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ but as “one abnormally born” (1 Corinthians 15:8). Jesus’ physical resurrection was important to early believers in Christ and to us because our own bodily resurrection depends on the “firstfruits” of His resurrection (v. 20). But eyewitnesses also provided an invitation to others to believe in Christ and receive eternal life that begins now. As the apostle John put it, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). The gospel of Jesus is the most important thing. God will empower us and help us to share this good news with others.

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[Jesus] went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil. Acts 10:38

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 4:23-25

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On January 14, 1973, when Super Bowl VII was played, perfection was on the line. Up until that point in the American football season, the Miami Dolphins had a perfect record—sixteen games without a loss. And when the Super Bowl was over, the victorious Dolphins would go down in sports history as the only team in professional football with a perfect record.

Victorious. That’s also a designation that fits Jesus. A close look at His ministry reveals one victory after another. Matthew’s record of Christ’s ministry in Galilee (Matthew 4:23-9:38) includes summary statements on the front and back ends: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (4:23; see 9:35). Christ was victorious over demons, disease, and death (see Mark 5:1-43). And what looked like a crushing defeat—His death on the cross—turned out to be the final victory. He defeated the ultimate enemy, death, by His own resurrection (see Acts 2:24).

Victors—whether in sports or other fields of endeavor—are showered with awards and gifts. What’s the appropriate response to Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection have secured forgiveness and a right relationship with God for all who embrace Him? Nothing less than worshipful allegiance!

Reflect & Pray

What amazes you about the victories of Jesus? What can you do to celebrate His past and present victories?  

Precious Jesus, please forgive me for not seeing how amazing You are. Open my eyes to see and my heart to worship You. 

For further study, listen to The Struggle Is Real.

Today’s Insights

In Matthew 4:23, we’re told that Jesus’ ministry in Galilee consisted of “teaching,” “proclaiming the good news,” and “healing every disease and sickness.” The term translated “good news” (Greek, euangelion) points to the way Matthew’s gospel subverted the idea that the Roman Empire had ultimate authority. “Good news” was commonly used by the empire as part of its propaganda to celebrate events like a Roman military victory or the birth of an emperor. Matthew’s description of Christ’s widespread healing ministry would’ve also challenged Rome’s claim to have brought health and prosperity. By describing Jesus proclaiming good news while healing diseases and casting out demons, Matthew’s gospel undermined Roman propaganda by insisting that real hope was to be found in Christ, who was victorious over death. Let’s respond in worship to Jesus who defeated death, the ultimate enemy.

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Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. Isaiah 38:2

Today’s Scripture

Isaiah 38:1-6

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My friend Christine and her husband sat down to dinner at their aunt and uncle’s house. Her aunt had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Before anyone started to eat, her uncle asked, “Does anyone have anything to say?” Christine smiled because she knew he meant, “Does anyone want to pray?” He wasn’t a believer in Jesus, but he knew Christine was, so this was his way to invite prayer. Speaking from her heart, she gave thanks to God for His care and requested that He would perform a miracle for her aunt.

King Hezekiah became ill and had something on his heart to say to God after the prophet Isaiah told him he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1). He “wept bitterly” and pleaded, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion” (v. 3). His was an honest, desperate appeal for deliverance. Even though healing isn’t dependent on our “goodness,” and God doesn’t always heal, He chose to extend the king’s life by fifteen years (v. 5). After his recovery, Hezekiah thanked and praised Him (v. 16).

God invites us to pray—whether it’s for an urgent need or to thank Him for something small or significant. He hears our prayers, sees our tears, and will answer according to His plan. Our place is to “walk humbly all [our] years” with Him (v. 15).

Reflect & Pray

What concerns do you have to bring to God? How can you place your trust in Him?

Loving Father, thank You for wanting to hear my heart. I trust that You’re powerful and able to bring about Your good will in my life and in those I love.

Today’s Insights

In Isaiah 36-37, Hezekiah is portrayed as a man of faith, but after the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army and Hezekiah’s miraculous healing, he becomes more characterized by pride. In fact, that pride would lead to disaster for the nation. Hezekiah proudly took representatives of Babylon to see the treasure storehouses of the kingdom, and that act would lead to divine discipline. In 39:5-8, the prophet Isaiah declares that everything in Hezekiah’s treasures and all the treasures of the land would be carried away to Babylon, which resulted in the Babylonian captivity. The flaw of Hezekiah’s heart is seen when, in spite of the prophet’s dire warning, he was happy that his own life would know “peace and security” (v. 8). God answered Hezekiah’s prayers, but his pride would bring calamity to the nation. Today, God invites us to bring our concerns to Him in prayer. We can be assured that He hears us (38:5) and will answer according to His plan.

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In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. Ephesians 2:21

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 2:12-22

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Andy Goldsworthy’s Grand Rapids Arch sits on the side of a road as if striding alongside travelers. The artist created the eighteen-foot-tall, free-standing arch with thirty-six blocks of Scottish sandstone without using mortar or pins. The ascending angled stones, each one different and cut to fit together, depend on pressure created by a wedge-shaped keystone—the top center stone—to remain perfectly intact. The keystone is essential to holding the structure together, much like a cornerstone.

The sculpture reminded me of how Jesus serves as “the chief cornerstone” of His diverse church (Ephesians 2:20). The gentiles—all non-Jewish people—were once “excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (v. 12). Jesus made “the two groups one” and “destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (v. 14). He created “one new humanity,” and “in one body [reconciled] both of them to God through the cross,” giving them all “access to the Father by one Spirit” (vv. 15-16, 18).

Christ builds us up as a church “in which God lives by his Spirit” (v. 22). He sculpts each unique person, connects us to Him and to each other through Him, and walks with us. The church is joined by Jesus.

Reflect & Pray

What hinders you from connecting to Jesus as Messiah, the one who unites the church? How has He helped you connect to His diverse church?

Dear Jesus, please strengthen my connection with You and the members of Your diverse family.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

Today’s Insights

The joining together of Jews and gentiles through Jesus is the clear focus of Ephesians 2:12-20. This passage moves from estrangement (“separate,” “excluded,” “foreigners,” “without hope and without God,” “far away,” vv. 12-13) to reconciliation (v. 16). Using body and building metaphors (vv. 16, 19-22), Paul captures the unifying work of Christ. Of note are two rarely used Greek New Testament words: akrogōniaios (“chief cornerstone,” v. 20) and synarmologeō (“joined together,” v. 21). Jesus is the chief cornerstone who holds the whole building—Jews and gentiles—together.

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In him we have redemption through his blood. Ephesians 1:7

Today’s Scripture

Ephesians 1:5-7

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Andres, the owner of an electronics company, was giving employees with outstanding sales records a day trip to a beach resort. Andres was also taking his seven-year-old son Jimmy. Before departure, he excitedly held his dad’s hand as everyone boarded the van. “You’re joining us? How many sales have you made?” one employee jokingly asked Jimmy. “None!” he replied, motioning to his dad. “He’s letting me join!”

Jimmy didn’t have to work to earn his inclusion on the trip because his dad was paying his way. As believers in Jesus, we also don’t rely on our good works as the basis of our inclusion in heaven. We’re granted access because of Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and Jesus’ own blood was the “payment,” releasing us from our debt to Him. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). He opened the way for whoever believes in Him to “not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Christ’s work and our trust in that work allows us to be with Him for eternity.

When we believe in Jesus as Savior, we become God’s children. Such is His “glorious grace, which he has freely given us” (Ephesians 1:6). Like Jimmy, we can look to our heavenly Father and say with confidence, “He’s letting me join!”

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Reflect & Pray

How does knowing that Jesus died for you make you feel? How does this truth impact your life?

Dear Jesus, thank You for dying for me. Because of Your grace and love, I’m forgiven. I can look forward to being with You forever.

Learn more about having a personal relationship with God.

Today’s Insights

Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus is a monument to God’s love for the church—His beloved children. The idea the apostle introduces in Ephesians 1:5-7 is unpacked more thoroughly in chapter 2. There, he not only explains the magnificent process that made our rescue possible but reminds us that we’re entrusted with great responsibility: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10). As God’s children, we’re given high purpose—to serve Him and others in His strength and grace. That grand idea is explored more fully in chapters 4-6, where Paul describes what the good works of God’s adopted children are to look like—works that impact our relationships at church, in our families, and in our work relationships. All of life is to look different because He has made us His children.

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[Joseph] kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Genesis 45:15

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 45:12-15, 21-27

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In the early 1930s, Cleo McVicker came up with a product that could be used as wallpaper cleaner. Back then, most homes were heated by coal, and walls became covered in soot. Cleo’s invention could be rolled over wallpaper and would pick up the grime. Well, the wallpaper cleaner never became popular, but decades later, a teacher used Cleo’s product in her classes to create Christmas ornaments. From that was born a new company—Rainbow Crafts—and the wallpaper cleaner was repurposed as a children’s toy: “Play-Doh.”

On a far greater scale, God has a way of repurposing people. We remember the biblical story of Joseph and his “coat of many colors.” As a young man, he was a lowly shepherd and was sold into slavery by his brothers. But God led Joseph through great difficulties and into the top ranks of government. Eventually Joseph became “repurposed” as “the ruler of all Egypt” (Genesis 45:26). Yet Joseph’s calling was not about power but about grace—something he extended to his brothers as he forgave them (v. 15).

In a sense, all of us are “failed products.” It’s through “the grace of a Son,” Jesus, that we are repurposed into greater things. As you do life today, think of your higher purpose and remember to extend grace to others, just as Christ does for us.

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Reflect & Pray

How has God repurposed you in your life journey? What might you learn from the example of Joseph’s life?

Dear God, if I’ve forgotten the grace You’ve called me to, please remind me and help me extend it to others.

For further study, read No Model Family.

Today’s Insights

Genesis 45 describes a beautiful experience of forgiveness and reconciliation. Joseph had risen from being a slave in Egypt to someone with incredible power as Pharaoh’s second in command (41:43). Joseph could have chosen to exact revenge on his brothers for selling him into slavery. Instead, he offered grace: “Do not be angry with yourselves” (45:5). The reason Joseph gives is that God had still brought about good even through their wrongdoing—saving the lives of His people (v. 7). His story is a reminder that even when people fail, God is still at work for good. Because Jesus has extended grace to us, we can offer grace to others.

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Each of you is to take up a stone . . . to serve as a sign among you. Joshua 4:5-6

Today’s Scripture

Joshua 4:1-8

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Shortly after his father’s unexpected death, Aaron gifted his mother with a framed, poster-sized photo of dozens of items that encapsulated his dad’s life—collectibles, photos, rocks, books, artwork, and more—each holding special meaning. Aaron spent days collecting the items and arranging them, and then his sister Rachel captured the arrangement in a photo. The gift was a visual tribute to their father, who despite his decades-long struggle with self-loathing and addiction, never left his love for them in doubt. It also attested to God’s love and miraculous healing power that led to their father’s victory over addiction in the last decade of his life.

When after forty long years God’s people crossed into the promised land, Joshua chose a man from each of the twelve tribes to gather a stone from the dry riverbed to “serve as a sign among [them]” (Joshua 4:1-6). Joshua used these rocks to create an altar and lasting tribute to God’s power and provision (vv. 19-24). The Israelites’ journey hadn’t been easy. But God had been with them, providing water out of rocks, manna from the sky, and a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night to guide them—and clothes that never wore out (Deuteronomy 8:4)! The memorial pointed to Him.

God does amazing things! As He provides, may we leave behind a lasting tribute to His love and power.

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Reflect & Pray

Where do you see evidence of God’s work? What kind of tribute could you leave attesting to His work?

Dear God, thank You for the evidence of Your love that surrounds me.

For further study, watch God at Work in All Things.

Today’s Insights

In the Bible, tributes or memorials—like the stone memorial in Joshua 4—aren’t expressions of wistful longing for the past. Rather, they’re reminders of God’s previous faithfulness to help us trust Him in the present. The Torah—the “law of Moses” itself (8:32)—was rewritten on stones as a memorial (vv. 30-35). God’s rescue of the previous generation from Egypt was remembered at the annual Passover feast (Exodus 13). Similarly, Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Christ on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Today, as we remember God’s faithfulness in our lives, may we leave behind a lasting tribute.

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[That house] . . . did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:25

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 7:24-27

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Today’s Devotional

American football quarterback C.J. Stroud is young, talented, and an unashamed believer in Jesus. In a profession where the average career span is just 3.3 years, Stroud has been outspoken about where his trust lies. “Football has a lot of . . . twists and turns. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about your foundation. And something that’s set my foundation is my faith.”

Football, or any other profession, isn’t the only sphere of life with ups and downs, twists and turns. Jesus’ story in Matthew 7:24-27 features two houses, each pummeled by rain, floods, and wind. But only one survived the storm: “because it had its foundation on the rock” (v. 25)—Christ’s metaphor for His teaching (vv. 24, 26).

Yes, storms happen in this life. Sickness and countless other dilemmas can leave us spinning. Life isn’t “stormproof,” but building our lives on Jesus and His teaching—our sure “foundation” (see 1 Corinthians 3:11)—makes the difference. Those who refuse to embrace Christ are more vulnerable when life’s storms come. But those who listen to His words will find stability: “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:25). Indeed, it’s all about our foundation.

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Reflect & Pray

How “storm-ready” is your life? How have Christ’s teachings helped you to remain stable during difficulties?

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for building my life on things other than Jesus and His words, and help me to rely more on Him.

Discover more about Navigating the Storms of Life.

Today’s Insights

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)—His first major public preaching event—begins with words of blessing in the Beatitudes (5:3-12) that welcome us into the life of the kingdom of God and conclude with a statement of assurance about what gives stability to kingdom life in this broken world (7:24). Being “poor in spirit” (5:3) helps us to recognize our great need of Him. But that need is ongoing and continual. It’s not just needed at the outset of our walk of faith but every single day. Living as we do in a turbulent, confusing, and chaotic world, we’re to build our lives (our “house,” 7:24) on the solid rock of Christ and His words to strengthen and sustain us every day. Trusting in Jesus as our firm foundation prepares us for storms before they come.

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God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 1:1-8, 31

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Today’s Devotional

In 2021, Star Trek actor William Shatner enjoyed the opportunity to be catapulted into space in a rocket capsule. When he later reflected on the voyage, he said everything he had expected about the experience was wrong. He’d anticipated the vastness of space would give him a deep sense of connection to all living things, but instead he felt grief: He found the darkness of space cold and empty, which distilled in him a new awareness of earth’s beauty and fragility.

Not many people have ventured into space to have such an experience firsthand. The Bible’s account of God’s creative work in the cosmos invites us to see it through His eyes. God’s first recorded actions were to create “the heavens and the earth” bringing order to what was “formless and empty” and “[separating] the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:1-2, 4). The rest of the creation account unfolds all the good things God brought into being, including vegetation, creatures, and, ultimately, His image bearers—humans.

While the entirety of creation—even the darkest, farthest reaches of space—reveals God’s power and might, we’ve been given special insight into His work right here on earth. The beauty that surrounds us beckons us to worship the one who made it all.

Thank you for being a faithful reader of Our Daily Bread devotions. If you would like to help others connect with God’s Word all across the globe, please consider partnering with us.

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Reflect & Pray

When has God drawn you to worship Him through His creation? For what in creation can you thank Him today?

Father God, thank You for making and sustaining the earth and those of us who inhabit it. I worship You as the creator of it all.

For further study, read How Nature Makes God Visible at ODBM.org.

Today’s Insights

God declared that “all that he had made . . . was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Scripture also records the thoughtful musings and celebrations of poets, prophets, and apostles regarding creation. In Psalm 8, observing God’s handiwork in creation, David wrote: “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. . . . When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (vv. 1, 3-4). Paul joined the biblical chorus with these words about Jesus’ role in creation: “In him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). The wonders of creation compel us to worship the Creator.

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Fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience. 1 Timothy 1:18-19

Today’s Scripture

1 Timothy 1:12-20

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As a boy, I loved reading stories about pirates. How those adventures spurred my imagination! Now I live in an area where one of the most infamous of those pirates—Blackbeard (real name, Edward Teach)—had his headquarters. Shipwrecked in the waters off the coast here is Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

We can easily romanticize the wrecks and the high-sea adventures of history. The apostle Paul, however, wrote about a very different kind of shipwreck that provides us with a caution and an exhortation. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warned his son in the faith to “[hold] on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith” (1 Timothy 1:19). What is this “shipwreck”? Two men, Hymenaeus and Alexander, had in some devastating way departed from the true faith, and the apostle turned them over to Satan “to be taught not to blaspheme” (v. 20). Paul desired them to repent, but the consequences of their actions were dire.

Our faith isn’t static, nor can it exist in a vacuum. We must actively nurture and cultivate our relationship with God to grow strong and healthy in faith and good conscience. May we join with other believers, yield to God’s Spirit, and allow Him to work in us. We can avoid shipwreck.

Reflect & Pray

How would you describe your relationship with Jesus? If you’ve drifted from Him, what’s the first move you can make back to Him?

Wise Father, may Your Spirit work in my heart to keep me close to You and growing in my faith.

For further study, read A Prayer for the Holy Spirit, written by Reclaim Today.

Today’s Insights

Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to work with the young and troubled church there. Although Timothy was to aid the church in its struggles against false teachers (1 Timothy 1:3-7), Paul instructs him that he also needed to grow in his own faith (vv. 18-20). He was to “fight the battle well” (v. 18), most commonly referring to spiritual warfare (see Ephesians 6:10-18); “[hold] on to the faith” (1 Timothy 1:19), referring to trust in Jesus (see Titus 1:1-3); and maintain “a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:19), keeping his actions commendable (see Titus 3:14-15). The journey of discipleship is lifelong. Actively nurturing our relationship with God helps us grow strong in our faith and avoid spiritual shipwreck.

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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 27:17-27

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Louise, a project manager, regretted taking on the freelance job. Both the client and designer were testing her patience. Why is it so difficult? she wondered. Why can’t these people get it together?

Weeks later, as she read Proverbs 27, verse 17 stood out—“iron sharpens iron.” “You can’t file down rough edges with something soft, like silk,” she told her small group soon after. “You need something hard, like iron.”

Louise realized that the challenges in the project were smoothing down some rough edges of her own. She was learning to be more patient and humble, and to adapt to different working styles. God, she concluded, was using the project to expose her flaws and teach her new lessons about working with others.

Much of the book of Proverbs extols the value of godly wisdom, but this wisdom doesn’t come easily. It needs to be sought after with obedience and discernment (3:13; 13:20; 19:20), and refined in crucibles and furnaces, with mortars and pestles (27:21-22)—situations that may mean temporary pain and suffering.

Yet the Bible reminds us that challenges come with rewards: In seeking God’s wisdom diligently and obeying His ways, we’ll find true security, satisfaction, and blessing (vv. 26-27).

Reflect & Pray

What lessons can you learn from difficult situations you’re facing? How might God be refining and shaping you to be more like His Son, Jesus?

Loving Father, please grant me strength to endure my trials and a humble heart to learn from life’s challenges. Thank You for shaping and molding me each day.

Disover more about A Resilient Life.

Today’s Insights

Learning to view troubles and trials as instruments in God’s hand is an important key to our spiritual growth. His goal for us isn’t that we have an easy or pain-free life, but rather that we “be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). As fire purifies gold (Proverbs 17:3; 27:21), so the heat of trials can be God’s tool to purify us and make us more like Jesus. Christ’s half brother James affirms this in his letter: “The testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete” (James 1:3-4). Part of walking by faith is trusting that God doesn’t waste anything. We can be sure that when difficult times come, He has a purpose for those trials in refining and shaping us to become more like Jesus.

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[Jesus] shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death.  Hebrews 2:14

Today’s Scripture

Hebrews 2:7-15

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In his Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, John Koenig offers a collection of new words, each invented to give a name to complicated feelings we previously lacked a word for. His book includes words like dés vu, “the awareness that this moment will become a memory,” and onism, “the frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at one time.” Koenig says his mission is to shed light on all of the unique and strange experiences of being human, so that people can feel less alone in those experiences.

While we might not always be able to find a word for what we’re going through, believers in Jesus can take great comfort in knowing that God values and understands what it’s like to be human. He values people so much that He chose to entrust humanity with caring for creation (Hebrews 2:7-8). And because of Jesus, God understands completely what it’s like to live as a human. Christ is God made fully human, which means other believers are called Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” (v. 12).

Christ not only understands all our experiences and temptations (4:15) but He has also broken “the power of death” over our lives (2:14). Because of Him, our experiences need not cause us to feel afraid or alone. Instead, we can celebrate the gift of being human.

Reflect & Pray

What experiences do you sometimes struggle to find words for? How does it encourage you to know God understands and values your experience?

Dear God, thank You that You value being human and empathize with all that I experience.

Discover more by reading One of Us.

Today’s Insights

Hebrews 2:6-8 references Psalm 8:4-6. In this psalm, David is in awe of God for creating and caring for creation, particularly people: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (v. 4). It likewise amazes the psalmist that God entrusted the creation into our care (vv. 5-8). The author of Hebrews references Psalm 8 to point to Jesus, who, by becoming a man, lowered Himself so that He could die for our sins (Hebrews 2:7, 9). He loves us that much—and understands all we’re going through!

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Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? Mark 4:40

Today’s Scripture

Mark 4:35-41

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My three-year-old niece is beginning to understand that she can trust Jesus in any situation. One night as she prayed before bedtime during a thunderstorm, she pressed her hands together, closed her eyes, and said, “Dear Jesus, I know You’re here with us. I know You love us. And I know that the storm will stop when You tell it to stop.”

I suspect she had recently heard the story of Jesus and the disciples as they crossed the Sea of Galilee. It’s the one where Jesus fell asleep in the back of the boat just before a squall nearly capsized the vessel. The disciples woke Him and said, “Don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus didn’t speak to them but instead addressed the natural world: “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:38-39).

Immediately the water stopped splashing into the boat. The howling wind subsided. There in the silence, Jesus looked at His followers and said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v. 40). I imagine their wide eyes staring back at Him as water coursed down their faces and dripped from their beards.

What if we could live today with the awe the disciples felt in that moment? What if we could view every concern with a fresh awareness of Jesus’ authority and power? Maybe then our childlike faith would chase away our fear. Maybe then we would believe that each storm we face is at His mercy.

Reflect & Pray

What are the barriers to faith in your life? How can you recapture a sense of wonder of Jesus?

Dear Jesus, please increase my faith as I meditate on Your power and presence. 

Check out this video on The Compassion of Jesus.

Today’s Insights

The story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41 is the first in a series of four miracles in chapters 4-5 that demonstrate Christ’s power. In stilling the sea, He demonstrates His power over the chaos of nature. The disciples ask, “Don’t you care if we drown?” (4:38). Jesus’ calming of the storm is a concession to their doubt (v. 40).

But the next three miracles show that Christ does, indeed, care for the plight of the hurting, the desperate, and the grieving. He demonstrates His authority over demons (5:1-20), over illness (vv. 21-34), and over death itself (vv. 35-43). He expends His power not to gain influence or fame but to serve those who are suffering. Jesus’ miracles point to a future where, one day, fear and pain will completely disappear. When we face difficulties and trials today, we can trust His same power and presence to help us.

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The Lord said, . . . “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?” Jonah 4:10-11

Today’s Scripture

Jonah 4:5-11

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How could God possibly care about all these people? The thought hit me as I stepped off a busy train platform in a crowded city, thousands of miles from home. I was a teenager traveling abroad for the first time, and I was overwhelmed by the size of the world around me. I felt small by comparison and wondered how God could love so many people.

I had yet to understand the broad reach of God’s perfect love. In Scripture, the prophet Jonah couldn’t fathom this either. When Jonah finally obeyed God’s call to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh, the capital of the brutal Assyrian Empire that had oppressed his native Israel, he didn’t want God to forgive them. But the city did repent, and when God didn’t destroy them, Jonah was angry. God provided shelter for Jonah through a fast-growing plant but then took his shade away, which angered him all the more. Jonah complained, but God responded, “You have been concerned about this plant . . . . And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people?” (Jonah 4:10-11).

God’s so great that He’s able to care deeply for those who are far from Him. His love goes to the lengths of the cross and empty tomb of Jesus to meet our ultimate need. His greatness manifests itself in goodness, and He longs to draw us near.

Reflect & Pray

How does it comfort you to know God cares for you? How will you respond to His love?

Loving God, thank You for coming to save me. Please help me to love others like You do.

For further study, read The Pouting Prophet.

Today’s Insights

Jonah 4 shows just how hardened the prophet’s heart had become. While it’s true that the people of Nineveh were far from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we see that Jonah himself was also very far from God’s heart. Having been God’s instrument to bring about a national revival in Nineveh (3:5-10), Jonah was angry at Him for rescuing his enemies. God’s love for Nineveh could’ve been a learning opportunity for him, but his heart was so filled with hate that all he could feel was his own rage. Still God loved and cared for the prophet (4:6), just as He loves and cares for us in spite of our hardened hearts.

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Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Romans 12:13

Today’s Scripture

Romans 12:9-16

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With extra time on my hands, my plan for the coming months centered on serving people as much as I could. But while helping a new friend, I tripped and fell and broke my arm in three places. Suddenly I was the one in need. God’s people cared for me with visits, gift cards, flowers, phone calls, texts, prayers, meals (and even a box of chocolates), and by running errands. I couldn’t believe how kind my family, friends, and fellow church members were! It was as if God were saying, “Sit down. You need help. You’ll see what caring looks like.” Because of them, I know more about serving from the heart and feeling grateful to God for others.

Fellow believers eagerly helped me in the ways Paul instructed the church members living in Rome to follow (Romans 12). He encouraged them in many ways, including to love sincerely, to be devoted to one another in love, to honor others, and to share with those in need (vv. 9-13). Paul taught them doctrine throughout his letter. But he also shared that life in Christ isn’t abstract theology—it’s shown in our practical daily living (chs. 12-16). God’s way is love. Receiving and then pouring out His love on others is one of many ways to express His love for us.

As we look for and find everyday ways to serve people in our churches or communities, they’ll be encouraged, we’ll be blessed, and God will be praised.

Reflect & Pray

Who needs your help this week? What will you do?

You’re kind beyond measure, God. Please help me to receive and give Your love to those around me.

For further study, read A Family Dedicated to Serving.

Today’s Insights

A pattern found in several of Paul’s church letters (see Ephesians and Colossians) is that he teaches a section of doctrine followed by a section of practical application and response. In Romans, the doctrinal teaching is found in chapters 1-11, with practical response dominating chapters 12-16. The key transition point is the word therefore in 12:1: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Paul is saying that because of the love and grace God has demonstrated for us as described in chapters 1-11, we can have the heart response described in chapters 12-16. As one pastor said, “What we believe must influence and impact how we behave as God’s ambassadors.” God’s love for us enables us to pour out His love on others.

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