Through the obedience of the one man [Jesus Christ] the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

Today’s Scripture

Genesis 2:8-9; 3:1-6

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Coniston Water in England’s beautiful Lake District is a favorite vacation spot for families in the UK. The waters are perfect for boating, swimming, and other water sports. That beautiful setting, however, was also the site of great tragedy. In 1967, Donald Campbell was piloting his hydroplane Bluebird K7, seeking to break the world water speed record. He reached a top speed of 328 mph (528 km/h) but didn’t live to celebrate the achievement as Bluebird crashed, killing Campbell.

Tragic moments can happen in beautiful places. In Genesis 2, the Creator “took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (v. 15). The garden was a masterpiece, yet when placed in this paradise, the man and woman disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into His creation (3:6-7). Today, we continue to see the destructive effects of their tragic choice.

But Jesus came to offer life to us—people who were dead in our sins. The apostle Paul, referring to that, wrote, “Just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus Christ] the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). Because of Jesus, the most beautiful home of all awaits us.

Out of beauty came tragedy. And by God’s grace, out of tragedy came eternal beauty.

Reflect & Pray

When have you seen God bring beauty out of tragedy? How did you respond to that event?

Heavenly Father, thank You for the eternal beauty You alone provide.

For further study, read A Season of Suffering: Meeting Jesus in Our Pain.

Today’s Insights

The garden of Eden was handcrafted by the Creator as a home for the man and woman (Genesis 2-3). The garden had everything they’d need, including unfettered access to God Himself. Yet, through disobedience, they were driven from that home (3:24). Jesus, however, promised a better home to His followers (John 14:1-4), described by John in Revelation this way: “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’ ” (21:3). As with Eden, the greatest thing about that home won’t be its beauty or provision but God’s presence, for “God himself will be with [his people]” (v. 3).

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The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. Psalm 118:6

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 118:5-14

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One of my daughter’s most vivid childhood memories is the day her dad taught her to ride a bike without training wheels. At one point in their outing, my husband balanced his feet on the hubs of her rear wheel (while she kept hers on the pedals and they shared the handlebars) so they could coast down a small, gently sloping section together. She remembers her dad laughing with joy—a sharp contrast to her own fearful experience of the moment. The ride was so short that the entire episode happened too quickly for him to stop and empathize with her. As they reminisce about the incident today, my husband’s gentle response to her recollection is to reassure her that he knew everything would be okay.

Their story is an apt metaphor for the moments when we too experience fear in life. The “hills” might look big and scary from our vantage point, and the risk of being hurt can seem very real. Yet Scripture assures us that because “the Lord is with [us],” we don’t need to “be afraid” (Psalm 118:6). Though human help may fail us, He’s a trustworthy refuge when we feel overwhelmed by our struggles (vv. 8-9).

God is our “helper” (v. 7), which means we can trust Him to care for us during life’s most trying and fearful moments. Despite any falls, scars, and pain we might endure, His saving presence is our “strength” and “defense” (v. 14).

Reflect & Pray

When have you been aware of God’s presence in the midst of difficulty? How has He helped you?

Thank You, Father, for being present in my life. Please help me to recognize Your nearness.

Find out more about God’s Comforting Presence.

Today’s Insights

Psalm 118 begins and ends by encouraging the entire faith community to “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (vv. 1, 29). In between those bookends of communal praise, we hear a personal account of how the psalmist has experienced God’s goodness: “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place” (v. 5); “I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me” (v. 13). The psalmist’s personal testimony and experience that God’s empowering, protecting presence (vv. 6-7) led to overcoming seemingly impossible odds (vv. 10-11), leads to joyful, exuberant celebration (v. 15). The psalmist’s remarkable experience of God’s deliverance even from the brink of death (vv. 17-18) invites all to live in gratitude to a God they can trust in all circumstances.

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I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing. Acts 20:19

Today’s Scripture

Acts 20:17-24

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Adolfo Kaminsky knew how to remove indelible ink from paper. As a member of the anti-Nazi resistance in France, he altered identification cards to save hundreds from concentration camps. Once he was given three days to forge nine hundred birth and baptismal certificates and ration cards for three hundred Jewish children. He labored two straight days without sleep, telling himself, “In one hour I can make thirty blank documents. If I sleep for an hour thirty people will die.”

The apostle Paul felt a similar urgency. He reminded the church in Ephesus how he’d “served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing” (Acts 20:19). Paul said, “I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you” (v. 20). This urgency compelled him to share with everyone the necessity of repentance and faith in Jesus (v. 21). Now he was sailing back to Jerusalem, eager to “finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus [had] given [him]—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (v. 24).

Paul couldn’t save people. Only God does that. But he could tell them God’s good news about Jesus, the only “name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Who is the Holy Spirit bringing to your mind today? You can share God’s good news with them.

Reflect & Pray

Who do you know who needs to hear “the good news of God’s grace”? How might you share it with them?

Dear Jesus, please open my heart to those who need You and give me opportunities to tell them of Your love.

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

Today’s Insights

In Acts 20:22-24, Paul was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. No matter what happened to him there, his aim was to complete “the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (v. 24). This urgency likewise motivated him to urge Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). Peter too felt the same urgency. Immediately after being filled by the Spirit (Acts 2:4), he began preaching the good news to the gathered crowd (vv. 14-40). The Spirit is the one who empowers and motivates believers in Jesus to spread the good news (1:8; 4:31; 8:29). And He’s the one who gives us the words to speak (Matthew 10:19-20). The Spirit continues to motivate and compel believers today to tell others about Christ. We can trust Him to provide the words to tell of the Savior who died and rose again so that all who receive Him can spend eternity with Him.

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Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? John 14:9

Today’s Scripture

John 14:8-14

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Richard Griffin was Queen Elizabeth II’s personal police officer for fourteen years. Accompanying her on a picnic in the hills near Balmoral Castle one day, they met two American hikers. “Have you ever met the Queen?” they asked, not recognizing the monarch in plain dress. “I haven’t,” the Queen quipped, “but Richard here meets her regularly!” Thrilled to meet someone close to royalty, the hikers then handed the Queen their camera, posed with Richard, and asked her to take a photo!

It isn’t the first time someone has been in the presence of an important person unawares. “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it,” Jacob said after encountering God in a dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:16). And when Philip asked Jesus to show the disciples the Father, Jesus replied, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Like the hikers, the disciples had been ready to hand Jesus the camera, not recognizing He was the one to zoom in on (vv. 10-11).

Like the Queen that day, Jesus hasn’t always been recognized for who He really is. Beyond a “wise teacher” or “great moral leader,” He’s God in the flesh and King of the world (1:14; 18:36). What a revelation it is when we discover it!

Reflect & Pray

What would you say to Jesus if you met Him on a picnic trip? Who do you understand Him to be?

Dear Jesus, I praise You today for being the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and far more than I can ever grasp.

Learn more about the divinity and humanity of Jesus.

Today’s Insights

Lack of spiritual sight wasn’t limited to those closest to Jesus. The beginning of John’s gospel says this about people not being able to see Christ for who He is: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (1:10-11).

Yet Jesus had expectations for those who were closest to Him—those who’d heard His words, who’d seen and experienced His works. He rebuked His disciple for not recognizing Him: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” (14:9). When we honestly and prayerfully evaluate the words and works of Christ as seen in the Gospels, the Spirit can open our eyes and hearts regarding His identity as God’s Son and the King of Kings, and we’ll be welcomed into the family of God (1:12-13).

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Whoever . . . confesses and renounces [their sins] finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 28:13-14

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When a patch of irritated skin formed near my left eye, I used makeup to cover it. Temporarily this kept my problem a secret. After a while, though, the swollen red spot didn’t clear up, and I knew it needed medical attention. On the morning of the doctor’s appointment, I was tempted to apply makeup as usual, but I didn’t. I wanted the doctor to see the problem clearly and treat it so it could heal.

Have you ever tried to hide a sin problem? Maybe you’re aware that some action or thought is controlling you, but you’ve avoided praying about it or mentioning it to friends and family. Maybe you think it’s no big deal because many other people are dealing with similar issues. But it’s impossible to thrive spiritually when sin is secretly fouling up our lives. As Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper.” Thankfully the verse continues, “but the one who confesses and renounces [sin] finds mercy” (v. 13).

It can be hard to adopt God’s view of our actions and admit that certain practices are wrong. However, His kindness eases the process of humbling ourselves. When we welcome the power of Christ’s Spirit into our struggle, we can reject the wrong that tempts us (Galatians 5:16-17, 22-24). As God guides us, change is possible, and our spiritual health is worth the effort!

Reflect & Pray

As you consider confessing sin, why is God’s everlasting love encouraging? How might the enemy deceive you in your struggle with sin?

Dear God, please help me yield the areas of sin in my life to You.

Today’s Insights

Proverbs 28:13-14 focuses on the importance of confession—the good that comes to those who acknowledge their sins. This essential message is consistent with the Bible’s teaching elsewhere in the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 32 shares several words with the Proverbs passage: blessed, cover [conceal], confess. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them” (Psalm 32:1-2). “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ ” (v. 5). First John 1:9 shares the encouraging sentiments of these Old Testament texts: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Hiding our sin is unhealthy, but humbly bringing it to light through confession and turning from it leads to life.

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Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. Job 41:11

Today’s Scripture

Job 41:1-5, 10-14

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Years ago, a lumpy package arrived in my mailbox. I noticed my best friend’s return address on it and smiled. Joe sometimes sends me unexpected things. This package qualified: Inside was a dark brown shark’s tooth—five inches long.

Joe’s letter explained it was a fossilized tooth from a prehistoric shark, a megalodon, many times bigger than a great white shark. I tried to fathom how big a fish’s jaw would have to be to contain rows of such teeth. Scientists offer a speculative answer: nine by eleven feet. What a sight these creatures must have been!

Scripture doesn’t mention megalodons. But in the book of Job, God describes a sea beast called Leviathan. Job 41 details its impressive frame. “I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs, its strength and its graceful form,” God tells Job (v. 12). “Who dares open the doors of its mouth, ringed about with fearsome teeth?” (v. 14).

The answer? Only Leviathan’s creator. And here, God reminds Job that as great as this beast might be, it’s nothing compared to its Creator: “Everything under heaven belongs to me” (v. 11).

That meg tooth sits on my desk, a visual token of our Creator’s majesty and creativity. And that unlikely reminder of God’s character comforts me when it feels like the world might eat me up and spit me out.

Reflect & Pray

How do certain aspects of creation remind you of God’s powerful, creative nature? How does His work in creation encourage you?

Dear Father, Your creation speaks of Your splendor and power. Please help me trust You when life feels overwhelming.

Learn more about what we can learn from nature by reading What Leviathan Teaches Us About God.

Today’s Insights

Job 41 represents part of the lengthy discourse—which began in Job 40:6—between God and His struggling servant Job about His authority and power proven by the things He’s created. After many chapters of defending his innocence and righteousness, Job can’t maintain his own personal goodness when confronted by the greatness of God, and he responds to His speech with true brokenness and repentance (42:1-6). There can be no question that Job was a good man, but confronted by the God of the universe, Isaiah’s comparison is clear: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Creation reminds us of the greatness of God. It reveals our smallness before Him and our deep dependence on Him.

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The Spirit of the Lord came on him. Judges 3:10

Today’s Scripture

Judges 3:7-11

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Her husband’s death began a period of transition for Nora. She took over his hardware business and cared for their three children on her own. “Be strong,” friends often told her. But what does that mean? she’d think. That I must deliver without fail in my responsibilities?

God gave great responsibilities to Othniel in a time of transition for the people of Israel. As discipline for the nation’s idolatry, God had given them “into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim . . . to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years” (Judges 3:8). Under the cruel king of Mesopotamia, the Israelites “cried out to the Lord,” and “he raised up for them a deliverer” (v. 9)—Othniel, whose name means “God’s strength.”

As the first judge of Israel, Othniel had no predecessor to help him. This military leader had to guide the Israelites back to living out their covenant relationship with God and defend them from their enemies. But because “the Spirit of the Lord came on him” (v. 10), he succeeded. With God’s strength sustaining Othniel’s leadership, “the land had peace for forty years, until [he] died” (v. 11).

How can we truly “be strong”? It’s by knowing we’re not strong and by trusting God to give us His strength. His “grace is sufficient for [us], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s strength works through us, doing things only He can do.

Reflect & Pray

How have you tried to “be strong”? How does Othniel’s story impact your understanding of strength?

Father God, please enable me to rely on Your strength.

Read this article to learn more about God’s Motivations.

Today’s Insights

Judges 2:10-19 describes a pattern throughout the book of Judges. When the people no longer “acknowledge[d] the Lord” or “remember[ed] the mighty things he had done for [them]” (v. 10 nlt), they descended into apostasy (abandoned their faith). So God would side with Israel’s enemies to defeat them (v. 15). Then He’d respond to the Israelites’ “groaning” (v. 18) by raising judges to save them. They were given safety while the judge was alive (v. 18), but once the judge died, the pattern would repeat itself (v. 19).

Judges 3:7-11 describes an example of this pattern. God’s anger led to the Israelites being under subjection for eight years (v. 8). When they cried out to God, He raised up Othniel to rescue them through the power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 9-10). As God gave strength to Othniel, we also can rely on His strength to do through us what He alone can do.

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Today’s Scripture

Romans 12:14-21

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Doctor Dolittle, the fictional doctor who converses with animals, has delighted fans through books, movies, and plays. However, few people know that author Hugh Lofting first wrote the Dolittle tales to his children from the ghastly trenches of World War I. He later said that the war was too awful to recount in his letters—so he wrote and illustrated stories instead. These whimsical, joy-filled tales were Lofting’s way of pushing back against the war’s horror.

It’s inspiring to see a person moving against the menacing, degrading forces that seem too powerful to thwart. We admire this resilient courage because we fear that injustice, violence, and greed will triumph. Sometimes we fear that the whole world will be “overcome by evil” (Romans 12:21). And these fears are well-founded if we’re left to ourselves. However, God has not left us to ourselves. He fills us with His divine strength, places us in the action, and calls us to “overcome evil with good” (v. 21).

We each overcome evil with good in whatever ways God has put into our hearts. Some of us write beautiful stories. Some of us care for the poor. Some of us make our homes places of welcome. Some of us share God’s story through melody, poetry, or conversation. In a myriad of ways, we carry His goodness and peace into the world (v. 18), overcoming evil as we go.

Reflect & Pray

Where do you see evil lurking? How can you be part of overcoming evil with good?

Dear God, please help me be part of overcoming evil with good.

Check out this article to learn how to live a wholehearted life for Christ.

Today’s Insights

Romans 12 is a marvelous treatise from the apostle Paul on how to live out Jesus’ challenge to be salt and light to this dark world (see Matthew 5:13-14). Through the lives of believers in Christ, the world has the opportunity to see God’s goodness and peace on display. Why? Because of the dramatic contrast goodness and peace provide to the evil and conflict around us. Paul’s words also give a powerful picture of how we’re to live out the gospel. Living out our faith isn’t optional—it’s inherent to being witnesses to the life-changing power of the gospel. What we believe must necessarily make a difference in how we live, and when we live out our faith through the power of the Spirit, we put the heart of God on display.

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Go and make disciples. Matthew 28:19

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 28:16-20

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Early in the basketball season, the coach at our neighborhood middle school seemed to work hardest convincing his players to risk shooting the ball. “Shoot!” he pleaded from the sidelines. His players eagerly passed the ball. Dribbling was a favorite too. The season was half over before most of them would shed their doubts and try to shoot the ball to score. But “going for it” made all the difference. By obeying their coach, letting go of doubt, and trying—even if they often missed the target—they learned to win.

Jesus teaches us to let go of doubt to obey His call to make disciples. He explains, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In practical terms, this can mean stepping out of our comfort to share our story of what God has done for us. Or getting involved in the lives of our hurting neighbors, showing them Jesus’ love. Such approaches work, but only if we let go and try them.

Above all, we go in Jesus’ authority to attempt what may look hard—making disciples. But we need not fear. Jesus promised: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20).

Reflect & Pray

What fears and doubts do you have about making disciples? Why? How can you obey Christ’s call?

I need practice making disciples, dear Father, but please encourage me to let go of doubt and try.

Learn more about the work God is doing in our lives by reading the Mission of God.

Today’s Insights

The Gospels describe Jesus as a man who “taught as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:29) and one who “has authority on earth to forgive sins” (9:6). God has “granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those [God has] given him” (John 17:2). When Christ sent His twelve disciples out to preach, He gave them His authority to do the work (Matthew 10:1). Before He returned to the Father after His death and resurrection, Jesus entrusted to us the task of telling the world the good news. He commanded us to tell others about what He’s done for us and to disciple them (28:19-20). We can let go of doubt, for we’re not going out on our own. Christ promised, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (v. 20).

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Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure . . . think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Today’s Scripture

Philippians 4:4-9

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Lap after lap, Katie Ledecky was in a familiar spot during the 1500-meter freestyle race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For some fifteen minutes, she was far ahead of the rest of the swimmers and alone with her thoughts. What was Ledecky thinking about during the long race? In an interview conducted immediately following her gold-medal-winning performance in which she set a new Olympic record, Ledecky said she was thinking about her training partners and saying their names in her head.

Distance swimmers aren’t the only ones who need to focus their minds on the right things. We as believers in Jesus also need to guard our thoughts throughout our faith journey.

The apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian church to “rejoice in the Lord,” not be “anxious about anything, but pray about everything (Philippians 4:4, 6). The result? “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). Jesus, the Prince of Peace, helps put our worries and troubles in perspective.

Paul also encouraged believers: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (v. 8).

As we go about our day, let’s be aware of our thoughts. When we see God’s hand in our life, we can count our blessings and worship Him.

Reflect & Pray

What have you been thinking about lately? How can you honor God with your thoughts?

Dear God, may my thoughts be pleasing to You.

Learn how to grow in faith by reading The Confidence to Grow.

Today’s Insights

In this “joyful” letter (Philippians 1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; 4:1), Paul challenged believers in Jesus to “rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4). He explains why he’s rejoicing and encourages believers to do the same (1:18; 2:17-18; 3:1; 4:4, 10). When he first visited the Roman colony of Philippi on his second missionary journey about ten years earlier, he’d been falsely accused of disturbing the social peace of the city. Even though he’d been illegally beaten and unjustly imprisoned (Acts 16:20-24), he was a picture of calmness and peace, “praying and singing hymns to God” (v. 25). In Philippians 4, Paul says not to “worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. . . . Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (vv. 6, 8 nlt). As we focus our thoughts on what God’s done, we can worship Him even in the midst of trials.

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See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed. Lamentations 1:20

Today’s Scripture

Lamentations 1:20-22

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I viewed the opening displays of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City with curiosity but kept my emotions in check. That changed when we entered the inner exhibit, which the curators have wisely closed off from children and those wanting to shield themselves from the more heartrending images. As I encountered story after story of heartbreak and loss, waves of lament rose within me.

When we witness or remember such destruction and pain, we can join the cries of those who have voiced their distress to God. This includes the words of anguish found in Lamentations, which many scholars believe the prophet Jeremiah wrote after the destruction of Jerusalem. In the tightly formed structure of this poem, he releases his sorrow and grief over the pain of God’s people: “See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed” (Lamentations 1:20). And yet he looks to God as the ultimate judge, knowing that only He can deal with the sins and destruction: “Let all their wickedness come before you” (v. 22).

This kind of honest crying out to God can help us to grapple with painful atrocities such as what happened on September 11, 2001, or other current-day evil deeds. We look to God for help, hope, comfort, and justice.

Reflect & Pray

When you witness wickedness, how do you keep your heart tender before God? How might He lead you to pray for those who are hurting today?

God of truth and love, I know that Your heart breaks over the pain in the world. Please envelop me in Your grace and mercy and heal my wounds.

Today’s Insights

When we think of lament in the Bible, Jeremiah—known as the weeping prophet—comes to mind (see Jeremiah 9:1). However, he’s not the sole exemplar of lament in the Scriptures. Other examples are Job, David, and Jesus.

In Lamentations 1:20-22, the prophet Jeremiah expresses the rawness and weightiness of lament even in the choice of his words. It’s the consequence of something so powerful or heartbreaking—where something of value has been lost—that it prompts uncommon expression. Jeremiah exclaims, “See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed” (v. 20). The situation was such that it generated “groaning” (v. 21). Lament is the appropriate language of those who have personally come to grips with their pain and the conditions that caused it. As we grapple with pain, God invites us to express our honest, prayerful, and worshipful lament to Him.

Visit GO.ODB.org/091125 to learn how lament can help us praise God in the midst of loss.

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We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12

Today’s Scripture

2 Chronicles 20:2-4, 6-12, 15

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Anita Bailey’s heart was warmed when she got this social media message about her son Jalen: “I was a greeter today at [church] and a young man with a child in his arms came up to me and put his arms around me. . . . I stared for a second, then I recognized him and said, ‘Jalen!’ We embraced and chatted briefly. What a fine young man!” The greeter knew Jalen in his rebellious days when Anita and her husband, Ed, had felt powerless to save their son from the consequences of his unwise choices, which had resulted in twelve years in prison for him.

Though the Baileys felt powerless, they were not prayerless. And neither was King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. When harassed by a menacing coalition of enemy forces, he called a prayer meeting (vv. 1-4). “Our God, will you not judge them?” he prayed. “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12).

Have you ever felt powerless or clueless in the face of circumstances that were out of your control? Why not call a prayer meeting—either alone or with others? That’s what Jesus did in the face of His coming crucifixion (Luke 22:39-44). Prayer space is the sacred place where the petitions of powerless people are offered to our almighty God in the name of Jesus.

Reflect & Pray

What’s keeping you from bringing your challenges to God in prayer? How can you partner with others in prayer for mutual support?

Almighty God of resurrection power, please help me in my powerlessness today as I fix my eyes on Jesus.

Today’s Insights

The temple in Jerusalem is where the Israelites sought God in prayer during national crises (2 Chronicles 6:18-40). When Israel was threatened by a large enemy military coalition, Jehoshaphat assembled the nation at the temple and prayed for God’s help (20:1-12; see 6:34-35). Responding to the people’s faith, God assured them of victory: “Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you” (20:15, 17). Prayer is where powerless people offer petitions to an almighty God.

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Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord. 2 Timothy 1:8

Today’s Scripture

2 Timothy 1:6-12

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Today’s Devotional

Before he was martyred for his steadfast faith in Jesus, an African minister whose name has not been preserved penned “A Martyr’s Prayer.” This profound message from another era has become known as “The Fellowship of the Unashamed.”

This pastor’s words present a challenge to all believers in Jesus—a challenge that echoes the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote in his letter to his young friend Timothy: “Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8) because the Holy Spirit gives us “power, love and self-discipline” (v. 7).

Here, in part, is what that faithful African pastor wrote: “I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of [Jesus] and I won’t back up, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. . . . I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by the Holy Spirit’s power.”

Both Timothy and that pastor faced difficulties we may never experience, but their words challenge us to stand strong when our faith is tested. We can remain unashamed because God “is able to guard what [we] have entrusted to him” (v. 12)—our lives and our future.

Reflect & Pray

What gives you courage to be unashamed for Christ? How can you follow the examples of others who were unashamed of the gospel?

Dear God, You promised that the Holy Spirit gives us power. Please help me to stand up for You and be unashamed in all kinds of situations.

Dive deeper into the wisdom shared in 1 and 2 Timothy.

Today’s Insights

In 2 Timothy 1:6-14, Paul’s advice to Timothy was in no way arrogant, nor was it given flippantly. He wrote out of his own deep suffering. In fact, he was imprisoned at that moment and understood that he’d soon be executed. “The time for my departure is near,” he wrote (2 Timothy 4:6). And yet the apostle was forward-looking. Just as Jesus gave instructions to His disciples the night before His crucifixion, so too Paul focused on developing the faith and ministry of his younger protégé Timothy, who would carry on the work. “Fan into flame the gift of God,” he urged him (1:6). “Join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God” (v. 8). Paul didn’t fear death because he anticipated “the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (v. 10). We can also stand strong when our faith is tested.

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Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6

Today’s Scripture

John 14:1-7

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When my friend Connor takes pictures on his old film camera, he doesn’t bother to find attractive lighting or airbrush blemishes or crop out anything unsightly. His photos are startlingly raw. They stand out in my social media feed next to heavily edited photos of gorgeous people and places. Though unconventional, his work is beautiful because it communicates truth about how things really are.

We all long for what’s real, but sometimes the truth isn’t attractive to us. Close to the time of His death, Jesus declared, “I am . . . the truth” (John 14:6). His disciples were wondering how they could get to the Father’s house that Jesus spoke so longingly about (vv. 2-3). They failed to see that Jesus standing in front of them was the answer. They struggled to understand that He would bring victory through His own sacrifice.

Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would have no beauty or majesty, “nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). Much of what Jesus said was so challenging and unexpected that it turned religious people against Him (John 11:45-48). Yet He gave an open invitation to know the truth and find real life. “If you really know me,” said Jesus, “you will know my Father as well” (John 14:7). In the midst of an airbrushed and unrealistic world, we can embrace that beautiful, raw truth today!

Reflect & Pray

When and why have you sought superficial beauty instead of truth? How can you embrace Jesus’ words more and more?

Dear Jesus, I choose to follow You as the source of all truth.

Watch this video to see how Jesus is the way!

Today’s Insights

In John 13-17, we encounter a scene best viewed with reverence and awe. These chapters contain Christ’s final instructions to His disciples before His arrest and crucifixion. Immediately after Judas had departed to betray Christ, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him” (13:31). The reality of His violent death for us was the pivot point of Christ’s entire mission. At first, the disciples couldn’t accept this. The crucifixion brought the rawest truth they would absorb. Yet His death was essential to providing restoration to our heavenly Father. Jesus promised, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” His words “I will come back and take you to be with me” (14:2-3) convey the culmination of that raw truth—eternal joy with our Father.

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Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper. Deuteronomy 5:33

Today’s Scripture

Deuteronomy 5:28-29, 32-33

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A team of landscape architects studied the effects of providing a fence around a preschool playground. On playgrounds without fences, children tended to gather close to the school building and their teacher and didn’t stray away. But on fenced-in playgrounds, they enjoyed the entire area. The researchers concluded that boundaries can create a greater sense of freedom. This seems counterintuitive to so many of us who think boundaries restrict enjoyment. Yet fences can provide freedom!

God underlines the freedom His boundaries provide for us. In offering the Ten Commandments to Israel, He promised that a “prosperous” life would result from living within His divine boundaries. “Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33). Here the concept of prosperity includes a life lived with good results—a life of quality.

Jesus, who fulfilled the law with His death on the cross, proclaimed, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Indeed, God’s boundaries are for our good. “Fences” can free us to enjoy the life God created us to experience with Him.

Reflect & Pray

In what ways do God’s commands free you? How can you better embrace the freedom such boundaries offer?

Dear God, thank You for the wise parameters You put in place for my good.

Explore five reasons why Christians should read the Old Testament.

Today’s Insights

Deuteronomy records Moses’ words to the fledgling nation of Israel as they’re about to enter the promised land. Here in chapter 5, Moses reminds them of the Ten Commandments (vv. 6-21) given forty years earlier on Mount Sinai. At that time, God had spoken to them “face to face out of the fire on the mountain” (v. 4). The people feared this awesome God and told Moses, “This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer” (v. 25). God was pleased with their reverential fear and said, “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always” (v. 29). He knew their inclination to violate His boundaries, which were given because He loved them. That’s why Moses urged them, “Be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you” (v. 32).

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Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord. Ezra 7:10

Today’s Scripture

Ezra 7:6-11, 27-28

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Ginnie Hislop received a standing ovation as she received her master’s degree in 2024. Why? It came eighty-four years after she’d completed her coursework! In 1941, she needed only to submit her thesis. But her then boyfriend, George, was suddenly called to serve during World War II. The two quickly married and headed to his army outpost—leaving Ginnie’s nearly realized degree behind. But after a lengthy pause, she was finally able to complete what she’d started.

Ezra was a student of Scripture—one who truly had an “advanced degree” in God’s law—who’d been waiting years to return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. “Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees” (Ezra 7:10). Zerubbabel and a group of Israelite exiles had been permitted to return from Babylon to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem decades earlier (2:1-2). And now Ezra, who had “the gracious hand of his God . . . on him” (7:9), was leading more exiles to Jerusalem. God would use him to reform and restore the proper worship of Him according to Scripture: “Ezra opened the book [of the Law]. All the people . . . bowed down and worshiped the Lord” (Nehemiah 8:5-6).

Ezra had to wait decades, but he completed his calling in God’s strength. In His power, let’s persist in finishing the work He has for us.

Reflect & Pray

What can you do to press on in your calling from God? How can you persist in His power and wisdom?

Dear God, please help me finish well what You’ve called me to do.

Learn how to find and follow your calling.

Today’s Insights

The book of Ezra records the two returns of Jewish exiles from Babylon. Zerubbabel, a descendant of David (Matthew 1:12), led the first return of fifty thousand in 538 bc (Ezra 1-6). Some eighty years later (458 bc), Ezra led another five thousand in the second return (chs. 7-10). Nehemiah, a contemporary of Ezra, led the third return in 444 bc. Ezra, a priest and a teacher well-versed in the law of Moses, faithfully taught the Scriptures to the people, leading them in two spiritual renewals (Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 8-10). As God helped Ezra, He can help us persist in finishing the work He has for us.

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Join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Romans 15:30

Today’s Scripture

Romans 15:30-33

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A pack of hyenas surrounded a lone lioness. When the cackling beasts attacked, the lioness fought back. Biting, clawing, growling, and roaring in a desperate attempt to ward off her enemies, she finally fell. As the clan engulfed her, another lioness came to the rescue with three helpers only seconds behind her. Though outnumbered, the big cats fought off the hyenas until they scattered. The lionesses stood together, scanning the horizon as if expecting another attack.

Believers in Jesus desperately need help from others too. The most powerful help we can offer is prayer. The apostle Paul wrote in a letter to the church in Rome, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Romans 15:30). Paul asked them to pray that he would “be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea” and that the “Lord’s people” would receive him and his gifts “favorably” (v. 31). He acknowledged the rewards of being a part of their community (v. 32). He stood with them in prayer, too, ending his letter with a blessing: “The God of peace be with you all” (v. 33).

As we live for Jesus, we’ll face adversaries in the physical and spiritual realms. God promises to be with us and fight on our behalf, however, as we stand together . . . always ready to pray.

Reflect & Pray

How has God used intercessory prayer to strengthen you? How does He keep you ready to pray?

Mighty God, please make me steadfast in prayer as I thrive in community with You and others.

Discover the life-changing power of prayer.

Today’s Insights

When Paul asked believers in Jesus to “join” him in earnest prayer (Romans 15:30), the Greek word used conveys the idea of straining or striving together. Like athletes struggling to reach the finish line, he wanted the Roman believers to wrestle faithfully with God in prayer for the challenges he’d soon be facing. Paul’s concerns about the likelihood of facing fierce opposition in Judea (v. 31; Acts 20:22-25) were well founded. In Acts 21-27, we read of what the apostle experienced there. He was seized by a mob and arrested (21:27-36), religious leaders conspired to murder him (23:12-15), and he spent two years in prison before finally being sent to Rome (24:27; 26:32–27:1).

This likely wasn’t what Paul was hoping for when he asked for prayers to “be kept safe” (Romans 15:31), but he was able to trust in “God’s will” (v. 32) and powerful presence. As believers in Jesus, we can also trust in the one who’s with us and who will fight for us.

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Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around [Saul]. He fell to the ground and heard a voice. Acts 9:3-4

Today’s Scripture

Acts 9:1-6, 8, 10-12, 15

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Morse was the son of a Protestant minister and a struggling painter of landscapes. In the 1820s, he made a meager living as a limner—“an itinerant painter” of colonial America. But his was a life God led in another direction. Morse also had an interest in science. He learned about electromagnets, conceiving an idea that would change the world. In 1832, Samuel F. B. Morse conceived the idea of an electric telegraph and later went on to make the first working telegraph.

Probably the most dramatic biblical account of “career change” was that of Saul, who was “breathing out murderous threats” against believers in Christ (Acts 9:1). Jesus appeared to him in a great light (v. 3) saying that Saul was persecuting Him. Essentially, Saul was told to stop because he was under new orders now (v. 6). Saul did a U-turn in his life and assumed a new identity in Christ as the apostle who would eventually spread the gospel wherever he went.

Sometimes what we think is our future really isn’t. God leads us in another direction. Perhaps He needs to call us out of our sin. Or maybe it’s a change of ministry or vocation. When God redirects our lives, we do well to stop what we’re doing and follow our new orders. And as our new path opens before us, we might just echo the joy of the first dot-and-dash message of Morse’s telegraph: “What hath God wrought!”

Reflect & Pray

How has God led your life in a different direction? What word has He given you today to encourage others?

Dear God, please help me be open to Your leading as You guide my path and career in this current season.

For further study, read It’s Not Fair: Trusting God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.

Today’s Insights

The book of Acts contains three accounts of Saul’s conversion: 9:1-19; 22:3-16; and 26:9-18. Saul (later called Paul) made “murderous threats” (9:1) against those who “belonged to the Way” of Christ (v. 2). The second and third times we read of his conversion, Paul is giving testimony of how he turned to Christ. He admitted, “I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death” (22:4). The apostle would’ve continued in the way of opposition to Christ had not Jesus intervened (9:3-5) and led him in a different direction. At times, God will also lead us in a different direction for our good and His honor.

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I saw the Holy City . . . coming down out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:2

Today’s Scripture

Revelation 21:2-5, 9-11

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Today’s Devotional

On a warm evening, I met up with friends in a downtown area. We were excited to eat at a restaurant that offered live jazz music outside, but when we arrived, the patio was full. Disappointed, we left and had to walk several blocks to find another place to eat.

On earth, disappointments come in all sizes, both big and small. Beloved pets pass away. Careers fizzle. Health problems occur. We lose relationships with loved ones. In our setbacks, we have God’s comfort, but our life stories don’t always contain the blissful endings we long for. Believers in Jesus, however, have the hope of a joyful eternity.

The book of Revelation records God giving John a breathtaking vision. John saw “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem” (21:2). “Prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (v. 2), it radiated God’s glory. God would inhabit the place along with all His people. In His city there would be no crime, no darkness, and no fear (vv. 25-27). Light, peace, and goodwill would abound.

On the night I met my friends for dinner, we ended up walking back past the first restaurant. White lights lit the sidewalk, and we stopped to listen to the music as we ate ice cream. I savored the moment, but we know that no earthly joy can compare with the ultimate ending believers will enjoy forever.

Reflect & Pray

What are you most looking forward to in the next life? How does the promise of a joyful future encourage you?

Dear God, please help me see my pain in light of eternity, knowing You have a better future prepared for me.

Today’s Insights

God gave the apostle John a glimpse of “what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1) when Jesus returns to rule the world as king and usher in eternity (vv. 1-3). Satan and the unbelieving, sinful world will be judged and punished for their evil and wickedness (chs. 4-20). John saw “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1). Eight hundred years earlier, Isaiah had prophesied that God would create “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17; see 66:22). Scholars say both Isaiah and John are describing heaven or “paradise” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7), “God’s dwelling place” where God will live with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Jesus affectionately called heaven “my Father’s house” (John 14:2). “Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27) will be allowed to experience the fullness of joy in God’s home.

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I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:15

Today’s Scripture

Ezekiel 34:11-16

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Traffic came to a halt, but I had no idea why. There were few cars on the road, and I could see no obvious reason to be stopped. And then, suddenly—to my great surprise and delight—thousands of sheep emerged and crossed the freeway. As a newcomer to Idaho, I wasn’t yet familiar with the annual migration of the sheep into the Boise foothills each spring. Local ranchers escort their flocks into the foothills, where they graze on the native grasses over the summer.

Because I’d only lived in urban and suburban areas throughout my life, the sight was something of a spectacle to me. Yet sheep were a regular part of living in the days of Ezekiel (and much of the Bible’s recorded history). The prophet drew on something familiar to the people—sheep and shepherding—to convey God’s message to them of comfort and hope.

Ezekiel offered comforting, hopeful words to the Israelites, telling them that despite the years of hardship in Babylon—the consequence of their recurrent rebellion against God—He’d one day restore them to “their own land” (Ezekiel 34:13). God would then, like a shepherd, “tend them in a good pasture,” and they would “lie down in good grazing land” (v. 14).

God shows similar care for His people. We can trust Him, our Shepherd, to lead us forward through life—though we may feel “scattered” like sheep in the midst of difficulties (v. 12)—toward good pastures (vv. 13-14).

Reflect & Pray

When has God led you through seasons of difficulty? How can you trust Him to be your Shepherd today?

Thank You, God, for being my tender, trustworthy Shepherd.

Today’s Insights

In the Old Testament, Israel’s kings were also known as shepherds of God’s people (Numbers 27:17; 2 Samuel 5:2; Ezekiel 37:24). As monarchs, kings were to rule the nation with justice and righteousness. As shepherds, they were to provide for, guide, care, and protect God’s flock. Israel’s kings failed in their dual roles of kingship and shepherding (Ezekiel 34). God declared, “I myself will search for my sheep and look after them” (v. 11). Isaiah speaks of God as the Shepherd-King: “[The Sovereign Lord] rules with a mighty arm. . . . He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (40:10-11). Micah prophesied of a “ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old,” born in Bethlehem, who will come and “shepherd [God’s] flock” (5:2, 4). Jesus, the God-Shepherd, is our Good Shepherd who knows us and lays down His life for us (John 10:11, 14).

Visit GO.ODB.org/082625 to learn more about shepherding in the Middle East.

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