Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one. (Heb. 9:24)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 9:23-24

The artwork on the walls of our home are mostly original pieces. I could tell you the artists’ names, but you wouldn’t recognize them. They aren’t world-renowned, and we didn’t pay thousands of dollars for prints of priceless originals. For the most part, every print and canvas has come from our friends or even our own nonprofessional handiwork. Each piece is unique to our life story and carries a personal memory.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with art prints (and we do have a few of those as well), there’s something beautiful about an original. Art can be duplicated, but the connection and the story cannot.

For hundreds of years, the Israelites approached God through “a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one” (Heb. 9:24). It met a need, but there was an imperfection about it. They likely did not even realize it because it was all they’d ever known. But then Christ came, and he was so much more than a duplicate sacrifice. He did so much more than enter a man-made sanctuary.

Jesus wasn’t a duplicate. He came to be the ultimate original—the once-for-all sacrifice for sin. He entered the sanctuary of heaven itself and appeared in God’s presence on our behalf. That’s a connection that can never be duplicated.

Thank Jesus for his once-for-all, never-repeated atonement.

Bekah Shaffer lives in Kokomo, Indiana, and enjoys endless coffee, scrapbooking, speaking, and planning adventures with her husband, Ryan.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

“This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” (Heb. 9:20)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 9:15-22

Last year, my husband and I read through the entire Bible chronologically. Though we had each read the Bible in its entirety before, neither of us had ever done a full chronological reading. As we camped out in the first books of the Old Testament, we both commented on the incredible amount of blood that flowed in the Israelite camp. We could only imagine the aroma (though I believe we may have called it stench) that must have blanketed that sizzling desert land as the priests slaughtered thousands of animals to atone for thousands of sins.

I don’t handle blood (or stench) very well, so I came away from our study of the Old Testament law especially grateful that I live under the new covenant that doesn’t require animal sacrifice. But even though God no longer demands animal sacrifice, he still requires the shedding of pure blood to atone for sin—mine included. He commanded it, and Jesus fulfilled it with his own blood.

May we never forget, as we breathe (relatively) clean air, that the stench of sin cost Jesus Christ his very life. Our place of worship may not be drenched in animal blood, but his body was drenched with his own blood in keeping with God’s command that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

Live a life that demonstrates gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice.

Bekah Shaffer lives in Kokomo, Indiana, and enjoys endless coffee, scrapbooking, speaking, and planning adventures with her husband, Ryan.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

. . . So that we may serve the living God! (Heb. 9:14)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 9:13-14

Four years ago, my husband and I decided I would leave my full-time job to be a stay-at-home wife. Though I planned to do freelance work to help supplement our income, we both felt led to make this change so I could focus on our home and marriage. It has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made, because it has brought an enormous amount of peace and simplicity to our previously chaotic lives.

Every day, Ryan gives of his own time and energy to work hard for our main income, and I don’t want to take advantage of his willing sacrifice. Contrary to what some may imagine, I don’t spend my days shopping, drinking coffee with friends, and watching movies. I joyfully serve in our home, maintaining it and preparing for opportunities to use it in ministry to others.

Christ gave his own life so we could experience the gift of salvation. But receiving that gift doesn’t mean we’re entitled to coast through this life. Jesus cleansed our consciences so that we may serve the living God! He has entrusted spiritual gifts to us that he wants us to use for his glory. Salvation is a free gift, certainly, but God wants our gratitude for that gift to inspire us to serve him with our whole hearts.

Serve Jesus with your unique spiritual gifts.

Bekah Shaffer lives in Kokomo, Indiana, and enjoys endless coffee, scrapbooking, speaking, and planning adventures with her husband, Ryan.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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But when Christ came as high priest . . . (Heb. 9:11)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 9:11-12

Like most households, we have a plastic tub full of manuals for all the appliances, gadgets, and tools that make our daily life run smoothly. When something malfunctions, we drag the tub from the shelf, find the right manual, and thumb through its pages to look for the solution to our problem. We know, even as we slide the tub back onto the shelf, we’re likely to pull it back out again at some point to revisit the solution, because this probably won’t be the last time we encounter the problem.

Leviticus feels like the instruction manual for sin solutions in the days before Christ. If you read through its pages, you find the prescriptions for atonement for each kind of sin. For example, in Leviticus 4–5, each paragraph unfolds what to do for committing this sin or that. Certain animals. Specific presentation. So many steps.

“But when Christ came”—four beautiful words that changed everything about that sin manual. He didn’t walk into the tabernacle. He was the Tabernacle. He didn’t bring a lamb. He was the Lamb. And because Christ came, we no longer have to consult a lengthy manual to determine which animal’s blood can atone for our sin. Christ’s own blood sacrifice atoned for all sin for all time. Our repentance for sin comes through our words of confession to the heart of God, not through animal sacrifice.

Remember that Jesus Christ didn’t bring a sacrifice; he became the Sacrifice.

Bekah Shaffer lives in Kokomo, Indiana, and enjoys endless coffee, scrapbooking, speaking, and planning adventures with her husband, Ryan.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. (Ps. 20:6)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 20

The child looked in the mirror and declared, “I’m smart, I’m strong, and I can pass my test today.” Her mother quietly laid a hand on her back and said, “Those things are true. But your strength is rooted in Jesus. He will see you through it.”

Verse 6 marks the turning point before battle: “Now this I know.” The psalmist moves from asking to assurance. God will give victory to his anointed. For David, that meant confidence in God’s faithfulness to deliver his chosen king. But for us, it points even more powerfully to Jesus, the ultimate anointed one, who secured eternal victory through the cross and resurrection. His triumph wasn’t just for himself; it is shared with all who belong to him.

When the psalm says God answers “from his heavenly sanctuary,” it echoes what Hebrews proclaims: Christ, our high priest, now intercedes for us from heaven. The same right hand that raised Jesus from the grave still works in your life with power, authority, and love.

Faith doesn’t deny the battle; it declares the outcome. You can face uncertainty with assurance because victory isn’t dependent on your strength, but on the Lord’s steadfast hand. Whatever conflict or impossibility stands before you, remember: your King has already won, his victory covers you, and he lives to intercede for you in the throne room of God.

Lean into the steadfast promise of the God who upholds you.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. (Heb. 8:5)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 7:11-17, 25; 8:1-7

There is something surreal about walking into a new home construction whose plans you helped create. While you know a little of what to expect from studying the drawings, you still experience unexpected awe when you walk into their reality. The paper plans could not possibly do the finished home justice.

Under the old covenant, Levitical priests served in a man-made sanctuary that symbolized the real thing. Every curtain, candle, and sacrifice pointed beyond itself to the heavenly reality of God’s presence. But now, through Jesus, we don’t approach a shadow; we come directly to the substance. The veil has been torn.

So many of us still live like we are on the outside looking in, going through the motions of faith, doing the “right things,” but missing the wonder of personal encounter. We read the Bible but forget it is a conversation. We attend church but overlook the Presence we’ve gathered around. We treat prayer like a task instead of an invitation.

Jesus draws us past religion into relationship, past symbols into substance. Through him, we have full access to the living God. When we worship, pray, or open Scripture, we stand in the reality of a covenant built on the better promise of grace that brings us near. Jesus opened the way into his presence; all that remains is our response.

Ask the Lord to reveal the beauty of his nearness today.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is . . . superior . . . since the new covenant is established on better promises. (Heb. 8:6)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 8:3-7

Maybe you’ve seen it. There are videos of parents leaving their toddlers alone in a room with one cookie. They ask their child not to eat it while they are gone and promise two cookies when they return if the first remains uneaten. The child looks longingly at it. He touches it, holds it, squirms in his seat. He rolls his eyes and even gives the cookie a little taste. He is torn between the goodness that is right in front of him and the promise of something even greater if he can just hold off a while longer.

God established a new covenant for his people in Jesus. No longer would the ritual of sacrifice be needed to cover sin. The constant washing, isolating, and keeping a record of wrongs was no more because the blood of the perfect Lamb had covered sin. The old was gone and the new had come, making it possible for people to live in the resurrection life of Christ.Jesus is our Great High Priest. Though the Levitical priests had followed their calling and did their priestly duties as outlined by the Lord, nothing they did came close to the complete and perfect ministry of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

The eternal hope of the new covenant outshines everything else. Take hold of its promise.

Grab hold of the promise of the new covenant in Jesus.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. (Heb. 8:1)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 8:1-2

For the farmer, Sabbath wasn’t just routine—it was sacred. Every other day of the week began before dawn and traversed long, arduous hours across fields, through the barns, and in and out of all the complex and minute details of running a farm until the sun traced the sky and drew long shadows. But the Sabbath day was different. It was still. Tranquil. It smelled like coffee, wood fire, and Bible leather. The work was done so the farmer could breathe deeply.

The Great High Priest exhaled and took a seat at the right hand of the Father. Having endured the cross and the grave, Jesus now rests because his work is finished. Jesus has completed what no other priest could: He made a way for full reconciliation between God and humanity. He made it possible for you to rest assured. You don’t have to prove yourself. Sacrificing and striving for forgiveness are no more. Now, you don’t have to perform for God’s approval; you get to live from it instead. Rest—his and yours—is the fruit of “it is finished.”

As the sun went down each Saturday night, the farmer looked at all he had accomplished in the long hours of the preceding days and knew his work was well done. With Jesus, the work of salvation is complete. And faith now looks like rest, assured.

Practice resting when your work is well done.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Heb. 7:25)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 7:25

I was always mesmerized by candles as a child. I could not avert my eyes, watching the dancing flame and dripping wax, and wondering how long it would burn. Try as I might to stay awake until the candle fizzled its last, my heavy eyelids often got the best of me. I wished the candle would still be burning when I opened my eyes, but wax candles don’t burn forever.

Jesus’ intercession is constant. He prays for you every moment, his intercession ongoing, not occasional. Take heart because you are not alone in your weakness, confusion, or fear. The same Savior who died for you is now speaking your name in heaven, ensuring that nothing can separate you from his love. Jesus stands in the throne room of God, talking to him on your behalf, advocating for you through his prayers.

But the enemy of your soul wants to convince you that you are alone. He tempts you to despair that God has forgotten you. So, stand firm in the knowledge that Jesus continually brings you before God. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus never ceases from his priestly work, keeping us connected with the Father’s heart. This is the grace, kindness, and love of our God that never fails.

The next time you light a candle, allow its temporary light to remind you of Jesus’ eternal intercession.

Remember, Jesus is speaking your name to the Father when you feel weak.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. (Heb. 7:13)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 7:13-17

The one in the back was scraggly and needed a bath—soon. While the others clamored for the family’s attention, he simply rested his gaze. He practically melted into the corner, silent and still. It was like he knew he had nothing to offer and yet had all the hope in the world. The longing in this puppy’s eyes outshone the others’ antics, who needed rescue too. He simply trusted the kind family would choose him if they wanted to bring him home.

Jesus didn’t meet human expectations. He wasn’t from the priestly tribe; his qualification came straight from God. Now, no man stands between us and God. Rather, God himself in Jesus is our mediator and advocate, promising total forgiveness and adoption into his family. That means your access to God isn’t based on your pedigree, past, or perfection. You are welcomed into God’s grace because Jesus made the way for you, and he is appointed Great High Priest forever. Access is now open to all who would trust in Jesus for salvation, and all are invited because of the worth of his gift of grace.

The rescue puppy’s quiet faith drew the family in. If you are weary from trying to prove to God that you are valuable, rest. He has invited you in because he is worthy and he demonstrated his love to you.

Rest. You don’t need to prove your worth to God.

Elizabeth Rhyno is wife to Scott and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law. She is an ordained pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with God and grow in joyful purpose.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.