Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king. (Neh. 2:4–5)

Expanded Passage: Nehemiah 2:4-5

My daughter had her heart set on a certain boy at school. They had been friends since the first day of school and often enjoyed each other’s company. He was kind, attentive, and even sort of protective of Rachael. “I just don’t know why he won’t ask me out!” Rachael said. She had given him all the signs that she liked him: laughing at his jokes, complimenting him, singling him out for her attention. She had even gone so far as to let her friends drop obvious hints. He assured them that he knew and that he reciprocated the feelings, but he was nervous. “She’s so pretty,” he said. “Why would she want to go out with me?”

We can sometimes act like a scared boy around a pretty girl when it comes to our prayer lives. God is giving us signals that we can ask him to empower us to do great things in his name—more than that, he’s giving direct promises and encouragement! But we hardly believe it. We know we don’t deserve what he is offering us and somehow think his grace is measured.

After Nehemiah prayed for forgiveness on behalf of the people, he boldly asked God to empower him to begin reuniting the exiles. When we align our will with God’s, we don’t need to be afraid to ask for the impossible.

Ask God to give you the skills to accomplish a task that seems impossible.

L. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.

© 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!

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses.” (Neh. 1:8)

Expanded Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Think of the last wedding you attended, or, if you’re married, think back to your own. What do you remember? The beautiful gown? The flower girl who refused to walk down the aisle at the last minute? The father-daughter dance? The horrible bridesmaid dresses? Nostalgia for the ceremony or even the reception can be a pleasurable experience, but the vows spoken by the bride and groom to each other are the only essential items to recall. During those times when the husband or wife wants to storm out on the other, it is the vows—more than the emotion of love, which seems to disappear in heated moments—that have the power to keep the couple glued together. “You promised . . .” is a powerful phrase.

Thankfully, God’s promises to us are far more powerful and dependable than even our most sacred vows. When Nehemiah realized that God was punishing the people for turning away from him, he remembered what God said: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them” (Neh. 1:9).

When we recognize that we have turned away from God, we are never too far gone to be welcomed back into his grace.

Find one of God’s promises that is meaningful to you, and memorize it.

L. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.

© 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!

Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God. (Ezra 10:1)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 10:1-4

Christian leader Gordon McDonald recounts how his high school cross-country coach made a huge impact on his life by not letting him quit. Gordon wanted some free time and determined early in the summer to take a break from fall sports. He justified his choice by promising to start back with track in the spring. His coach, however, would hear none of it, stating that Gordon would disappoint his teammates and ultimately create a pattern of quitting in his life.

How often do we dare to be like the coach—to say the hard thing to our friends and loved ones or ourselves? I think we more often enable people to live less than victorious lives. A woman in my Bible study recently confessed that she felt convicted about her excessive love of shopping, and most of the other women responded by telling her not to be so hard on herself. How much easier it is to tell people what will make them feel better than to urge them to do what is right!

Ezra the prophet did not take the easy way out. He saw that the Israelites had disobeyed God, and he wept over their disobedience. “Here we are before you in our guilt,” he said. He made no attempt to justify the behavior—and so brought about revival in the people.

Tell the hard truth, even when justifying feels safer.

L. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.

© 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!

I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said he would destroy you. (Deut. 9:25)

Expanded Passage: Deuteronomy 9:25-29

As an acquisitions editor, my job was to convince the publishing board to invest in the projects I presented. I never came to those meetings unprepared. I had sales statistics from the author’s previous books, his or her future speaking schedule and past achievements, a comparative analysis of similar books, a well-researched profit and loss statement, and anything else I could use to back up my claim that this was a product worth investing in.

I remember pitching one book, however, with little supporting material. I passionately believed in the book, but I knew the board had every reason to reject it: The author had never been published, and I hadn’t found a similar product in the marketplace that had reached significant success. The only thing I had to offer was the mission statement of the publishing house. I showed the board how perfectly this book fit the original purpose of the organization. I begged them to take a risk on this project not because of the book’s merit, but because of what we stood for.

That’s what Moses did for the people of Israel when God was ready to cast them away. He begged God to forgive them. “Not because of who they are, God,” he said, “but because of who you are.”

It is because he is gracious that our Father saves us, and we cannot earn his love.

Accept God’s grace because of who he is.

L. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.

© 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!

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Rom. 10:4)

Expanded Passage: Romans 10:1-4

Imagine you are the owner of a company that is awarding a million-dollar prize to one lucky winner. After many months of promotion, you carefully select the winner and show up at his doorstep to announce the big news. You have a camera crew, balloons, and a giant check, but the winner never heard of your company and didn’t remember submitting his name for entry. “I’m not falling for some stupid scam,” he says, and shuts the door in your face. You plead with him from the other side of the door. You understand his skepticism, but you want to convince him this is for real. You don’t want him to miss out on this amazing opportunity. But he is silent, and eventually you have to move on, giving the prize to someone else.

When Jesus came to earth offering the very best prize of all to his chosen people, many of them didn’t believe him. They didn’t recognize him, and so they turned him away. In Romans 9–10, Paul described his anguish over Israel; he passionately declared his desire for them to receive salvation. But the people continued living by the rules they understood rather than letting Jesus make them righteous through grace.

We don’t have to be trapped in our own futile attempts at righteousness either. Jesus is the way to freedom.

Receive Jesus as your savior today!

L. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.

© 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!

For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Ps. 109:31)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 109:1-2, 26-31

It was a character trait that emerged early in the little girl. She simply couldn’t stand by and watch someone get hurt. Whether it was a baby bird fallen from a nest, a child being bullied on the playground, or a news story of impoverished or displaced families, the little girl’s heart would tear in two and she would want to help. As she got older, she also grew closer to the Lord. Her spiritual gift of mercy deepened as both a reflection of and a calling from God to bring justice to the oppressed.

The Lord Almighty is drawn to the weak. He saves those crushed in spirit and champions those who walk humbly with him. He is the God who sees and makes things right. He is an “I-am-for-you” God.

David knew him well. He wrote Psalm 109 amid turmoil from one enemy or another. It was a poetic journey through anger, anguish, and lament that ultimately turned to praise as David leaned into the Lord who empowered him. He was certain, even when everything was bleak, that God would act with justice and mercy.

God sees your need. He hears your prayers of anger, anguish, and lament too, inviting you to choose to praise. No matter how bleak your situation is, if you walk humbly with God, you can trust him to act with mercy.

Bring your emotions and requests to our kind and merciful Lord.

Elizabeth Rhyno is a Wesleyan worship and discipleship pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with the Lord and grow in their 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 had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. (Ezra 7:9)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 7:6-10, 27-28; 8:21-23, 31-32, 35-36

There are many moments to reminisce about when a faithful servant of the Lord goes home to be with him. While their obituaries might condense decades into sentences, only loved ones and close friends will fully experience the longing for their quirks, routines, inspiring phrases, and funny sayings. Deep grief is the impact of a life well-lived. People who remained consistent in their pursuit of the Lord; who turned to him again and again when life attempted to rattle their foundations; who were quick to repent and seek forgiveness, eager to point to God’s goodness and honor; and who brought joy when heaviness threatened to overtake, truly inspire awe and thanksgiving for the way they colored their world.

Ezra was a journeying man. Not only did he faithfully travel long, hard miles to retrieve and return Israelites from exile, but he had prepared for this task over many years by living and breathing the Word of God. Ezra didn’t just observe the law faithfully, he taught others to understand and obey it too. He led by example, following the longing of his heart for the Israelites to return to God.

Building an inspiring legacy that radiates the character of God is a journey. It comprises moment-by-moment decisions and daily steadfastness, repeatedly turning to God, eager to point to his goodness and honor. And it’s never too late to begin.

Consider how your daily actions point to the Lord and inspire others.

Elizabeth Rhyno is a Wesleyan worship and discipleship pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with the Lord and grow in their 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!

Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel. (Ezra 8:35)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 8:35-36

Before my sweet mother went to be with Jesus, she withstood a series of hospitalizations. Her cancer journey had been painful; chemo was quickly ruled out. Each time she was admitted to the hospital, the nursing and oncology staff did their best to treat her with dignity. She also did her best to remain grateful and keep her attitude in check. But the relief she experienced each time she returned to her home of fifty-plus years was undeniable. Returning from sterile rooms to the place where she’d raised her family with my dad was a joy she couldn’t help but express with a song of praise on her piano.

Seventy years was a long time to be exiled in Babylon. Though some had returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel eighty years earlier, thousands were still under the thumb of Babylon until Ezra was sent to bring them back. Things were bleak in both places with division, spiritual apathy, and the hard work of trying to rebuild what had been destroyed.

When Ezra led the Israelites home, they were fresh with spiritual fervor. Their gratitude for the freedom they’d gained and their long-awaited return to Jerusalem inspired their fragrant offerings to the Lord. The song of freedom for the captive released could not be contained.

I can only imagine my mom’s beautiful song when she was fully released from death into new life.

Join the song of the free, pouring out your gratefulness to Jesus.

Elizabeth Rhyno is a Wesleyan worship and discipleship pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with the Lord and grow in their 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!

The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. (Ezra 8:31)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 8:31-32

During a walk with friends one of our children experienced supernatural protection at age eight. The adult who grabbed him from being hit by an oncoming car was there one minute and gone the next. Our friend—the sole adult in charge of our combined gaggle of kids that day—attested to a human presence who appeared, helped, and then disappeared, keeping our son unharmed. We all praised God that heaven intervened in that moment.

Perhaps you have also experienced visible evidence of the hand of God on you or a loved one at some point, keeping them from danger. I wonder how often this happens while we are blissfully unaware.

Ezra testified that the Lord held back enemies that might otherwise have caused them harm. Their traveling party was ripe for invasion while transporting thousands of pounds of silver, polished bronze, and gold to be presented at the temple. But they had fasted and prayed, seeking God’s protection. The Lord gave Ezra a glimpse of the collision of dimensions, the supernatural invading the natural, as he ensured his plan for the Israelites came to fruition. He was simultaneously at work in the physical and the spiritual realms as his people returned from Babylon.

Our vision is finite but God’s is infinite. We can seek his hand of protection in this realm as we go about his business.

Seek God’s hand of protection and follow him confidently.

Elizabeth Rhyno is a Wesleyan worship and discipleship pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with the Lord and grow in their 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!

So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. (Ezra 8:23)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 8:21-23

Perhaps you are familiar with this pattern: (1) Overindulge and overspend during the Christmas holidays. (2) Decide to turn a new leaf in January. (3) Resolve to quit a habit (or start one) for the year ahead. (4) Fizzle out before February arrives.

I’ve abandoned New Year’s resolutions before too. At the turn of the year, my resolve was strong and the resolution seemed worthy. Yet I couldn’t quite muster up the fortitude to stick it out and reap the benefits.

Ezra was an avid student of the law. But more importantly, he was attuned to the heart behind the law and honored it through practical application. He lived it and taught others to learn it and live it too. He strongly desired to see the people of Israel return to their God and experience spiritual renewal as they were brought back from exile. He had fasted, prayed, and revealed his steadfastness to the things of God.

Ezra’s attunement to God’s heart undergirded him with fortitude to withstand the journey of bringing people back from Babylon, only to find them later defiling the new temple. Unlike my abandoned resolutions, he did not quit what he was called to, even when it became difficult, discouraging, or downright devastating.

Perhaps a better approach to the new year isn’t making a quick resolution based on whims, but seeking God’s steadfast heart and desires instead.

Begin 2026 by seeking what God desires for you and from you.

Elizabeth Rhyno is a Wesleyan worship and discipleship pastor and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people deepen their intimacy with the Lord and grow in their joyful purpose.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.