Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:26-28, 39-56

Carol Knapp described a predawn day in Alaska. Standing in the woods near clusters of spruce trees under the black sky, she marveled at the panorama of stars above her. She silently wished she could see a shooting star. As she offered up her praise to the God of the heavens, she quoted the psalmist: “All that is within me, bless his holy name” (Ps. 103:1 KJV). Just then, a shooting star streaked across the sky. She imagined God was writing his name in the heavens just for her. Then a second shooting star blazed into view.

Despite the fact that she was chilled in the predawn, it was mesmerizing. When she looked toward the North Star, a third shooting star raced across the sky. And then it was over. But as she went back inside, her heart swelled in praise to God.

As far as we know, Mary didn’t see any shooting stars, although the magi from the East followed a bright star to Bethlehem. Mary had her own personal angel who appeared, giving her the news about Jesus, whom she would carry. No wonder her soul glorified the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in her Savior.

What are you rejoicing about as this year draws to a close? Be sure to praise the Lord for the year that is concluding and the new one all set to begin.

Rejoice in God your Savior, and glorify him.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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!

“From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:48–49)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:46-56

Andrae Crouch grew up in Los Angeles, the son of a pastor. His family was racially mixed, including Jewish-German as well as Afro-European influences. He started a musical group in the church his father pastored. But when he was asked to sing at extended family gatherings or at school, he knew his audience would likely not identify with the vernacular used in his church (what some of us might call “Christian-ese”).

So, he began to write his own songs in which the language would be clearly understood and avoid a vernacular that might obscure the message. That’s why he wrote the song, “My Tribute,” which includes the lyrics, “With His blood He has saved me, with His power He has raised me, to God be the glory for the things He has done.”

We have no recording to tell us what Mary’s song sounded like, but some of the words are similar to Andrae Crouch’s song. She sang, “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.”

Even if we’re not poetic by nature, most of us could write lyrics that would give God praise for the things he has done for us. Start with how he saved you from sin, and go from there. Don’t worry about rhyming. Just write from the heart.

Make a list of the good things God has done for you.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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!

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises!” (Luke 1:45)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:43-45

It wasn’t exactly a promise. It was more of a suggestion. Or maybe a hint.

My married brother hinted that he and his wife were going to give me a double gun and holster set for Christmas. As he described the set he had seen, I’m sure my eyes lit up.

Every boy who grew up in my generation had a Western hero. The outlaws were no match for the good guy in the white hat with the blazing six guns!

The problem was: I was twelve years old, and I had mixed emotions. Although I had never owned a double gun and holster set, I also felt maybe I was too old. I mean, I would be going to junior high school the next fall.

So when Christmas morning came, and I was handed a package from my brother and his wife, I unwrapped it with bated breath. Sure enough, there in the box lay a practical plaid shirt! A much safer gift for a twelve-year-old. I was relieved and a little disappointed, all at the same time. My brother had taken advantage of my gullibility.

Mary was not gullible. And God’s promise was neither a suggestion nor a hint. She would be the mother of the Messiah! And Elizabeth congratulated her for cooperating with God’s plan.

Are you cooperating with God’s plan for you?

Say yes to God when he calls on you to serve him.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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!

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. (Luke 1:41)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:39-42

In one of my pastorates, I made a hospital call one afternoon on a woman in her seventies. She was a fairly recent addition to our congregation, so I didn’t know a lot about her backstory.

As I was wrapping up our visit, she said, “Pastor, can I ask you something?”

“Certainly.”

“Do you think God could forgive someone who had an abortion?”

“Well, God can forgive any sin if a person is truly repentant.”

“I had an abortion fifty years ago,” she said, tearfully. As I write this, her confession took place more than forty years ago, so we’re talking about something that happened long before Roe v. Wade, when abortions were illegal and generally kept secret.

I could only imagine how she had suffered, carrying that guilt for fifty years. But I had the privilege of leading her in a prayer for God’s forgiveness. When we finished, she was greatly relieved. I could see it in her face.

It didn’t bring back the life of her unborn baby, but it settled her relationship with God.

We take the birth of Jesus and John the Baptist for granted. We can’t imagine it any other way. That’s because they believed in the “sanctity of life” before it became a phrase used now to indicate a high regard and high value placed on human life, even in the womb.

Give praise to God for the fact that you are alive.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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 angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:28

We didn’t intend to drive our car into the median. We felt we had no choice.

Traveling north on I-35 in Minnesota, my wife and I passed an exit and were approaching the point where oncoming traffic could merge onto the highway.

We were in the passing lane with another car alongside us. A driver coming down the ramp tried to force a third car into two lanes that were already full. The driver alongside us did not slow down. To avoid a crash, we hit the median.

Once on the grass, we tried to slow down but our momentum took us to the bottom of the V-shaped area, which was filled with water from recent rains.

When we stopped, our white car was covered with mud. In fact, we could not see out the windshield without running our wipers.

A police officer soon came by and called for a tow truck, which pulled us out of the median. Fortunately, the car was undamaged, although it did take two trips through an automatic car wash to restore our vehicle’s white exterior.

My wife’s favorite Bible verse was, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Ps. 91:11). Mary was “highly favored” by God, and we felt we were also highly favored because of God’s angels who were on Interstate duty that day.

Thank God for his angels, who watch over his children.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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!

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth . . . to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. (Luke 1:26–27)

Expanded Passage: Luke 1:26-27

One of my direct ancestors, about six generations ago, was William McClung, one of the first settlers in what is now Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He and his wife Abigail staked a claim to property and settled in a log cabin. Because of the danger of Native American raids, Abigail and the children hid in a nearby swamp, while William worked the land. His rifle was always close at hand.

Later, he served with a group of Greenbrier militiamen to protect settlers from the warring Indians. Although they didn’t have uniforms, they wore the traditional hunting garb of the day: buckskin shirts and leggings, along with deerskin boots that came almost to the knees to protect from rattlesnake and copperhead bites. William later fought in the Revolutionary War.

All of us descended from people who paved the way for us to have a better life today.

Joseph’s ancestry was even more illustrious. He was a descendant of King David. Matthew, in chapter one of his biography of Jesus, gives the complete lineage from Abraham forward. Luke gives Mary’s ancestry in Luke 3 to show that she too descended from David and from the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Nothing about Jesus’ birth was left to chance. His credentials were impeccable. You and I are blessed today because Jesus came at the right time to the right parents.

Give praise during this season for Jesus, our only Savior.

Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, two outstanding daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

© 2025 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!

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (Ps. 115:1)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 115:1-8

It was my first time receiving Communion since enrolling at Asbury Seminary, and none of us, as new students, knew their method. The pastor gently eased the tension as she taught us before beginning, explaining that they follow a regular liturgy, a set of prewritten statements and prayers. They chose the liturgical path because, over time, the repetitive structure works its way into you. These words said in repetition can become your reality as you continue to recite them. Psychologically, this is known as positive rumination, which is the act of dwelling on good experiences and ideas to combat difficult circumstances.

Similarly, Psalm 115 is a liturgical passage recited by the Israelites during the celebration of the Passover, their story of deliverance. It consistently refocused their attention on the Lord, his enduring covenant relationship and unwavering commitment to them despite their circumstances. It was from their continued recitation of these truths that they had confidence in the activity and power of their God over manufactured idols. They acted from an awareness of God’s love and faithfulness, and their liturgy helped them get there.

Whether it is the repetition of liturgy in Communion or the recitation of psalms during celebration, what we focus on determines what we believe and how we live. Especially important during times of transition, the liturgy of our day can move us toward or away from God.

Form liturgies to refocus your attention on God.

Jay Drury is a second-year MDiv student at Asbury Seminary (KY), pursuing ordination in The Wesleyan Church. He is married to Hannah, whom he met at age sixteen.

© 2025 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 peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. (Ezra 4:4)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 3:1-6; 3:10—4:5

During my first semester of seminary, I worked at Chipotle Grill , preparing food in the morning. We would begin with chopping lettuce, onions, cilantro, and avocados. When in training, I wondered how each ingredient would fit together, yet right before we opened, the parts were mixed or mashed into the finished product. Individual preparation of each ingredient allowed us to efficiently create the final product, but I did not see that until the end of my shift.

The Israelites were prepared to face their opposition because of the individual ingredients they had acquired during and after the exile, which brought new experiences. They prepared individually, they united under a common purpose, and they learned and continued healthy practices. While worshiping, they experienced the joy and lament of new beginnings. In their daily lives they denied the bait as they discerned the hook, practicing patience to wait for God’s best for them. Their experiences and practices worked together to prepare them for the fear and discouragement placed on them, helping them endure despite its longevity.

Like the ingredients of Chipotle and the experiences of the Israelites, our experiences and practices work together to help us during times of opposition. Our experience during trials and transitions is built by our preparation beforehand. We must keep ourselves focused on God’s best for us, discarding the rest.

Look for the ways God has prepared you, especially during difficult transitions.

Jay Drury is a second-year MDiv student at Asbury Seminary (KY), pursuing ordination in The Wesleyan Church. He is married to Hannah, whom he met at age sixteen.

© 2025 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!

“Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria.” (Ezra 4:2)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 4:1-3

Thomas Brooks, in his book Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, warned believers, saying that Satan, with ease, presents falsehood to us with his bait, then with a hook leads us astray, and leaves us with the consequences of our decisions. This warning is a call to avoid the immediate pleasure offered, “the bait,” so as not to fall into “the hook,” which is the lasting consequence of that sin.

In this passage, the Israelites were baited by this device and presented with an alluring opportunity to receive help in building the temple; but because of their conviction and discernment, they said no. This decision protected their people, the work God had for them, and the call to follow Cyrus’ edict. It was theological, legal, and protective because of the sacred work involved. The bait was having help in the manual labor of building the temple, while the hidden hook was disobedience to God, Cyrus, and infiltration from their enemies with unknown consequences. The Israelites denied the bait and thus avoided the hook despite the cost.

We must follow the example of the Israelites in denying the bait and avoiding the hook. Especially in a new transition, such as when the Israelites came back from exile, it can become very easy to say yes to the easiest option instead of having patience for the best.

Deny the bait and avoid the hook when you face difficult decisions.

Jay Drury is a second-year MDiv student at Asbury Seminary (KY), pursuing ordination in The Wesleyan Church. He is married to Hannah, whom he met at age sixteen.

© 2025 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!

No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. (Ezra 3:13)

Expanded Passage: Ezra 3:12-13

This past year, my wife Hannah and I moved away from both of our families to attend graduate school. During the orientation for new students, a worker spoke on the difficulty of the transition, telling us that we may be moving here with excitement and anticipation for the future, but with every transition, even toward something good, comes loss, and you may feel it before you realize it. She encouraged us to be honest about our loss, even when pursuing something good.

We needed to hear that, and this was what was happening with the Israelites. There was a profound conjunction of joy in the newness and lament over the loss as they transitioned from exile and began rebuilding the temple. They were beginning construction on the very dwelling place of God while also lamenting their loss of what was. The happiness and sadness came hand in hand during their first worship service after the exile. This example of indistinguishable celebration and mourning is a profound lesson for us on how we can celebrate the good of new beginnings while being honest about the loss we are experiencing.

Whether transitioning to a new school, job, or home, there is a place for joy because of the future expectations, and grief over what we are leaving behind. What is necessary is honesty about our circumstances.

Acknowledge both joy and lament, especially during times of transition.

Jay Drury is a second-year MDiv student at Asbury Seminary (KY), pursuing ordination in The Wesleyan Church. He is married to Hannah, whom he met at age sixteen.

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