The Up Devotional

“Greatness.” When we think of people who fall into this category we tend to think about people who have done great things for God. We also tend to think about people who have done great things for others, often in a way that is self-sacrificial.

I think it’s safe to say that King David was a man of greatness. He did great things for God. He slew the taunting villain, Goliath. He wrote many psalms (which are in our Bibles). He advanced the kingdom and sought to be faithful. 

At the same time, he was flawed. Perhaps most famously, he sinned with Bathsheba and arranged to have Uriah killed (2 Samuel 11). 

David also experienced times of inner anguish. Listen to what he says in Psalm 55: “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest… I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest” (verses 4-8).

My point is this. Greatness does not mean emotional invincibility. 

How often do we look at ourselves and see only our flaws? How often do we make a mental list of past failures, and take note of how flimsy we feel in our hearts and minds? If you’re like me, probably too often. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t do great things for God. You can be faithful and true. You can shine the light of Christ at your workplace, at your school, and in your home. You can stand up for the Lord, and you can love others with a sincerity that is hard to not notice. 

Greatness does not mean perfection. Greatness does not mean emotional invincibility. 

People who give evidence of the greatness of God in their lives are remarkable not because they have it all together, but because they keep their hearts and minds fixed on the only One who does.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Let me share a quote from Richard Sibbes. At first, it might seem abrasive. But after we think about it for a moment, I think it helps us to re-frame our thinking towards the battle we face with greater clarity.

“There are two grand sides in the world, to which all belong: there is God’s side and those that are his, and there is another side that is Satan’s, and those that are his; two kingdoms, two sides, two contrary dispositions, that pursue one another.”*

The reason we need to be cautious with a quote like this is because it can make it sound like we need to divide everyone into “us and them” categories. Throughout history, too many people have rushed to the conclusion that they and their friends were on God’s side and everyone who disagreed with them were enemies. 

However, before we dismiss Sibbes too quickly, we need to know where he was coming from. There is in fact a colossal struggle between good and evil. Life and eternity hang in the balance. God is God. Satan and his workers are waging war against the people of Christ. And all of us are involved in this conflict whether we realize it or not. 

Further, the idea of “sides” makes us think of something like a world war. But this too is misleading. The struggle between good and evil takes place within all nations, within all people groups, within all communities, and even within our own souls.

With this in mind, how do we advance in this epic battle? By being aligned with Christ.

Paul shares this reminder in Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

At our church we sing a praise song called “Stronger.” It says: “It is written, Christ is risen. Jesus, you are Lord of all.” How often have we lived as if Jesus wasn’t “Lord of all,” but “Lord of some”?

Some of our thoughts. 
Some of our priorities. 
Some of our actions. 
Some of our time. 

When this happens, we are weakening our alignment with Christ in the battle that rages. 

Today, let’s realign ourselves under the bold banner of a Risen Saviour. Onward for the King of grace and truth!

Notes:

-*Leland Ryken, Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 11.
-**Written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

When you’re spiritually dry, revisit the psalms

The Up Devotional for June 10, 2026

“I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil” (Psalm 119:162).

I sometimes get asked for ideas about what to do when your devotional life feels flat. It happens. There are times when you just feel spiritually dry. During those valleys it can be hard to find the motivation to spend time each day with the Lord.

Different things work for different people. We have different personality types, strengths, and life experiences. However, more often than not, a remedy can be found in the psalms.

The psalms are sometimes referred to as the prayerbook for the people of God. Why? Because many of them are prayers that God’s people have used for generations upon generations. They are ancient, but always new. Jesus himself would have spoken and sung the psalms. Augustine had this in mind when he wrote: “Let us therefore listen to the Psalm and recognize in it the voice of Christ.”*

Let me continue to impress upon you the value of the psalms with this word from Henri Nouwen: “Many times I have thought: If I am ever sent to prison, if I am ever subjected to hunger, pain, torture, or humiliation, I hope and pray that they let me keep the psalms. The psalms will keep my spirit alive… Maybe I should start learning the psalms by heart so that nobody can take them away from me.”**

I wholeheartedly agree. No matter what you’re going through, and no matter where you are, when you have the psalms in your heart you are never without the Spirit of Christ.

If your devotional life feels flat, read a few verses at a time, and pray based on what you read. Then try a few more verses, and pray again. Ask God to help you, and be ready for new life.

“Let us therefore listen to the Psalm and recognize in it the voice of Christ.”

Notes:

-*As quoted from the introduction to The Abbey Psalter—The Book of Psalms Used By The Trappist Monks of Genesee Abbey.
-**Quoted in: Ester De Waal, The Way of Simplicity: The Cistercian Tradition (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1998), 53.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Quoting Psalm 34, the apostle Peter says that “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). That’s clearly a category we do not want to be in! 

If your teacher is “against” you, it may reflect poorly on your grades. If your soccer coach is “against” you, it may lessen your playing time. It is a whole other kettle of fish for the Lord to be “against” you! 

In contrast, “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.” In this verse, imagery is used which pictures God looking down upon his people with favour when they live in a way that honours both himself and others.

The church father Andreas, wrote: “Whenever the hand of a righteous [person] does mercy, it has the eye of God watching over it.”* Just picture it—whenever you share an encouraging word with someone, or engage in charity, or volunteer at church or the hospital (or wherever)—the eye of God smiling upon you as his faithful servant.

Do people notice when you serve or bless others, or when you put in that extra work or sacrifice? Sometimes, but not always. Ultimately, it’s not about them. It’s about serving God. Rest assured, he knows, and he sees.

“Whenever the hand of a righteous [person] does mercy, it has the eye of God watching over it.”

Notes:

-*Andreas in “Catena,” as quoted in: The Church History Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2023), 1553.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

One of the spin-offs from the Star Wars series of movies is called The Mandalorian. He’s an elite bounty hunter who travels across the galaxy tracking down bad guys. 

Many of these bounty hunters have armour made of a material called beskar. It is nearly invincible and is even able to withstand light saber strikes. A person named the Armourer forges this specific kind of armour under intense heat. Without the intensity, pressure and heat, it cannot become what it is intended to be. 

Let me say that again: Without the intensity, pressure and heat, it cannot become what it is intended to be. As you can probably tell, I’m making a connect to people. It is often through difficulty and hardship—what I am here referring to metaphorically as “intensity, pressure and heat”—that we become stronger and wiser as followers of Christ.

To be sure, people can most certainly become stronger and wiser without going through hardship. However, after you’ve lived for a while, you start to see patterns. One of those patterns is that hardship can sometimes refine you. You become wiser and stronger out the other side of adversity.

In Romans 5, the apostle Paul highlights a progression. He says that suffering produces endurance, which produces character, which produces a hope which does not put us to shame. Why? Because “God’s love has been poured into your hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

As we go through difficulty, let’s cooperate with the work of God’s Spirit and the love that our heavenly Father has poured into our hearts. As that happens, may we grow stronger and wiser to face the future as the resilient hands and feet of Christ.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3)

When it comes to our faith, it can be very helpful think deliberately about what we mean by certain words or ideas. If we don’t think proactively about what they mean, we can make them mean whatever we want them to mean. 

Over the years, I have found it a challenge to define “hope.” Recently, however, I’ve been thinking of hope like this: Hope is living like it’s Sunday on Friday. Let me explain. 

When you ask most people what comes to mind when they think about Sunday, they would probably say something about sleeping in or relaxing. When it comes to Friday, I’m guessing that most people would probably refer to the last day of the workweek or school. It makes them think of happy things like time off or hanging out with friends. 

But that’s not what I’m referring to here. 

Think about Easter, the ground-zero of our faith. Friday was the day of Jesus’ torture and crucifixion. It was a day of abandonment, darkness and pain. In contrast, Sunday was a day of victory, vindication and glory! 

So when I say that hope is living like it’s Sunday on Friday, my meaning is this: Hope is trusting that in the days of darkness and despair, and despite all evidence to the contrary, you are actually a child of the resurrection, and that good things are coming.

Does this understanding of hope help you? 

Are there times when it feels like the darkness of a Friday, when everyone seems to have abandoned you, or when the pain feels like it’s more than you can bear, or when every road feels like a dead end? If so, hope is trusting—despite all evidence to the contrary—that you are actually a child of the resurrection. 

Hope is living like it’s Sunday on Friday.

Notes:

-“Lord of all, not Lord of some—a prayer.” Click here, or tune in to The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)

-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on June 8, 2026.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

William Gurnall lived in the seventeenth century. He said something very helpful about one of the differences between faith and hope. He said: “Faith tells the soul what Christ has done and hope revives the soul with the news of what He will do.”*

Faith and hope are about more than just these two things. But Gurnall’s point about hope is that it has a forward-facing function.

Let’s take an example from our day-to-day lives. Let’s say you have a best friend who has always been reliable and loyal when you needed it most. This has happened year after year after year. 

Since they have always been so consistent, that gives you more and more confidence that they will continue to be that way into the future. 

That’s what Gurnall is saying about hope. 

The One who has been a good shepherd in the past, will continue to be your good shepherd in the future. He’s consistently himself, come what may.

The One who has been a faithful friend in the past, will continue to be your faithful friend in the future. He’s consistently himself, come what may.

The One who has been a Redeemer in the past, will continue to be your Redeemer in the future. He’s consistently himself, come what may.

The future is less intimidating when you know that God will be there, and that he will continue to do what he has always done. 

There are many uncertainties about the future. The goodness of God is not one of them. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Notes:

-“How to avoid the polarizing effect of the internet.” New podcast episode and blog – click here, or tune in at ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

-*William Gurnall, ed. James S. Bell Jr., The Christian in Complete Armour (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), entry for November 17.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

In the previous devotional I highlighted 1 Peter 3:15: “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”

In it, we talked about taking some time to think about the hope that you have because of Jesus. 

For today’s focus, let’s look at what Peter said next: “yet do it with gentleness and respect.” This is the opposite of aggressiveness and rudeness.

During my undergrad studies, I remember seeing a video of a debate between a Christian and an atheist. They were making arguments for or against the existence of God. I think it was a part of a philosophy class. Both individuals were smart and had great arguments. I think the Christian made the better case. However, he was condescending and a bit rude.

All these years later, I don’t remember their specific arguments, but I certainly remember how off-putting that guy was.

Peter is telling us that it’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. 

Let’s be proactive about the hope Jesus gives us. And then when someone asks us about our faith, let’s do so not with aggressiveness and rudeness, but with gentleness and respect. 

Notes:

-“How to avoid the polarizing effect of the internet.” New podcast episode and blog – click here, or tune in at ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

If someone were to ask you about the reason for your faith, what would you say?

A critical verse that provides us with some guidance is 1 Peter 3:15: “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”

The word “defense” in Greek is “apologia.” It sounds like “apology,” but that wasn’t the original meaning. It means “to make a reasoned argument.” 

But a reasoned argument about what? Peter goes on to specify “the hope that is in you.” In other words, he was encouraging his readers—both then and now—to deliberately think about how they would articulate the hope that they have because of Jesus. 

Today I’d like to encourage you to think about the hope that you have because of Jesus. When people ask us about our faith, or why we might have any reason to hope, it certainly helps if we have thought about it ahead of time! 

I truly believe that many people in our day are suffering from an existential crisis of hope. Picture someone trudging through the desert on their knees. They haven’t had anything to eat or drink in days. Their clothes are tattered. They look like a zombie from a walking dead movie. All they need is one glass of water.

That’s like hope. 

Give some thought to how you would explain the hope that you have because of Jesus. These days, it just might be someone’s water in the desert.

Notes:

-“A real definition of hope (1 Peter 3:8-22)” Sermon. Click here.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“Actions speak louder than words.”

I appreciate where that statement is coming from. If someone says certain things but doesn’t back them up with their actions, we learn to mistrust and devalue what they have to say from then on.

But that doesn’t mean words don’t make a difference. We all know they do. 

Elie Wiesel is a Holocaust survivor. He has told his story and inspired millions. He says: “Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds.”*

Recently, I experienced this first hand. I was having a tough day. A friend sent me a message that was exactly what I needed to hear at that exact moment. It was like an invisible pat on the back, or maybe even a hug that says, “Hey man, I’m with you.”

Proverbs 12:18 says: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Even though many people downplay the value of words, let’s not succumb to the thinking that they don’t matter. Let’s use our words to help, encourage, bless, instruct, and care.

“Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds.”*

Notes:

-*Unfortunately, I have lost the original source for this quote.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.