The Up Devotional

[Note: New podcast episode about The Apostles’ Creed — link in footnotes.]

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Thousands of years ago the people of God were encouraged with these words: “Yet the LORD set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today” (Deuteronomy 10:15).

In his book 3:16—The Numbers of Hope, Max Lucado points out something about this verse that I hadn’t noticed before. It has to do with the Hebrew verb “hasaq.” The verse I quoted above about how the Lord “set his affection on” his people, also carries the sense of binding. In other words, the Lord “binds” himself to his people.

Lucado explains: “Hasaq speaks to a tethered love, a love attached to something or someone. I’m picturing a mom connected by a child hardness to her rambunctious five-year-old as the two of them walk through a market. (I once thought the leashes were cruel; then I became a dad.)”*

Here’s why I think this insight is encouraging.

Have you ever had days when you felt as if your faith was lacking? As if you were somehow weak from a spiritual standpoint?

If so, this verse reminds us that God’s grip on us is greater than our grip on him. Our relationship with the Lord is not defined by our worst days. It’s defined by him. 

Picture a parent and a child with one of those harnesses. The rope that connects the parent and the child exists because (a) the child belongs to the parent, and (b) the parent doesn’t want to lose the child even when he or she is going a bit nuts.

Now, imagine that God is the parent and you are that wild five-year-old! 

Let’s seek faithfulness, prayerfulness, love and truth. But let’s also not falsely conclude that God will cut us loose every time we miss the mark.

Our relationship with the Lord is not defined by our worst days. It’s defined by him.

Notes:

-“Why do we say The Apostles’ Creed in church?” New podcast episode and blog. Click here, or find it on “The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.)

-*Max Lucado, 3:16—The Numbers of Hope (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007), 27.

-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on June 29, 2026.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

In 1 Peter 4, the apostle is encouraging his readers to be prayerful and loving. As a part of this he shares a word about hospitality: “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (verse 9).

When we think about the word hospitality, we often think of the “hospitality industry.” That’s not unrelated, but it’s not really what Peter is talking about.

The Thayer lexicon says that this Greek word is about being “hospitable” and “generous to guests.”

I recently came across a statement by Donald Coggan, the former Archbishop of Canterbury. He said: “True Christian hospitality is making people feel at home, when you wish they were at home.”*

When I first read that, I literally stopped and chuckled! 

Some people seem to have a gift of hospitality. It comes naturally to them. They seem to be extroverted and experience a particular level of joy when others are made to feel at home in their midst. For others, it’s less natural. 

Either way, making people feel at home is a sign of God’s grace. It can happen in your home or apartment. But it’s not limited to location. Hospitality can be about listening to someone so that they feel heard, about simply being with them in an unpressured way so that they can rest, or even about helping with someone’s practical needs when they are in a situation which is clearly out of their comfort zone.

All of these ideas are things we can do—without grumbling—because God has been hospitable to us, and because we want to share his goodness with others. 

Notes:

-*Quoted in: Norman Hillyer, 1 & 2 Peter, Jude—Understanding The Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992), 126.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

Whenever we go through hardship or adversity, it’s good to remain tethered to sources of help. Unfortunately, one of the things some people do is isolate themselves—from friends, from the church, and sometimes even from their own family.

Everyone’s situation is somewhat different, and I appreciate the complexity. But it’s important to stay connected to people who God may have put into our lives as a source of his own grace.

In addition to remaining tethered to sources of help, it is also wise to intentionally reflect on the hope that the Lord gives to us.

In 1 Peter 4:13 the apostle provides a reminder about this when we are suffering like Christ: “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

When Peter talks about his glory being revealed, he is referring to when Jesus comes back. In other words, even though we experience suffering in the here and now, it won’t always be that way. For the people of God, when Jesus returns all pain will be gone, every tear will be wiped away, and everything will be made new.

Imagine two kids at a week-long summer camp. One had a good time and was happy to see her parents at the end. The other child had a horrible time. She was lonely, didn’t like the activities, and her cabin got bedbugs. As a result, she was really, really happy to see her parents at the end. They were both happy to be reunited with their parents, but the splendour of the reunion was greater for the one who had a bad time at camp precisely because it was a rescue from something very unpleasant.

In a similar way, we will be extra happy when Jesus’ “glory is revealed” because of the difficulties we are experiencing while on earth. This may not end your hardships tomorrow, but it is a much-needed word of hope for the weary. Suffering is temporary. Rescue is coming. Glory is on the horizon.

“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

Notes:

-“Suffering Like A Saint.” Click here. Sermon. 
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

What are some of the things that all people have in common? 

We’re all born and we all die. As pundits often say, we all pay taxes! 

Further, we all need food, oxygen and water. We probably all like to be happy and don’t like to be sad. Generally speaking, we want our lives to have some sort of meaning.

But there’s another thing we all have in common: Suffering and hardship. It’s not nice, but it’s true. Most people have experienced some sort of suffering. For some, it was in the past. For some, it’s right now. For some, it’s still to come. And, unfortunately, for some it’s all three.

Suffering is a part of life. One thing we often neglect, however, is that it’s also a part of God’s life. 

Is God sovereign and almighty? Yes. At the same time, he enters into human suffering, most notably in Christ on the cross. We are told very specifically that Jesus suffered in 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” We also find that detail is Hebrews 5:8 and Isaiah 53. All of this is a part of what it means for God to be “with” his people.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was killed for his opposition to the Nazis. He wrote a series of letters from his cell before he died. He wrote: “only a suffering God can help.”* Our God is not distant and aloof, as if disinterested from the plight of his people. Although suffering can be painful and unpleasant, only a God of loving closeness can see us through. 

God understands. He knows. He sees. So no matter what you’re going through…

Turn to him, again. 
Call upon him, again. 
Trust in him, again. 
Gain strength from him, again. 
And find new hope in him, again.

Notes:

-*Dietrich Bonhoefer, Letters & Papers from Prison (SCM Press: London, 1953), 122.
-“Suffering Like A Saint.” Click here. Sermon. 
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Today’s devotional is an invitation to see things from a new perspective.

We sometimes need that, don’t we?

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the young boy who thought he was the world’s greatest baseball hitter. 

He threw the ball up into the air, and when it came down, he tried to hit it, but missed. He called out, “Strike one!” 

“Come on, you’re the greatest hitter there is!” He tried a second time and still missed. “Strike two!”

He spit on his hands, re-gripped his bat, and tried to encourage himself some more. “Come on, you’re the greatest hitter in the world!” He threw the ball up, and when it came down, he swung at it a third time—and missed. Strike three. 

Then the boy had an idea. “Wait a second, I’m not the greatest hitter in the world, I’m the greatest pitcher!”

Yes, it’s silly. And a little bit funny. But it teaches us something. Instead of focusing on how he kept striking out, he decided to focus on how he was also throwing the ball that struck himself out! Perhaps he was better at pitching than batting. 

Here’s today’s question: Have you been beating yourself up because you don’t have someone else’s strengths? 

As Christians, there are things we are all called to do. We are all called to love others, pray, grow in Christlikeness, worship, and share our faith. However, within those overarching categories, we have different strengths.

What if you weren’t a batter, but a pitcher. What if you weren’t made to be an expert apologist, but an ever-willing advocate for the poor. What if you weren’t a skilled musician, but an encourager for those who are feeling deflated. What if you weren’t a teacher, but an organizer who could get a new ministry off the ground by working behind the scenes?

Everyone in the church—something the New Testament calls the “body of Christ”—has things in common. Most notably, our unity is in our King and Head, Jesus Christ. But within that body, we have different gifts and abilities. 

Have you been beating yourself up because you don’t have someone else’s strengths? 

God made you you. He didn’t make you someone else. He made you you.

Use your unique strengths as a part of Christ’s body, and do it all for the glory of God.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

These days, humans have access to a mind-boggling amount of information. In many ways, this is great. We have an increasing amount of data and knowledge about the medical sciences, the human mind, the environment, and so many other areas.

However, this can sometimes make us over-confident. This over-confidence can cause us to think that we know more than God does. As a result, when we can’t see the future, or when we are enduring something we don’t understand, we can wrongly conclude that God is either incompetent or non-existent.

Corrie ten Boom is a well-known and inspirational Christian. She offers this bit of perspective for when we are experiencing difficult times: “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”*

What I appreciate about her words is that they push back against the over-confidence of our times. Since we think we’re so smart, we conclude that if we can’t see the reason for someone then a reason surely doesn’t exist.

In the context of faith, we can conclude that the presence of darkness must mean that God is either incompetent or non-existent. When we follow this line of thinking we “throw away the ticket and jump off [the train],” as ten Boom says. However, this is to think we know better than God, who in ten Boom’s analogy, is the engineer of the train.

Perhaps you know what it’s been like to go through a dark tunnel in the past. Perhaps you are in one right now. Perhaps you will go through one in the future. Whatever your situation, trust the engineer.

1 Timothy 1:17 is a word of praise about our God. It reminds us that he is greater than we could ever imagine: “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.” That’s who we trust. That’s who we follow. That’s who is driving the train.

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

Notes:

-*Corrie ten Boom. From the Corrie ten Boom Facebook page, May 16, 2026.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Why do we like stories? 

I’m sure there are many answers to that question. But I have a suspicion that they inspire us to think about how we might apply big, important ideas to our own lives.

I’m about to share a story with you. It’s very inspiring. It’s also troubling. Let that be a warning to you. It speaks of a young person being assaulted. It also tells of her exceptional faith and forgiveness, even toward her attacker. As I said, this story is not for everyone, so if that’s you perhaps it is best to skip this one. On the other hand, it may also need to be something you need to hear.

In July 1902 Alessandro Serenelli committed a horrific act of evil. He tried to rape an eleven-year old girl in a small Italian village. Her name was Maria. 

He mortally wounded her in the process. She died of peritonitis. Bacteria from her intestinal tract leached into her bloodstream and ate her alive.

She was suffering greatly during that last day on earth. But she said something before she died. They are words that are so powerful, so loving, so forgiving, that they will never be forgotten. 

Maria said: “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli, and I want him with me in Heaven forever.”*

Remember that this was an eleven-year-old girl. Given that she grew up in a small Italian village in 1902, I’m assuming that she grew up as a devout Roman Catholic. She probably attended services weekly with her family. In the Eucharist, she was reminded about Jesus’ forgiveness. And over the years, she had probably heard a lot about forgiveness, perhaps as it is described in Colossians 3:13: “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

I’m not saying it was easy (past tense). And I’m not saying it is easy (present tense). I’m also not saying it will be easy (future tense). What I’m saying is that Maria’s words demonstrate the profound enormity of her understanding of the grace of God. 

Today, and every day, we need that reminder.

“I forgive Alessandro Serenelli, and I want him to be with me in Heaven forever.”

Forgiveness is more powerful than our internal engines which are so naturally calibrated for vengeance. Yes, grace is bigger than our boxes.

“As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Notes:

-*Carlos Martins, The Exorcist Files: True Stories about the Realty of Evil and How to Defeat It (New York: Faith Words, 2024), 131.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Some people are scared to death of death.

Is that you? Perhaps it describes you perfectly. As a result, you are living in fear. 

Perhaps it’s not you. Perhaps you’re not scared to death of it, but are still really worried. 

Either way, it can be helpful to ask ourselves why. 

Why am I scared to death of death? Is it because I am afraid of what does (or doesn’t) come next? If so, remember that you are a child of the eternal God. There is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ’ (Romans 8:1). And, as we are told in a verse that is perhaps the most famous all over the world: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

If you’re not scared to death of death, but are still really worried, why? Is it because you are concerned about the well-being of loved ones after you are gone? If so, don’t forget that God has created your loved ones “fearfully and wonderfully” when they were being formed in their mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13-14). He is a God who provides.

Or are you worried about the pain that sometimes leads up to death? If so, I appreciate that. That can be very difficult. However, the Lord has promised to always be with his people (Matthew 28:20). One of Jesus’ names is “Immanuel,” which literally means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Further, he has put people into our lives to journey with us and to provide help and hope.

Don’t be scared to death of death. As I often say at funerals and memorial services, in Christ death is not just the closing of a door, but the opening of one. And that door opens to a peace, joy and love which flourish forever.

Instead of being scared to death of death, let’s be bold and blessed for life.

Notes:

-“Being radical for Jesus.” New podcast episode and blog. Click here, or find it at ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

Over the years, I have had many conversations with people who want to know about God’s plan for their life. 

Does he want me to do this, or that? What should I focus on? Should I change something major in my life? Am I headed in the right—or wrong–direction? 

I understand. I too have had these questions.

Quite often, however, God is able to use us for his purposes no matter what decision we make. 

Having said that, some decisions are clearly better than others. If you are given the choice between establishing a business that promotes injustice or something like sports-betting among youth, and one that more clearly honours God’s design or intent among our communities, go with that one! 

However, when the pathway is uncertain, trust that God is able to use you for his purposes in a variety of scenarios. 

Hopefully, this gives you some peace if you think that your choice (either in the past, present, or future) will somehow render you unplugged from God’s purposes.

So, no matter what happens, here is a helpful question: God’s plan includes you; does your plan include him?

Let’s say, for example, you end up doing something outside your field of expertise, or that you end up in Mississippi instead of Manitoba as you had wished, God can still use you. The point is to invite God into your plan.

“Dear Lord, help me reflect the character of Christ with my coworkers.”
“Dear Lord, give me the ability to cooperate with your Spirit in this new situation.”
“Dear Lord, empower me to be your hands and feet among these new people.”

Life is full of surprises. A lot happens. Keep inviting God into your choices, circumstances and plans, no matter what.

God’s plan includes you; does your plan include him?

Notes:

-“Being radical for Jesus.” New podcast episode and blog. Click here, or find it at ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Many of us worry. And then we worry about how much we’re worrying! 

We worry about a relationship or money. We worry about global conflict or next week’s visit to the doctor. We worry about saying the right thing at the right time. We worry about our children, our grandchildren, our employment prospects, what other people are thinking, or what the world is coming to.

Today I’d like to highlight something my wife Laura said recently: “I’ve done my best, to God leave the rest.” She had worked through an issue and recognized that there wasn’t anything more she could do. Worrying wouldn’t help the situation, so she entrusted it to God. How great! (And yes, my wife is incredible.)

To be sure, this is always a work in progress for all of us. There are times when I’ve tried to deal with a problem and then entrusted it to God—only to wake up at 2 a.m. with my mind racing! It’s a reminder that an active mind is not always a friend. Best to open the Bible, remind ourselves of God’s sovereign goodness, and pray (again).

The older I get, the more I appreciate Jesus’ wisdom in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” 

The answer, of course, is Yes. God is at work in our lives—and also in our problems—even when we think we’re alone, or that nothing good will ever result.

Let’s live with integrity. Let’s work hard. Let’s rest when we need to. And let’s pray. “I’ve done my best, to God leave the rest.”

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.