Today Daily Devotional

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles . . . (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town . . . ).

— Ezra 2:1

In between the verses of our Bible reading today there is a long list of names. Genealogies and other lists like this do not usually make for interesting reading. After all, we know very little about most of the people listed there. Their actions, hopes, and dreams—all of that is lost to history, and we have only their names.

But the Bible includes this list because it would help later generations see how they were connected to the exiles and had a place among God’s people in history. Similarly today, many people have found it meaningful to trace their family tree and learn things about their ancestry that they had never known before. It can help people learn about their identity and even some of the places their ancestors come from.

One of the great pictures of salvation in the Bible is that we now belong to the family of God. If you put your faith in Christ, you are adopted as a child of God (see Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 2:19-22). This is good news for everyone! It can also give comfort to anyone who may feel that their past actions have burned bridges with the people around them, or whose families reject their faith in Christ. In Jesus, God has given us a place to belong and a people to belong to.

Heavenly Father, the whole family of Christ finds its identity in you. Thank you for the assurance that you love and care for each one of us, and that we belong to you. Amen.

“Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah.”

— Ezra 1:3

For many of us today, “home” may not be where we live but where we have roots or a family history. Perhaps it’s where you grew up, or maybe it’s the country your family emigrated from. Having been formed by that “home,” it can be exciting to have an opportunity to go back.

The Jews had spent several generations in exile, far away from their ancestral home. While some had grown accustomed to their new place, memories and stories of Jerusalem continued to tug at the hearts of others. So when an opportunity came through a decree of the ruling king, they responded with enthusiasm and said to one another, “Let’s go back!”

Similar things can happen at times in our spiritual lives. If we are living far away from God, we can grow comfortable with a secular lifestyle. We can get used to doing as we see fit, and we can make poor decisions that lead us into danger or even ruin. But God’s Spirit continues to nudge our hearts, reminding us that we are made for worship and relationship with the one true God.

In Jesus, God has issued the decree that allows wandering and wayward souls to return to fellowship with him. He moves our hearts and provides the circumstances (vv. 5-6) to return to him. If you have become distant from God, why not turn back and be restored to him today?

Holy Spirit, thank you for tugging at our hearts and urging us to return to you. Help us to turn back and be restored in Christ today. Amen.

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife.

— Ruth 4:13

Ruth had returned with Naomi to make a new home in Bethlehem. At least Naomi had memories of familiar people and places there. But Ruth had no connections to Bethlehem at all. As a foreigner, she was doubly vulnerable in this place that was new to her.

But God provided in remarkable ways. First, “as it turned out” (Ruth 2:3), she found herself gleaning grain in the field of a kind-hearted relative named Boaz. Second, Boaz takes an interest in Ruth’s longterm well-being by making her his wife. These may seem like coincidences, but God specializes in gracious coincidence.

Sometimes our own journeys—to familiar places or to new ones—seem to present unlikely prospects. Maybe you can’t imagine going back to a church because you were too deeply hurt by its members in the past. Or maybe you feel that your sins are too weighty to be forgiven. But please know that God forgives all of our sins through Jesus Christ.

God has a way of providing for people who may not seem to belong. The genealogy at the end of Ruth 4 shows that Ruth became an ancestor of Israel’s great king David—and therefore also of the Savior, Jesus (Matthew 1).

God can bring you into Jesus’ family too. Trust him today to give you the home you need.

Heavenly Father, you surprise us with your gracious acceptance and provision. Thank you for welcoming us into your family through Christ, and help us to rejoice in your protection and redemption. Amen.

Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

— Ruth 1:22

It is not always easy for people to return to their hometown. Old memories, past mistakes, and expectations can make things complicated.

Naomi returned from Moab full of disappointment and bitterness. For her, moving to Moab had brought death, loss, and heartache. And she reacted as many of us do: she blamed God for her troubles. Sometimes it’s hard to see God’s loving hand when we are faced with hardship.

As Naomi returned, however, she was not alone. Ruth, one of her daughters-in-law, had chosen to join her, saying, “Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth, an outsider, went to find a new home in Bethlehem—a place among people whose God she had known only from a distance (see v. 15).

As we see later in this story, God can redeem our emptiness just as he can accept our first steps toward him in faith. Though Naomi’s outlook is bleak at this point, God’s Word offers a glimpse of hope: the harvest is coming. God will make Bethlehem a place of blessing. And the wonders God works there will bless Naomi and Ruth—and eventually the whole world. Many years later, a descendant of their family would become the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1). God promises to bring blessing to all who find their home in Jesus. Shall we take that step toward him today?

Lord, help us to see beyond our bitter struggles to the promises we have in you. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

She left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

— Ruth 1:7

What happens when you realize you’re far from home?

Naomi had been away from Bethlehem in the land of Judah for a long time. She and her husband had moved to Moab because of a famine, and their sons had grown up there and married. Naomi also experienced deep grief when her husband and then later her sons died.

Being a widow in those days was very difficult because a household depended on men to provide food, shelter, and support. So when Naomi heard that God had provided food in Bethlehem, she was motivated to go back there.

It can be interesting to see how God works in our lives. Wherever we go, God watches over us. And sometimes, in dire situations, we may be drawn to seek him in renewed ways. In this story, as we learn later, God was drawing Naomi back to Judah because he had a special plan for her family. But Naomi didn’t know that at the time.

Perhaps you’re dealing with some kind of adversity. Maybe it’s the death of a loved one, or the unexpected loss of a job. Maybe it’s some kind of trouble you brought on yourself. Whatever the case, difficult situations can lead us to focus on the goodness of God and how he provides us a spiritual home for us.

Wherever we are, may God help us see that our true home can only be found in him, through the gift of Christ, his Son.

Father, wherever we are, help us to hear of your grace and to know that our home is with you. In Jesus, Amen.

“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

— Luke 15:18

As a pastor, I often talk with parents who are disappointed that their son or daughter no longer thinks Christ is important. I always try to assure them that it is never too late for someone to return to God and his people.

Jesus tells a story about a son who ran away from home. Rather than work with his father on the family estate, the son demanded his inheritance and then wasted it on wild living. It probably seemed like an attractive idea at the time, but like many of our sinful decisions, it led to personal disaster.

When his money was all gone, the young man wound up working with pigs—“unclean” animals that were detestable to Jews. And as he “came to his senses,” he asked himself, in effect, “How did I get here?”

We might find ourselves asking the same question, having drifted far away from our Father. Repentance is the first step we take to return. And while we do not have the power to restore our relationship with God on our own, our Father promises to receive us back when we come with a repentant heart.

If you find yourself far from the Father, he invites you to come back to him today. Repent and return, and God will welcome you home.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy in Christ. Keep us from wandering from your care. Give us the courage to return to you, knowing that you will run to welcome us home. Amen.

Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.

— Proverbs 27:8

For several years, birds have built nests on or near our home. One year we watched robins hatch on the ledge outside our kitchen window. The mother robin could see us through the glass, and at first she was wary of every move we made. But she grew used to our presence, and we could watch how she tended her young. The nest, for them, was a safe place, warm and protected from predators until the chicks were ready to fly.

In a similar way, we need churches and families to serve as spiritual homes, protecting us and providing for our needs so that we can be prepared to face the world God has given us to live and work in. Unfortunately, we sometimes try to go our own way before we are ready. We make foolish choices in friendships, and we may get into trouble with the law. We rush intimacy and find ourselves in a romantic relationship before we are ready. We imagine that we are spiritually mature, not needing Christian community, but then we find (too late) that we are unprepared for moral challenges that the world can throw at us.

Home is a place to cultivate the habits that bring us close to God: Scripture reading, prayer, mutual accountability, and confession of sin. We all need the protection and provision of Christ. Let’s not take for granted the gift of a spiritual home.

Savior God, you long to gather your children as a hen gathers her young under her wings (Luke 13:34). Guide us to value your care and the gift of a spiritual home. Amen.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.

— 1 Kings 19:3

What makes us run away?

By all accounts, Elijah had just finished a successful revival. The false prophets of Baal had been routed, and the people of Israel had proclaimed their allegiance to the true God. God had answered Elijah’s prayers for an end to a crippling drought (1 Kings 18). But instead of resting confidently in the Lord, who had brought about all these good things, Elijah ran away. Why?

Sometimes we are just too worn out to stay where we are. Even our moments of success can be clouded by opposition and fear, and it can seem easier to run away. Maybe you’re overwhelmed by the uncertainties of life, or you feel unable to cope for another day with a difficult relationship. Or maybe you’re just plain tired and you think that being elsewhere—physically or spiritually—will fix things. But when we run from our challenges, we often miss the lessons God wants us to learn—about ourselves and his care.

Thankfully for us, God is willing to meet us when we run away. He came to Elijah with a gracious question: “What are you doing here?” And God responded to Elijah’s hurt and fear with a promise of his presence and ongoing work.

By coming to us in Christ, God has done even more. When you’re worn out and tempted to run away, let the presence of Christ lead you back home to rest in him.

“Precious Lord, take my hand . . . I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. . . . Guide my feet, hold my hand, lead me home.” In Christ, Amen.

“What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me?”

— Jeremiah 2:5

One hazard of technology today is the temptation to scroll aimlessly on social media or web feeds. Maybe we begin by looking for a recipe, but our search turns up a distracting new diet program, or we see a juicy update on a friend we haven’t seen in years—and before we know it, we’ve spent an hour wandering around the internet without a clear sense of direction.

Something similar can happen in our spiritual lives. Sin rarely captures us out of the blue. Instead, we begin small—with a little lie, or a grudge we can’t let go of, or a few too many drinks—and later we discover we have wandered far into places we never thought we would go.

The prophets reminded God’s people Israel that they had wandered from God’s way. They had followed idols—representing the sinful desires of the human heart—rather than walking with the Lord and obeying his directions. They stopped asking, “Where is God in our lives?” They turned away from the living water and dug cisterns that only ran dry.

When Jesus came, he declared that he is the “living water” who fills us with his guiding Spirit (John 7:37). Rather than scrolling aimlessly through life, let’s follow this Savior to keep close to God.

Lord, sometimes we don’t realize when or how far we stray from you. Guide us by your Spirit, we pray. Lead us to worthwhile endeavors that honor you, through Christ. Amen.

They have left the straight way and wandered off. . . .

— 2 Peter 2:15

For the past fifteen years I have lived in the northeastern United States, where roads often meander all over the landscape. Make a wrong turn, and you often discover that it can take a long time to find your way back to the right path. I’m thankful for the map program in my cell phone!

Peter describes the false teachers of his day as people who have gone off in the wrong direction. What leads people off course? Peter mentions the attractions of pleasure, greed, pride, lust, and the promise of false freedoms. All of these things and more lead us on meandering paths that can quickly bring us away from where God would have us go.

The “wages of wickedness” can also be appealing. Balaam was an example of someone who thought sin could offer a shortcut to a good life (see Numbers 22). But that wouldn’t work, and Balaam had to be rebuked by his donkey before he could see the truth! In a similar way, we might think a financial scheme will get us what we want. And when we realize we have gone wrong, we may well have caused many people lots of harm and damage.

God invites us to embrace Christ as our Lord and Savior— the one who directs us and saves us from our wrong turns. Follow him, and let him keep you on the way!

Lord, we have a hard time sticking with your directions for our lives. By your Spirit, keep us on the right path, and lead us home with you. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.