Today Daily Devotional

For to me, to live is Christ. . . .

— Philippians 1:21

My husband and I often sit outside at night, looking at the stars and picking out constellations. When the moon is bright, he brings out his telescope, which gives us a different, more detailed look at the moon. It also gives us a renewed appreciation for our Creator.

While Paul sat in prison writing to the Philippians, he knew he couldn’t change his circum­stances, but what really mattered was the way he looked at his situation. Paul looked at his life through the lens, the perspective, that Jesus had given him.

Paul challenged himself to con­sider how he could best be used. He could speak to the guards of the prison, sharing the good news of Jesus, and he knew that the way he lived out his faith would affect them.

Sometimes, of course, he longed to go and be with the Lord in heaven, but he was determined to live his life to better the lives of others. Both through his writing and his attitude to the people around him, Paul wanted to honor Christ. Paul saw his life as a win-win. To stay here on earth meant more churches planted, more Christians encouraged, and more people finding Jesus. And to die would mean full life and peace with the Lord in heaven. Paul wanted to glorify God, “whether by life or by death.”

Lord, help us to see how we might best help others come to know you. Give us courage in the midst of our days to share your story. As we serve you, may we see our lives as a win-win, for your sake. Amen.

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

— Ephesians 2:18 (NLT)

Over the past 12 years while I have been a pastor in a newly planted church, one story I have heard again and again has come from new members. People who did not grow up in a church or who were rejected or bullied by church people in the past shared that as they were invited into our space, it was the first time they felt they belonged and were not judged. They learned that there was a place for them. It was the reason they stayed.

I wonder how it felt for Gentiles, who had long been treated as outsiders, to be invited into God’s story of good news for all peoples. Paul reminds them in Ephesians that they are vital members of God’s family. God’s story of reconciliation is amazing. Jesus’ death on the cross for all sinners has broken down the hostility between all peoples. We are all equal at the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gave us one body, not many. It is the place where we lay down our differences and pick up God’s grace.

Too often in the church we have divided over what is comfortable for us rather than what God offers. Today is a good day to meet your neighbor or anyone who needs to know that the good-news story includes them.

God, thank you that we are no longer strangers but part of your family. Help us to be your one body together and to let the world know by our love for one another that we are connected to you. Amen.

This light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

— Ephesians 5:9 (NLT)

Many of us enjoy lots of freedoms in our everyday living. But sometimes we act as if we can do as we please. And we might even think we don’t have to be accountable to anyone or anything. But that can bring all kinds of hurts to ­others as well as ourselves.

If we have faced hard times, we might also think that some people or some institutions owe us. Sometimes we can begin thinking that God owes us too. We figure that we have been good, or kind, or hardworking, or whatever, and that we deserve whatever we want. We think we can decide which rules apply and which ones don’t.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 5, however, that the sides are not even close to being even. Our very small contribution is nothing compared to Jesus’ sacrifice for us. We are encouraged to take hold of the truth of that sacrifice and to adjust our atti­tude and actions.

Paul is reminding us that we are called to live in such a way that our lives will shine with the light of Christ. How we live is an expression of how much we understand all that God has offered us through his Son. The light of Christ in us is what produces what is good and right and true.

Maybe the question is, How much do we owe him?

God, thank you for all you have given us through Jesus. Help us to live in a way that pleases and ­honors you. May we glorify your name in all we do. Amen.

“Then you will know that I am . . . the Lord your God, and that there is no other. . . .”

— Joel 2:27

Sometimes God gives us clear signs of his work and presence in our lives. I often call them thin slices of heaven. They remind me of a breeze that suddenly blows through an open window and brings refreshment. There are times in our lives when God opens a window and gives encouragement, confirming exactly who he is.

Years ago, as part of a Mothers Who Care group, I prayed with other moms for the students and teachers in the school my kids attended. Though our family moved to another location later, I knew we had planted seeds and could trust God with the results.

Then, in another city 15 years later, as I worked in an outreach ministry at a local church, I met two of those former students in my group. Both had now started a relationship with Jesus. Both recognized me from the moms group from years earlier. We had prayed and expected Jesus to do great things, and he had worked in the lives of these young people. They embraced the love Jesus offered and were passing it along to others. As we embrace what God gives us and use it to bring the kingdom of God near to others, our lives also change.

In what ways has God pre­sented you a thin slice of ­heaven and shown that he is God?

Thank you, God, for reminding us again that you are the Lord and you do great things. Help us to use the gifts you give us to share your love with ­others. In your name, Amen.

Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit . . . giving thanks to God the Father . . . in the name of . . . Jesus. . . .

— Ephesians 5:18-20

My niece’s family has faced serious trauma this year. Her husband passed away suddenly, leaving her with three young girls to care for. Six weeks later, her nine-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer, had surgery to remove it, and went through four months of chemotherapy. Then a few months later a second tumor was found. As I write this, she is in surgery to have it removed. As we wait for answers and as hundreds of people surround them with prayer and encouragement, we entrust them to the fullness of God’s love and care.

And in the midst of this battle, I hear praise and worship from family members and ­others who surround them. This is similar to the praise and worship that Paul and Silas engaged in while sitting in a prison in Philippi. They had been beaten and jailed but did not give up. Their relationship and trust in God led them to share from the depths of God’s goodness and love even in the hardest of circumstances.

Are you ready to share about the love and goodness of God, whatever life’s challenges may be? Are you ready to live into the plans God has for you? May you be filled with the fullness of God regardless of your circumstances.

Lord, we may not like or understand the circumstances we are in, but please give us the strength to trust and honor you with our actions amid the challenges we face each day. In Jesus, Amen.

I pray . . . that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

— Ephesians 3:17-19

I was online with a group of women who have been my prayer partners for over 20 years. Weekly we meet on Zoom and bring each other up to speed on concerns and needs to be prayed for.

I was writing these devotions at that time, so I asked, “What does ‘the fullness of God’ mean to you?” As we pondered this together, we wondered what would change in our lives if we actually began each day by reminding ourselves that all of God’s resources and love and power are ours, regardless of what might unfold in our day. Would our foundation grow stronger and deeper, and would we respond to our world differently? Would we fall in love with Jesus at a new level of understanding, appreciating what his death and r­esurrection accomplished?

One person responded that as she was preparing to lead a Bible study, she needed to think about what she wanted to say in a prayer. She said that as she asked God to give her the words, she immediately knew what she needed to say, and she began to write it down. She said that at that moment she was clearly aware of the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if when we become aware of the presence of God, we are beginning to enjoy the fullness of relationship.

Dear God, when we pray to you, move us to invite you in and to ask that we can become more aware of your nearness to us. Fill us today with your Spirit. Amen.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. . . .

— Ephesians 1:18

My son-in-law wondered how we could spend so much on groceries. He compared our grocery bill as empty nesters to their grocery bill for a family of five, and he was puzzled. The next time they came to visit, I suggested that he watch the traffic flow of my grandchildren. Within minutes of arriving, the pantry door had been opened, and across the room the fridge door was also open. He smiled and shook his head.

I love that my grandkids feel at home and that they know how to access foods they want and enjoy. They know that they have that privilege at Grandma’s house. And so do their parents as well as friends who show up.

As Paul prays for the Ephesians, he knows this is the kind of information they need. They need spiritual knowledge and understanding as their hearts begin to fill with the great blessings Jesus has for them. When Jesus challenges his followers to join him in the work he is doing (John 14:12), he says they will do more than he has done as they learn how to access the power they are given.

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is offered to us. We need to understand how incredibly great our inheritance is. We need to open Scripture and find the amazing riches that are ours to use, just as my grandkids know how to open the pantry door.

Lord, light up our hearts with your love and grace, that we may be filled with your fullness. Amen.

Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. . . .

— Ephesians 6:13

Over the years, I have purchased hockey equipment, soccer cleats, basketball shoes, baseball pants and hats, and more for my children growing up. I also learned that the longer they played a sport, the higher the costs of equipment went up. Our son outgrew his basketball shoes every six months as his feet con­tinued to grow. Then, when he moved up from house league to competitive basketball, he asked for a new shoe that was popular but didn’t have ankle support. Against our better judgment, we bought a pair and soon realized as we iced his ankle that it wasn’t the best decision to buy those shoes. We should have bought the better equipment instead.

Paul taught that if Christians want to be equipped for spiritual warfare, they need the best equipment. To live into the fullness of God in our lives, we need to understand each piece of equipment and how to use it.

When I look at the armor Paul describes, I realize I am looking at a picture of Jesus. Jesus is the truth (belt of truth), and he is our righteousness and our peace (breastplate and shoes). The reason we have faith is through his faithfulness to us (shield of faith). And he is our salvation as well as the living Word (helmet and sword).

If we are equipped with the full character and blessings of Christ, we have the full armor of God to help us stand.

Lord, help me to learn from you and to be like you so that the armor you provide will help me live into the fullness of faith in you. Amen.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. . . .

— Ephesians 3:20

My grandson, who is eight years old (going on 40), and my mother, who is age 91, share an incredible bond of friendship that is quite wonderful and unique. Over the years as they have spent time together, they have excitedly planned fun things to do. One of these occasions was a trip to the circus. Charlie got his ­tickets at school and couldn’t wait to get home to call and see if my mother was ready to go on their date. They arranged their limo ride (Grandpa), and with eyes wide with wonder they were thrilled to see the circus stars perform. The performance delivered more than they had imagined.

Ephesians aims to do the same and much more for us. Through Jesus, God has provided new life and amazing possibilities for us, and our Lord is able to do more than we could ever imagine in our wildest dreams. He knows ­every detail of our lives, and he knows the best life for us to live.

Today is a good day to sit and imagine with Jesus. Start with a Bible story you know, or read one that is new to you, and imagine what it was like to be there. What did God do? And what were the people around you doing?

Now imagine what your story today could look like. Invite Jesus into your activities today and expect to have your imagination stretched.

Dear God, we are thankful that your ways and thoughts are bigger than ours. Invite us into your plans today and help us imagine what is possible. Amen.

I pray that . . . he may strengthen you . . . so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

— Ephesians 3:16-17

A mother and her two young children went to visit an older woman from their church. She greeted them warmly and invited them to sit at her table for refreshments. The children soon noticed a large jar of jelly beans at the center of the table. It was hard not to stare at the delightful treat when it was so close. The older woman smiled and said, “Would you like one?”

Immediately both children nodded, and the little girl reached in ever so politely and took one jelly bean—red, her favorite color. She seemed pleased until she saw her brother reach into the jar and grab a handful of jelly beans. Then she wished she had done the same.

In Ephesians the apostle Paul is asking us to imagine going deeper than the polite relationship we may tend to have with Jesus. Christ wants us to live fully. He wants us to be able to settle in and feel at home in our relationship with him. He wants us to know how much he loves and cares for us—and that will change how we live out our faith each day. He wants us to be grounded in the truth of his love so that we are not afraid to access all the power and strength he has for us.

No matter what our circumstances are, Christ is always offering all of himself for us. Today is a good day to stretch our faith and our imagination to find all of the “flavors” Christ is offering.

Dear God, give me the strength and courage to do more than sit politely with you. Fill my heart with your life and power to glorify you. Amen.