Today Daily Devotional

Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.

— Mark 5:22

Before I was born, a brother of mine passed away at the age of fourteen months. My parents had done all they could to find medical help and healing for him. Similarly, Jairus, a synagogue leader, feared losing his young daughter, and he also did all he could to gain healing for his child.

Jairus was responsible to help with the smooth running of the synagogue in town, which led worship and instruction for the local Jewish community. He likely had also heard that some other religious leaders, the Pharisees, didn’t like Jesus and had warned people to watch out for him. The Pharisees enjoyed their position of power as teachers of the law and rulers of the people, and they felt threatened by Jesus’ popularity and his amazing miracles. They had even begun plotting to find a way to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6). Despite all that, Jairus wanted healing for his daughter. So he went to see Jesus.

Jairus also left his pride and dignity behind. As a respected leader in the community, he was not expected to submit to a stranger in his town, and yet he fell at the feet of Jesus in great humility. Jairus did not care who saw him do this because he knew he needed Jesus’ help.

Followers of Jesus leave their preconceptions and pride behind when they come to Jesus. He is Lord and King of all. In him we find the power to heal—body and soul.

King Jesus, help me to realize who you are, and to be humble before you. Thank you for your love and care. Amen.

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! . . . Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?”

— Acts 13:9-10

Barnabas, Saul (Paul), and John (Mark) were on a mission to bring the good news of God’s salvation in Jesus to people who had not heard it before. And they met some resistance from Elymas, a sorcerer and false prophet. Our enemy, the devil, was trying to stop the gospel from being preached there. Elymas went so far as to try turning his employer, the proconsul, away from having faith in Christ.

Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, let the power of the Spirit do his work against this demonic influence. The words sound harsh, but then so did Jesus’ words to Peter when he said, “Get behind me Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

There is only one way to be right with God. And that means opening ourselves to be filled with the Spirit of God, “the Spirit of truth” who guides us “into all truth” (John 16:13).

In response to the teaching about the Lord, and having seen the powerful work of the Spirit through Paul, the proconsul believed. In a battle between God’s Spirit and the devil’s lies, the Spirit will always win.

Let us be wise in who we follow.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of your Son, Jesus, and for the empowerment of your Spirit in your church. May the church be humble, strong, and faithful. Amen.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

— Acts 13:2

In Acts 1:8 Jesus told his disciples they would be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In Acts 13 the church at Antioch, including Saul and Barnabas, prayerfully waited for direction from God. The church of Jesus Christ is called to listen for the Spirit’s leading as we ask, “What do you want us to do next?”

The Antioch church was fasting and praying in a position of readiness, eager to hear the Lord’s orders and to obey them. And the Spirit of God responded with a clear directive: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

They were not to go on their own mission project, nor the church’s. They were to do the work of the Holy Spirit. They needed to continue to listen for what the Spirit would tell them to do and where to do it.

You and I must have a heart of submission to the Spirit. We need to be open to the plans that the Spirit of God has for us so that God can work in and through our lives. The Spirit is looking for us to continue the work of Jesus.

Loving God, each person in this world is an object of your love. And by your Spirit you call us to bear witness to your truth. Give us your clear directions, we pray. Amen.

The Berean Jews . . . received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

— Acts 17:11

A class I taught at a local Chris­tian college was called “Gateway to Excellence.” It was an introductory class for all new students. When asked by others what the class was about, I would initially say that it was meant to equip students to become better thinkers and responsible followers of Jesus in their career choices.

As a follower and servant of Jesus, I must be fully committed to his cause. Because of his love for me, Jesus died for me and equipped me with spiritual gifts so that I can serve him here on earth. And through his Spirit, Jesus promises to be with us until he comes again.

When Paul went to Berea, he taught these things to the people there. And the Bereans were good thinkers who did not just take information at face value; they also examined the Scriptures to confirm what Paul was saying. Recognizing the truth of God in Paul’s message, many of them became believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Savior.

Smart people need to be wise people, and wise people need to be listened to, talked with, questioned, and accepted if what they are saying is the truth.

Be a student and thinker who digs into God’s Word, finding the way, the truth, and the life.

God of wisdom, fill our hearts with the truth of your Word so that we will be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (James 1:19), showing grace and patience for your sake. Amen.

“When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’”

— Matthew 16:2-3

The month of August provides some of the warmest days of the year where I live. And in the morning, if the sky is red in the east, there is a good chance of stormy weather, just as people said in Israel back in Jesus’ day.

Jesus used that well-known pattern as a “heads up” to the Pharisees and Sadducees who had asked him to show them a sign from heaven. In return he used a sign of the heavens to test them about their belief in him as God’s anointed King.

They had already seen and heard about Jesus’ teaching and healing miracles, and they were inclined to dismiss them—and him as well. When it came to the gift that God had given them in Jesus, they had ears but could not hear, and they had eyes but could not see.

Jesus predicted another sign as well—not to satisfy their question but to announce that he would rise from the dead. Did you notice that he mentioned “the sign of Jonah”? This meant that just as Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days before being spit out on the shore, Jesus would be in a tomb, and on the third day he would rise from the dead.

Many of Jesus’ challengers missed that sign too. People still miss it today, but many see, believe, and live the resurrected life with Jesus. Are you living that life too?

Risen Lord, you are the giver of abundant life. Thank you for your amazing gifts. May we help others to see who you real­ly are. Amen.

Who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.

— Psalm 19:12

When I was in grade school, there were many times that I thought a teacher or a parent had eyes in the back of their head. I could not get away with anything I was not supposed to be doing. Sometimes my hidden thoughts were identified by those who were not even looking at me. And to prevent me from even trying something out of line, they said, “Just remember, God sees everything you do.”

Having someone watching our every move can help to keep our actions in check, but what about our thoughts and the things we are tempted to say? When we allow the bright light of God’s law to shine into our inner self, it illuminates our hidden faults and lights up a warning. Without God’s law we are blind to what separates us from God.

The psalmist knows that he cannot see his faults by looking into a mirror. He looks instead into God’s law and asks God to forgive not only his visible sins but also his hidden faults.

And the God of the Bible does forgive. Knowing the fact of God’s forgiveness assures the psalmist that he will be blameless in God’s sight. Not perfect yet, but blameless now.

Father God, even though your law is good and I want to obey it, I know I do not. Thank you for Jesus, who kept it perfectly so that by faith I can become one with him in your eyes. I love you, Jesus, and I thank you for loving me. Amen.

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

— Psalm 19:3-4

In my first German-language lesson in high school, I was taught to ask, “Where is the post office, please?” If I were in Germany and needed to mail a letter home, I would need to ask, “Wo ist das Post, bitte?” If you travel to countries where the language is unfamiliar, you know how important it is to learn some basics in the local language.

But how do we learn a language that has no words and no sounds? Psalm 19 teaches us that the language of the heavens and the skies has no words, yet their voice goes out to the ends of the earth, revealing knowledge.

Some never notice it, but others learn and understand. God has gifted them to observe that creation has an amazing Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the Spirit of God helps us understand. A discerning mind sees and hears God’s hand in all he has created. And we can praise God for all these things.

Look up at the heavens. Look down at the flowers. See the stars and smell the roses. They all proclaim that the mighty God has graced us with breathtaking displays of his creative hand.

To God be the glory!

God of creation, Lord of all that we see and hear and touch and smell, thank you for this great world you have given us to live in and care for. We praise your great and powerful name. Amen.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. . . .

— Psalm 18:2

David, who was anointed to become king of Israel, had many enemies, and he wrote the words of Psalm 18 at a time when God delivered him from those enemies, including Saul, the king he would replace (see 2 Samuel 22).

At times David was so overwhelmed by his enemies that he felt as if “the cords of death entangled” him. He felt that his end was near. In response, David called on the only one who could help. “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”

David displayed great courage based on his trust in God, his rock and deliverer. David had been taught and had learned from experience that the Lord was always present for him. No enemy could separate him from the care of the Lord.

When we know that we depend on God for all good things, as David did, we know that calling on God will help to bring the solutions we need. This doesn’t mean we should ignore emergency services or other kinds of help that are available when we might need them. God provides those resources in our communities for the good of everyone. But realizing that we can rely on God to help us with all our needs is a great comfort today just as it was for David. Let’s be sure to call on God whenever we need help of any kind.

O God, often we forget to look to you for help when we need it. Teach us to lean on you for protection, guidance, and all that we need, knowing you provide all good things. Amen.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

— Mark 1:35

In the streaming series The Chosen, one episode depicts Jesus returning to a camp where he and his disciples are staying for the night. It is late, and Jesus has spent the day healing crowds of people. He stumbles into camp, exhausted from the day’s ministry. The disciples can only watch him, surprised at how tired he is. His teaching and healing work must have been exhausting. Though he was fully God, Jesus was also fully human, so he got tired and needed sleep (see Mark 4:38; John 4:6).

Our reading for today explains that after a long day of teaching and healing, Jesus rose early in the morning to pray. Jesus needed time to connect with his Father in prayer, resting in his Father’s presence and focusing on his purpose. He had come to do much more than heal people in Capernaum, even though that was clearly important while he was there. When the disciples went out and found him, he said, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

Jesus spent time in prayer with his Father, and he remained focused on his purpose. If this was important to Jesus, it is certainly important for his followers too. Let’s be sure to spend personal time with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each day.

Father, I need to spend time with you, just as Jesus did. Lord, lead me, guide me, and give me the strength I need for the work you have planned. Amen.

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”

— Mark 1:27

When God’s enemy and ours, the devil, tempted Adam and Eve and humanity fell into sin (Genesis 3), all of our relationships were broken—with God, with each other, with ourselves, and with creation. Temptation and sin opened the way for the devil and his followers—impure spirits—to attack and influence our lives, sometimes even taking possession of people’s hearts, minds, and bodies.

God’s Son, Jesus, came into the world to rebuild what was broken and to restore the goodness of creation, healing many people’s bodies and minds. Jesus came as God’s authoritative Word, and with power he drove impure spirits out of the people they had possessed.

The crowd in Capernaum heard the Word of God and saw the power of God that Sabbath day. They were amazed to see God’s love presented to them in the person of Jesus. And as he worked wonders in God’s great plan of salvation, Jesus showed that his power was far greater than any demonic presence.

The people heard Jesus speak God’s Word, and they saw his amazing acts of restoration. They witnessed “God with us,” Immanuel, and they spread the news about him everywhere.

Lord, thank you for showing your love in the person of Jesus Christ. May we seek him in the written Word you have given us, and may we tell of your power and love every­where. Amen.