Today Daily Devotional

“You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

— Matthew 1:21

Have you ever wondered why your parents chose your name? Maybe they named you after a family member. Perhaps they named you after a person in the Bible. Or maybe they chose your name because they liked the way it sounded.

When Mary was about to give birth, she and Joseph didn’t have a choice. Through an angel, God commanded them to name the child Jesus.

The name Jesus is Greek for the Hebrew name Joshua, whom God chose to lead Israel into the promised land (Joshua 1). The Hebrew name Joshua means “God is deliverance,” and that was a fitting name for the man who led Israel out of their wandering in the wilderness and into the land God had promised them. And in God’s great story, the life of Joshua points toward an even greater figure.

When we say, with the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in Jesus,” we affirm that God’s Son, Jesus, is our salvation. God’s own Son rescues us from the dark pit of our sin into the light and spacious peace of knowing and resting in God.

So many things promise deliverance in this life. Yet the Bible states clearly that there is only one way to know God—and that is through his Son, Jesus (John 14:6). Do you believe in him? Do you trust in him? His name means “Savior,” or “the Lord saves,” revealing that Jesus is God’s deliverance.

Jesus, name above all names, you have washed away our sins and made us right with God. Help us to follow and serve you in all we do. Amen.

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

— Romans 8:28

Have you stood outside on a dark, clear night, looked up at the stars, and felt small in the vastness of the universe? In such moments when we feel small and vulnerable, we can take comfort in knowing that our Father in heaven created the sun, the moon, and stars, as well as all of the earth—including each one of us.

Closely linked to God’s creating power are his sustaining and governing powers over the entire cosmos he has made. Nothing in creation is insignificant in God’s hands—not because he’s a “control freak” but because God cares for all he has made. God even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30).

Knowing that God has the whole world and every one of us in his hands, we can live with great confidence—no matter where life’s paths take us. In times of health and prosperity, we can give thanks for God’s many blessings and in turn share those blessings with others. And when we encounter difficulties and hardships, we can also give thanks. For in times like that, we grow in trust and in patience as we lean on our Father, who cares for us and will always provide for us.

God, our heavenly Father and sustainer, we have nothing to dread or fear when we lean on you, our refuge and strength. Amen.

He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

— Psalm 33:9

Though my father wasn’t a carpenter by trade, he loved to work with wood. He enjoyed taking a piece of wood and transforming it into something useful and pleasing. As creatures made in the image of God, we all have an inborn desire to make things useful and lovely. In this we imitate God, who created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 33 recalls God’s almighty power in creating everything around us: the sky, the sun, the stars, the mountains, the oceans. God not only created all that we see; he also created good things we can’t see—like air, gravity, and sound, as well as love, goodness, and justice. God did this, as the psalm says, through the power of his spoken word.

When we say, with the Apostle’s Creed, that God is the “creator of heaven and earth,” we are declaring that the same God who made the mountains, forests, and oceans made each one of us too. What’s more, we are declaring that this God hasn’t stepped back from what he has made; no, he still delights in sustaining it.

We can take great comfort in knowing that the all-powerful creator and sustainer, God Almighty, is the one that we also call our heavenly Father. God cares for us; he knows what we need; and he will never let us slip from his tender care.

May your unfailing love be with us, Almighty God. Guide us to put our hope in you. Amen.

“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

— Matthew 7:11

When my children were small, they looked up to me because I was such a big person in their lives. As they grew older and bigger, though, they realized that I have imperfections and limitations. I am painfully aware that I sometimes let them down, as all fathers have done at times to their children.

But although our fathers may let us down, we can always depend on our heavenly Father.

In the Old Testament, the people of Israel called God their “Father.” They also used many other titles and descriptions to identify God. For example, they called God their “rock,” their “fortress,” and their “shield.” In many passages he is also called “God Almighty” (­El-Shaddai) in recognition of his awesome power and dependability. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes his relationship with God as his Father, and he teaches us to trust God as our Father in heaven.

With the Apostles’ Creed, we rightly call God our “Father almighty.” Unlike our earthly fathers, our heavenly Father is perfect and unlimited in his power. Our earthly fathers may sometimes make promises they can’t keep. Our heaven­ly Father not only makes promises but also keeps them all—because of his almighty power and enduring love and ­faithfulness.

God also hears and answers our prayers. Knowing what’s best for us, our Father will always provide what we need.

Father almighty, we rely on your love and faithfulness, trusting that you will never let us down. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has also made you an heir.

— Galatians 4:7

Sometimes people say, “We are all God’s children.” And it’s true that God made us all. That’s why we call God our Father.

But it’s important to clarify what it means to be God’s children. First, Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity, is God’s “one and only Son” (see John 1:14; 3:16). This underscores Jesus’ unique relationship with God the Father. But through Jesus, and by belief in God’s power to save us through him, we too are God’s children (see John 1:12-13). As the apostle Paul explains in Galatians 4, “God sent his Son”—that is, Jesus—to save us because we were cut off from God. We were separated from God because of our sin. But now, through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we can be adopted as God’s children. And we can enjoy all the rights and privileges of belonging to God the Father as his heirs.

Confessing “I believe in God the Father” should flood our hearts with praise and thanksgiving as we remember this. God, in his great mercy, has forgiven all our sins and made us his children. This should also give us great comfort. Surely God, who did not spare his only Son, will spare nothing to watch over and keep us, his children.

In turn, let us also love the people around us and call them to trust in God as their Father too.

Our Father in heaven, thank you for making us your children. Help us to share your fatherly love in a world that desperately needs to know you. Through Jesus, Amen.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

— Hebrews 11:6

When we say the Apostles’ Creed, we begin with the words “I believe in God . . .” And what do we mean by this?

Sometimes we use the words I believe to say that we agree with certain facts. For example, we might say, “I believe that the earth is round.” But belief goes deeper than agreeing with facts.

With the words, “I believe in God,” we are saying much more than that we agree with facts about God. Sure, we are accepting the basic biblical truths about God’s existence. But when we say, “I believe in God,” our hearts are involved as well. Our belief means trusting in God, committing ourselves to God and his teaching for our lives, and following and obeying God in what he says and where he leads. With the opening words of the Apostles’ Creed, we affirm that we believe and trust in God himself.

Many believers throughout the centuries have memorized the Apostles’ Creed—often by saying it again and again in worship services. Sadly, though, our minds can wander when we repeat the creed that way. So it’s important to think about the words we are saying. The next time you say the creed, be sure to say it as an expression of the truth and as a commitment to following God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with all of your heart!

Dear God, we believe in you. Help us to trust and serve you with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

— Matthew 28:19

The Apostles’ Creed summarizes the truth about God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit revealed in the Bible. Following Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” and to baptize them, the early church developed this brief “I believe” (Credo) statement as a guide in teaching new believers about the Christian faith.

For example, it became a tradition for new believers to learn about the faith and be baptized when the church cele­brated Easter in springtime. In the weeks leading up to Easter, new believers studied the Apostles’ Creed. On Easter eve, they confessed it to­gether, and then on Easter morning they were baptized and broke bread together, celebrating their first Lord’s Supper as members of the church.

Of course, it was important to keep learning by reading and meditating on God’s Word, but not everyone had access to the Scriptures. So the Apostles’ Creed, in its simple, straightforward way, helped people immensely. It gave everyone a clear statement of the Christian faith.

The creed is still helpful today as the church continues to make disciples and baptize them. We can depend on the bedrock truths of this creed; these are words to stand on as we trust and serve our loving God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in any situation.

God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we worship you. Help us to grow in your knowledge and grace as we serve you today. Amen.

I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

— Jude 3

Some people object to creeds in the church, saying, “I believe in God, but I only accept the truth of the Bible.” Though the Apostle’s Creed isn’t printed in the Bible, it faithfully summarizes the Bible’s teaching.

Jude’s short letter reveals the need for a summary of the truth. In his day there was an urgent need to defend the truth about Jesus Christ. In some ways like us today, people in the first century faced a swirling clash of ideas and claims about truth and religion, and it was easy to be misled by false teachings. Jude, an early church leader who was also a brother of Jesus, saw that false teaching threatened to mislead the church. He urged believers to hold on to the truth entrusted to them.

God the Holy Spirit, using the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ apostles, forged the truth that we find in the New Testament. Then, from the days of the early church through the next few centuries, leaders and teachers summarized the main points of that truth as they taught new believers who were preparing for baptism. And by around the fourth century, a general statement emerged that has become known as the Apostles’ Creed.

Our grasp of God’s truth can still be threatened today. When we say the Apostles’ Creed, we are reciting God’s eternal truth to help us stand firm in our faith in Christ, and we do so with believers down through the centuries and around the world.

Lord, may your eternal truth shape us today as we share it with the world. Amen.

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

— Mark 16:8

These final sentences in Mark 16 have left a lot of people puzzled. (Though some Bibles include more verses, those are not included in the earliest manuscripts.) We might wonder if maybe Mark misplaced the last page of his book or if it later got lost. The ending seems hasty and even gloomy. We’d expect the women to be happy and eager to spread the news of Jesus’ rising. But instead they are silent and afraid.

As noted earlier this month, we can be thankful that many other Bible passages help to explain the resurrection. And the books of Matthew, Luke, and John share other details of what happened next and how others met the risen Jesus that day and in the weeks ahead.

In blunt honesty, though, Mark describes the reality of that day: the resurrection of Jesus was so alarming that it brought disorientation and fear. This also shows that the women did not yet have the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1-2).

Instead of leaving us thrilled, Mark’s account challenges us to search out the rest of the story and to figure out how God calls us to respond to the risen Jesus. The resurrection has set in motion a new chapter that is still being told, still unfolding. And we enter into the story ourselves as we listen and follow where Jesus leads next.

How has Easter and the risen Lord affected your life?

Lord Jesus, thank you for patiently leading us, especially when we are afraid. Guide us in following you. Amen.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. . . .

— 1 Peter 1:3

These words of Peter remind me of the need for training and practice in all kinds of sports, music programs, drama, dance, and more. Athletes, musicians, actors, dancers, and others all practice and train so that when the time comes to play or perform, they are ready.

Peter’s advice is sort of like a pep talk to early Christians in the Roman Empire. He writes to encourage them to give praise to God and to focus on all the good things God has promised in Christ. “In his great mercy,” God has given “new birth into a living hope” through Jesus’ resurrection—and this includes “an inheritance that can never . . . fade.” Peter knew that some believers in Christ were facing hardships and persecution because of their faith, so he wanted to remind them of these reasons to praise God.

My first reaction to spiritual trouble might be to complain, curse the world, or even question God’s care. Peter’s regimen is to exercise our worship muscles and to offer praise to God—to stay in spiritual shape. In other words, hard times require training, and we can train best by praising God for all he has done to save us.

Here is a spiritual tip: In light of Easter and the resurrection, practice praising God now so that when tougher times come, you will be prepared to do what you need to do!

Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and for the living hope that helps us face the challenges of life in this world. Amen.