Today Daily Devotional

“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

— John 15:2

I don’t know much about plants, but I imagine it might be painful for a vine to go through the pruning process. I also imagine that if I were a plant, I might get frustrated with the gardener for lopping off parts of me without asking for my opinion or permission.

Thinking about it a little more, gardeners don’t prune out of anger or frustration. They prune because they want the plant to grow healthier and stronger so that it can bear good fruit. The gardener sees the overall vision of the plant, while the plant can only “see” what’s right in front of them. With that in mind, Jesus’ words here make good sense.

Pruning is the way God removes parts of us that are overgrown and not producing. It may mean we have to let go of some comforts, and doing that can remove troublesome distractions in our life. Through pruning we are able to see more clearly who we are and what God has in mind for us, even if that means enduring some pain along the way.

Whatever might pain us in the pruning process, it’s the transforming of our heart, mind, and soul that God wants to see, because he wants our fruit to grow—fruit that one day we will be able to share with others for the goodness and glory of our Lord, the master gardener.

Gentle God, thank you for the pruning you are doing in our lives today. We may not like it, but we need to trust you with our future. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

— Luke 5:20

Sometimes I find it hard to ask someone for help. I’m not sure if it’s my pride to be independent or my fear of being a burden that gets in the way, but I know there have been times in my life when asking someone for something would have eased the burden I was carrying.

Our reading in Luke 5 today is a wonderful story about someone asking for help. A paralyzed man, with some of his friends, heard that Jesus was teaching at a neighbor’s house. The man and his friends knew of Jesus’ ability to heal, so the friends found an unusual way to carry the man to meet Jesus, in the hope that he could be healed.

Something that has often struck me about this story is Jesus’ response. He doesn’t mention their hard work and bravery to bring the man to him for healing. Instead he first commends the man for his faith and forgives his sin.

What I’ve learned here is that the friends of the paralyzed man deeply loved him and wanted him to experience the fullness of life—walking, running, jumping, and more. And Jesus wanted the man, along with his friends, to experience the fullness of life even more—by having life in his kingdom forever. This is a story about someone who asks for help in this life and receives even more—the amazing fullness of the life to come.

Lord, we stand before you in need of your help, for without you we are helpless. Forgive us, we pray, and may your Spirit mold and shape us more into your image each day. Amen.

“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’”

— Luke 15:6

The term “Christian” roughly translates into “little Christ,” meaning that a person who follows Christ is an extension of Jesus and a representative of his Father in heaven. This is a heavy responsibility for two significant reasons. There is the personal nature of being a Christian, which includes self-discipline and continuing growth into maturity of faith. There is also the communal nature of Christian living, and this requires our energy and resources as we involve ourselves in the lives of others, such as friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers. So, like Christ, Christians are called to be there when life is good and to search out others who have been wandering and need to know Christ or to come back into his family.

The truth is that we are all like sheep in some ways, and at some point or other we have walked away from the Lord, our shepherd. We have wandered off, distracted by what we think is greener grass, cooler water, or a better pasture. We’ve gotten lost, and we’ve gone through days—even whole seasons—when the sound of his voice is so faint that we barely notice it. Yet, like a good shepherd, Jesus is fully committed to rescuing each and every sheep that has lost its way. And not one can wander so far that he can’t find them.

Great Shepherd, thank you for continuing to look after us, even when we have strayed. Help us to listen for your call when we begin to wander, and protect us when we have gotten lost. Amen.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.”

— Hebrews 13:5-6

A fly-fishing enthusiast can tell you about all the excitement that can unfold when you hook a fish much bigger than one you planned for. An angler—that is, a person who fishes with a rod and line—typically uses the equipment they need for catching a particular kind of fish. To catch a medium-size fish (like a trout), for example, you need tackle for that size of fish. But sometimes with that gear you can hook a much larger fish (like a salmon). And when that happens, chaos can break loose.

The reel will spin furiously, unloading the line as the large fish swims powerfully away. Then panic can set in because you don’t want to lose your expensive tackle, let alone the fish. Usually then you’ll have just two options: to let the fish run, and hopefully tire it out so that you can catch it; or simply to cut the line and let the fish go. A determined angler may decide to hold on, skillfully using the rod and line through a long tug of war and gradually reeling the fish in.

In some ways our relationship with God can be like that. We might be thinking we are free to do as we please, but God can hook us, and even though we might try to outrun and overpower him, he will never cut the grace-line or count us as a lost cause. He’ll fight for us and battle with us—and when all is said and done, he gives us the freedom to live a new and full life that is far beyond our imagining!

Lord, thank you for not cutting us off or counting us out. Reel us in by your wonderful gift of grace and help us share it with others. Amen.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

— Psalm 46:1

When I was a young child, I was often afraid of thunderstorms. The lightning flashes and the rumbling thunder were startling and scary, and I would grow anxious if I heard that a storm was coming. I’m not sure where my fear of thunderstorms came from, but I think it may have been rooted in the uncertainty of what would happen as a storm rolled through.

Fortunately I had a home to shelter me and a blanket to protect me. It’s strange to think that something as frail as a blanket could feel strong during a dreadful storm. But that comfortable blanket of my childhood represented an unmatched level of security, safety, and protection that I needed when I was afraid.

God offers us even more effective security and safety from the storms of life when pain flashes through our hearts and crises rattle us to the bone. Like a great comforter and yet stronger than a mighty fortress, our God invites us to take shelter in him and to be protected by his love, which is gentle and yet stronger than any force or calamity that may threaten.

Comforting Father, thank you for providing us safety and security when we are overwhelmed by the storms and struggles of life. Shower us with your mercy when hard times and challenges arise, and restore our strength as we shelter under your mighty protection. Amen.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. . . .”

— John 14:16

An advocate offers support and pleads on behalf of someone (or something), ensuring fair and honest treatment. An advocate aims to look after, protect, care for, and fight for the one they are assigned to. The Bible’s word for this, in Greek, is paraclete, and this means “called to the side of.”

The Holy Spirit, our paraclete, is God’s gift to all who follow Jesus. The Spirit of God continues the work of Jesus by empowering us to continue the Lord’s work on this earth: teaching, sharing the good news of God’s salvation, caring for the sick—the list goes on and on. In addition, the Holy Spirit helps us understand the truth of the message and ministry of Jesus.

The Spirit of truth not only helps our understanding but is also our Counselor and Comforter, and these roles tie in with the work of an advocate as well.

Christians and the church have been given the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, who comes alongside to protect and defend, encourage and embolden, admonish and correct. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s people carry on the truth of God’s redemptive plan for all creation.

Triune God, you are mysterious and magnificent. The Father’s love, exemplified in the life of the Son, and poured out in us through the Holy Spirit, gives us all we will ever need to be received into your glorious kingdom. May we ever grow in faith and live faithfully for you. Amen.

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail . . . ?”

— Job 38:22

Have you ever noticed that things that looked really big when you were a child don’t seem so big when you are older? I remember walking through my old elementary school after becoming an adult, and one of the first things I noticed was how much smaller everything looked and felt.

But it’s not just the size of things that seems different; our perception of time changes too. When I was a boy, a summer night seemed to last and last, and a school year seemed to go on forever.

Life changes as we age. Congested calendars and stacked schedules abbreviate our lives. Deadlines, commitments, and requests beg, steal, and borrow our attention from the beauty of life and the creation God has given us to care for and enjoy.

Maybe even more tragic is that we can lose our sense of God’s grandeur as we grow older. As children, we tend to view God as huge and magnificent, someone with incredible power and ability, able to do even more than any superhero! As we age and live longer, though, we can tend to question God’s actions, critique his plans, and challenge his authority. We might even believe we know what’s best for us, thinking we know our situation better than God does. Instead, though, we need to turn to our Creator and ask for his mercy, for he holds us in his hands and truly loves and cares for us always.

King of creation, thank you for your enduring mercy. Forgive us when we diminish you. Humble us to see you as you truly are. Amen.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

— Proverbs 17:17

One of God’s greatest gifts to humanity is relationships. We are created for relationships; we are designed by God to be in community with others.

We will meet many people over our lifetime. With some, we will have no more than brief interactions in passing by, and with others we will have friendly acquaintances. Still others will become friends, even close friends, and others will become companions for life.

With some friends our relationships can feel as close as family, like a brother or sister, and we may love them just like family members. These are friends who will be there in both good times and bad, triumphs and tragedies, times of joy and times of sorrow.

Did you know that, in Jesus, God is actually our closest friend? He isn’t a passerby who merely sizes us up, or an acquaintance who enters our life from time to time. Jesus is our brother, our closest friend, who gave up his own life so that we can become the adopted children of God, members of God’s everlasting family, and coheirs in his eternal inheritance (see Romans 8:14-17).

Father in heaven, we can’t imagine how big your home must be to fit all of your adopted sons and daughters in it. Thank you for creating us to be in relationship with others. We look forward to the day when all your children will gather for the ultimate feast in your presence. Strengthen our faith and patience as we wait for that glorious day. Amen.

Each of you should . . . serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

— 1 Peter 4:10

I recently met up with a group of friends I’ve known for many years. During our meal together we laughed at some funny stories and sympathized with some difficult ones, and at the end of the evening we hugged each other before going our separate ways. We are all grateful for one another, having been there for each other through both joys and sorrows.

A common thread in the fabric of our relationship is that grace abounds in all the interactions we have with one another. The term grace has several definitions, but in this situation I would define it as “a courteous goodwill that is unmerited.” In other words, it involves compassion and kindness over anything else.

Now, it should be said that even though grace abounds in our group of friends, that doesn’t mean we don’t disagree with one another at times. Yet no matter how challenging a disagreement can get, our friendship remains because grace continues to lead the way.

Gracious Father, thank you for the abounding grace you provide in our lives through your forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Help us to extend that grace to others, whether they be close friends or new acquaintances. Transform us into a people who lead with grace each and every day. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

— Hebrews 10:23

In the mid-20th century a musician named Albert Goodson wrote a song titled “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.” It soon became popular because it reminded believers to hold on steadfastly to the hope of God’s promises never to leave or forget about his children. Even when it may seem that hard times are stacked against them, followers of Christ can know that God’s gift of faith has brought them where they are and will carry them through.

As humans living in a world that is broken by sin, we are all vulnerable to hurt, pain, sadness, and loss. Many—if not all—of us have experienced the trials of life and have been bruised by them. As Christians, we know that we live in between the fallen nature of this world, which is merely a shadow of things yet to come, and the fullness of life in a world that will one day be fully restored. As the body of Christ, we eagerly await the fullness of life, and in the meantime we continue to lean on the Lord, unmoved by the trials and temptations of life.

Ultimately we rely on the Word of God as our source of life. And in hope we can join together, encouraging one another and building each other up as we journey through life in faith.

Steadfast Savior, thank you for your faithfulness each day. May we, as your children and image bearers, continue to represent you in our homes, classrooms, careers, and communities as we trust in you and your Word. Amen.