Today Daily Devotional

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

— Ephesians 4:1

I live in the country of Burkina Faso. In Sabou, a village west of the capital, Ouagadougou, the crocodiles are considered sacred. No one in the village kills them, and the crocodiles never attack the villagers. This relationship is so reliable that tourists can take pictures sitting on the crocodiles of Sabou without risk of injury.

A traditional story explains this relationship between the villagers and the crocodiles. It is said that a crocodile once saved the life of the village ancestor. In gratitude, this man ordered his descendants never to harm the crocodile, and this tradition is still alive. In other words, the man was so filled with gratitude for his life that he committed to honor and protect the crocodile.

Throughout this month we will focus on the theme of gratitude as we reflect on passages in the book of Ephesians. In chapters 1-3 the apostle Paul shows how we were dead in our sins and how God—in his mercy—has given us new life in Christ by pure grace. Then in chapter 4, Paul urges us to respond with gratitude to this good news.

How can we show appreciation for the gift of new life that God has made possible for us? And, like the village ancestor, how can we show our children and others around us how to live in gratitude?

Gracious God, we thank you for the great gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank you for showing us mercy and grace. Help us to live thankfully and to share this good news with our families, neighbors, friends, and others everywhere. Amen.

We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. . . .

— Hebrews 12:1

This month we have focused on serving as Jesus’ witnesses. Jesus ended his ministry on earth by commissioning his followers to be his witnesses in their immediate area, in the surrounding regions, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Hebrews 12 offers some helpful encouragement in this work. In the previous chapter, Hebrews 11, the writer has listed examples of faithful followers of the Lord from early times—Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and many, many more. They all lived as faithful witnesses of God and of the ways God worked in their lives. Then in Hebrews 12 we are told that these souls make up a great cloud of witnesses who cheer us on as we serve the Lord today.

One person in that cloud is Johanna Veenstra. More than a hundred years ago, Johanna—a woman in her twenties who was part of my church—went to serve as a missionary to the African country of Nigeria. Today there are more than 700,000 followers of Jesus in our partner church in that country. And, of course, there are even more in other Christian denominations!

We see the power of faithful witnesses all around the world. The gospel is bearing fruit on every continent. You and I, wherever we find ourselves, are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus and run the same race. May God bless and equip each one of us to be his faithful witnesses!

Jesus, thank you for the cloud of witnesses who cheer us on. Help us, we pray, to be your faithful witnesses always. Amen.

“The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

— Zechariah 8:5

The Sabbath day is a good time to be reminded of the importance of play. While our work and service are important in life, play is also important for the health of our body and spirit.

Awhile ago I visited a Central American country with a group of ministry leaders. We toured a number of ministry sites to see how God was at work. One site was a reclaimed sports and recreation area: a soccer pitch stood on land that had once been used as a garbage dump. As we listened to the story about this redeemed piece of land, some young women showed up in their soccer uniforms for practice. Soon afterward, someone came over and told us in Spanish that the soccer players wanted to challenge us to a match. Game on! We didn’t have the right clothes or shoes and we couldn’t speak the language, but we had a great time of fun and laughter.

We were also aware that these young women lived difficult lives, facing many obstacles from poverty to injustice in their society. But in that brief time of play, we experienced community and connection in a profound way.

Examples like this can also be an expression of our Christian faith. God delights in us and in his world. We are invited to do the same. Can you find some time to both worship and play today?

God, thank you for creating us to both work and play. Help us to be serious about both of these gifts. Grace us also with times of delight and laughter. Amen.

She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

— Matthew 9:21

I am part of a group of pastors who gather each year for a retreat. Our routine is always the same: we grab breakfast in a local diner, play some pick-up hockey at the local rink, and then spend the rest of the day sharing stories and praying for each other.

This year, when we had eaten our breakfast and were preparing to leave, it was clear that our waitress had figured out from our conversation that we are Christians. She stopped us at our table and said, “Before you go, I need you to pray for me. Tomorrow, I am quitting smoking once and for all, and I know I can’t do it by myself. Please ask God to help me.”

So, we gathered around her and prayed fervently for her freedom. I don’t know the rest of the story, but I do know that Jesus was present with her and that he longs to set his children free.

This kind of thing was common in the ministry of Jesus. People sensed that he could help them with their day-to-day struggles. Like the woman in our Scripture passage for today, they were willing to do whatever it took to grab hold of Jesus and be healed.

May the people around us sense that same power and love of Jesus. And may we have the courage to pray for healing.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that you minister among us in powerful ways. Heal the broken places in our lives, and hear our prayers for the hurting people we encounter. Amen.

Then Philip . . . told him the good news about Jesus.

— Acts 8:35

Valerie sat in my study for the first time. With excitement, she introduced herself and said, “I have met God, and he has changed my life.” But then she asked me the question that was on her heart: “But who is Jesus? I need to know.”

She went on to share how she had been set free from a long struggle with addiction through Alcoholics Anonymous, where her desperate prayers to God had been remarkably answered. A conversation with her doctor led her to realize that this was the God of the Bible. And that’s why she came with her question to me, her doctor’s pastor. God had set her free, but she was hungry to know more. So we talked.

We talked about the Bible and the good news it reveals about God's love for a broken and rebellious world. We discussed how Jesus is the full expression of God’s love and forgiveness. With Jesus, there can always be a brand-new start and a lifelong journey of growing in faith, hope, and love.

Wonderfully, Valerie came to embrace Jesus as her Lord and Savior. As a song puts it, we are blessed that God “is mighty to save.” This is the power of the gospel.

Who is Jesus? Whatever you might be facing today, know that Jesus is your Savior, Lord, and friend.

Dear God, reveal yourself to us today. May we experience the life-giving power of Jesus in all the broken places of our lives. Amen.

“Young man, I say to you, ‘Get up!’”

— Luke 7:14

I am not a morning person. I wish I were. I have learned to get up early out of necessity, but it takes some time and coffee to get me going.

In our reading from Luke 7 today, we see a remarkable awakening. A young man has died. Jesus sees the funeral procession, and his heart goes out to the young man’s mother, who is also a widow. He walks up to the funeral stretcher and says, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” Jesus uses a Greek word here that literally means “wake up.” Jesus treats the young man as if he is not dead but asleep. And when he wakes up, the young man starts to talk, which seems like a funny detail to include. Maybe he is a morning person!

Later in the passage, the same word is used again. The crowd that had seen this miracle declared with awe, “A great prophet has appeared among us.” More literally, this can be translated: “A great prophet has awoken among us!”—meaning that the people could see they were in the presence of someone specially sent by God. They didn’t know much about Jesus yet, but they would soon learn.

I don’t know if you are a morning person or not, but here is a helpful prayer we can offer anytime: “Jesus, please awaken me!” Ask the Lord to wake you up to see and care about the people around you.

Dear Jesus, as you worked your resurrection power in that young man, will you work the same power in my life and spirit today? Help me to serve you faithfully. Amen.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

— Acts 1:8

A radio show once asked, “If you could choose between having the power of invisibility or flight, which would you choose?” Most answers were not flashy or heroic. Some people said they wanted invisibility so that they could sneak into the movies or onto airplanes. Others said they wanted to be able to fly so that they could stop taking the bus. Almost no one said they would use their power to fight crime or to help others. People weren’t much interested in using their power to make the world a better place.

It seems we have a natural tendency to misuse even imaginary power! This is important to think about.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus says to us, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” This is nothing like any other power, real or imagined. Jesus is speaking of the very power of God himself. It is the same power that spoke creation into existence and raised Jesus from the dead. This power is what brings us from death to eternal life, and it is now at work in us and through us. Jesus gives us this power for a specific purpose: to be his witnesses.

The power of the Spirit is not for selfish gain or to make our life easier. Instead, we receive it so that others might encounter the love and forgiveness of Jesus through us. May we steward it well.

Lord God, thank you for sacrificing your Son so that your Spirit may live in us. Holy Spirit, work within us so that we can know you better and share your amazing love with others. Amen.

“He has anointed me to proclaim good news. . . .”

— Luke 4:18

As I sat with a group of pastors in a Central American country, I found myself deeply convicted by their stories. They had come from a tradition that focused on knowing Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. This was a good thing. But as these pastors had worked with our partners in their community, they had also begun to realize that the gospel (the “good news”) is far bigger than individual transformation. The work of Jesus touches every part of our broken world: creation, relationships, justice, finance, political power, and more.

As these pastors embraced a wider Christian worldview, their ministries began to change. They invited people to wonder how Jesus might care for the poor and the oppressed people in their midst. They also spoke prophetically against political systems in their country that treated many people unjustly.

As these pastors shared about their experiences, I could see the joy in their eyes. But they also spoke of growing persecution. Earlier, no one had cared if they just spoke about having a personal faith. Now that they were calling for the rich to share with the poor, for the powerful to care for the weak, and for the wrongly imprisoned to be set free, they were becoming a threat to the powers in their society.

To share the good news means bearing witness that Jesus came to bring peace and to right the wrongs of this hurting world.

Jesus, you care for the poor and oppressed; help us to do that as we witness for you. Amen.

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’”

— Luke 10:5

A few years ago there was a social media trend in which people posted good things about themselves and tagged them with “#blessed.” I did a search of “#blessed” and got 140 million results. Everything from pictures of people holding babies, to nice cars and beaches. And about 100 million selfies.

We tend to think of being blessed in terms of material blessings. But that’s not what Jesus teaches. In fact, part of being a witness to Jesus is to bring his blessing of God’s love and good news wherever we go. This is our mission.

We see this clearly in Luke 10. Jesus sent 72 of his followers to bring the good news of God’s kingdom to the people in nearby towns and villages. And when they entered people’s homes and communities, they were to declare peace on them and say, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” The Savior has come! Salvation and hope are here!

These blessings are still what God offers us and the world today. And like those 72 followers, we are called to bring peace and to announce the good news wherever we go. May Jesus equip us with his Spirit to be his faithful witnesses, sharing his blessings with the people we meet today.

Jesus, it can be daunting to live into the words of this passage. Thank you that we are not alone. Pour your blessings on us so that we can share them with others wherever we go today. Amen.

Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

— 1 Corinthians 11:26

Today is Sunday, and if you attend a worship service today, you might celebrate the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion. Many churches around the world will gather and focus on the bread and cup and hear these powerful words: “This is my body, given for you. . . . This is my blood, shed for you.”

In a way, the tangible elements of bread and grape juice (or wine) bear witness to the love of Jesus shown in his sacrifice on the cross. We are invited to take and eat so that we may remember and believe that in Jesus’ death and resurrection we find forgiveness and new life. We are also reminded that when we participate in communion, we “proclaim the Lord’s death” until he returns. Communion itself is a witness to Jesus and all he has done for us.

I remember an unusual experience of communion many years ago. It was the week after our young family was involved in a serious car accident. No one had been hurt, but it could have been so much worse. As I held those symbols of Jesus' death in my hands, I saw with fresh eyes how his sacrifice brings life. We had experienced a close brush with death ourselves, but God had decided that our purpose here wasn’t finished. In life and in death, we belong to him—the one who gave his all for us (Q&A 1, Heidelberg Catechism).

Jesus, you are the bread of life. As we worship you, may we experience close communion with you and our brothers and sisters in faith. Thank you for the gift of your life. Amen.