Today Daily Devotional

Your faith in God has become known everywhere.

— 1 Thessalonians 1:8

I have a soccer friend who quit his full-time job to become a social-media influencer. He focuses on differences between Canadian and American products. Did you know that Corn Pops™ cereal is almost completely different in Canada from what it is in the United States? Of course, influencers are into everything from home design to fashion to video games and parenting. There’s no end. But influencing is not new to our generation.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reflects on the powerful effects of influence in this young church. Through Paul and his companions they were introduced to Jesus and, in turn, began to reflect Jesus themselves. Listen to what Paul says in verse 7: “You became a model to all the believers in [the surrounding area]. . . . The Lord’s message rang out from you . . . your faith in God has become known everywhere.” Talk about influence!

Think about your own faith journey and who has influenced you. Who made Jesus real to you? And how about your own influence? What would it look like for the good news of Jesus to ring out from your life today?

Dear Jesus, may our lives be so open to the influence of your love and forgiveness that we bring that same influence to all the people in our lives and in all the places we go today. In your name we pray. Amen.

I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.

— 1 Corinthians 2:3

When I was a seminary student, our training included opportunities to preach at nearby churches, and students like me would preach and then receive feedback on our sermons. Sometimes the reviews were kind and helpful. Sometimes, not so much. One of my classmates received this response from a reviewer who was asked to comment on the main points of the sermon: “I don’t know; I fell asleep.” Ouch! What a humbling reminder to him and the rest of us that we had a long way to go before we spoke with wise or persuasive words.

How remarkable, then, to read Paul’s testimony that he did not speak with deep wisdom or persuasive arguments. Yet Paul is considered to be one of the greatest evangelists in church history. What was his secret? Paul explained that his message came “with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,” which meant that Paul did not feel the need to put Paul on display. He put God first and shared the good news about Jesus and how he came to save us.

What a great reminder that while words are important, they are not everything. And it doesn’t matter if we are preachers or if we are just sharing our faith with another person—the main thing is that we help people encounter the living God and experience his love and forgiveness. May others see and sense the Spirit’s power at work in us.

Lord, thank you for the gift of your Spirit. Open our hearts so that you can work through us to help others experience your love. Amen.

“The time has come…the kingdom of God has come near.”

— Mark 1:15

When Jesus launched his ministry, he announced: “The time has come. . . . The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” It is hard to overstate how startling and even dangerous this moment was.

In Jesus’ day, people were often reminded (brutally) that there was one kingdom—Rome—and there was one king—Caesar. And whenever a new Roman emperor rose to the throne, messengers were sent throughout the empire to announce it, calling it “good news.”

So here was Jesus, declaring with boldness, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” We can see why this was a radical and politically dangerous message. But for the people who heard it, it really was good news. As they would soon discover, Jesus did not come to topple Rome but to usher in the kingdom of God, which is not of this world but nevertheless rules over it. This kingdom is characterized by love, mercy, forgiveness, new beginnings, and service. To follow Jesus is to become a citizen of God’s eternal kingdom.

This good news is just as countercultural today as when Jesus first announced it. And this is the message we get to proclaim in his name: Jesus, the King, has come, bringing new life in his name! He holds this world in his hands! Come and follow him!

Lord Jesus, may I receive your good news with fresh ears today. Thank you for inviting me into your kingdom! Amen.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

— John 1:14

In the neighborhood where my wife and I live, people tend to keep to themselves. Last summer, though, when we invited our neighbors for a social gathering, many of them said to each other, “I’m glad you’re my neighbor!” and, “I am so grateful to live in this kind neighborhood.” We were surprised by how much it meant for them to know who the neighbors were on our street, even if most of us were not connected socially.

Presence is a big part of our witness. Our passage today has been famously paraphrased by Eugene Peterson to say that Jesus “became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood” (The Message). When we reflect Jesus by showing up with an open posture, kindness, and generosity, we build trust and connection.

Recently our next-door neighbors were out of the country when a small problem came up at their house. They texted us about it, and I was able to fix the problem. It was a simple thing, but they were so grateful—and I knew they would do the same for us. We are present for each other.

As Jesus intentionally entered our world and became present with us, we have the opportunity to discern how we can bring Jesus’ presence into our neighborhood. How do we show up in a way that can give people a sense of our Savior’s heart for them?

Jesus, thank you for making your home among us. Because of your presence in our world, we are free. Please help us to be a caring presence in our community. Amen.

Zacchaeus . . . said to the Lord, “. . . Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

— Luke 19:8

The story of Zacchaeus always fascinates me.

Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town. Word had spread about Jesus, and Zacchaeus wanted to get a glimpse of him. The crowds were so thick that Zacchaeus had to climb a tree in order to see Jesus pass by. But then Jesus stopped right in front of the tree Zacchaeus was in, looked up at him, and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

The crowd overhearing this exchange was surprised—and not in a good way! Zacchaeus was a tax collector for the Romans, and the people saw tax collectors as greedy collaborators who took advantage of hardworking local citizens.

But then the crowd watched Zacchaeus transform. He gave generously to the poor, and he paid back four times what he had cheated from people. This whole scene was unlike so many of Jesus’ other interactions with people. Jesus didn’t heal Zacchaeus from a physical illness. He didn’t give Zacchaeus food or water. In fact, Jesus asked Zacchaeus for something—a place to stay.

If you’re like me, you might tend to wait for an invitation from someone to spend time with them—especially when you’re busy. But is there anyone whom God might be prompting you to connect with today?

God, thank you for all of your work in the lives of the people around me. Please help me to see whom I can reach out to and connect with. Amen.

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

— John 4:6

When we try to share a brief story of Jesus with others, we often focus on his birth, his death for our sake, and his resurrection. We might also mention some of the amazing things about his teachings and miracles.

But how often do we think of what Jesus’ day-to-day life was like?

Jesus was fully God and fully human, which means that he got thirsty, tired, and hungry. Several passages in the Bible describe Jesus’ spending time with his followers and doing very human things: he feasts at a wedding, he travels with his disciples, and in our reading today he gets tired and sits down by a well, where he asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water—and ends up telling her that he is the Messiah!

I wonder how many meals Jesus ate with his followers, how many walks he went on, and how many jokes he cracked over a campfire at night. I wonder if Jesus’ disciples experienced God’s glory as much through Jesus’ everyday conversations and the way he lived each day as they did through his parables and miracles.

Maybe living a life like Jesus is not as intimidating as it sounds. He did lots of ordinary things in his day-to-day living, just as we do. How can we help to bring the presence of Jesus in ordinary ways as we spend time with the people God has placed around us?

Lord God, thank you for sending Jesus to live among us. Help us to see and share with others the ways you are working in our daily lives. Amen.

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High.

— Psalm 92:1

Today we pause from the regular rhythms of our daily lives to focus on the God of the universe. And he calls us to worship!

This month, as we reflect on what it means to be Jesus’ witnesses wherever we go, it can be tempting to think that this work is on our shoulders. If we don’t do it, who will? So the gift of Sabbath helps us remember that ultimately this is God’s work, not ours.

Recently I went into the office anticipating a big pile of work that was waiting for me. When I arrived, I discovered that a generous colleague had already taken care of it. When I realized what they had done, I remember feeling both relief and gratitude. What a gift!

Psalm 92 expresses similar feelings toward God. “You make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!” What a relief it is to know that this world sits firmly in God’s capable, good hands. He has not stopped working; rather, he has prepared good works for us to do in his kingdom (Ephesians 2:10).

Sabbath gives us an opportunity to join with brothers and sisters to praise and honor the One who has already done it all for us. We have a Savior who walks with us on mission, wherever God has called us! Hallelujah!

O God, I join with the psalmist in giving thanks to you and singing your praises! Thank you for saving me and calling me to be a part of your work. Amen.

“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

— Acts 8:4

Have you ever landed in a difficult situation and wondered, “Why did this happen?”

Johnny is a missionary I work with who served for several years in Haiti. Because of the political struggles and increased violence there, he came back to the United States with his family. It was a difficult transition. How do you leave behind the colleagues and friends you love dearly? How do you process the trauma of living in such an unsettled environment?

But as Johnny and his wife began to settle and heal, they discovered a remarkable thing. Thousands of Haitians had also moved to where he and his family were now living, and God was creating opportunities for them to minister among the Haitian community right where they were.

So now Johnny is working with a Haitian pastor to raise up Haitian leaders and plant Haitian churches. They have a dream to launch 10 new Haitian church plants in the next few years! God took a painful situation and used it to open up new opportunities in North America!

God did something like that with the early Christians too—like Philip, who was forced to flee to Samaria. In all kinds of situations the Holy Spirit continues to spread the good news of Jesus in surprising ways around the world.

Dear God, even when we are recovering from a painful situation or heartache, you pour out your healing in your good time and provide new opportunities for us to serve you. Thank you, Lord! Amen.

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself . . . encourage your hearts and strengthen you. . . .”

— 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

As we sat down for breakfast at a restaurant, Jack said to me for about the tenth time, “I love you, brother; I love you so much!” I certainly didn’t feel worthy of that love because I hadn’t seen Jack for years. I was there because a friend had faithfully kept up contact much better than I had done. So this breakfast meeting was long overdue.

Some years ago, I had been in contact with Jack quite a lot. He was going through a painful time with lots of personal struggles. He had a young daughter he was trying to care for, and I was one of several people who did our best to surround him with care and encouragement. He saw it all as a gift from Jesus.

But time passed, Jack moved to another area, and I hadn’t seen him in a long time.

As I processed my own feelings of guilt for letting our friendship slide, I also began to see with new clarity what a gift Jack was to me. He showed me what resilient faith looks like in the midst of a hard story. Despite my long absence, he bore me no ill will—he was just overjoyed that I showed up. Another friend and I joked that we heard “I love you” that day more times from Jack than we had heard from our family members in a while. I was reminded of how powerful just being present can be.

This also helped me remember that the Lord Jesus is present with us always (Matthew 28:20).

Lord, thank you that no matter where we go, you are already there. Help us to bring your love to others. Amen.

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

— John 17:20-21

Our calling—our mission—starts with prayer. God works powerfully through prayer, and you can always go to God in prayer. You can spend time with the Lord any time of the day.

In one of the best-known prayers in the Bible, Jesus prays for you and me in John 17. What a comfort it is to see him reaching out to us. And what a role model he is for us in our life of prayer.

Many Christians and churches receive prayer requests regularly. Praying for neighbors or others in your life, whether for a specific request or a general blessing, is a great way to participate in the work of the Lord. But I also want to encourage you to be a leader in prayer. Reaching out to others and asking “How can I pray for you?” can be exactly what people need to hear. Joining God’s mission doesn’t necessarily mean moving to a different region or country; you can be a missionary right in your own neighborhood!

Many believers are often surprised that people who don’t seem to be religious will often welcome prayer if they are asked. Being a part of prayer with others reminds them that they are seen not just by you but also by God.

Lord, you reached out to me; help me to reach out to others. Give me eyes to see my neighbors in need of prayer—that your church may grow and your people may be one. Amen.