Today Daily Devotional

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. . . .

— Psalm 1:1

Happiness includes having the courage to avoid destructive situations. We can draw the line in uncertain friendships. We can walk away from compromising situations. We can say no to opportunities that could lead to wrongdoing. This is how God describes his followers who seek to honor him and to live by his Word. When we are supplied with wisdom from God, we can avoid misfortunes, regrets, and many troubles by learning to say no before it’s too late.

Rather than walking in step with the wicked, “those who belong to Christ Jesus” can “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25). In Christ, we are given new life and “called to be free” (5:13). But that doesn’t mean we are free to follow our old sinful nature. Rather, we are called to “serve one another humbly in love” (5:13), following the whole law of God. If we walk in the way of the wicked, stand proudly with sinners, or sit dutifully among mockers, we will be just like them, and we will not enjoy the happiness of life that God wants for us. We will be blown away like dust in the wind, for “the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”

Psalm 1 is often described as teaching about the two ways: the way of godly wisdom, and the way of foolish wickedness. “Blessed [or happy] is the one who . . .” avoids the way of wickedness but delights in the way of the Lord.

O God, free us from sinful, foolish ways and guide us by your wisdom for living, in line with your law of love. Amen.

As for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.

— Psalm 40:17

One of the most comforting truths for our lives is the providence of God. The Lord Almighty takes care of us. The same God who created us also sustains us. In this comfort we live and move and have our being.

God is the one who gives us breath and everything we need. God gives life to the seeds and plants we need for food. God gives us our daily bread and good health to enjoy. He even gives flavor to our food so that we can savor it. God is the one who preserves our life and delivers us from evil. The Lord God is our creator, provider, protector, redeemer, and comforter.

The apostle Paul asks, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Our life does not drift at random, at the mercy of mere circumstances. We are in the hands of the one who controls the universe.

How comforting it is to know that the God who rules the world is in control of our lives! It is a great assurance to troubled souls and burdened hearts to know that God cares for them. He is thinking about you right now and has not forgotten your pain and need. Knowing this, everyone who seeks the Lord can be filled with joy.

Sovereign Lord, thank you for your providence. From your hands we receive more than we need, that we may praise you and share with others. In Jesus, Amen.

We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

— Ephesians 2:10

Why are we here? What is our purpose for living here and now? Maybe you have asked or heard these questions before. These are philosophical questions that have kept some of the brightest people busy. Do you have an answer?

The Bible teaches that we are created by God and made in his image. “We are God’s handiwork,” and he sent Jesus to redeem and renew us so that we can have eternal life with him. God renews us so that we can do good, and this is our purpose in life. With the new life that God makes possible for us in Christ, we seek to live God’s way and to do good so that we can show others the way to know God.

We find true happiness in being created by God for an extraordinary purpose. We are not a piece of wood floating aimlessly through the ocean of life. We are not like a loose leaf carried by the wind. Life has a truly meaningful purpose. We are created by God to have full life with God and to shine the light of his love to others. God is the source and the destiny of our life.

The very meaning of eternal life is to know God and his Son, Jesus Christ, through the life-giving work of his Holy Spirit. There lies our greatest and most complete happiness.

What is the origin of life? What are we doing here? How will you help someone answer these questions?

Father God, our life only makes sense with you. Lord, guide us to live each day for the glory of your name. In Christ and by your Holy Spirit, Amen.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

— Psalm 16:11

God created us to enjoy the greatest of happiness: communion with him. We experience true happiness by loving God and enjoying intimacy with him. In the presence of God there is fullness of joy.

The best gifts in life come from God. But some people prefer to look elsewhere. Many seek happiness in money; others, in fame. People also seek happiness in pleasures, or they follow their dreams of success, hoping to find fulfillment in their lives. But in the end they discover that those things offer only a mirage and not true happiness.

Happiness is a legitimate desire. Many people look for it eagerly every day of their lives, but they end up empty-handed.

The source of happiness is not in things or in our own selfish pursuits, but in God. The best things of this world cannot make us happy, but God can, because he created us, calls us by name, and makes us his own. We become truly happy only when we know God and love him with all our heart and soul.

If we do not have a safe guide, it is easy to take the wrong pathways in life. And whom can we trust but God to faithfully show us the way?

Dear God, may nothing replace the joy we have in being in your presence. Help us always to find satisfaction in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

— Galatians 6:9

It can be hard not to grow weary of doing good. Physically tired, emotionally and spiritually drained, we might be ready to give up.

The brokenness in our world knows no end. There is always another hungry person to be fed. No sooner is a hospital bed open, and another person fills it. Someone who is healthy today will be sick tomorrow. In a sinful and broken world, there will always be hungry, sick, lonely, imprisoned, or impoverished people. Wars and rumors of wars will always produce refugees. The world’s problems will last until Jesus returns. In the meantime, though, we are encouraged, “Do not grow weary of doing good!” And only in God’s strength can we continue. We may certainly resign from a committee, leave a specific ministry of mercy, and stop volunteering at a soup kitchen. But we must not grow weary of doing good! If we change ministries, we can still continue to minister in other ways. In the end, as we become people who must be fed, clothed, and visited, our ministry may be reduced to a smile, an encouraging word, or a prayer. And that may be our most effective ministry of all. By God’s grace, may we all rejoice to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Dear Jesus, sometimes we grow weary and discouraged. Help us, in the power of your Spirit, to press on. Thank you for giving us eternal life and for welcoming us into your kingdom. Amen.

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

— Hebrews 13:3

It is hard for me to forget the look on my neighbor's face. My daughter asked what I was planning to do that evening, and I said I was going to jail. The neighbor, sitting on his side of the fence that separated our yards, had a look of astonishment on his face. After dinner that evening, I headed over to the county jail with a group of men, and we shared the love of Jesus with some of the inmates there.

Visiting prisoners has been one of the richest experiences of my life. Week after week, we gathered with a group of mostly young men. We were in the highest security section of the prison. These were people charged with murder. If found guilty, they would likely be sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. When these men entered the jail, they often prayed that they would be found innocent. But after several months of meeting around God's Word, these men changed their prayers. They began to thank God for putting them in jail. They asked for forgiveness for their crimes and their sins. Joy replaced fear and anxiety. Having been on the path to destruction, they had met the risen Lord and were now living in the kingdom. Though in prison, they knew they were free in Christ—and few look forward to life in the new kingdom more than they do!

Jesus, help us to remember prisoners. We were all prisoners to sin and death—and you freed us, giving us new life! May we use our freedom to lead others to freedom. In your name, Amen.

“I was sick and you looked after me. . . .”

— Matthew 25:36

There are so many excuses people make for paying little or no attention to those who are sick: “I don’t like visiting people in the hospital, it makes me feel uncomfortable.” “I can’t take the smell in the nursing home. There is a lady there who keeps yelling, ‘Take me home!’ and I can’t handle it.” “I don’t know what to say when I am with that person.” “Actually, isn’t that the pastor’s job? And, besides, I am too busy.” Sad to say, I have tried to make these excuses as well.

Jesus simply cuts through it all and says, “I was sick and you looked after me,” or, “I was sick and . . . you did not look after me.” While our health-care systems can help with most of a sick person’s physical needs, their spiritual and emotional needs remain. Visiting a person who is sick will often make a greater impact than we know. Family, health care workers, and staff also notice when the sick are being visited.

Yes, visiting with people who are ill can sometimes be challenging. It pushes us outside of our comfort zones. But, as with many things, it usually gets easier with practice. And we will often find that we are blessed by making a visit! And what greater blessing can there be than to hear the Lord say, “I was sick and you looked after me”!

Jesus, we are experts at making excuses. Please fill us with compassion instead of excuses, and help us to truly care for one another. We pray in your name. Amen.

“I needed clothes and you clothed me. . . .”

— Matthew 25:36

News reports have noted that the world has an overabundance of used clothing. In many ways, that is a good thing. Even the poorest of the poor can have access to clothing! But does that make Jesus’ statement irrelevant in the 21st century? No. The clothing that people may have is not always suitable. A warm jacket in subzero weather is a necessity! There is also another sense in which people who sleep in a cardboard box in the dead of winter are in need of “clothing.”

Extreme poverty still exists. There are countless people in the world with insufficient resources to pay for housing, buy food, and access medical care—not to mention paying for education and other costs to maintain a livelihood. What should our response be in the face of poverty?

The world is blessed with many organizations that strive to meet urgent needs and to uproot the causes of poverty. Issues are complex, and solutions are difficult to find. Though we may feel, and maybe often be, powerless to create effective solutions to these issues, a godly love for mercy calls for prayerful compassion when we are tempted to turn a blind eye.

We need to seek God’s help and wisdom in caring for people in need.

Lord, move us to compassion for all who struggle in poverty. Help us to look for sustainable solutions. You created a world full of resources, and we pray for wisdom in their use. Amen.

When we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

— 2 Thessalonians 3:10

God makes clear in this passage and in other Scriptures that there are limits to caring for the needs of others. Paul taught the Thessalonians, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Our responsibility to people who are capable of working but who refuse may be to admonish them rather than to support their laziness. As Proverbs 10:4 teaches, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” People are not necessarily entitled to live off the generosity of others. It is important to note, though, that Paul is writing to a church concerning their own members.

When it comes to applying this teaching today, we face a number of challenges. The first is to find out whether a person who is seeking aid is truly able to work and has the opportunity to do so. In our economic systems today, it seems, there are nearly always people who are unemployed and unemployable. Though we may feel certain that an individual has the ability and the opportunity to work, we may be wrong. Mental illness can be a factor that is every bit as debilitating as a physical condition. And whatever the case, we are also responsible to establish relationships with people in the hope of having opportunities to lead them to know Christ, as the Spirit leads.

Lord, we know that you love a cheerful giver. Help us to discern when it may be inappropriate to give. And if we are not sure, help us to err on the side of mercy. Guide us in leading people to you, we pray. Amen.

“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. . . .”

— Matthew 25:35

I meet a lot of hungry people at the college where I serve as a campus pastor. Some are hungry because they are too busy to cook and eat. I know a student who works the night shift, catches a couple of hours of sleep, and rushes off to her 9:00 a.m. class. She later arrives at our interfaith center and is hungry. Other students are hungry because they are unable to find a job. They face the choice of paying tuition and rent or buying food. They cannot afford to do all three. Many full-time students work two and even three jobs to pay their bills—and sometimes even that is not enough.

In the world today nearly a billion people suffer from severe food insecurity. Millions face the prospect of starving to death. The causes of hunger vary widely—drought, war, sickness, disaster, unemployment, mental illness, addictions, and more.

One day each of us will stand before the Lord, and we will hear Jesus say either “I was hungry and thirsty, and you gave me food and drink” or “I was hungry and thirsty, and you gave me nothing.” Each of us is also called to show God’s love through the gifts and resources we have—however large or small.

We all have a choice. Which of those responses will we hear from the mouth of Jesus?

Lord Jesus, when we meet or see people who are in need, may we not turn away but recognize your invitation to show love and care, knowing that you are calling us to serve you. Move us to be people who love your mercy! Amen.