Today Daily Devotional

If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

— 1 Corinthians 3:14

My wife is an accomplished pianist. On occasion we attend a local symphony. When possible, she arranges for us to sit in a location that gives a clear view of the pianist’s hands and feet. She watches the pianist’s movements with intensity and amazement. While I thoroughly enjoy listening to the symphony, my level of enjoyment pales in comparison to hers!

In a similar way, it seems, God’s children will enjoy varying levels of reward when they enter his kingdom in all its glory. Though everyone in God’s presence will be filled with wonder and joy, apparently some will be rewarded with more blessing and joy than others, based on the life they have lived here and now.

The important thing, though, as Paul points out, is to “build with care,” striving to base our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ. As God’s children, welcomed into God’s family through the finished work of Christ, we are called to live like Jesus, following his example in all we think, say, and do. And we are called to do this in line with the gifts and resources we are given.

In our daily living, we are called to love God first in our lives and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40; see also 25:14-46). God grants salvation by grace alone and not through works (Ephesians 2:8-10), but God also rewards his servants for their faithful service. What an amazing God we serve!

Lord, we marvel at your grace and mercy! You add blessings upon blessings, and we praise your holy name! Amen.

“Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

— Luke 16:9

The parable of the shrewd manager is one of Jesus’ most puzzling teachings. It can seem confusing because the dishonest manager is commended for acting shrewdly. But this does not mean Jesus approves of theft and dishonesty. In this parable Jesus is challenging us to be resourceful with an eye to the future.

With a shocking illustration that grabs people’s attention, Jesus teaches a practical way of storing up treasures in heaven. Rather than simply gathering our earthly wealth for ourselves, he is saying, we should use our earthly wealth to make an impact for the kingdom of God.

This parable is sometimes called a crisis parable with an end-time meaning. In that way it is similar to Jesus’ parables in Matthew 25 about being watchful and ready at all times to use our resources for God’s kingdom and to show his love to our neighbors.

There are hints in this parable about building relationships too. Could it be that the friendships we make on earth will stretch on into eternity? Could it be that making friends with homeless and hungry people will lead to fruitful fellowship with them in the new heaven and earth? We may need to grow in our understanding of what eternal life will bring.

The way we live today will follow us into eternity.

Lord, we have many questions about eternal life. Help us to see that it will be better than anything we can imagine! Amen.

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

— Matthew 6:20

Some people have called this the greatest investment tip of all time.

Jesus tells his followers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. Life on earth, as we know it, is temporary, and so are its treasures. Moths eat holes in clothes. Rats and mice chew up and ruin things we have set aside for safekeeping. Metals corrode and discolor over time.

Storing up treasures on earth might be a little more sophisticated today than it was in Jesus’ day, about 2,000 years ago. We might invest in stocks and bonds, real estate, and other things. But none of that really changes the truth of Jesus’ teaching. Markets crash. Inflation guts the value of our currency. It can happen slowly—or overnight. In Alberta a fire destroyed a garage filled with dozens of vintage cars. Natural disasters bring enormous damage and destruction for millions of people every year.

Earthly treasures will never be secure. And, to top it all off, death quickly separates us from any earthly treasure we might accumulate.

But not all is lost! Jesus promises that when we invest our time, efforts, and resources into God’s kingdom here on earth, we will reap dividends for eternity.

Lord, please give us your wisdom for living. All things belong to you. Help us to use the time, gifts, and resources that you give us to serve in your kingdom. Amen.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who . . . correctly handles the word of truth.

— 2 Timothy 2:15

A woman from a local church volunteers three hours each Wednesday with our campus ministry. She gives grandmotherly advice, prays with students, and provides a lot of them with food. She is also a good storyteller! She tells students that, years ago, she inherited a wolfdog. As a pup, he was content to live a dog’s life, but when she moved north, where wolves still roam (and howl), the dog became restless and wanted to roam also. Then one day he ran off to follow the call of the wild and was seen no more. In some ways a similar thing can happen in our life as followers of Jesus. Our old sinful nature still clings to us—and as the world calls out to us with alluring temptations, that old nature can stir within. Selfish and sinful tendencies can try to come back to life.

Social media and every other form of media make their impact. The people around us influence us greatly. We can also be “dragged away by [our] own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:14). We do well to take time as individuals, as families, and as groups of believers to practice accountability, discussing some questions like these: “Is my life and what I believe in line with godly living and the kingdom of God? Or is it bending toward my old sinful nature and the values of the world?

Holy God, remind us each day to examine our hearts, our minds, and our lives. Help us to stay faithful to your Word and your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

— Matthew 6:9-10

When we pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are asking God to help us follow the example of the angels and other creatures who serve God faithfully in the heavenly realms (see Revelation 4-5). We are praying that we may have the strength and the guidance to do God’s will as we live here on earth, as citizens of God’s kingdom—here and now. As God’s children, we want to serve him willingly and cheerfully.

But as anyone who has been tempted knows, there are also powerful forces, led by Satan, that try to lure God’s people away to join them in rebellion. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

All who have been redeemed through Christ are given new, eternal life. Yet we continue to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ living in us to live faithfully each day for the glory of God and his kingdom.

That is why we pray, “Your will be done. . . .”

In what ways are you doing God’s will today?

Heavenly Father, help me to do your will today. May my every thought, word, and deed be fitting for a citizen of your kingdom! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“This . . . is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. . . .’”

— Matthew 6:9-10

Most of us face many, many choices each day. What clothes will I wear? What will I have for breakfast? What route will I take to work? What do I need at the store? Which tasks will I focus on?

There is one choice, however, that is far more important than all the others: Which kingdom will I serve? Where will I spend my best efforts—in the kingdom of God or in the kingdom or domain or country or community or family that I am dwelling in?

Jesus teaches us to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come.” As we pray these words, we are making a commitment to living God’s way. “Your kingdom come” means, first of all, “Rule over me! Master my soul. Make me a loyal citizen of your kingdom.” It means, “Lord, rule in my life and master me in such a way that my deepest desire is to walk with you. May your principles and ways be the air that I breathe.”

“Your kingdom come” also means, “Help me to see your kingdom advance in the people around me—my family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and neighbors. Help me to foster a love for kingdom living in them as well.” This also means seeing institutions and organizations align with the principles of God’s kingdom. And as the Lord’s kingdom comes, any forces that revolt against him will be overwhelmed and shattered.

Lord, in all that I think, say, and do, may I serve to advance your kingdom in my life and in the world around me. Lord, I pray today, ‘Your kingdom come!’ In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

— Micah 6:8

The prophet Micah spoke out for the Lord against the unjust practices of his day.

He pictured people asking how they might please God with offerings in order to pay for their sins: “What is it that God wants from us? How much must we sacrifice before God will be happy with us?”

The answer is simple and yet profoundly life-changing: As long as you practice injustice, it doesn’t matter how much you sacrifice to God. The Lord calls you to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with him! Then you may bring your offerings and find favor with God.

Get rid of your rigged scales. Stop your price gouging. End the practice of driving people into poverty so that you can buy them as servants and slaves. Practice justice. And even more than that—love mercy. Give freely to your poor neighbor rather than scheming up ways to make them your slaves. Find ways to relieve poverty rather than profiting from it.

At the college where I serve as a campus minister, foreign students often struggle financially. But many of them have been embraced by local churches. On Monday mornings when they come to school, they often tell me with beaming faces how their church communities have blessed them on Sunday. God smiles along with these students as he sees his people showing love and mercy.

We love you, merciful God. Teach us to love by showing mercy to others. Guide us to act with justice each day for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

“When will . . . the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”—skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales. . . .

— Amos 8:5

Many of Israel’s rich and powerful merchants and other leaders despised God’s rest and justice. For them, the Sabbath was not a day for observing physical and spiritual rest in honor of God’s promises to his people. Instead the Sabbath was an unwelcome intrusion into their crooked, unjust business practices. It was as if they said, “When will this Sabbath be over so that we can overcharge for wheat, and use faulty scales to cheat the people? We will drive them into poverty so that we can buy them as our servants and slaves for the price of a pair of shoes! And in the meantime we will pretend we are good, God-fearing, law-abiding citizens.” Their sin was a violation of nearly every law that God had given to the people before they entered the promised land. Israel was intended to be a nation of truth and justice, but the ruling class generally despised those important values. God’s verdict: “I will expel you from my kingdom. Not because I want to, but because you want to live unjust, unforgiven, and God-forsaking lives.” Let’s examine our own hearts and minds to see if we are living in the way God calls us to.

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit into our hearts and minds today. Guide us into living by the values of your kingdom rather than by the ways of this world. Amen.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

— Hebrews 4:11

Justice requires that debts be paid. God created us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He also instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

But every day we fall short of God’s requirements, adding to our debt. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came from heaven to become human and live among us. He kept God’s law of love perfectly. Then, although he was innocent, he gave up his life on a cross for us, paying the debt of sin for all who would believe in him.

This is the good news that we are called to believe so that we can enter God’s rest. In the Old Testament, some of God’s people disobeyed and would not accept the good news that God would give them the promised land. They would not trust in God to bring them into his rest (Numbers 14). And today, as the book of Hebrews explains it, the situation is similar: we need to trust in the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus so that we can enter into his rest—enjoying the full, eternal life that God has in store for us.

This is also called the “Sabbath-rest for the people of God,” and the Sabbath day is a weekly reminder pointing to that rest. Repenting of sin and placing our faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus brings us into his rest. So we do well to ask, “Have I entered his rest, or am I still struggling in my own strength to find peace with God?”

Lord, thank you for the gift of true rest through faith in Jesus. Amen.

Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden. . . .” But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”

— 1 Kings 21:2- 3

When God gave Israel the land he had promised them, each clan received a tract of land as their inheritance. God also made clear that this inheritance was to remain in each family throughout the generations. When times were hard, some families in debt had to sell their land, but in those cases the sale was never meant to be permanent. (See Leviticus 25; Joshua 13-21.)

However, King Ahab of Israel was wicked and did not want to live in line with God’s way. Near the king’s palace was a vineyard owned by a man named Naboth. Ahab offered to buy the land from Naboth, but Naboth refused to sell because God had said the land should remain in the family to whom it was given.

That made Ahab angry, so, with the help of his wife, Jezebel, he came up with a plan. They plotted to have Naboth put to death by having him accused of cursing both God and the king. Ahab then stole the dead man’s land.

As the king of Israel, Ahab was responsible to be a representative of God, the true King. But this abuse of justice was intolerable, and Ahab and Jezebel would pay a heavy price. (See 1 Kings 21:17-29; 2 Kings 9:30-37.)

Perhaps our blood boils as we read of Ahab and Jezebel’s actions, but are we outraged when we see injustice today?

Father, thank you for being a God of justice. Make us a people of justice too! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.