Then [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Devotion based on Matthew 26:40,41

In the most anxiety-filled moment of his earthly ministry, Jesus did not try to relieve his sorrow by looking to his own resources. He did not try to cope on his own. Rather, he sought help and support from his heavenly Father through prayer.

When Jesus returned from prayer, he found his three closest disciples sleeping soundly. Jesus knew that during the next few hours and days, his disciples would face many temptations to run for their lives rather than stand up for Jesus. They would be tempted to fall into hopeless despair and doubt when they saw Jesus crucified and put into a tomb. He warned them to stay alert and pray to overcome these temptations.

Jesus tells us that while our believing hearts are willing, have good intentions, and honestly want to do what is pleasing to God, our sinful natures are weak. Many temptations afflict us—temptations to give in to pet sins, to deny our Lord, and to live in opposition to him.

However, we can take heart because Jesus’ invitation to his disciples is also an invitation to us. Jesus tells us to pray! Why? Because wherever we cannot succeed, God can. Whenever we are short on power to overcome sin, he will give it to us. Whenever we lack the fortitude to step out of line from the world, he will strengthen us. With so many temptations and things assaulting our faith, Jesus tells us to watch and pray.

Pray for a stronger faith. Pray that he will move you to read and hear his Word regularly to equip you to fight the good fight of faith. Pray for the strength to say no to temptation and, in the power of forgiveness, to live as the child of God that you are.

And be assured that God is pleased to answer your prayers.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hope does not disappoint us.

Devotion based on Romans 5:5

Of all the different kinds of pain you and I can experience in life, the pain of disappointment crushing hope can be one of the worst. Examples from life? A parent tells you that you cannot go to the amusement park as planned. Your first romantic relationship comes to a heartbreaking end. Your dream of flourishing in a certain field does not come true. Your move to a new city does not pan out. A child with great promise grows up to make some destructive life decisions. Your retirement plans for years of travel disappear with a diagnosis.

Many times, the words “hope” and “disappointment” go together. That, of course, is a result of sin. Our sinfulness has shattered God’s good creation. Because it has, human hope can only be frail and uncertain at best. Human hope is only a thin wish that something good might happen, but disappointment is always ready to pounce, always ready to devour.

Enter Jesus. God the Son entered our time and space to confront the one thing that has spawned all disappointment. He came to confront our sin. In so doing, he replaced our uncertainties with the certainty of himself. As our substitute, he lived a life of perfect trust in his heavenly Father’s will. In our place, he took upon himself all our sins of doubt, sins of betrayal, neglect, and broken promises. For all these and more, he suffered and died.

Then, to give us the absolute certainty that he is who he claims to be and has done what he promised to do, Jesus rose from the dead. As a result, you and I now have a kind of hope we’ve never had before. Rather than some thin wish about something that may or may not happen, we now possess a hope that rests upon the crucified and risen Son of God himself. Through faith in Jesus, you and I have a sure hope that he will carry us through every difficulty. We have a sure hope that he will guide all things for our good and that eternal life in heaven is ours.

Disappointment, therefore, does not have the final word. Jesus does.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

We also rejoice in our sufferings.

Devotion based on Romans 5:3

In the brief span of two or three lifetimes, God has chosen to lavish upon us a staggering number of technological and medical advancements. But as I live my life day-to-day, awash in all these marvels. I can begin to presume that my life is supposed to be convenient. I can begin to presume that my life is supposed to be comfortable. I can begin to presume that my life is supposed to be smooth, easy, trouble-free, and without pain.

That presumption can even start to afflict my attitude as a Christian. Without ever mouthing the words, I may ask myself, “If I am a Christian, why do I have to suffer?”

Which brings me to the Word of my God. When he speaks to me about suffering in the Christian life, my 21st-century presumption is in for a shock. Not only does he break the news to me that I may still experience suffering in this world, but he goes so far as to say that a Christian will expect to suffer as part and parcel of the Christian life.

Then my God takes it one step further. He moves the apostle Paul to say, “We also rejoice in our sufferings.” I’ll be candid. My old sinful self does not rejoice in suffering. It flinches. It fears suffering. It wants to cry out, “Unfair!” It wants to run away.

But then he brings me back to the foot of the cross. He calls me to repentance. And through his gospel, he empowers me to see, all over again, Jesus Christ suffering to wash away my every sin, including unwillingness to suffer for his name. As he does, he refreshes my trust in his will for my life. I trust that my suffering is in his plan for me as a soldier of the cross and for a definite good that I may not yet see.

And because it is, I will rejoice.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Devotion based on Romans 5:1

If you took a class on ancient history, perhaps you recall the term Pax Romana. Pax Romana is Latin for “The Roman Peace.” It refers to a period in the Roman Empire when, overall, there was very little civil unrest, there were very few wars, and there was great political stability.

Do not imagine, however, that this “peace” was some kind of Utopian Paradise. There were reasons, you see, why most people decided not to create trouble. For example, in the closing scene of the classic movie Spartacus, you see a Roman highway. On each side are crucified men as far as the eye can see. This actually happened. In response to an attempted rebellion, the Empire crucified 6,000 rebels along a major Roman road. The message was loud and clear: If you defy Rome, you’ll end up on a cross. The message worked.

It was during this period of the Pax Romana that the apostle Paul lived. In one sense, Paul’s life was not peaceful at all. People shouted at him in hatred. Others ridiculed him behind his back. Mobs threw stones at him. He received severe beatings. He endured imprisonment. And he grappled with a severe physical problem that plagued him until the day he died.

Nevertheless, God the Holy Spirit moved Paul to speak of a peace that he possessed. As far as Paul was concerned, the peace he possessed was the real thing. What Paul possessed was peace with God.

While the Roman Empire used the cross to enforce a political peace, God used the cross to deliver a real peace. God the Son, Jesus Christ, gathered up all our sins of sinful rebellion. He carried them to a Roman cross. He suffered and died on that cross. He paid for our sins in full. He secured for us peace with God.

In this world, you and I will live through moments, days, and periods that are not peaceful at all. But like Paul, you and I possess peace with God in Jesus. It’s the only peace that’s real. It’s the only peace that will last.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Devotion based on Numbers 6:27

Here’s a question. Can you say the names of your great-great grandparents? Unless you have a passion for genealogy, you will likely have to give that question some research. And yet, that’s only four generations in the past. Four generations. Your great-great grandparents lived, laughed, worked, and cried on this earth only a short time ago.

Which leads to another question. Four short generations from now, how many people will remember your name? Once again, unless someone in your future family tree pursues genealogy as a hobby, odds are that no one will be able to recall.

It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? For all our work, play, struggle, and grief, the world in which we live soon forgets your name and mine.

But here is a grand and beautiful truth: your name will never be forgotten. Four generations from now, your name will never be forgotten. Seven generations from now, your name will never be forgotten. No matter how many years flow through centuries, your name will always be remembered.

Here’s how. God himself has claimed you as his very own. To make you his own, Jesus became one of us. He walked among us. On our behalf he lived a life of perfect goodness—the life you and I have failed to live. In our place he took upon himself our every sin. And as he paid for them in full on Calvary’s cross, you were on his mind and heart. And three days after his death, he raised himself back to life; all to give you the personal assurance that, through faith in him, you are his. He has placed his name upon you. He will never forget your name.

On this broken, sin-filled earth, people forget. Families forget. Past friends forget. Societies forget. In Jesus, God does not. He has called you by name. You are his.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Devotion based on Numbers 6:26

According to a 2021 article in Psychology Today, feeling ignored may be more painful than we suppose. Individuals in a study indicated that being ignored often hurt more than even being in an argument.

Then again, perhaps this should not surprise us. To feel ignored, to feel excluded, to feel overlooked, to feel invisible—such a thing brings a quiet devastation. The ache it produces can be so heavy and profound that people may feel like a physical weight is pressing on their shoulders and chest.

And these terrible moments can show up anywhere. They can show up at work, at school, at social gatherings, among friends, or among family. They can even show up at church.

Indeed, you and I can be very good at ignoring each other. Sin does that. In the brokenness of our broken natures, I can ignore others, others can ignore me, and we can all ignore God. Left to ourselves, you and I would end up abandoned, isolated, alone, and in despair.

But your God has not ignored you. Instead, he has turned his face toward you. He saw you in your sin and darkness. He saw you in your self-imposed exile, isolation, and pain. And he chose to do something about it. Jesus came here. He became one of us. On our behalf, he ignored no one as he walked on this earth. In our place, he endured the worst kind of abandonment possible—an abandonment so absolute that his heavenly Father turned away from him as he bore our sins on the cross. And then he died.

And then he rose. And because he has, you will never need to feel ignored again. Ever. For the One who has promised never to leave you nor forsake you is the One who lives. The One who has promised to be with you always is the One who lives. And the One who has risen from the dead is the One who has turned his face toward you. And he will never turn away.

Prayer:

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Love . . . is not self-seeking.

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

It was not a very long piece on the TV news. I don’t even recall the mother’s name. But what she does and why she is doing it, I will not soon forget.

The news piece is about this disastrous earthquake in Haiti and its aftermath. It centers on a mother and her young children. Their small house is now rubble. The mother does not know what they are going to eat. She does not know what they are going to drink. She does not know where they are going to live. And she finds herself surrounded by thousands of people who are wondering the same thing.

At present she and her children are living in the open, sitting and resting on a blanket. But as she sits with her children, the mother is doing a strange thing. She’s continually smiling and talking cheerfully.

Someone from the news crew finally asks her why she’s smiling so much. Her response is sober and direct. “It’s for my children,” she says.

Footage like that quickly reminds us of what love is. Love is not about me. It’s not about my needs. It’s not about indulging my fears, fulfilling my dreams, or protecting my self-esteem. It’s about others.

The old, sinful self inside me does not like that. It does not like that one bit. Left to my own instincts, my life would be all about me until there was nothing left but me. And ultimately, there I would exist isolated, alone, and in the outer darkness of hell.

But Jesus came. He came for me. He lived a perfect life for me. He suffered and died for my every failure. And now he lives for me. Because of him, my life is different. I am different. My slavery to self is done. And now I can really love because, through Jesus, it’s not about me. It’s about others.

Prayer:

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Devotion based on John 10:24-30

Riddles can be used to strengthen the way you think. They can also be aggravating if you don’t have the answer. Many of the Jewish people who listened to Jesus saw him as a riddle. They couldn’t figure out if he was the Messiah or not. So finally, they came up to ask him. “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” No more mystery. They wanted a straight answer.

Jesus gave them a straight answer. “I did tell you.” He performed miracles in their presence. He revealed who he was as he taught the crowds who followed him. The problem is that many rejected the miracles and the words Jesus spoke to them. They did not believe Jesus as he proclaimed, that he was the Son of God.

Do not become like those who gathered around Jesus. Do not begin to think that Jesus doesn’t give a clear answer about who he is or what he came to do. There is no riddle. Jesus also speaks plainly to you. He is God; he stated, “I and my Father are one.” He came to save you from your sins and give you eternal life. Jesus doesn’t speak in riddles about who he is or what he came to do. He speaks plainly to you, his sheep, so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

Listen to the clear words of Jesus. Hold on to them in faith. Look with hope to the eternal life he brings.

Prayer:

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

[Jesus said] “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Devotion based on John 14:25-27

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he knew his disciples would be troubled. They would witness his arrest and crucifixion, but even after his resurrection, Jesus would not be with them in the same way. Not only that, but Jesus was giving them the responsibility of carrying on his mission. So, he promised to give them a helper, the Advocate.

That promise still holds. Christ has not left us alone. He sends his Holy Spirit to be our comforter, counselor, and guide. The gospel did not go silent when Jesus departed. It continues to sound forth because the Spirit is still at work.

But how does the Spirit come to us? Jesus doesn’t leave that a mystery. The Spirit works through God’s Word, the Bible. Jesus ties the Spirit’s presence to his teachings. Whenever the Word of Christ is proclaimed, read, remembered, or believed, the Spirit is there. The Spirit is not found in our feelings or dramatic signs, but in the clear, dependable promises of God.

That gives us great peace. We don’t have to chase after signs or wonder if God is near. We open the Bible, and there he is. The Spirit speaks to us through the same Word he inspired, bringing comfort, conviction, and clarity. And with that Word, he gives peace, not as the world gives, but a peace that stills our troubled hearts and strengthens us in Christ.

Because Jesus lives, he sends us his Spirit. Because his Spirit speaks through the Word, we are never alone.

Prayer:

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

Devotion based on Acts 2:5-11

Have you ever stood in a crowd and not understood a word spoken? It’s disorienting. You look for someone, anyone, who speaks your language, because language creates community.

It also creates division. At Babel, when humanity tried to build its own glory, God scattered them by confusing their language. Ever since, we’ve stuck with those who sound like us. We’re cautious of those who don’t.

But the day of Pentecost reversed that.

On that day in Jerusalem, people from every nation under heaven heard the wonders of God in their own native tongues; not Hebrew in the temple, not a priestly voice from a distance, but everyday Galileans speaking in the languages they understood best. God wasn’t asking them to learn a new language to approach him. He was coming to them.

This is the miracle of Pentecost. Not just that tongues were spoken, but that God’s grace was clearly heard by all. In Jesus, the separation of Babel is undone. In Jesus, the glory-seeking tower is replaced by the cross. And in Jesus, forgiveness is preached to all people of all languages.

Because Jesus lives, his Spirit speaks to every heart in every culture, through the good news of forgiveness. And that message doesn’t divide, it unites.

Prayer:

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.