Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

Devotion based on Genesis 45:4-8

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Take a moment and type into a search engine the words “crown tapestry front / back” and see the pictures. Depending on what side of the tapestry you are looking at, it may look like a complete mess or a beautiful design. The same is true about life depending on what you are experiencing at the moment.

As an overconfident teenager, Joseph couldn’t have imagined the messiness that would soon enter his life. In an ugly display of jealousy and hatred, Joseph’s brothers sold him to slave traders who were heading to Egypt. Alone and afraid, Joseph found himself in a land far away from everyone he loved. Even worse, he was thrown in prison for something he didn’t do.

Fast forward some years later. Joseph was out of prison and serving Pharoah as a high ranking official. Then something unexpected happened. His own brothers arrived one day in Egypt looking for food. This could have been Joseph’s moment to get revenge on his brothers. He had the power to put them in prison or even have them put to death.

Instead, he did something incredible. He forgave them. Even though Joseph’s life at times seemed like a mess, God let him see the other side of the tapestry. God used the evil actions of his brothers to help save Joseph’s family. With his high position of power, he moved his entire family to Egypt where they would have plenty of food and land so they would live and not die. God displayed to Joseph how he overcomes evil with good. This motivated Joseph to do the same for his brothers.

Like the backside of a tapestry that looks like a mess, we are often led to doubt and question why God allows challenging and difficult times into our lives. We may even want to seek revenge and hold grudges against those who wrong us. The story of Joseph is a good reminder for us as God’s children that God works all things for the good of those who love him. Inspired by God’s undeserved love and his forgiveness to us, we forgive others even when it is hard. We pray and ask God each day to give us the courage and strength to overcome evil with good.

Dear heavenly Father, you are truly an all-knowing and all-powerful God who works all things for our good. Most importantly you sent your Son to forgive us for our sins. Help us to follow his example by forgiving others so that we might overcome evil with good. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.

Devotion based on Luke 6:20-23

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

My teacher used to do something when many of us were fighting to be first. We would line up at the door to go to lunch or recess and many of us would be pushing and elbowing to be the first one in line and out the door. She would see our fighting to be first and say, “Turn around!” We all had to turn around in line, and she would then walk to the back of the line and lead the class out the other door starting with the kid who was in the back. Then all of us who were pushing and shoving to be first ended up at the back of the line.

Jesus came into our world to turn everything around. We have ideas about what is good and what is bad. We believe it is bad to be sad or poor. It is bad to be insulted or excluded. On the other hand, it is good to be rich and well fed. It is good to laugh and have everyone speak well of you. Jesus turns our thinking around. What we think is good and bad in life is not always what Jesus says is good and bad.

Are you sad right now or feel like you don’t have enough? Jesus reminds you that he will turn all things around. Do you feel like you have everything you need? Jesus reminds you that nothing in this life is forever. He can turn it around in ways you may never have thought of.

Ultimately, God promises to turn everything around when he returns to take us to heaven. Though our sin gives us every reason to be sad and death makes us all poor, God promises a great turn around as he brings us to the joys of heaven. In this place we will never be hungry or hurting but will laugh and find all our comfort forever. It will be the greatest turnaround . . . ever!

Savior of all, you promise to turn everything around. Especially when life is hard, remind us of your power to save and promise of a perfect life with you forever. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

“A thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever gotten a thorn or wood splinter in your finger? Did a parent try to dig it out for you? Ouch! Splinters aren’t a lot of fun and can hurt a lot!

Josie knew her upcoming surgery in the hospital wasn’t going to be fun and even a little painful. Her friends and family showed her as much love as they could. Her classmates wrote her a card before the surgery. Her family spent the night before watching her favorite movie and eating her favorite foods. When she arrived at the hospital some very nice nurses came and made sure she was comfortable and gave her a heated blanket. After surgery, her family took her out for ice-cream, and she got a triple scoop.

Today’s devotion talks about thorns and pain. We don’t know what the apostle Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Maybe it was something that hurt his body. Maybe it was something that hurt his mind or soul. Regardless, it was a chance for the power of Christ to rest upon him. If imperfect friends and family can show their love to someone who is experiencing difficulty, how much better can a perfect and mighty God show his love and power when someone is experiencing difficulty.

The apostle Paul saw his weakness as strength because it was a chance for the power of Christ to work. He even went so far as to boast in his weakness! When we experience “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions”—bad stuff—may we see them as moments for the power of Christ to rest upon us.

Remember this: when we are weak, then we are strong. Christ-strong.

Gracious Lord, we thank you for being strong when we are weak. Help us to see the power of Christ resting upon us that like Paul, we would even boast in our weakness. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Devotion based on Jeremiah 17:5-8

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Matt planted a bunch of new trees and shrubs at the church one Spring. He loved his church and wanted to make an area look better with new plants. It worked! The plants were beautiful and the church looked better that Spring but then came the hot summer weather. The plants began to look bad and started to lose their leaves. Despite Matt’s best efforts to give them water and care, most of the plants dried out and died. A little investigation revealed that the area Matt hoped to make nicer had been a spot where the builder had dumped a lot of leftover bricks. Despite looking nice for a while they dried out because of the bad soil concealing junk underneath.

The prophet Jeremiah said that the one who trusts in man is like a bush planted in the wasteland. It may look good for a while, but it won’t last.

On the other hand, the one who trusts the Lord is like a tree planted by water. Even when the difficult heat comes it doesn’t worry as its leaves remain green and it continues to bear fruit.

It’s easy to trust the things of this world and for a while they look good. Maybe you trust your athletic abilities and that you will always get picked first. Maybe you trust that your friends will always be there for you and won’t ever hurt you or disappoint you. Maybe you trust that you will always be the best at music or singing. However, all these things only look good for a while. Eventually you won’t get picked first and the friend will hurt your feelings and there will be a better musician than you.

Putting our trust in Jesus means that we will never be disappointed. Jesus has always kept his promises, and he always will. Everything that he has said he will do will be done. There might be times when things are difficult, and the sun beats down. But like that tree planted by streams of water, God promises to nourish you through those difficult days with his Word.

You are that tree planted by streams of water. Trust in God’s good Word to sustain you.

Mighty God, thank you for planting us by streams of water. Help us to not trust the things of the world but to rely on your certain Word to sustain us. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Devotion based on Luke 5:1-11

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever gone fishing? Do you like to fish? For most people, the best part about going fishing is actually catching fish. On a day when the fish are really biting, and you spend the day busily reeling in fish after fish, it can be a lot of fun. However, on a day when the fish aren’t biting, and you are just sitting bored on the shore or in a boat, fishing isn’t a lot of fun.

In today’s Bible reading, Jesus is about to give some fishermen a new job. But first he wants them to know that he is in control of fishing. They had been fishing all night but hadn’t caught a single fish. It must have been boring and frustrating. Jesus tells them to put out to deeper water and miraculously their nets are full of fish. There were so many fish that their nets began to break and had to call other boats to help them!

At first, Peter is afraid, but Jesus assures him that from now on he will be a fisher of people. Those fishermen then all left their nets behind and began to follow Jesus.

Some days it is hard to be a “fisher” of people. We tell others about Jesus, and they aren’t interested. Maybe they make fun of us or don’t want to listen to us.

Other days it is easy to be a fisher of people. People are happy when we talk about Jesus with them. They have a smile on their face as we tell them about Jesus who loves us.

On good days and bad days remember who is in control. Whether the fishing is easy or hard that same Jesus who brought all those fish to Peter is still in control as you work as a fisher of people. We aren’t afraid because God is gracious and in control.

Father of all, you call us from our daily life to follow you and be fishers of people. Help us to not be afraid but to trust your mighty power as we live for you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Devotion based on Romans 10:12-17

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Do you know how you learned to talk? You were probably too young to remember how it happened, but it was a pretty simple yet amazing process. You heard the different sounds your parents and others were making and began to imitate them. At about six months old you learned vowels and at about nine months old the consonants came next. Fairly quickly after that you learned about putting those sounds together to form words just like what you heard from your parents. Interestingly enough, scientists have found that you needed these words brought to you and spoken in front of you. Babies who just watch TV shows or listen to music in another language never learn that other language.

Do you know how you came to believe in Jesus? It is also a pretty simple yet amazing process. God sent people in your life so that you heard the good news of Jesus and faith grew in your heart.

Do you know how others will come to faith? It is because God continues to send people like you to share Jesus with others.

God’s Word tells us that for any of us to speak to God there must first be belief. For belief to happen a person must hear the Word of God. For a person to hear the Word of God someone must share it with them. For a person to share it they must be sent and go to that person.

While it is true that God does all the work in our faith and salvation it is also true that he graciously chooses to work through people. He works through parents who read their children Bible stories and devotions. He works through Sunday School teachers who share God’s Word on behalf of the church. He works through friends who encourage us in God’s Word. He works through pastors and teachers as they share God’s Word on behalf of the whole church.

Now it’s your turn! To do what? First, hear! Then, talk! God can work through you to bring good news to someone!

Gracious Lord, you have sent many people into our lives to share the good news of forgiveness and life that we might believe and call on you. Help all of us to share the hope that is ours as you send us out to our schools, neighborhoods, teams, and friends. Amen

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Devotion based on Isaiah 6:1-6

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When you go to church who do you expect to find? You see the pastor who is always happy to see you. Probably you see a friend or two that you can talk to before or after church. Maybe you see some other familiar faces of people who are glad you are there. We know that church is God’s house and so we expect it to be a friendly place where we will see friendly things.

This wasn’t the case for Isaiah the prophet. Isaiah sees a vision of God’s house and God’s throne and he is terrified. It was a scary scene: There are seraphim angels, each with six wings flying around the throne of God. Their voices boom as they cry out, “Holy, holy, holy.” They are so loud that the doorposts of the house shake and rattle. Billowing smoke surrounds Isaiah.

But it isn’t the angels or the smoke that terrifies Isaiah. What terrifies Isaiah is that he is a sinner before a holy God. More than that, Isaiah lives among people who are sinful and now he is in God’s house standing before a holy God! Isaiah knew that God was perfect and that he was not, and Isaiah knew that God was special and that he was not.

As Isaiah cries out in fear, an angel grabs a hot coal from the altar and touches Isaiah’s mouth. This hot coal doesn’t burn Isaiah’s mouth, but it takes away Isaiah’s sin. The altar was a place where sacrifices for sins were made and because of the sacrifice of Jesus, Isaiah’s sins were all forgiven. Isaiah didn’t have to be scared anymore because God forgave all his sins. He could be in God’s house and not be afraid because his sins were paid for.

It is the same reason we go to church. Our sin ought to scare us. But then, Jesus touches us with the tip of the cross and says, “See, your guilt is taken away, your sin is atoned for.” That changes everything! We smile at each other and are glad to see each other because in God’s house, we know that our sins are forgiven.

Dear holy God, our sins separate us from you. However, because of the sacrifice of Jesus our sins are taken away. Make us always glad to go to your house and worship you as our holy God. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Devotion based on Luke 4:38-44

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

School work, house chores and homework. Sports practices and music rehearsals. Church and Sunday School on Sunday mornings. A child’s life gets busy.

Adults’ lives are busy, too. Wake up early to get the family ready for the day; put in a long day at work and come home to cook dinner and do the dishes. Put the children to bed and stay up late paying bills. Take care of grocery shopping and house repairs on the weekend, not to mention driving around the kids to practice and rehearsals.

No wonder when we finally have a break, we want to make the most out of it. Go to our rooms and message some friends; catch the game or meet up for coffee. We need some “me time!” so we have the strength to keep going.

Time for rest and time with friends are good gifts from God. We all need those. Jesus needed them, too. He was just as human as the rest of us: he got tired and worn out; he enjoyed getting away for physical rest and for spiritual rest. But what a scene Luke shows us! Jesus put in a day of preaching at the synagogue. Then he went to Peter’s house, probably for a chance to relax. But Peter’s mother-in-law was sick—she needed him! So, Jesus healed her. You can guess what happened next: all the people brought their sick loved ones to Jesus, too, so he could heal them. No rest yet! So early the next morning Jesus goes out to a quiet place where he could be alone, but the people found him there, too, and did their best to keep him from leaving. And what did Jesus tell them? Not, “Leave me alone so I can get some rest!”, but “I need to keep going; other people need to hear about their salvation.” Jesus got tired, too, but his love for others kept him going!

Remember that, when you worry that you’re facing something alone or that God won’t be there to help you out. Jesus will never be too busy or too tired to take care of you. His love for you keeps him going. And enjoy the gift of rest—we need it! But when you see people around you in need, remember Jesus’ perfect love, and he’ll give you strength to keep going as you serve them, too.

Jesus, grant that we never grow weary of doing good. At night, bless us with restful sleep. And when we rise, give us a day of loving and serving the people around us. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 3:14-15,4:1-2

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I wonder if Timothy was disappointed in what it was like to be a pastor.

When Timothy was young, the apostle Paul must have told him stories like:

Now Timothy was a pastor, too, and Paul wrote some instructions and encouragements for him. He didn’t tell Timothy how to escape angry mobs, travel around the world or perform great miracles. Paul’s advice seems much more ordinary: “Preach the Word.” Hold to “sound doctrine.” “Correct, rebuke and encourage.” Tell people the things you’ve known “since you were a little child” learning the stories about Jesus.

That’s still perfect advice. Because what do people need most? It’s not to hear exciting stories or how to live an amazing life. We need to know about how God saves us from our sins. It’s such a simple message that even a little child can learn it: Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose again. But it’s so important we need to keep going back to it every day. We need to see our sins (so they don’t take us away from God!), we need to learn how to say thank you to God with the way we act, and we need to know above all that God loves us and will never leave us.

Timothy needed to hear that. We do, too. Keep learning about Jesus. Go back again and again to the simple truths of the Bible you were able to recite as a little child. And on the days when our lives seem extraordinary and exciting—or they feel ordinary, or even a little boring—we’ll know that through all of them, God tells us everything we need to know about our salvation and has given us everything we need to serve him.

And that’s just what we need to hear!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching us about the salvation we have in Jesus. Never let us get tired of hearing it! And bless us with lives filled with every good work as we say “thank you” for your love. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Devotion based on Jeremiah 1:4-10

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sometimes the thoughts are hard to escape. “I’m not smart enough. I’m not strong enough. I don’t have enough talent. Someone like me will never be good to anyone else.”

Have you ever had thoughts like that? Here’s a secret you might not know yet: Almost everyone has those thoughts. Sometimes your parents do. Your classmates have had those thoughts. Even your pastor does!

Does that surprise you? No matter what anyone else sees when they look at us, we are often pretty good at seeing our own sins and weaknesses. Other people might see someone who seems pretty, or strong, or confident, but we know what we’re really like. At least we think we do.

Jeremiah thought he did, too. When he was only twenty years old (maybe even younger!), God told Jeremiah that he was going to be God’s prophet. It was going to be a hard job. He was going to speak to powerful leaders and warn them about God’s punishment!

Jeremiah could think of a hundred reasons that he wasn’t the right person for the job. He was too young; no one would take him seriously! He wasn’t good at speaking; someone else would do a better job! But God’s answer was wonderful. God knew everything about Jeremiah, even before he was born. He had prepared Jeremiah to be the perfect person for this job. Maybe Jeremiah didn’t know what he was doing, but God did.

And God knows what he’s doing with you, too. Whatever challenges you’re facing, whatever insecurities you have, whatever weaknesses or faults you see in yourself, please know this: God knows you better than you know yourself. He’s prepared you for the life he has in mind for you. He really has! And he’s given you his Word. So don’t be afraid! The God who made you will always be with you!

Dear Savior, when I’m worried about whether or not I’m strong enough or smart enough or talented enough, don’t let me focus on myself or whether I’m good enough. Help me to focus on you and give me your promise that you’ll never leave or fail me. Then, Lord, give me joy in serving you! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above