Devotionals

Idioms like “It’s just my nature,” “It’s who I am,” or “It’s ingrained in me” can be used by people to justify an action or behavior. Hearing phrases like these might lead one to think the person saying them has no control over an action, as it is not a conscious choice. But, for believers, is this true?

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds us of our past, present, and future state of being. Apart from Christ, and because of sin, human beings were left spiritually dead, sinfully disobedient, and separated from our Creator. This is everyone’s past because it is how we start life. In this state of being, we do what we like and live for our pleasure because our nature is flesh-driven. So, “It’s just my nature” is an accurate statement. But we do not have to stay there, because Jesus came to redeem our past and welcome us back to God. The choice to accept Christ is before every human being.

Believers in God’s intervening love and Christ’s work on the cross, are gifted a new life and given a new nature. God, the Great I Am, welcomes us on a spiritual journey called eternal life, where we are made ALIVE. By the Spirit and through His Word, God speaks to us as His sons or daughters. We have a brand new identity; the past is dead. So, the idiom, “It’s who I am,” is accurate if you are talking about being God’s child. We are learning to live with Christ as Lord as he leads us away from our sinful and selfish past into the righteous riches of eternal life.

Lastly, as we follow Christ, we take on His nature because His Word/Commands are written on our hearts, so the idiom “It’s ingrained in me” is the future state of spiritual life with God. The roots of Christ’s love grow deep within us, and His holy characteristics become a permanent part of our souls. God has promised to make us fully alive and mature in Christ. Thank you, Lord!

Ephesians 2:1-7 NLT Made Alive with Christ
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for raising us from spiritual death in the past into eternal life in the present. Thank you for making us more like Jesus each day by helping us obey your Word. Our future is secure and fulfilled in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today is Ascension Day; a day which is celebrated forty days after Easter for the ascension of our Christ from earth to His exalted place in heaven. While Jesus was on earth, He was a suffering Servant for God and humanity, providing salvation. Today, we celebrate His position in our lives as the glorified King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus now guarantees glorification to those who repent and call upon his name for salvation.

In our passage today, I cannot help but focus on four special sentences. First, in verse 45, Jesus can open our minds to understand the Scripture and how He is woven into every lesson of faith. The Lord is the Word of God through Moses, the prophets, and the psalmists. He is guiding faith and eternal life throughout the Scriptures. May the Spirit help us listen.

The second thing that stands out to me is verse 47. We are forgiven for our sins ONLY when we repent and turn from them. The word repent means to turn from self-centeredness and the practice of what the Word calls sin and follow Jesus into a transformed life. Remorse does not save us; however, repentance and commitment to a new way of living do. May we welcome the transformed life in Christ.

Thirdly, in verse 49, Jesus tells His disciples He will send the Holy Spirit, because the Father has promised. God’s Word is Truth, and He cannot lie, so we know all of Christ’s disciples will be able to receive the Spirit and the power of heaven to be His witnesses. May we receive the Spirit and power of heaven and allow Jesus to lead us deeper into Life with God.

Lastly, in verses 51and 52, Jesus raises His hands and blesses the disciples. This just fills my heart with joy. Our Father has not left us powerless! We have the power of the Spirit to fill us and move us into our assignments; to equip us with every good thing from heaven. We have all we need with our Lord and the power of the Spirit! Joy! Joy! and more Joy!

On this Ascension Day, make sure you have made Jesus the Lord of your life. This means we surrender and give Him all authority to rule our lives. We can trust Jesus for salvation; He gave His life so we could live with God. Can Jesus trust us to become disciples who surrender our wills for His work of reconnecting the world to God?

Luke 24:44-53 NLT
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension
50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Prayer: Lord, we can only imagine how watching You ascend into heaven must have filled the hearts of the disciples with joy and forever changed their witness of Your extravagant salvation. You lifted Your hands and blessed them, and You do the same for us every day. We are such a blessed people and it is such an honor to call you Lord. Thank You for all You do for us. Be glorified in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In the Bible, the concept of “connection” is centered on life-giving power that brings God’s blessings. A superficial relationship—based on outward appearance—does not connect us with God, nor does it bring us into unity with other believers. God is calling for a covenant relationship or bond in which His love can flourish, not a social acquaintance void of life-giving substance.

Jesus uses the imagery of a Vine with branches to teach about this “connection” and the unlimited flow of God’s blessing (John 15:5). A branch cannot grow and produce fruit if it is separated from the vine. We must be connected to God if we are ever going to connect and grow in the holy nature of God—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Making this vertical and horizontal connection is essential for experiencing life-giving joy. Abiding in Jesus [staying connected] and obeying God’s Word [living connected] leads to a wonderful and priceless fullness of joy; a joy no one and nothing can rob (John 15:11 NLT).

In our passage today, Jesus prepares the disciples by telling them that he is going away, something that will leave them mourning. Jesus is going to suffer and die, which will bring sorrow, but he is going to be raised back up to life, which will bring them great joy!

God often works the same way in our lives: seasons of confusion, waiting, or suffering can become places where deeper joy is born through our connection with Him. When we stay connected to Jesus, we receive strength to endure difficult seasons, wisdom to obey His Word, and love to share with others. The closer we remain to Him, the more His life flows through us.

John 16:16-24 NLT Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
16 “In a little while, you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”
19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

Prayer: Lord, the way the world looks at life, salvation, and the truth is a challenge for us as believers. Many times, we feel like misfits, and our minds and hearts can easily feel troubled by the lack of love and genuine caring. Suffering is real. Yet, we trust you and know you are grooming us for holy things that one day will be revealed. This understanding brings us great joy! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What do you know about negativity? Most of us recognize when we or others speak negatively in response to difficult or upsetting circumstances. It sounds a lot like complaining, but it is different. Negativity is a chronic internal mindset and attitude because it views life through a pessimistic, dark lens. Complaining is an outward expression of a specific problem. Complaining can be constructive to bring about good change. Conversely, negativity sees everything as the worst scenario and refuses to focus on any goodness.

Although both complaining and negativity may surround us every day, believers are not called to either attitude or action, because they are toxic to the soul. Being around a negative person will drain the positive energy out of an individual and even a whole group. Even when presented with a positive change, a negative person will choose to view things a certain way.

The negative mind must be rewired, and it is the work of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to open blind eyes and help them see the goodness of God. As Spirit-led children of God, we are actually called to break the cycle of negativity through acts of kindness. Many times we can literally break the cycle of negativity when we choose to extend grace.

In our passage today, Peter speaks to all Christians and focuses on love, humble hearts, and blessings. Negativity produces insults. Grace produces blessings. Every day, we have a choice to speak blessings or curses to people or about situations. Negativity involves empowering a wrong spiritual outlook; it is not of God. Blessings perpetuate the kindness, peace, and goodness of the Savior. May the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit keep our attitudes in check today and our words filled with blessing. It will be a battle, but remember we are overcomers in Christ.

1 Peter 3:8-12 NLT All Christians
8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to enjoy life
    and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
11 
Turn away from evil and do good.
    Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12 
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
    and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
    against those who do evil.”[Ps 34:12-16]

Prayer: Lord, we desire to run from negativity and reach for grace today. We choose to see happy days, to turn from evil, and to search for peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today, we finish up our lesson about Noah and the post-flood world. Our passage contains a covenant or promise [a divine pledge] from God, along with a sign or reminder of His Word—the rainbow in the sky. The rainbow reminds God of His promise while bringing hope to the world of future redemption—a gospel [good news] sign for humanity. This covenant is made to every living creature on the earth. God made an unconditional promise to preserve life on earth—a pledge to offer mercy and grace.

Let’s remember where we have been with God’s Word, Noah, and the flood. God makes a promise to Noah and his family (Genesis 6:17-18). He reminds Noah that humanity’s heart is universally sinful; we incline to sin even from childhood (Genesis 8:21). Life in the world [post-flood] is still not going to be a picnic for humanity, because the world is tainted with evil. Yet, God makes a universal promise to bless those who obey His commands (Genesis 9:1-7).

So, it is clear God takes on this obligation to put things into place to save humanity, to cleanse and deliver a heart from sin, and to provide the way to blessing and life everlasting. Essentially, God decides to deal with the problem of sin and evil differently in the future. And, we know, God faithfully does so through the cross of Jesus our Messiah. Praise God for the Promise!

Genesis 9:8-17 NLT
8 Then God told Noah and his sons, 9 “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, 10 and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. 11 Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”

12 Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15 and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17 Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the mercy and grace You have chosen to provide us. We have always needed a Savior, and we know You sent Jesus as the fulfillment of Your covenant. Even though this sinful world has chosen to take Your bow in the sky as a symbol of a social movement, we know You placed it as a reminder to Yourself never to destroy the world again by flood—a sign of the coming love, mercy, and grace of the redeeming and resurrected Savior. Because You live, Lord, we will live with You forever. Thank You! We love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sometimes the Word of the Lord causes us to pause because our natural minds cannot wrap around the message and the greater purpose of it all. However, God’s Word never fails… it always accomplishes what it is sent to do, whether we understand and obey it or not. God’s thoughts are pure, deeper, and much holier than our human ones (Isaiah 55:8-9).

We see that in our passage this morning. It would be easier to read our text as an unthinkable and wrathful act of God against creation that is cruel, but is that the main focus of the story? No. Noah and the flood teach us something incredibly important about God’s plan to SAVE, not destroy.

At creation, humanity made a fatal mistake by disobeying God’s Word. Let’s not forget, humanity chose to eat from the wrong tree. Violence was covering the earth because the hearts of humanity were separated from the love of God (Genesis 6:11). Without God’s love ruling our hearts, we are capable of despicable things. We were created for love. In God’s love, we are cradled like a precious treasure from the flood of evil, which is something God must destroy in order to bring a new beginning.

Like Noah and his family, God holds, supports, and nurtures our spiritual growth in his love through Christ. As the world continues to be flooded with evil, we are spiritually carried by the love of God. Jesus gives us a new beginning. We no longer belong to the fallen world. A Way to salvation is the lesson of Noah. Make sure you have cut a covenant with God, and you are being held in the protective ark of His love.

Genesis 7 NLT The Flood Covers the Earth
7 When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous. 2 Take with you seven pairs—male and female—of each animal I have approved for eating and for sacrifice, and take one pair of each of the others. 3 Also take seven pairs of every kind of bird. There must be a male and a female in each pair to ensure that all life will survive on the earth after the flood. 4 Seven days from now I will make the rains pour down on the earth. And it will rain for forty days and forty nights, until I have wiped from the earth all the living things I have created.”

5 So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

6 Noah was 600 years old when the flood covered the earth. 7 He went on board the boat to escape the flood—he and his wife and his sons and their wives. 8 With them were all the various kinds of animals—those approved for eating and for sacrifice and those that were not—along with all the birds and the small animals that scurry along the ground. 9 They entered the boat in pairs, male and female, just as God had commanded Noah. 10 After seven days, the waters of the flood came and covered the earth.

11 When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky. 12 The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.

13 That very day Noah had gone into the boat with his wife and his sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their wives. 14 With them in the boat were pairs of every kind of animal—domestic and wild, large and small—along with birds of every kind. 15 Two by two they came into the boat, representing every living thing that breathes. 16 A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them.

17 For forty days the floodwaters grew deeper, covering the ground and lifting the boat high above the earth. 18 As the waters rose higher and higher above the ground, the boat floated safely on the surface. 19 Finally, the water covered even the highest mountains on the earth, 20 rising more than twenty-two feet[b] above the highest peaks. 21 All the living things on earth died—birds, domestic animals, wild animals, small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people. 22 Everything that breathed and lived on dry land died. 23 God wiped out every living thing on the earth—people, livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and the birds of the sky. All were destroyed. The only people who survived were Noah and those with him in the boat. 24 And the floodwaters covered the earth for 150 days.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for designing a Way for us to enjoy a covenant relationship with You. This lesson of Noah is beneficial to our understanding of a new beginning. We rise above the destructive floodwaters of this fallen world to be protected and held by You. Thank you for being faithful to the covenant that You have offered. We pray for grace to hold us so we will be faithful to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today, we continue with the awareness that what we may think is not necessarily born from righteous God-thoughts. In fact, without the redeeming [rescuing/restoring] and sanctifying [making holy] work of Christ, we cannot develop our own righteous thoughts, because we have a sinful nature with a voice that demands its own way. Our thoughts are known to God, and He judges them based on Christ’s righteousness. Therefore, every human being needs the ongoing rescuing, restoring, and making holy work of Christ in us.

In our passage today, we visit the Old Testament Book of Genesis and note the Lord’s examination of humanity’s thoughts. Clearly, God is holy, and humanity is not. When left to function by our sinful nature, humanity is doomed. The fall of humanity [choosing to sin against God’s Word] left a very serious reality with eternal consequences, which broke the heart of God (Genesis 6:6).

Pay close attention to this story of Noah. Does God view Noah as righteous? Yes. Why? Because Noah lives a life of worship. He allows God’s Word to lead him. Is he perfect? No. Yet, Noah fears the Lord [honors God’s authority], seeks His way and will of living righteous [with the Lord], and wants to please Him—Priority. Noah walks WITH God (Genesis 6:9).

In the Old Testament, the Lord [Hebrew Yahweh—Creator Father, Yeshua—Saving Son, Ruach HaKodesh—Holy Spirit] pursues a relationship with humanity, but sin must be dealt with before fellowship is restored. In the New Testament, Yeshua [Greek-Jesus the Christ] fulfills that requirement. Without the work of Christ covering us with his righteousness while making us more like Him each day, we are a doomed people.

Jesus sacrificed His life to cover and redeem the sins of the world. So, when we ask Jesus to save us from sin’s destruction and death, we are saved for eternity. People need Jesus…He alone provides genuine LIFE with God! We cannot be made righteous without Him. Without Jesus, we are separated from eternal fellowship with God. Make sure you ask Jesus to save you.

Genesis 6:5-22 NLT 5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” 8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.

The Story of Noah
9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. 10 Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15 Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

17 “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”
22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Prayer: Father, thank You for laying out for all humanity the clear picture of our need for Jesus. We acknowledge our sinful nature and ask to be cleansed and covered by the blood of Jesus. While You cover us, Lord, please keep working in our hearts to create worshipers like Noah. Seal out the world and guard our hearts and minds. Help us live what we believe to be the Truth as Your children. Holy Spirit, make us holy and teach us to make loving and serving God our highest priority each day. Then, we can genuinely love our neighbors. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A very important part of living our worship is choosing our priorities, because whatever we treat as a priority reveals our hearts (Luke 12:34). For this reason, Jesus calls us to seek His kingdom of righteousness, because everything else flows from it into our lives (Matthew 6:33). Then, when we seek the kingdom, we find God opens the treasury of heaven and releases His goodness and blessing.

In our passage today, the wisdom literature challenges us to find divine Wisdom—applied Truth. When we seek the Kingdom, we find the King. When we find the King—who has been made wisdom to us—we are gaining the best of heaven and God’s plan for our day. We learn about God’s nature and character because he guides us by Wisdom.

In a world that focuses on temporal worldly goods, God calls us to prioritize eternity and look for the treasures of heaven. We may have no idea about the abundance of heaven, because we are content and satisfied with the world’s goods. Yet Jesus said, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). What if we are satisfied with temporary “stuff” when God is offering the “eternal treasure” of wisdom, blessings, and unimaginable goodness beyond human understanding?

Human understanding is based on reason, logic, and what we can experience with our natural senses. Human knowledge and understanding have their place, but these things cannot access God’s Wisdom, which must be revealed, believed, and acted upon. God desires to share with us the glories of heaven, but we must seek God’s Wisdom, prize it, and hold onto it for the treasure it is and holds.

Proverbs 3:13-18 NLT
13
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
    the one who gains understanding.
14 
For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
    and her wages are better than gold.
15 
Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 
She offers you long life in her right hand,
    and riches and honor in her left.
17 
She will guide you down delightful paths;
    all her ways are satisfying.
18 
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
    happy are those who hold her tightly.

Prayer: Lord, today our desire is for You. We seek Your kingdom, divine wisdom, and the joy of salvation to fill our day. Guide us into the truth that satisfies our souls. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Trust is not just about having emotional confidence; it is a decision we make repeatedly each day. Trust is key in our relationship with God; we must trust Him and His will for our lives. As we place our trust in God, we bring Him glory.

I seek to trust God’s will and way of doing things, but sometimes my thoughts and level of understanding try to get in between my trust and my obedience. Runaway thoughts involve a spiritual battle; the mind can be a battleground. I have to catch myself and turn back to what I know about God’s faithfulness and His promises.

Leaning on our own understanding is a detour, because we see in part, but God sees all things as a whole (1 Corinthians 13:12). We still have a sin nature that must be submitted to God; therefore, our understanding is tainted and not trustworthy. Our perspective, without consulting God, is questionable at best. Submitting to God is where we find wisdom to manage every decision. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). I dare not stand in pride; I must bow in humility because no one is more capable of handling life and its issues than Creator God.

In our passage today, we are challenged by this wisdom writing to love God wholeheartedly, because as we do, we will desire God’s will and trust God’s promise. When we need guidance, we need to ask for Wisdom (Jesus). When we need healing, we must ask our Healer (Jesus). When we need supplies of some kind, we need to call for our Provider (Jesus). When we need correction, we must know the Father loves us like Jesus.

Proverb 3:5-6 NLT
5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
7 
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 
Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.
9 
Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 
Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.
11 
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
12 
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this beautiful wisdom that we need to hear today. Help us to remain fixed and immovable as we place our trust in You. Help us reach for You and ask for You to meet our needs, whether spiritual, emotional, or physical. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yesterday in worship, we were reminded about things we already know about God. We know we can place our trust in God. We know Jesus is the Way, God’s plans for us are good, and He will navigate us toward spiritual maturity and victory. Lastly, we know who we are—chosen by God to be transformed and live as His full-time disciples.

In our passage today, Moses writes about how God delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt and has been leading them through the wilderness to develop their trust. They needed more than a destination; they needed to experientially know God. The people’s hearts were fragile; they needed to experience God’s presence and know He loved them. So, God led them with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day to reassure them that He was always near.

God did not take the people the fastest route; He took them on a detour. He gave them time to adjust to the freedom He provided and the obedience He required. God saw what the people could not see and knew they needed protection and preparation, because spiritual battles awaited them in the Promised Land. They had to be ready.

As believers, we all face spiritual battles, but God prepares us for them. God first strengthens our faith and dependence on Him. Then He begins to form our character in a way that we see the goodness of God moving before us. God leads us through the Spirit, the Word, and His beautiful peace. Our duty then is to follow and trust. May God’s presence become unmistakably real to you today.

Exodus 13:17-22 NLT Israel’s Wilderness Detour
17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

20 The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. 22 And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.

Prayer: Lord, help us trust You when the path before us doesn’t make sense. When we long for quick answers, remind us that Your ways are higher than ours. Teach us to follow Your lead, even when it feels like we are facing a detour. Thank You for never leaving us and for guiding us with Your faithful presence. Amen.