And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

The Greatest of These Is Love

Daily Devotion – May 22, 2025

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:13

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Why is love the greatest? After all, faith connects us to Christ and secures our salvation. Hope anchors us in God’s promises and gives us strength to endure. But love—love is the goal.

Faith and hope are essential in this life, but they are temporary. In heaven, we won’t need faith in what we cannot see because we will see Jesus face to face. We won’t need hope for what is yet to come because we will be living in the fulfillment of every promise. But love—love will remain. Love will be perfected.

Love is the greatest because it is the fruit of faith. Faith draws us into union with Christ, but love is the visible result. Just as fruit shows that a tree is alive and well, love shows that faith is active. We weren’t created just to believe—we were created to love. God’s intent from the beginning was that we would reflect his love in perfect relationship with him and with one another. Sin shattered that design, but in Christ, love has returned—now in part and perfectly in heaven.

Love is also the greatest because it reflects God himself. The Bible never says, “God is faith” or “God is hope.” But it does say, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). To live in love is to live in God, and to reflect God is to love others as he has loved us. Jesus’ love took him from heaven to a cross—for you. That same love now lives in you.

Love serves the neighbor. Love imitates Christ. And one day, when faith has become sight and hope has become reality, love will remain. Forever.

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for the great love that you have shown me in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:8

Love Never Fails

Daily Devotion – May 21, 2025

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:8

See series: Devotions

We’ve all seen love fail. Marriages end. Friendships break. Families fall apart. Promises are broken. Hearts hurt.

So, when the Bible says, “Love never fails,” it might sound more like a wish than a truth. But it is true—because it’s not talking about the kind of love the world knows. It’s talking about God’s love.

Our love fails. Often. We lose patience. We say unkind things. We keep records of wrongs. We assume the worst and give up too easily. We gossip instead of protecting. We withhold forgiveness. Even when we try to love well, our sinful nature gets in the way.

But Christ’s love? That love never fails. It never gives up, never gives in, never runs dry. Jesus’ love took him from heaven’s glory to a manger in Bethlehem. His love drove him to the cross, where he bore every failure of our lovelessness. And his resurrection proves that his love never fails.

This perfect love is now yours. When God looks at you, he sees the flawless love of Christ. Patience. Kindness. Forgiveness. Endurance. It’s all credited to you by faith. Christ’s love has washed away your sins and given you a new identity as a child of God, clothed in righteousness.

Other spiritual gifts will fade away. But this love never ends, not even in heaven. How could it? Love is the essence of heaven because love is the essence of God. “God is love” (1 John 4:7). This means that one day, you will see this unfailing love face to face and then be able to love perfectly.

Until that day, you live in a world where you will see love fail. You can, however, know Christ’s unfailing love more and more. The more time you spend with him and his Word, the more like him you will become. His love is the source of your forgiveness and the power that makes your love more like his. Everything else fades, but love endures forever. So, live in the love that never fails.

Prayer:
Lord, grant that I may live in your unfailing love all the days of my life. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3

With Christ’s Love, You Gain Everything

Daily Devotion – May 19, 2025

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

See series: Devotions

It’s easy to measure success by what you’ve accomplished. You graduate at the top of your class. You land the most prestigious job. You marry someone everyone admires and raise kids who win every award. But as today’s Bible passage reminds us, even the most impressive achievements are meaningless without love.

These three verses strip away all the impressive outward works that can fill a Christian’s life: eloquent speech, prophetic insight, unwavering faith, and sacrificial giving. These good things could fool you into thinking you’re doing something meaningful in God’s kingdom, but if they are done without love, they amount to nothing.

That stings because it reminds us of how easily our motivation becomes misguided. We may teach, give, serve, or sacrifice—but is it out of love for others? Or is it sometimes driven by a desire for recognition, a need to prove ourselves, or a hope to win approval? If you’re chasing success or approval from people, you gain nothing from God.

The kind of love God calls us to doesn’t measure success by what serves ourselves but by what selflessly serves others. It’s a reflection of the love Christ has shown us: selfless, sacrificial, perfect.

Jesus lived this love perfectly for you. He didn’t serve to gain glory but to give grace. He didn’t sacrifice himself to impress you but to save you. He loved you without expecting anything in return and then gave you everything: forgiveness of sins and eternal life. That’s the love that covers you now, empowering you to reflect that love in your life.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to live not for recognition from others, but to show them the selfless love you’ve shown me in Christ. Amen.

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[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:7

Everyday Love

Daily Devotion – May 18, 2025

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:7

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If you walk through the doors of the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, you can view artifacts and documents from some of the most consequential years in the 20th Century. In room after room, on shelf after shelf, you can research the end of World War II, the beginning of the Cold War, the rebuilding of Europe, the Korean War, and everything in between.

Somewhere in that library, you also will find a collection of over 1,300 letters. These letters, however, have little to do with historical events of the 20th Century. They are, nevertheless, something extraordinary. You see, President Truman made it a point to write a letter to his wife, Bess, every day they were apart for any reason.

Many of the letters are simple updates on minor things. Others, of course, do mention world leaders. But it’s the sheer number of letters that makes the real impact. To see those letters all together is to see the evidence of one man’s steady, faithful love for his wife.

God’s love for you is often not in the big and the dramatic. Very often his love for you is in the routine of life. He’s the One who sees to it that you get something to eat, have a place to sleep, and something to wear. He’s the One who sees to it that you receive an encouraging word when you need it. Most of all, he’s the One who sees to it that his forgiveness of your sin is fresh and new for you every day. Your face was on his heart when he sent his Son to the cross for your sins and raised him from the dead.

Through faith in Jesus, that’s the love God has for you. It’s a love that is at work in your life every single day.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for all the times I have overlooked how your love for me is at work in my life. Wash me clean in Jesus’ blood. Move me by your Spirit to see the reality of your love every single day. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:9,10

The Biggest Crowd

Daily Devotion – May 15, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 7:9,10

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On February 9, 2025 over 65,000 people gathered to watch Super Bowl 59. Can you imagine being in the same building with that many people? What a huge crowd! Such large crowds can be exciting. A stadium full of people all cheering and chanting together can be an exhilarating experience. The noise level can be deafening. For many, being in such a crowd is the experience of a lifetime.

No earthly crowd can match the crowd in heaven. Far more than 65,000, the mass of people in heaven will be beyond counting. And it is a crowd that will not be limited to one group of people. Rather, people from all over will come together to worship the Lord who has saved them. And this crowd of people in heaven will have their own cheer to shout: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” The group of believers in heaven will worship Jesus, who has saved them from sin, death, and hell. They will rejoice and celebrate his gift of salvation for all eternity. This crowd will never disperse and go home. This crowd will never worry about whether they are on the winning side. Thanks to Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection, the victory is ours!

The main purpose of life here is to make sure to be in that crowd when the Last Day comes. Entry will not be granted through an electronic ticket on your phone, nor can one sneak in through the gate. Faith in Jesus alone provides our entrance into heaven to join the crowd of believers praising God for all eternity. Believe in your Savior, Jesus, who died for you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you have saved the world from sin and will one day gather the crowd of believers to go to heaven with you. Keep me in faith and help me be ready for that day. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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[Jesus said] “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.”
John 10:28-30

Safe in His Hands

Daily Devotion – May 14, 2025

Devotion based on John 10:28-30

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Action movies often portray the hero leaning over the edge of a cliff or hanging over the side of a helicopter, and in their grip is the hand of a friend or family member. The suspense builds as the person hangs just moments away from a certain death. Explosions threaten to break the hold. The person’s grip starts to weaken, and one hand slowly slides out of the other. The audience holds their collective breath as they wait to see whether the hero will save the other person or whether they will plunge to their death on the rocks below.

Do you ever feel like that person hanging on for dear life as you go through life? Do you ever feel like maybe one slip, and it will all come crashing down? So many things in this world threaten to pull us down forever—greed, lies, immorality, depression, addiction, and debt. So many sins and their consequences can threaten daily. We try to hold on tighter, but we need to realize that there is only one who has a strong enough grip to keep us safe and secure forever.

His name is Jesus. He is the only one who successfully made it through this life without sin. He is the only one who died to set us free from sin. He is the only one who can get us safely home to heaven. So, make sure that the hand you are tightly hanging onto is his. There is nothing stronger in this world than him, and he will never tire of hanging on to you. He will not let you go. Hang onto him in faith and trust his promises. No one and nothing can snatch you out of his hand.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, hang onto me today as I strive to live for you. Keep me safe. Never let me go. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.”
Acts 13:38,39

Free From Sin

Daily Devotion – May 12, 2025

Devotion based on Acts 13:38,39

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At the time of this writing, large snowflakes are falling quickly past my window. The biggest snow of the year so far has been predicted for today. Some area schools have been called off and some have not. Even now as an adult, I admit to wishing we had a snow day.

Do you remember how fun snow days were? For many students that was always the best day of the year. Having a snow day meant we were set free: free from sitting in class and taking notes, free from homework, and free from rules. We were free to sleep in, build a snow fort, or play video games all day long. The only negative about the snow day is that it would come to an end and the next day meant being back in captivity.

We were all at one point subject to a far worse captivity than school. The Bible teaches that each of us entered this world with an inherited sinful nature. In fact, we were slaves to that nature. As a result, we often do the things we know we shouldn’t do. We also fail to do the things we know we should do. And then our conscience kicks in and we are riddled with guilt and shame and that sinking feeling that nothing we do is ever going to be good enough to make up for all that sin.

Thankfully, in Jesus, we have been “set free from every sin.” Even better than a snow day, through faith in Jesus, we have been given the gift of eternal life in heaven. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has set us free from sin and guilt and the need to earn our salvation. We are his forgiven children and are now free to serve him in our lives out of thankfulness for all he has done for us.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for setting me free from sin. Help me to use this wonderful freedom to serve you in my life. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 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.”
John 10:22-30

No Riddles

Daily Devotion – May 11, 2025

Devotion based on John 10:22-30

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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 people who listened to Jesus saw him as a riddle. They couldn’t figure out if he was the Christ God had promised to send or not. So finally, they came up to ask him. “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” No more mystery, no more cloak and dagger. They wanted a straight answer.

Jesus gave them a straight answer. “I did tell you.” He did perform miracles in their presence. He did reveal who he was as he taught the crowds who followed him. The problem is that they rejected the miracles and 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 people 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 the Father are one.” He came to save you from your sins; he came to 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. And look with hope to the eternal life he brings.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I give thanks that you have given me life through Jesus, your Son. Continue to preserve my faith until I am with you in heaven. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 5:11,12

We See the One Who Deserves Our Praise

Daily Devotion – May 9, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 5:11,12

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Some years after his conversion, the apostle Paul found himself with an opportunity to speak about the resurrected Jesus to a crowd of philosophers in the great city of Athens. He began his message by mentioning how many objects of worship he had observed throughout their city. The Athenians were trying to cover their religious bases by having every deity known to man represented and honored in some way. Finally, in case they accidentally missed one, Paul observed that they even had an altar inscribed “To an unknown god.” He proclaimed to them that day that the one they were ignorant of wanted them to know him. The one true God calls all people everywhere to repent and to put their trust in his Son, Jesus, whom he raised from the dead.

Another disciple of Jesus, named John, was given a vision of God’s eternal throne room in heaven. Seated there in the center is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who was killed as a sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. He rules from the throne, because he has been raised to life again and seated at the right hand of God the Father. From there, Jesus watches over his people, whom he bought with his own blood. One day, soon, he will return to earth to raise the dead, to judge mankind, and to bring his people home with him forever.

We are not called to worship some unknown and unknowable deity but to thank and praise the one who was willing to suffer and die for us. We want to give our best in service to him, and not just during a worship service on Sunday morning. Because Jesus our Savior lives, we see him as the one who deserves all our power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I will praise you as long as I live—and then on into eternity, because of your sacrificial love for me. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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As [Saul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
Acts 9:3-5

We Can See Our Need for a Savior

Daily Devotion – May 6, 2025

Devotion based on Acts 9:3-5

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To say that Saul of Tarsus was a religious man would be an understatement. As an up-and-coming Pharisee, he had been a disciple of Gamaliel himself, a highly regarded teacher of the law. When, in later years, Saul described himself as having been “faultless” in his obedience to Jewish religious laws, no one could deny it. He joined his fellow Pharisees in condemning Jesus of Nazareth as a blasphemer, falsely claiming to be the Son of God. How dare this carpenter’s son criticize their righteousness and teach that strict obedience to the law is not what makes a person right with God! Now that this Jesus had been justly executed on a cross, Saul would not stop until the last voice praising him as the Messiah had been silenced. And everyone would know that it was Saul’s zealousness for the Lord that brought them down.

But Saul’s self-confidence came crashing down around him suddenly when Jesus himself interrupted his journey. Not only was the crucified Jesus very much alive but with a radiant glory that blinded Saul for days. The resurrected Christ spoke to Saul, turning his world upside down. All the while that he believed he had been serving God; Saul had been doing the opposite: he was persecuting the living Son of God himself when he persecuted God’s people. Later, going by the name of Paul, he would write that God showed him mercy that day. He learned to cling to the truth that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, of whom he considered himself the worst.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus preached that all must repent of sin. We too must stop believing the lie that God will accept us based on our own “goodness.” As long as we put our faith in ourselves, we are at odds with Jesus who calls us to repent and believe in him for forgiveness. Because he lives, he cannot be ignored.

Prayer:
Jesus Christ, risen Lord, teach me to trust you when you call me to a life of repentant faith. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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.