I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
2 Timothy 1:3,4

Thoughts and Prayers

Daily Devotion – June 23, 2025

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 1:3,4

See series: Devotions

When you hear about tragedy striking family or friends, you’ll often hear both Christians and even non-Christians say, ‘You’re in my thoughts and prayers.’

Now, it’s certainly a nice gesture and people mean well when they say it, but does it actually help? If my son breaks his arm and misses out on his baseball season, the thoughts and prayers are sweet but what he’d really like is to play ball. Or if my dad goes in for what was supposed to be a simple procedure but dies on the operating table, I don’t want thoughts and prayers! I want my dad back!

But here’s the thing, there is so much in life that is out of my control, so many problems that plague my loved ones, problems that I can’t do anything about. However, God can!

The apostle Paul, who wrote the words for our devotion today to his friend, Timothy, had been separated from him. And Paul knew that the end of his life was near. He had been imprisoned for his Christian faith and was soon going to lose his life because of his faith. Paul longed to see his friend Timothy and be reunited with him. But he also knew that the situation was out of his control, so he left it all up to God with prayer. He prayed that God would bless Timothy and watch over him and keep Timothy strong in his faith. He prayed that he would be able to see Timothy again. And he prayed all those things because he knew that even though he didn’t have any control over them, God did.

There will certainly be things that are out of our control. But when we pray to God, we are demonstrating belief that nothing is beyond him. Thoughts and prayers are not just a nice sentiment. They are a beautiful act of trust!

Prayer:
Dear God, everything is under your control. And so, I pray for those in my life who are struggling and hurting. Be with them and comfort them through your Word of peace. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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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.”
Matthew 26:40,41

Watch and Pray

Daily Devotion – June 21, 2025

Devotion based on Matthew 26:40,41

See series: Devotions

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:
Heavenly Father, do not permit temptation to endanger my faith or lead me to sin. Strengthen my faith by the power of your Word that I may live for you and faithfully follow your will. When I am tempted and fall into sin, forgive me for the sake of my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I boldly pray. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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We also rejoice in our sufferings.
Romans 5:3

To Suffer

Daily Devotion – June 19, 2025

Devotion based on Romans 5:3

See series: Devotions

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:
Lord, when my suffering arrives, move me to trust, move me to accept, move me to rejoice. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:27

Your Name

Daily Devotion – June 17, 2025

Devotion based on Numbers 6:27

See series: Devotions

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:
Lord, in those moments when I feel forgotten, remind me that I am not. You have placed your name upon me. I am yours. Thank you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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Love . . . is not self-seeking.
1 Corinthians 13:4,5

It’s Not About Me

Daily Devotion – June 15, 2025

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

See series: Devotions

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:
Lord Jesus, love is not about me. It’s about others. Forgive my failures. Empower me to love as you have loved me. Amen.

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[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.”
John 14:25-27

Christ’s Promise, Our Peace

Daily Devotion – June 13, 2025

Devotion based on John 14:25-27

See series: Devotions

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:
Holy Spirit, come to me through your Word. Remind me of all that Jesus has done. Calm my troubled heart with your peace and help me always trust that you are with me. 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.

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When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:1-4

Baptized With the Holy Spirit

Daily Devotion – June 11, 2025

Devotion based on Acts 2:1-4

See series: Devotions

Before Jesus Christ began his work of preaching and teaching, someone else was preparing the way for him. His name was John; they called him John the Baptist. He got that name because part of his work was baptizing people. It was a sign of their sorrow over their sin, but also a trust that God was sending his chosen one to deal with that sin.

John the Baptist pointed to this chosen one called the Messiah, and John said the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jesus Christ proved he was the Messiah by his perfect life, his innocent death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead. Jesus made good on John the Baptist’s prediction and his own promises on the day of Pentecost.

Even though Jesus had ascended into heaven, he wasn’t going to leave his followers alone. He had promised a helper, the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, who appeared in visible and dramatic form. There was a sound of wind filling the house where the disciples gathered. Tongues of fire came and rested on each of them. They were given the ability to speak in other languages. Jesus had not abandoned them. He sent them the powerful Holy Spirit, fulfilling John the Baptist’s words.

Jesus continues to send his Holy Spirit through the waters of baptism. While there are no tongues of flame or sounds of wind, we know that Jesus is still sending his Holy Spirit, creating faith and transforming lives. The Holy Spirit kindles and strengthens the fire of faith in the hearts of believers so that the effects of Pentecost carry on to this day.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through your Spirit, I know you are with me always. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
Genesis 11:1-4

Bricks Can’t Reach Heaven

Daily Devotion – June 9, 2025

Devotion based on Genesis 11:1-4

See series: Devotions

The people seeking to build this tower had a problem. They knew life was short. Their time would quickly end, and then they would be gone. But they also felt that there was more. They longed for something eternal.

Their solution was to build a tower reaching to the heavens. Using recent technological advancements, they could climb higher than anyone ever had before them. They would make a name for themselves so that even when they died, their tower would stand as a monument to their great accomplishments.

They thought this was the solution to their problem. They had a God-shaped hole in their hearts, and they tried to fill it with bricks and tar. They knew there was a gap between sinful, mortal human beings and the perfect, eternal God. They tried to bridge that gap with the tower they thought could put them on the same level as God.

We are all born with this God-shaped hole in our hearts. We are all born with the sinful nature that tries to fill that hole with anything but God. Money, power, control, pleasure, and self-righteousness are just a few things we use to bridge the gap between us and God, but they all fall short.

The only thing that could bridge the gap between us and God is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus climbed a tree and hung between heaven and earth to fill the God-shaped hole in our hearts with faith and trust in him as our Savior.

The people building the Tower of Babel; we don’t know their names. But God has given us the name by which we are saved. Jesus is the only one who can give us eternity.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me trust you alone as the only way to God and eternity. Amen.

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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 say: “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

Worthy of Praise

Daily Devotion – June 7, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 5:11,12

See series: Devotions

Whom do you praise? Is it some college basketball team that wins repeated national championships? Does your praise go to your son or daughter for getting an “A” on a test or winning a blue ribbon? No doubt, lots of hard work and effort were put forth. Parents are proud of their children’s accomplishments. Fans rejoice in the victory. But step aside from all that and ask yourself, who is worthy of praise?

Star athletes have their flaws. Children aren’t always cherubs. Yet there is one, and one alone, who is worthy of everyone’s praise, and his name is Jesus.

The apostle John records what he heard and saw in this vision of heaven. Before him are countless angels giving praise to Jesus alone! But it’s not just praise for praise’s sake. They let us know exactly why Jesus alone is worthy of praise. They call him “the Lamb who was slain.”

On Calvary, Jesus shed his blood in our place to pay for all our sins! Because of his perfect sacrifice, the gates of heaven are open for all who believe! This is why Jesus alone is worthy of the angels’ praises as well as yours and mine!

The best part is that you don’t have to wait until heaven to join in praising Jesus. Each week we gather to worship Jesus and sing his praises. Each day you give glory to Jesus as you read the Bible. Throughout each day, sing a song of praise to him who has forgiven all your sins and promised you eternal life in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord God, let my life be a song of praise to you, for you alone are worthy of praise. 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.

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“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Revelation 22:16

Proper Credentials

Daily Devotion – June 5, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 22:16

See series: Devotions

You need critical surgery. You are given the choice of two surgeons to perform the delicate task. The first one says, “I have successfully performed this exact surgery 68 times and the results have always been excellent.” You meet with the other surgeon who tells you, “I read about this surgery in a manual once. I’m sure it can’t be that hard.”

Your choice? It’s obvious. You go with the one with the proper credentials.

At times, we are forced to entrust our lives to the hands of skilled surgeons. But only when we need to. The rest of the time, we are in charge of our own lives. At least we feel that way, and we might act that way.

The Bible reminds us today who really is in charge. Jesus gives himself some interesting titles in this verse. He calls himself the Root of David. The mighty King David, for all his power and splendor, still needed someone to give him life. He needed someone to create him. Jesus is the Root, or source, of King David.

Jesus is also the Offspring of David. While Jesus is the eternal God, he also took on human flesh and blood so that he could take all the failings of humanity upon himself. Eternal God willingly set aside his power and glory as God so he would be the source of its salvation. He was a human descendant of David. In this way, Jesus is also the Offspring of David.

Jesus also calls himself the Morning Star. Like the last bright star that still shines as night gives way to the light of a new day, Jesus is the bright star that will shine until he returns at the dawn of the Last Day.

This means that day by day we can confidently be assured that our lives are placed into the hands of Jesus. Could there be a better place than that? We have nothing to fear because Jesus has all the credentials to give us what is best for now and for eternity.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are my God and Savior. Help me to trust you and place myself confidently into your hands. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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[Jesus said] “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Revelation 22:13

The Big Picture

Daily Devotion – June 3, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 22:13

See series: Devotions

Winston Churchill liked to tell the story of a young boy who was rescued by a sailor. The boy fell off a pier into the icy water, and a sailor jumped in, rescued the drowning boy, and was able to revive him. Later in the day, the boy and his mother were walking down the street when the boy exclaimed to his mother, “That’s the man who saved me!” The boy and mother quickly rushed over to the man, where she asked him, “Are you the man who saved my boy this morning?” “Yes, I am,” the man replied. “Well, where’s his hat?” she asked. “He came home without his hat!”

She missed the big picture. A hat is nothing compared to a life saved.

Sometimes, we miss the big picture, too. We fret over all the problems of life. We forget the One who is Eternal Life.

In our Bible reading for today, the apostle John gives us the big picture. He presents to us the glorified Lord Jesus. Having been crucified and raised, and then ascended into heaven, he speaks to us from the final chapter of the Bible. And what does this glorified Jesus want us to know?

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Jesus has always been in existence. There is no starting point for the eternal Son of God. Jesus will always be in existence. There will be no ending point for Jesus. Alpha and Omega are the “first and last” letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus is stating his eternal existence.

What makes this so comforting for us is that Jesus, who is eternally present, is also the One who set aside his glory and power for a while so that he could take our sin upon himself.

Our God is not some timeless but disinterested entity out there. Our Savior, Jesus, is both timeless and loving, eternal and sacrificial.

Keep that big picture in mind as you serve your Savior. He can help you in your needs. He exists. He loves. He cares.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to remember that you rule all things for the good of your church, your people. Help me to place my daily trust in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
Exodus 15:11

It’s Majestic!

Daily Devotion – June 1, 2025

Devotion based on Exodus 15:11

See series: Devotions

The magic of David Copperfield is always intriguing to watch. It is fascinating how he can seemingly transport himself from one side of the Great Wall of China to the other. It’s amazing how he can make the Statue of Liberty disappear. I’m guessing he can do some pretty impressive card tricks, too! Yet all the things he and other magicians do are still called “magic.” Trick photography, sleight of hand, mirrors, intricate cameras, and the like make the illusion appear to be reality.

Arguments can be made as to who is or was the greatest magician, but all of them pale in comparison to the Lord, not the magician, but the majestic! Moses saw him part the waters of the Red Sea, allowing thousands of Israelites to cross on dry land and then close the waters on the pursuing army of Pharaoh. What he saw could only have been done by the Majestic One, the Lord. His works are not tricks or sleight of hand. They are obvious. They are real, although not all acknowledge them. Consider the intricacies of the human body and marvel at the balance of the ecosystem. Gaze into the massiveness of the universe. All these “declare the glory of God.”

Even his greatest act, his resurrection from the dead, had no sleight of hand, no tricks and no mirrors. It was real. It was something no one else had done. It shows, just as the parting of the Red Sea convinced Moses, there is none among those called “gods” like the Lord. What he has done for you is not magic; it’s majestic!

Prayer:
Jesus, you proved that you are the majestic Son of God and my blessed Savior by your resurrection from the dead. Comfort me with the knowledge that one day you will majestically return and raise all the dead and give to your believers eternal life in heaven. Use me, Lord Jesus, to catch more people for you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:27

One Way In

Daily Devotion – May 30, 2025

Devotion based on Revelation 21:27

See series: Devotions

Heaven sounds like a great place. There will be no crying or pain there. God will wipe away every tear from every eye. Heaven does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and Jesus the Lamb is its lamp. There will be no night there. People in heaven will be in the presence of the Lord forever. Nothing will mess it up.

It sounds like a great place to be! But the more I think about it, the more I wonder how I will ever get there. I have done things that are shameful and deceitful. Because of my sin, I am impure, and the Bible says that nothing impure will ever enter heaven.

But the Bible also says that people whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be able to get in. The Lamb is Jesus. Why is he called the Lamb in this context? It’s because there was a day when a lamb was sacrificed to pay for sins and earn purity for people. Jesus was the Lamb who was sacrificed once and for all to earn purity for all people, enough purity to get them into heaven.

So, I will get into heaven because the Lamb sacrificed himself for me, and when he called me to faith in him, he wrote my name in his book of life. I can be confident that I will fit right into that perfect heaven, and you can be confident, too, through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, take me to heaven at exactly the right time to live there forever with you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
John 16:16

Uncertainty Gives Focus

Daily Devotion – May 28, 2025

Devotion based on John 16:16

See series: Devotions

Have you ever driven to a place that you know very well with your mind on something else? Perhaps, upon your arrival, you realized that you had almost no recollection of time passing.

Familiarity and routine may be comfortable, but it can lead to taking things for granted and paying little to no attention. When God wants to get your attention, he may allow something unfamiliar to happen to you.

When Jesus died, it certainly got the attention of his disciples. They did not see him, and they were very focused on what would happen next. Then Jesus rose from the dead, and they saw him again as he appeared again and again, even to over five hundred brothers at the same time. He told his followers they were forgiven and at peace. He focused them on their next great task, getting the word out about his resurrection.

It would be nice to know when we will see Jesus. But we do not know the date of judgment day, and we do not know the day we will die. For a little while, we see Jesus only in our mind’s eye when the Bible is read, but after a little while, we will see him fully.

In the meantime, we focus on the continuing opportunities we have to serve him. When we are tempted to think that our lives are mundane, we remember what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 25. When we feed the hungry, when we give a cup of cold water to the thirsty, when we invite in strangers, when we clothe those who do not have clothing, when we visit the sick and those in prison—Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, until I see you again, focus my life on serving those around me. 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.

[Jesus said] Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:22

Joy After Grief

Daily Devotion – May 26, 2025

Devotion based on John 16:22

See series: Devotions

Grief is real. It is a natural response to loss, and it hits different people in different ways at different times. When you hear about the imminent death of a loved one, you may even experience anticipatory grief.

The disciples of Jesus were about to experience the death of Jesus, whom they loved. Their time of grief was before and after he died on the cross. Without a clear understanding of the purpose of Jesus’ death, they did not have clear thoughts. Without the knowledge of what would happen next, they did not anticipate joy.

But they saw Jesus again when he rose from the dead. He explained that his death won the forgiveness of sins and peace for the whole world. When he was about to ascend into heaven, he explained that they would see him again, and their joy would be eternal.

You may experience grief, but you will see your Christian loved ones again, and you will rejoice. At that time, no one will take away your joy. Before that time, your laughter may come through tears, but because Jesus rose from the dead, you will also rise, and your joy will be complete.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, lead me through grief to a joy with you that has no end. 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.