Listen to Devotion

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20:24–25

When Doubt Demands Proof

Thomas was not there. We are not told why. But in his absence, he missed out on the peace the risen Jesus brought to his disciples with his appearance. When the others told him, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas refused to believe without tangible proof. “Unless I see… unless I touch… I will not believe.”

We often judge Thomas rather harshly. Yet his demand is deeply human. Disappointment makes us guarded. Grief makes us cautious. We hesitate to trust again. Thomas was not asking for some mystical feeling; he wanted reality.

But notice this: even in his doubt, Thomas remained among the disciples. He did not abandon the fellowship entirely. And that matters.

There will be seasons when you struggle. You may wrestle with suffering, prayers that seem unanswered, or intellectual questions. Doubt does not shock Jesus. He knows the wounds that cause it.

Yet the answer to doubt is not isolation. When doubt or grief casts a long shadow over your soul, the worst thing you can do is to go off alone with your gloomy thoughts.

The best thing you can do is to go where believers in Jesus gather around the promises of God and encourage one another with those promises. Go and be where Jesus meets with us— “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). Go and be where his sweet “Peace be with you,” is spoken, where praying with others and for others and singing praise to God with many voices can lift you up and outside of yourself. The answer to doubt is not isolation.

Thomas stayed close enough to hear again.

And Jesus did not scold him from a distance. He came near. He lives not to shame doubters, but to give them proof and peace. The risen Jesus is patient with you, too. Even when your grip weakens, his hold remains firm.

Prayer:

Lord, when I struggle with doubt, keep me near your Word and your people. Strengthen my faith with the certainty of your resurrection. 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.

Listen to Devotion

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
John 20:19-20

Behind Locked Doors

The doors were locked. The disciples were scared. The next knock on the door might be Roman soldiers sent by Jesus’ enemies to finish the job and make sure every last disciple of Jesus was silenced for good. But then—without knocking—Jesus came and stood among them.

“Peace be with you.”

This peace knows everything is the way it should be. Hiding behind locked doors was not going to manufacture calm and peace in the disciples. So, Jesus came to them. The living, breathing, crucified-and-risen Jesus stood in the middle of their anxiety and declared peace—everything is as it should be. I’m alive. You’re forgiven. Peace be with you.

Not only did he declare peace to them, but he also gave them the proof they needed. He showed them his hands and side. The proof of his love remained visible. His wounds had not vanished. The proof of his presence was no longer in doubt.

You may feel isolated in your doubts, guilt, or fear of the future. Yet the risen Jesus does not wait for you to manufacture peace on your own. Through his Word, he stands among his people today.

And he still says, “Peace be with you.”

When we are afraid, Jesus doesn’t say, “Calm yourselves.” He says, “Look at me. See the wounds that won your freedom.” The same body that hung on the cross now stands alive. The penalty of sin was paid. Death was undone. Peace with God has been won.

The peace Jesus gives is not based on our feelings, but on Jesus’ promised presence, power, and love for us. Jesus proved his love for us when he died on the cross for us. He proved his power when he conquered death. Jesus lives, so our souls trust that Jesus makes everything the way it should be.

“Peace be with you!”

Prayer:

Jesus, fix my eyes on your wounds, that I may have peace in the certainty of your victory. 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.

Listen to Devotion

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”
John 20:1-2

We Know Where Our Savior Is!

Panic, confusion, and emptiness filled Mary Magdalene. Already her heart was heavy with grief as she prepared for one last act of love for the one she had followed as the promised Messiah. She would help anoint his body for burial and then leave the tomb without hope and without help. But now this was too much to bear. Not only was her friend dead, but his body was also missing.

First, panic set in. “What could have happened?” Mary must have thought. Then confusion followed. “How could just a few days change my life so much? Just days ago, I thought I had found the Messiah. How I loved listening to him! His words freed me from my burdens. I really thought Jesus was the one. But now he’s gone. What am I to do?” And now her life felt empty. No Jesus. No hope. No help.

And that’s how our lives would also be, if Jesus had never been found, or if his dead body would have been discovered in the tomb or elsewhere. Without a risen Savior, we could have no hope, no help, no forgiveness, no life. Then we would have every reason to panic. Then confusion and emptiness would be our lot in life, and we would be pitiable and hopeless indeed.

Thankfully, the apostle Paul assures us in the book of 1 Corinthians, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Thank the Lord, we know where our risen Savior is! He’s not in the grave, for he is alive, and we have the certain hope that we live eternally. Now our life remains full, today and forever!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, today I rejoice in the reality of your resurrection and the hope and help it provides. 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.

Listen to Devotion

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:18

Mary Saw the Lord

Grief had brought her to the tomb. Mary Magdalene stood outside weeping. The one who had changed her life was gone. Jesus Christ, who had freed her from darkness and given her hope, had been crucified. Now, even his body seemed to be missing. It felt like one more loss, one more sorrow, one more reason to despair.

Then Jesus spoke her name. “Mary.”

In that moment, everything changed. The one she thought was dead was alive. The one she thought was lost was standing right in front of her. Death had not won. The grave had not kept him. Jesus lived. Her sorrow turned to joy. Her despair turned to hope. And she went to tell the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”

This is the heart of the Christian faith. Not a philosophy. Not wishful thinking. A living Savior.

Mary was not sharing a rumor. She was announcing a reality. Jesus had risen from the dead, just as he promised. His sacrifice for sin had been accepted. His victory over death was complete.

This means everything for you. It means your sins are forgiven. Jesus did not remain in the grave because his work was finished. The payment was complete. God accepted his sacrifice in full.

It means death is not the end. Because Jesus lives, those who trust in him will live also. The grave is no longer a place of defeat, but a doorway to eternal life.

It means Jesus knows you personally. Just as he called Mary by name, he knows you. He sees your struggles, fears, and sorrows. And he comes to you through his Word with comfort and peace.

Mary’s message is still the message the world needs to hear: “I have seen the Lord.”

In the words of the Bible, you see him too. You see his love, his victory, and his promises. And because he lives, you have forgiveness, hope, and life, now and forever.

Prayer:

Risen Lord, thank you for revealing yourself as the living Savior. Strengthen my faith through your Word and remind me that you know me and love me. Help me live each day in the joy and confidence of your resurrection. 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.

Listen to Devotion

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you”
Luke 24:36

Peace Be With You

The doors were locked. The disciples had every reason to be afraid. Jesus Christ, their teacher and friend, had been crucified. Reports of his resurrection were circulating, but it all seemed too good to be true. And if the authorities had executed Jesus, what might they do to his followers?

Fear filled the room. Fear of the future. Fear of suffering. Fear of death. Into that fear, Jesus came and stood among them.

He didn’t knock. He didn’t wait for permission. He simply appeared. And the first words he spoke were not words of correction or disappointment. He didn’t say, “Why did you doubt?” or “Why did you run away?”

He said, “Peace be with you.” This was more than a greeting. It was a declaration.

Just days earlier, these disciples had failed him. They had argued about who was greatest. They had fled when he was arrested. Peter had denied even knowing him. Their fear and weakness were fresh failures.

Yet Jesus came with peace. This is the peace he won for them. His death on the cross had paid for every sin. His resurrection proved that forgiveness was complete. This is also the peace he brings to you.

You know your failures. You know the times fear overcame faith, when worry replaced trust, when sin spoke louder than God’s promises. Your conscience reminds you of what you’ve done wrong. And yet Jesus still arrives.

Through his Word, he stands among his people and says, “Peace be with you.” Your sins are forgiven. Your guilt is removed. Your relationship with God is restored. This peace does not depend on your strength. It depends on his finished work. Jesus lives. The cross counts. Forgiveness is real.

Whatever fears trouble your heart today, your risen Savior stands with you. He is not distant. He is not absent. He is alive. And he still speaks the words you need most. “Peace be with you.”

Prayer:

Risen Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing your peace to fearful hearts. Remind me that my sins are forgiven and that you are always with me. Strengthen my faith and calm my fears with your promises. 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.

Listen to Devotion

In that day you will say: “I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say, “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.”
Isaiah 12:1-5

Praise the God of Our Salvation

What the prophet Isaiah is trying to explain in our Bible reading today is difficult to put into words. He is a sinner standing in the presence of a righteous God. He knows that he deserves God’s anger and punishment. But something startling happens. God turns away his anger. Instead of punishing him, God rescues him.

Of course, Isaiah is talking about what God does for us in Jesus Christ. Jesus bore the punishment for our sin, and now, instead of facing God’s anger, we have full forgiveness and life everlasting. How does one express the amazing relief of that enormous load being lifted off and the sheer joy of that forgiveness?

Expressing heartfelt thanks to God for his salvation is what Isaiah is doing. You can almost see him running up and down the streets, leaping for joy, trying to tell people how it feels to be saved. Fear is gone, only trust remains. The Lord is the true strength of his life and the song in his heart. So, he gives thanks to the Lord by singing his praises and proclaiming the good news of salvation to everyone.

Listen to Isaiah shouting and singing for joy and join him in praising the God of your salvation.

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, for saving me from my sins. It proves that I can trust in you and not be afraid. 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.

Listen to Devotion

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30

Your King Gives a New Beginning

The best stories end with happily ever after. At first glance, we might say the end of Jesus’ life is anything but a happy end. His body was broken. His friends had abandoned him. His enemies mocked as the lifeblood of Jesus drained away at the cross. With one of his final, dying breaths, Jesus spoke. “It is finished.” His life and work had ended.

Or had it? When Jesus spoke the words, “It is finished,” it did not just mean “the end.” It was also a beginning. Because this was not just a man withering away on the cross, this was God himself speaking. He would live again.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” he meant that his work was finished. He had accomplished exactly what he came to do. He was God’s answer to sin. He was our perfect substitute to pay for our sins because we never could. At the cross, we see an end, but we also see a beginning. A beginning of hope, a beginning of joy, a beginning of life. Jesus was right, a lot of things were finished. Separation from God—finished. A guilty conscience—finished. Loneliness, or the feeling that God could never care for us—finished. The fear of death—finished. Worries about what is to come in life or in death—finished.

Make Good Friday a new beginning. Stop living in guilt, as if Jesus paid for all of the world’s sins, but not yours. Where you have been weak in your faith, begin again to thank God for his forgiveness. Where you have grown complacent, begin again to see God’s great love for you. Where you have grown weary, begin again to see the strength the Lord provides. Where you have fallen, Jesus makes you brand new and bids you to begin again. Jesus’ death is for us in every way a new beginning.

Through Jesus, by Jesus, because of Jesus, we have happily ever after, because Jesus’ death was not the end, but only the beginning.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you give me new beginnings every day because of your loving sacrifice. Help me begin again to love and thank you. 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.

Listen to Devotion

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8

Your King Is Obedient

When my boys were little, my office was at home. One day, my oldest son decided that he wanted to act out the story of Noah’s ark. He handed out the parts to the “cast.” He was to be Noah, his mom was to be “Mrs. Noah,” and his younger brother would play the part of God. Sometime later, I could hear him calling out, “God? Where are you, God?” Apparently, his younger brother had wandered off, and as younger brothers do, wasn’t following the director’s orders. God wasn’t very obedient that day!

It’s stunning to think that God would be obedient to anyone. He created all things. Nothing would exist unless he allowed it to. You and I would not draw one more breath, and the earth would not make one more turn unless God himself allowed it to happen.

And yet God humbled himself. Jesus allowed sinful human beings to disrespect him, arrest him, mock him, and harm him. He could have stopped them and dropped them dead in their tracks if he chose to. But Jesus chose something else. To humble himself and be obedient—obedient all the way to death on a cross.

How far does your obedience to God go? On our best of days, maybe we can feel good that we were able to show God’s love to someone, to turn the other cheek when tempted to lash out, to turn away from some temptation that allured us. And yet, even our very best days can’t free us from the fact that we are sinful in our very nature. And then there are the days when we don’t act our best.

Jesus, despite his power and authority, became obedient to the extreme—even death on a cross. Jesus chose perfect obedience to his heavenly Father. Jesus chose willing submission even to sinful humans. He chose obedience all the way to a gruesome and shameful death. Jesus’ obedience was never half-hearted or occasional. Because Jesus obeyed, we have forgiveness. Through faith in him, his obedience has become ours.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for submitting yourself to the cross to save me. Grant me faith to grow in setting aside my own desires to serve my God and others. 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.

Listen to Devotion

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9

Shout Out to Your King!

When do you shout? It might be when you are frustrated—like when the neighbor’s dog is digging in your yard—again! It might be when you prefer to shout, “Time to eat!” rather than actually tracking down every hungry person. It might be when your favorite player just won a victory for your favorite team.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, there was shouting. These were not shouts of anger, but ones of praise. “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he” were the spontaneous choruses that erupted from those who saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem that day.

When is the last time you shouted out to Jesus? Was it your weekly worship? Your daily prayers? Or have you been less than excited even when you do worship and pray? Or has it been a very long time since you have felt the need to say much to Jesus at all?

Perhaps you feel there are good reasons for that. It’s hard to be excited about praising Jesus when things in life are not feeling so praise-worthy. You may feel a whole lot more like shouting in frustration at God than bringing praise to God.

But remember this: Jesus shouts for you. When your conscience crushes you with the weight of your sin, Jesus shouts out, “My blood has atoned for each and every sin!” When the devil leads you to the brink of despair, Jesus assures: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you!

In a few days, the shouts of Palm Sunday would be replaced by the more sinister cry of “Crucify him!” But that was the price your loving Savior was willing to pay. That is worthy of our thanks, our praise, and even a shout of “Thank you, Jesus!”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you are truly worthy of all praise. Please accept my praise and comfort me when I struggle to find joy to shout about. 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.

Listen to Devotion

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:15-17

Living by the Spirit

There is probably nothing more important to a child’s well-being than having loving and caring parents. When children feel safe, cared for, and nurtured, they tend to be more obedient, perform better in school, and learn how to build relationships with others. However, when children live in constant fear of a parent, just the opposite often happens. They suffer in school, have low self-esteem, and find it difficult to trust others.

God gave us life by his Spirit when he led us to trust in his Son, Jesus. This gift of his Spirit changed our relationship with our heavenly Father. The apostle Paul says it this way: “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship.” Without God’s Spirit in our hearts, we would fear God and have nothing to look forward to except his judgment on our sin. But the Spirit leads us to see Jesus—the one who became our sin, so that we could be God’s forgiven children. Right now, we can be confident that God loves and cares for us as we await the glorious inheritance, he has waiting for us.

This wonderful truth not only changes our future, but it changes our present. Instead of living as slaves to our sinful nature with nothing but death as our future, we can live as God’s grateful children, making the most of every opportunity to thank our Father.

Prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, help me to always remember that through Jesus, I am your dear child and you are my dear Father. 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.

Listen to Devotion

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. . . So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
John 11:38-39,41-43

It’s Okay to Grieve

Sometimes, Christians might give the impression that when a fellow Christian passes away, we shouldn’t be sad. That’s simply not true. Jesus wept at the graveside of his dear friend, Lazarus. Jesus wept even though he knew he’d raise Lazarus from the grave.

Losing someone we love hurts. We’re going to miss making memories with that family member or that friend. It’s okay. It’s okay to grieve. I miss my dad. I miss my grandparents. That hurts. And it’s okay to grieve.

But the Bible also tells us that as Christians, we don’t grieve like the rest of the world that doesn’t have hope. Because we believe in Jesus, who died and rose from the dead. And Jesus will raise to life all who have died with faith in him.

To be honest with you, as a Christian, my grief doesn’t consume me. Sure, some days are tougher than others, but while I mourn my loss of not being able to spend time with my family and friends who have passed away, I also celebrate their great gain of eternal life. And I take the greatest comfort that I will be reunited with them in heaven for eternity.

If you’re reading this or listening to this, I want that for you as well. But more importantly, God wants you to have this comfort. And that’s what Jesus delivers.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the promise of a resurrection from the dead of all who have faith in you. May this truth bring me comfort when I mourn for my loved ones who have passed. 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.

Listen to Devotion

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
John 11:23-24

Words That Truly Comfort

Many people feel uncomfortable at funerals. I remember hearing a comedian quip that he read a poll which said that the number one fear of Americans is public speaking, and the number two fear is death. He laughed, ‘So that means people would rather be in the casket than give the eulogy!’

A lot of people don’t like funerals. And the reason I hear most often is that people don’t quite know what to say. ‘I don’t want to say the wrong thing.’ ‘I don’t want to say something insensitive.’ ‘I don’t want to compound their pain.’ Have you ever felt like that? What do you say at a funeral? Someone’s mother, someone’s spouse, someone’s child, someone’s friend, is lying there in the casket. The family is grieving and aching. They’ll have an empty chair at the dinner table during the holidays. They won’t be able to make more memories with that loved one. Death has seen to that. And death seems so final and scary.

Jesus had shown up at a funeral, and in a small interaction with a woman named Martha, whose brother had just died a few days before, Jesus gave her the words that truly comforted her! He said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” How could Jesus say such a thing? Martha’s brother had died. Isn’t death the end? Not at all!

Jesus himself died. He was nailed to a cross, and after hours of enduring the physical pain of execution and the full wrath of God, he gave up his life. But he didn’t stay dead! No, he walked out of his grave, and he promises that all who put their faith in him will do the same one day!

That is the greatest comfort that I have as a Christian. And that is what I share with those who are grieving the loss of a fellow Christian: They will rise again!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, be with those who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Surround them with people who will comfort them with your promises of a resurrection. 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.

Listen to Devotion

“Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’” “Everything is all right,” she said.
2 Kings 4:26

Everything Is All Right

How could this woman possibly say that everything was all right? The son she thought she would never have, had died while sitting in her lap. And now she was saying everything was all right? She said this because in her heart, her son was not dead until the prophet Elisha had the last word. Little did she know that everything was all right. Through Elisha, God brought the boy back to life and returned him to his mother.

How often did your parents have to tell you, “Everything is all right,” when you were little? They would say, “Everything is all right. There are no monsters under your bed waiting to gobble you up.” “Everything is all right. Even though you don’t feel well, I’ll give you medicine and take care of you until you feel better.” “The storm will soon pass. Everything is all right.” It is, you know.

That’s not a mere wishful sentiment or a white lie. Everything is all right.

It’s all right because the holy man of God—the God-man Jesus—came to show compassion to every distressed parent, every suffering child. Just as Jesus reassured a mourning mother outside of Nain that everything was all right and she should stop crying, so he reassures us that everything is all right when he promises that “everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

For every parent and child who has shed bitter tears, Jesus rose from the grave. Jesus rose triumphant from the grave and promises you that because he lives, everything is all right.

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for the promise of eternal life through you. Use this to remind me when times are tough that, in the end, everything will be all right. 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.

Listen to Devotion

Jesus heard that they had thrown [the formerly blind man] out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
John 9:35-38

Giving Sight to the Blind

Imagine what it would be like: being blind all your life and then suddenly you can see; going from living in utter darkness to having powerful and colorful light instantly pouring into your eyes! Ironically, that kind of newly discovered light must be blinding.

But those who have come to trust in Jesus as their Savior from sin and death don’t need to imagine what this must be like, because they once lived in the most dreadful darkness, the dark shadow of sin and death. What’s worse, the apostle Paul once described those who once lived in unbelief as people who “were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Being spiritually blind is bad enough. Being spiritually dead seems like an unescapable sentence.

But that’s why Jesus comes, to give sight to the blind and raise the dead. Already 700 years before his birth, the prophet Isaiah described Jesus’ work this way: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). And Jesus himself explained why he comes to sinners like you and me, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

While it was indeed a miracle for Jesus to give sight to the blind man—until that day the man had never seen—the far greater miracle was when Jesus granted him the eyes of faith. He asked the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man,” the Messiah? “Who is he, sir,” the man responded. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus replied, “You have now seen him.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe.”

Through his powerful Word, Jesus also shows himself to us, giving sight to the blind and life to the dead. Let us also say, “Lord, I believe!”

Prayer:

Jesus, help me always see your perfect love and salvation. 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.

Listen to Devotion

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
John 9:13-16

A Rulebreaker

The Third Commandment could not be clearer: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” But to avoid all confusion, God went on to explain, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:9-10).

So, Jesus is a rulebreaker, right? He worked on the Sabbath! He made mud, put it on a blind man’s eyes, and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam, all of which led to this man seeing for the first time in his life. Some of the Pharisees could not help but conclude, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

This wasn’t the first time Jesus had generated a heated debate by healing someone on the Sabbath. From the earliest days of his earthly ministry, Jesus was causing his opponents to have serious bouts of consternation as they tried to square Jesus’ claims of being the Son of God and the promised Messiah with his apparent refusal to obey God’s holy law.

But was it a refusal? Hardly. It was a fulfillment! Jesus once explained, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). His point was simple: of course, God wants us to honor him by resting from our labor at some point every week to hear and ponder his saving Word. But he also calls us to put his Word into practice by regularly demonstrating love for our neighbors in need. The Christian life is not an either/or proposition. It’s an everyday both/and way of life!

Our Savior never overturns God’s Word. Instead, he fulfills it. Perfectly.

Prayer:

Jesus, empower me to be like you more and more every day. 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.