I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us.
Isaiah 63:7

Look Back to Gain Confidence for the Future

Daily Devotion – January 2, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 63:7

See series: Devotions

On New Year’s Eve, did you look backward or forward?

You may have been tempted not to look back. The past year may have been filled with unkept resolutions, unfinished business, and disappointing results. Looking back might have led to bad feelings, even guilt. Looking forward might have offered the promise of new beginnings, even a fresh start.

But looking backward to what the Lord has done for you is a good idea. When you look at the Lord, you see promises kept, business tended to, and excellent results every time. In the Lord Jesus Christ, you have forgiveness for everything that might cause guilt. You have the promise that even when things didn’t look great, the Lord was working things out for your good.

Now you can look forward in the new year to a blessed life—a life that is lived to the glory of God. That means looking out for your neighbor’s needs since the Lord has met all your needs. That means a quiet confidence that the Lord will carry you through even the hardest things.

When the future looks bleak or daunting, look back to the kindnesses of the Lord in your life. Praise the Lord for his marvelous deeds, and be confident that the same Lord will be with you in the new year.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 367)
Then gracious God, in years to come,
We pray your hand may guide us,
And, onward through our journey home,
Your mercy walk beside us
Until at last our ransomed life
Is safe from peril, toil, and strife
When heav’n itself shall hide us. Amen.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Hebrews 1:1-3

Finally

Daily Devotion – December 31, 2022

Devotion based on Hebrews 1:1-3

See series: Devotions

We have all been there before. Whether as a child waiting for that special Christmas gift; a mother or father waiting to meet their baby for the first time; or a seasoned worker longing for the day of retirement. Waiting is hard. Especially when the thing you are waiting for is going to be so amazing.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to wait for the Messiah? For thousands of years God’s people lived life based on promises. “He is coming, but not yet. He is going to be life changing. Just keep watching!” It must have been extremely difficult to live in a world of sin and pain in that state of waiting. But do you see what the writer of Hebrews is saying to you and me? We don’t have to live in wait. He has come.

The fact that Jesus Christ came into the world means that the glorious gift has come. He stands right before us and so we don’t have to wait to experience the joy he brings. He no longer says, “wait.” He says, “look.” Jesus, our gift, means we daily get to enjoy Jesus by our side sharing forgiveness, love, and comfort. What a joy to remember every day—he finally came!

Prayer:
Jesus, our Savior, thank you for renewing in me a daily appreciation for your coming into the world. You are our greatest gift, for which I thank you now and forever. Amen.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him . . . [He] came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:10,11,14

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Grace

Daily Devotion – December 29, 2022

Devotion based on John 1:10,11,14

See series: Devotions

Think of the people to whom you gave Christmas gifts this year. Now think of those from whom you received Christmas gifts. Maybe they include family, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, a significant other. How many gifts were exchanged with complete strangers? Probably not many. What about those whom you would consider your enemies?

A gift given to someone who is completely undeserving, without any qualifications, expectations, or conditions, is called grace. And there is no story more full of grace than the story of Jesus.

At the beginning of time, God created human beings and gave them everything they could ever need. Deceived by the devil, they were discontent and wanted more. They rebelled against God and didn’t want him or his rules. Ever since, human beings have looked for ways to push God out of our lives. We want to be our own gods, seeking God’s blessings on our terms, living by rules that line up with our own self-serving interests and pleasures.

And yet God wanted to give us a gift—the greatest gift anyone could imagine—his own Son. A Savior. And how did people receive him? Many rejected him. Few rejoiced at his coming. Some tried to kill him, and they succeeded. The Son of God, who came to dwell among them as their Savior, was killed.

But God’s grace was at work. Jesus’ death was not the nail in the coffin that ended any hope of being loved by God. It was that which removed every nail from our coffin, so that sin and death can’t hold us, but we will rise to live with God forever.

Christmas is the story of God’s pure grace. In unconditional love, God came to save selfish sinners—you and me and all people—who didn’t deserve anything from him. He came to rescue those who hated him. Jesus is proof that we are loved unconditionally.

Prayer:
Of the Father’s love begotten, Jesus, you came in love to rescue me when I didn’t deserve it. Move me to receive your grace with rejoicing. Amen.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind . . . to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:4,12,13

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Life

Daily Devotion – December 27, 2022

Devotion based on John 1:4,12,13

See series: Devotions

The birth of a child is at the center of the Christmas story. In many ways, it looked like any other birth. Because of circumstances, Mary, the child’s mother, had to travel far away from home, and the baby was born in an animal shelter. But the same thing could have happened to other mothers in other towns in Israel at that time.

As ordinary as it seemed, that child born to Mary was no ordinary child. The child who took his first breath that night was the one who breathed life into the first people created and who gives life to you and me.

“In him was life,” the Bible says. That doesn’t just mean that he was alive. It means that life belongs to him. He gives life and gave you life. If you have children or grandchildren, he gave them life too.

But through Jesus, we also receive an even more profound and important kind of life. “To those who believed in his name,” the Bible says, “he gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus, the Son of God, came to dwell among us in human flesh and blood. He came to be a part of our human family, so that we could be part of the eternal family of God. By living the perfect life that we have failed to live, Jesus earned a place for us in God’s family. That means we have a perfect, eternal home—not in a lowly animal shelter but in the mansions of heaven!

The birth of Jesus is not the only birth in the Christmas story. As the Christmas carol sings, Jesus was “born to give us second birth.” As God leads you to see and trust that baby as your Savior, you are born again as a child of God, set free from guilt, shame, and death. You have new life—eternal life—in Jesus. What a gift!

Prayer:
Jesus, you were born to give me new birth. Help me live as your child. Amen.

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:11,12

The Gift

Daily Devotion – December 25, 2022

Devotion based on John 1:11,12

See series: Devotions

Picture this, it is Christmas morning, and the kids are up well before the sunrise. They wake up dad and mom and run downstairs to the tree. To their delight, the presents are wrapped and stacked up under the tree. They begin shaking the presents and figuring out which one is theirs. The air is filled with the sounds of laughter and excited giggles and Christmas music in the background. Finally, it is time to open presents, and one of the children stands up, gives a wave of his hand, and with a frown, says, “no thanks,” before walking away to find something else to do.

Yeah, right! That’s a pretty unrealistic story, isn’t it? Who doesn’t love opening gifts? Who doesn’t love receiving gifts from loved ones—gifts that are unearned and undeserved?

Actually, that’s what many people have done with the greatest gift ever given. Our Bible reading today reminds us that many did not receive Jesus and had no interest in the gift of a Savior. It’s still true. There are many in this world who have no interest in Jesus.

And even those who know Jesus as God’s greatest gift are sometimes not as interested in spending time with him as he deserves. We all have so much going on in our lives and are so busy. We have to work so many hours and have other obligations.

Let’s change that. Let’s spend more time with the One who always has time for us. Let’s receive and appreciate and cherish the gift. Let’s spend time with Jesus and his Word. Let’s talk to him more often and make time for him in our lives. Thank God today and every day for his gift of a Savior.

Prayer:
Dear God, what a wonderful gift you have given to me in Jesus! Help me to always appreciate what he has done for me. Amen.

Regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:3,4,7

He Comes to Give Ultimate Peace

Daily Devotion – December 23, 2022

Devotion based on Romans 1:3,4,7

See series: Devotions

I don’t think the first Christmas was as peaceful as we might picture. It was more of a frantic scramble. The time had come for the baby to be born while Mary and Joseph were far from home. They scrambled to find a place to give birth, but there was no room in the inn. So she placed him in a manger, a feeding trough. She must have given birth among the animals. Maybe in a stable.

It was into this world that seriously lacks true peace our Savior has come. He came to bring peace. Maybe we question that at times. Life so often still seems like a frantic scramble. The world around us still lacks real and lasting peace. What we see is division, violence, and war. Where is this peace?

We see it in a manger. Peace came to earth because Jesus Christ came to earth. Peace between God and you. Peace declared from heaven, “We’re not at odds anymore. Your sins are forgiven. I don’t hold anything against you. We are at peace!”

Let’s marvel at the manger this Christmas, but let’s make sure we see more than just a cute baby. The baby is truly a man, born of Mary. He’s also truly God who came into the world to bring real and lasting peace. He grew up and lived a perfect life as your stand-in. His perfect life brings you peace with God. That baby became a grown man and was nailed to the cross with all your sins. His death brings peace between you and God.

And how do you know he’s really God? He proved it by rising form the dead. The empty tomb is proof that his promises are not empty. It proves he’s really God and that you have true peace with God. Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Come Lord Jesus and fill my heart with a peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21

He Comes to Save His People

Daily Devotion – December 21, 2022

Devotion based on Matthew 1:21

See series: Devotions

What does your name mean? Most names have some meaning behind them. You might be able to trace the roots of your name to another language. Maybe you were named after someone in your family. Or maybe your parents picked your name simply because they liked it.

Mary and Joseph didn’t have to flip through baby name books to land on the name Jesus. God, through his angel, instructed Joseph to give him the name Jesus because he would save his people. In Hebrew, the name means “salvation.” For anyone else who ever bore that name, it was a nice name that perhaps served as a reminder of God’s salvation. However, for anyone else, it was just a name.

This time, it was different. This Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, would be the first and only in history who truly lives up to the name. His name means salvation, and he is the only source of salvation from all sin for all people. His name and all it means came into clearest focus when it was written on a notice and placed above him on the cross—JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS (Matthew 27:37). There on the cross, he was dying to save you. From cradle to cross he came to save.

What does the name Jesus mean to you? His name means salvation for you! It means that the guilt of your sin is taken away. Through Jesus, your Savior God has declared you not guilty. It means God does not hold your sins against you. He nailed them to a cross where not only the name “Jesus” was nailed, but also Jesus himself was hung, his life in the balance for you! It means that as you remain on this earth for a time and still see the impact of sin and imperfection salvation from sin is already yours. It means he will come again rescue us from this perishing world to bring us to live everlasting.

From cradle to cross, he came to save you. And he will come again!

Prayer:
Come Lord Jesus, with your salvation full and free. Amen

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

He Comes to Be With Us

Daily Devotion – December 19, 2022

Devotion based on Isaiah 7:14

See series: Devotions

We make plans around Christmas to be with the ones we love. If they are far away, we make travel arrangements. Then we wait for that day to come when distance will no longer separate us from those we love, and we can finally be with them.

There was once a time when God was with his people, and it wasn’t a long-distance relationship. When God created the first people, he dwelt with them in the Garden of Eden. Then came a serpent, the devil. He tempted them. When they sinned and did what God had told them not to do, for the first time, they were separated from God. But in the very same moment, God made a promise. He promised that one born of the woman would crush the devil and his plan to separate God and his people forever (Genesis 3:15).

It was always God’s plan to be with his people. It was always his plan to take on the burden of traveling the long distance between us and him. He’s the God that comes to us. He doesn’t meet us halfway. He doesn’t kickback in heaven and say, “You know where to find me, but it’s up to you to come the distance.” No. He’s the God who comes to us in love.

In the centuries that followed the promise he made in the garden—that one born of a woman would come to save—he revealed more details about the coming Savior. Here is living proof that our God comes all the way to us: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Immanuel means God with us. No longer separated by sin. He wants nothing more than to be with us. God bridged the gap just as he always planned. Jesus—the offspring of the woman, the son born of a virgin—is living-proof that God came to be with us, and he will come again to take us to be with him.

Prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus, to be with me and to comfort me with your promises. Amen

We consider blessed those who have persevered.
James 5:11

Foxhole

Daily Devotion – December 17, 2022

Devotion based on James 5:11

See series: Devotions

Years ago, the Seattle Times ran a feature story on a man by the name of Paul Rogers. Paul was 96 years old and got around with a walker. He lived quietly and comfortably in his house in Overland Park, KS.

Seventy years earlier, however, Paul Rogers faced a different reality. Paul found himself in conditions few of us can imagine. He was in a foxhole in Northern Europe with the temperature below freezing, he had no winter clothing, and enemy troops surrounded his company’s position. Random mortar fire rained down on him. And there was little Paul Rogers could do, except endure it. This frigid, nerve-shattering ordeal lasted for 29 days.

When our Lord speaks to us in the Bible about life in this cold and broken world, he understands that much of it comes down to simple endurance. Perhaps it’s a difficult personality at work or a family member who regularly manages to cause pain. Maybe it’s a period of financial stress that never seems to end or chronic poor health, where you can’t remember the last time you woke up feeling well. Perhaps it’s old regrets that insist on coming back to haunt you or old temptations that never tire of tempting you all over again.

The next time you find yourself in a foxhole of trouble that you know you will just have to endure, keep in mind a couple of things. First, keep in mind that there are many others who, no doubt, have had to endure you and your weaknesses from time to time. But most of all, remember Jesus who has endured all things on your behalf.

Where we have stumbled and given in, Jesus did not. Where we surrendered to temptations, Jesus did not. Then he went to the cross. And there he endured the unspeakable to wash us clean forever. He endured all things in our place and prevailed. And now he lives to send us the strength of his Spirit by the power of his gospel. In him, we will prevail.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, be with me in my foxhole. Comfort me. Give me courage and strength. Keep me warm in your grace. Amen.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
Isaiah 11:6-8

A Judge Who Brings Peace

Daily Devotion – December 15, 2022

Devotion based on Isaiah 11:6-8

See series: Devotions

In 1361, the British Parliament passed the Justices of the Peace Act, formally establishing the office of justice of the peace. Justices of the peace had the responsibility of maintaining peace in the British sovereign’s realm. They had authority to arrest, prosecute, and punish offenders, rioters, and anyone who disturbed the peace. However, they did not have the responsibility of establishing peace in the first place. In fact, the role of the justice of the peace as a preserver of peace assumed that peace already had been established.

Jesus is far more than a justice of the peace. He is the judge who establishes peace. Wolves and lambs normally do not live together in peace. Wolves eat lambs, and lambs flee from wolves. A child playing near venomous snakes is a parent’s nightmare, not a usual occurrence. Yet, under the rule of Jesus our judge, such things do happen. There is peace where otherwise there would be none.

All of this is a picture of the greatest peace that Jesus brings, peace between God and us sinners. Apart from Jesus, there is no peace between God and us. Our sinfulness made us, by nature, perpetual rebels against God. On our own, we wanted nothing to do with any sort of peace with God. But God wanted peace with us. So, he sent his Son, Jesus to establish peace with us. Jesus, by his perfect life and innocent death on our behalf, removed the cause of hostility between God and us. He removed our sin. By doing that, he established peace where before there had been none.

Now we, who once were at war with God, are at peace with him through Jesus, our judge who brings peace. Continue trusting in Jesus, and you will enjoy his peace forever.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for establishing peace between God and me. Amen.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance . . . The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Matthew 3:7,8,10

A Judge Who Condemns the Unrepentant

Daily Devotion – December 13, 2022

Devotion based on Matthew 3:7,8,10

See series: Devotions

Of all the people who came to hear John preach, the Pharisees and the Sadducees should have been the first to take his message to heart. They, after all, were the recognized religious authorities of the Jewish people. They knew God’s law and all his promises to send the Savior. They should have been among the first to recognize the truth of John’s message, confess their sins, and look for forgiveness to the Messiah John was proclaiming.

Sadly, that is not what they did. You can tell from the way John responded when they came to him. Instead of assuring them of their acquittal before God, John warned that their destruction was imminent. Just as a fruit tree that refuses to produce fruit is in danger of being cut down and thrown into the fire, these Pharisees and Sadducees were in danger of falling under God’s judgment.

The Pharisees and Sadducees did not believe that they had any need for repentance. They had convinced themselves that they didn’t have anything that they needed to confess to God. Because they refused to recognize their need for the forgiveness that God offered them in Jesus, they cut themselves off from the acquittal Jesus won for them. For them, Jesus came as a judge who condemns the unrepentant.

The Pharisees and Sadducees stand as a warning for us today. All of us are capable of doing what they did, rejecting the acquittal that Jesus won for us. If we do that, then Jesus becomes for us as well a judge who condemns the unrepentant. That is not what Jesus wants to be for us. He gave his life so that he could be the judge who acquits us. And that is what he is when we continue with God’s help to trust in him for forgiveness.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep me from ever rejecting the forgiveness that you have won for me. Amen.

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
James 5:7,8

How long, O Lord

Daily Devotion – December 11, 2022

Devotion based on James 5:7,8

See series: Devotions

You were fired from your job because you refused to participate in unethical behavior. Your friends stopped hanging out with you because you turned down an invitation to an underage drinking party. Your spouse ridicules you for getting up and going to church on Sunday mornings. When a faculty member finds out you are a Christian, he speaks of you as narrow-minded and unscientific and seeks to undermine your credibility.

At times the life of a Christian is difficult. Suffering because we are connected with Christ is not easy. Giving up and abandoning Christ seems like the easier choice. We may think, “Why keep putting myself through this?”

Christians of all generations have suffered in one way or another for their faith. It’s hard. It’s not fun. It challenges our patience and willingness to stand firm and stay true to Christ. To the outsider it may make Christianity unattractive.

Yet here’s the perspective we cannot forget. The Lord is coming back and will restore and reward all those who have clung to Jesus in faith for forgiveness of their sins. The blessing of heaven will far outweigh challenges we encounter in this life because of our faith. “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:11).

The farmer suffers through long days and nights of planting. He fixes machinery when it breaks. He works hard to save crops after hail and storms. Yet he doesn’t give up because the reward of the crop is worth it.

Don’t give up. The Lord will return. Know that you will be blessed as you have persevered!

Prayer: (Psalm 119:107)
I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word. Amen.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.
Romans 15:5

The Same Attitude as Jesus

Daily Devotion – December 9, 2022

Devotion based on Romans 15:5

See series: Devotions

During World War I, the fighting was fierce and deadly. But something amazing happened on the night of Christmas Eve 1914. Along parts of the battle line, an impromptu truce developed. British soldiers heard the Germans singing Christmas carols. Cautiously, the two sides emerged from their trenches. The next day they shared rations, exchanged gifts, and even played a soccer game. They shared peace and unity on Christmas.

While there are no widespread accounts of the same thing happening during World War II, there is a story recorded in Reader’s Digest of a young German boy, Fritz Vincken, and his mother living in the forest during the Battle of the Bulge. Three American soldiers arrived looking for shelter on Christmas Eve. A little later, four German soldiers arrived looking for the same. The German mother said no shooting on Christmas Eve. They all laid down their weapons. Before they ate a meal together, the mother said a common table prayer. The words may be familiar to you: “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest…”

What is it about Christmas that causes even soldiers to put down their weapons? On the battlefield there is no tinsel or twinkling lights. No loudspeakers blaring cheesy holiday music. On the battlefield, there is the constant reminder of death.

But Christmas is all about God’s plan to conquer death and its cause, namely, our sin. The baby Jesus would grow to be a Savior who viewed each of us as lost sinners in desperate need of someone to take care of our sin problem. That’s why Jesus came, to deal with our sin and win for us eternal life. Thank God that Jesus viewed each of us with such love!

Until Jesus comes again, we pray for that same mindset towards our fellow human beings. They are sinners that Jesus loved and died for, just like us. We have the opportunity to serve them and point them to their Savior. That’s a mindset not just for Christmas; but all the time.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to love the people you died for, and thank you for dying for me. Amen.

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 3:1,2

A Slogan Worth Hearing

Daily Devotion – December 7, 2022

Devotion based on Matthew 3:1,2

See series: Devotions

One of the arts of advertising is a catchy slogan. For example, when you hear the phrase, “Just do it.” your mind thinks of the company Nike. Or when you’re walking down the cereal aisle in the grocery store, you see a box of Wheaties. Your next thought is “The breakfast of champions.” When your kids tell you they want to go on vacation to the “happiest place on earth,” they’re talking about Disney World. And when you’re watching an insurance commercial and hear the name “Allstate” in a deep, resonating voice, you know the phrase, “you’re in good hands,” is going to follow it.

If John the Baptist had a slogan, it was “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is near.” When John told the people to repent, he was telling them to be sorry for the wrong things they had done, trust in God for forgiveness and stop doing those wrong things in the future. “Repent” might not sound like a super catchy slogan, but it was powerful. People walked from all over to hear John preach. His message captivated them. People who had no intention of being baptized found themselves in the waters of the Jordan River, baptized by John anyway. His message was powerful!

John didn’t invent this message. He didn’t spend hours locked in a conference room scheming it up with marketing executives. No, this message came from God. And it was a message God had shared with his people through all time. Turn away from sin and turn toward God instead.

When we hear the message to repent in the weeks leading up to Christmas, it can jar us from the festive holiday spirit. It’s doubtful that John and his message of repentance would be invited to many Christmas parties. But his message is just as important for us as it was to his original audience. It’s a stone-cold reminder of why Jesus was born. Jesus came to deal with our sin problem. He washes us clean in the waters of baptism. And now he gives us the strength to say “No” to sin and live in the clean clothes of his righteousness.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, turn me away from my sin and toward you and your love for me. Amen.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
Isaiah 11:1

A Shoot Will Come Up

Daily Devotion – December 5, 2022

Devotion based on Isaiah 11:1

See series: Devotions

Jesse was the father of King David of Israel, and King David’s family tree of kings was once strong and mighty. But those kings turned away from God. Eventually, Israel was captured and overrun. No more kings came from the line of King David and Jesse. The family tree was cut down, all that remained was the stump of Jesse.

When a tree is cut down, all that is left behind is a stump. The stump begins decaying almost immediately. What was once a strong, living tree is now a dead and decaying stump.

Something amazing happens in nature. That dead and decaying stump can turn into a nurse stump. A seedling falls on top of the stump and uses the decaying matter as compost and fertilizer. The stump nourishes the seed, and a shoot comes forth. Eventually, a whole new tree, strong and bearing fruit, is born from that dead and decaying stump.

Israel’s line of kings was dead, but God had a plan and purpose for the stump of Jesse. God fertilized his plan. He nourished his purpose. At just the right time, a shoot appeared from the stump of Jesse. On a night in Bethlehem, a baby was born to Mary and Joseph, descendants of King David and his father Jesse. That tiny baby lying on the straw of a feeding trough didn’t look like much, but his parents named him Jesus. And that Jesus turned out to be the Savior and the King of all people.

God does some of his best work when it looks like all hope is lost. God is working in you and for you even in the darkest moments of your life. Whether you’re suffering the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce, or dealing with depression. Your life may feel like a stump, dead and decaying, but God can work the shoot of faith to grow in you. Jesus, the shoot of Jesse, came to bring you life. He came to make you part of his family tree. By his death on a tree and his resurrection, you are a son or daughter of the King.

Prayer:
Dear God, grow faith in me so that I can always remain a part of your family tree. Amen.