Have you ever found yourself in over your head?

Sometimes that’s just an expression. You’re overwhelmed with work or responsibilities. Other times, it describes something much deeper. Grief. Fear. Guilt. A situation that seems impossible to fix. You are drowning in it.

The writer of Psalm 130 knew that feeling.

He begins,

“Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.”

We aren’t told exactly what those “depths” were. But as the psalm unfolds, it becomes clear that guilt plays a central role. The psalmist recognizes that if God kept a record of every sin, no one could stand before Him.

That’s a sobering thought.

Most of us have a way of comparing ourselves to other people. We can usually find someone who has made worse decisions or committed greater sins than we have. But Psalm 130 doesn’t compare us with other people.

It places us before a holy God.

And suddenly the question isn’t whether we’ve done better than someone else.

The question is whether we can stand before perfect righteousness.

The answer is no.

That could leave us in despair. Instead, the psalm gives one of the most beautiful statements in all of Scripture:

“But with You there is forgiveness.”

Not because God overlooks sin or sin doesn’t matter.

There is forgiveness because God Himself provides it.

That forgiveness is found in Jesus Christ. Every sin that condemns us was laid upon Him. Every debt we could never repay was paid in full at the cross.

That’s why Christians can confess their sins honestly. We don’t have to minimize them or explain them away. We already know where forgiveness is found.

It’s been said,

“The church should be the easiest place in the world to admit you’re a sinner.”

Sometimes we may not feel like that’s the case, but that’s because we’ve let our eyes drift from the Gospel and we start to think we need to look good and righteous in front of others.

God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners and our only hope is is Jesus. He is the only one who is good and righteous of Himself. We are only good and righteous because Jesus has declared us so.

I think the saying is right.

After all, we aren’t gathered because we’ve earned God’s approval. We gather because we need His mercy. Week after week, we confess our sins and hear the wonderful words of absolution. God isn’t reminding us of our failures. He’s reminding us of His forgiveness.

That’s where Psalm 130 leads us.

Not into the depths.

But out of them, by God’s forgiveness in Christ.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

When I am burdened by my sin, remind me that with You there is forgiveness. Thank You for sending Jesus to bear my guilt and to give me the assurance that my sins are forgiven. Help me to live each day in the joy and freedom of Your grace.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

What were your resolutions this year?

Every January, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions.

They join a gym, start a budget, commit to eating healthier, or promise to be more patient. There is something deeply human about wanting a fresh start. We recognize that things are not quite what they should be, and we long for the opportunity to begin again.

The problem is that a new calendar doesn’t create a new heart.

External changes can be valuable, but they cannot undo the past. They cannot erase guilt, heal a broken relationship with God, or free us from the power of sin. Left to ourselves, we may improve certain habits, but we remain the same people underneath.

Paul points us to something far greater than self-improvement.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

Notice where the change begins.

Paul does not say, “If anyone tries hard enough…” or “If anyone finally gets his life together…” He says, “If anyone is in Christ.”

Everything depends on being united to Jesus.

This is one of Paul’s favorite ways of describing the Christian life. Again and again, he speaks of believers being “in Christ.” It is more than a figure of speech. Through Baptism and faith, Christ has joined you to Himself. His death has become your death. His resurrection has become your resurrection. His righteousness has become your righteousness.

Because you are in Him, God says something astonishing:

“The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

That doesn’t mean Christians no longer struggle with sin. You know from experience that the old sinful nature still fights against the new life God has given. There are days when you wonder whether anything has really changed at all.

Paul is not denying that struggle. He is declaring a deeper reality.

Your identity is no longer determined by who you were apart from Christ.

You are not defined by your greatest failure. You are not trapped by your past. You are not forever the person you used to be.

God has made you new.

This is why the Christian life is filled with hope. The Lord who began this good work in you has not finished yet. Even now, He is continuing to shape you through His Word, to strengthen you through His Sacraments, and to conform you more and more to the likeness of His Son.

One day, when Christ returns, that work will be complete. Every trace of sin will be gone, and you will stand before Him exactly as He has promised.

Until then, you live in the joyful tension of what is already true and what is still being revealed.

You are a new creation.

Not because you have reinvented yourself.

Because God has reconciled you to Himself through Christ.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for making me a new creation through Your Son. When I become discouraged by my failures or tempted to believe that I can never change, remind me of what You have already declared to be true.

Continue Your work within me through Your Word and Sacraments. Help me to live each day in the confidence that I belong to Christ and that You are making all things new.

Keep my eyes fixed on the day when Your work in me will be complete.

Through Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

If you were living in the ancient world, one of the first things you would notice about a city was its walls.

They weren’t built to make the city look impressive. They were there for protection. Strong walls kept danger out and gave the people inside a place of safety. A city without walls was vulnerable. It was exposed to whatever or whoever happened to come along.

That is the picture Proverbs uses to describe a person without self-control.

At first, that might seem like an unusual comparison. We often think of self-control as simply resisting temptation or saying no to something we shouldn’t do. But Proverbs paints a broader picture.

Without self-control, our lives become exposed.

• A moment of unchecked anger can damage a relationship that took years to build.
• An impulsive purchase can create financial stress that lingers for months.
• A few careless words can wound someone long after the conversation has ended.

Often, the greatest regrets in life begin with the smallest surrender of self-control. That’s because self-control isn’t just about saying “no.” It’s about being free to say “yes” to what is good, even when something else is pulling us in a different direction.

The world often equates freedom with doing whatever we want. Scripture offers a different perspective. A person who cannot control their temper, appetites, or desires is not truly free. They are being controlled.

Wisdom calls us to something better.

It teaches us to pause before reacting, to think before speaking, and to consider the long-term consequences instead of only the immediate moment.

Of course, if we’re honest, this is not something we accomplish perfectly. There are times when our walls have already been breached. We lose our patience and in to temptation. When that happens, we discover once again how weak our resolve can be.

The good news is that our hope is not found in having flawless self-discipline. It is found in Christ, who forgives our failures and gives us His Spirit. As we remain in Him, He gradually shapes us, strengthening us to live with greater wisdom and greater freedom.

Self-control is not something we manufacture on our own.

It is one of the ways God’s grace begins to reshape our lives. It’s a fruit of God’s Spirit within us. 

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

You know the areas of my life where self-control does not come easily. Forgive me for the times I have spoken too quickly, acted impulsively, or given in to temptation. Thank You for Your mercy when I fail. Through Your Holy Spirit, strengthen me to live wisely. Help me to pause before I act, to choose what is good over what is merely easy, and to find my strength not in my own willpower, but in Your grace.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

The Second Article (Part 1)

If you were asked, “Who is Jesus?” how would you answer?

• Many people would say He was a great teacher.
• Others would call Him a prophet, a moral example, or a religious leader.

Those descriptions contain some truth, but they don’t go far enough. The Christian faith stands or falls on a much bigger claim.

Jesus is both true God and true man.

That is what we confess in the Second Article of the Creed when we say,

“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”

The word “Lord” is important.

In the Bible, “Lord” is not merely a title of respect. It is a confession of Jesus’ divine identity. He is not simply someone sent by God. He is God the Son, eternally one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Yet the eternal Son did something astonishing.

He became one of us, a human being.

John tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The God who created the universe entered His creation. The One who filled heaven took on a human body. The Author of Life experienced hunger, fatigue, sorrow, and pain.

Think about how remarkable that is.

When we suffer, we sometimes wonder whether God understands.

Jesus answers that question.

He does.

He knows what it is like to be tired or to be rejected. He knows what it is like to grieve.

He is not a distant God watching from afar.

He stepped into our world.

Philippians 2 describes how Christ humbled Himself. Though He possessed all the glory of heaven, He willingly laid aside His rights and privileges. He came not as a king demanding service, but as a servant giving Himself away.

That humility reveals God’s heart.

All other religions picture humanity trying to climb up to God, if they believe in God at all.

Christianity uniquely tells the story of God coming down to humanity. The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the children of men might become the children of God.

And this matters because only someone who is both God and man can save us.

• If Jesus were merely a man, He could not bear the sins of the world.
• If He were only God and not truly human, He could not stand in our place.

But because He is both, He can bridge the gap that sin created.

The Second Article will spend several days showing us what Christ has done. But before we talk about His saving work, we must know who He is.

He is not merely a teacher, an example, or a historical figure. He is certainly not a myth or false messiah.

He is Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

And He became one of us for our salvation.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus Christ,

Thank You for becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Thank You for entering our world, sharing our humanity, and understanding our struggles. Strengthen my faith in You as my true God and Savior, and help me to trust in Your love and mercy each day.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

The night of the Passover was unlike any other.

For generations, the people of Israel had lived as slaves in Egypt. Then, God had sent plague after plague, calling Pharaoh to let His people go. But now the final plague was coming.

Every household faced the same question:

Would they trust God’s promise?

The instructions were simple. A lamb was to be sacrificed. Its blood was to be placed on the doorposts of the house. Then the family was to remain inside, trusting God’s word that when He saw the blood, judgment would pass over them.

Imagine that night.

Families gathered behind closed doors. Outside, they could not see what was happening. They had only God’s promise to cling to. And they weren’t wondering whether God would bring this final plague. They had already seen God turn the Nile into blood, send swarms of locusts, cover Egypt in darkness while the people of Israel had light, and much more. God would surely bring the plague, but would they be safe?

The safety of the household did not depend on how strong their faith felt. Nor, did not depend on how brave they were or how well they understood everything God was doing.

It depended on the blood of the lamb.

A frightened family behind a blood-stained door was just as safe as a confident family behind a blood-stained door. The protection was not found in them. It was found in what God had provided.

That truth still speaks powerfully today.

There are many things we are tempted to trust in.

• Our goodness.
• Our efforts.
• Our religious activity.
• Our ability to get things right.

But when it comes to standing before God, none of those things can shield us.

Only the sacrifice He provides will save us.

Notice that God didn’t have the people of Israel do anything for any other plague and He shielded Israel for several of them. He didn’t need to have them put the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, but He did.

The Passover was always pointing beyond itself. Every lamb sacrificed in Egypt pointed forward to the true Lamb who would come. When John the Baptist saw Jesus centuries later, he declared,

“Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Jesus is the greater Passover Lamb.

His blood was not painted on wooden doorposts but shed upon a wooden cross. Through His sacrifice, God’s judgment against sin is satisfied, and His people are rescued.

Notice something else about the Passover. The Israelites were not told to admire the blood from a distance. They were told to shelter beneath it.

Faith does the same thing. It does not merely acknowledge what Christ has done. It takes refuge in Him.

So when guilt troubles your conscience, when your failures seem overwhelming, when you wonder whether you are enough, remember the Passover.

Your hope is not in yourself.

It is in the Lamb God has provided.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Help me to trust not in my own goodness or efforts, but in Your sacrifice alone. When guilt and fear arise, remind me that I am sheltered by Your grace and saved by Your blood.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

What’s most important to you?

This is one of the darker passages in Mark’s Gospel.

The story focuses on Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, and the death of John the Baptist. At first glance, it may seem like an interruption in the story of Jesus. But Mark places it here for a reason.

He wants us to see a contrast.

A contrast between two very different kings and two very different kingdoms.

Herod is a powerful man. He has wealth, influence, servants, and soldiers. Yet as we read the account, he seems anything but secure.

• He fears John.
• He fears the opinions of others.
• He fears losing face in front of his guests.

In the end, a foolish promise and a desire to protect his reputation lead him to order John’s execution. Herod possesses worldly power, but he is not truly free. He is controlled by fear, pride, and the approval of others.

By contrast, think about Jesus.

Throughout Mark, Jesus has no palace, no army, and no political position. Yet He speaks with authority. He acts with purpose. He is never manipulated by crowds, pressured by public opinion, or driven by fear.

Herod looks powerful but is captive. Jesus appears weak by worldly standards but possesses true authority.

This is one of the great surprises of the Gospel. God’s kingdom does not operate the way earthly kingdoms do.

We tend to assume that power comes from status, influence, or control. But Jesus reveals a different kind of kingship—one rooted in truth, service, and obedience to His Father.

John’s death also reminds us that faithfulness can be costly.

John spoke God’s truth, even when it was unpopular. He did not change his message to protect himself. As a result, he suffered for it.

That may seem like defeat, but Mark is preparing us for something important. The fate of John points forward to the fate of Jesus Himself. Both will suffer at the hands of earthly rulers. Both will appear to lose.

Yet God’s purposes will not be stopped.

In fact, through the suffering and death of Jesus, God’s greatest victory will be accomplished.

This passage invites us to consider many things:

• How we raise our kids.
• What promises we make.
• How much we are willing to give up to prevent suffering or save our lives.
• And where we look for security.

Herod had power, wealth, and status, but none of those things gave him peace.

Jesus had none of those things, yet He possessed the only kingdom that lasts.

And that kingdom is still growing today.

Which will you look to for your security and salvation?

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

keep me from placing my trust in the things this world calls powerful. Help me to follow You in faithfulness and truth. Remind me that Your kingdom is greater than every earthly kingdom and that Your victory will never fail.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

What do you rely on when life gets difficult?

That question often reveals where we place our trust.

When finances become tight, some people look to their bank account. When relationships are strained, others look for approval or affirmation. When life feels uncertain, many of us look for something we can control.

There’s nothing wrong with having savings, healthy relationships, or a good plan. In fact, those are all good things. The problem comes when those things become the foundation of our security.

David had plenty of reasons to feel insecure when he wrote Psalm 62. Enemies were opposing him. People were trying to bring him down. His future was uncertain.

Yet he repeatedly says that his hope is found in God alone.

That’s not the same thing as saying he had no other resources. David had friends, soldiers, and opportunities available to him. But he understood something important.

The things we rely on (outside of God) can be taken away.

• Money disappears.
• Health changes.
• Relationships sometimes disappoint us.
• Even our own strength fades with time.

God does not.

I’ve had multiple times in my life where my bank account was zeroed out. Yet, here I am today. Still breathing. Each time, when God brought me through the situation, I learned to trust Him more.

That’s happened in ministry as well. I can’t tell you how many times the efforts I’ve put forth produce none of the fruit I’d hoped for. Then God provides in another way I had no control over. Again and again, I learned that it is good to plan and work and try ideas, but when it comes to the fruit, it’s always from God. The ministry is His. The church is His.

Psalm 62 invites us to look at our own lives.

• What do we depend on?
• And what do we truly trust?

For Christians, the answer is found in Christ. Jesus is not simply one source of help among many. He is the rock upon which our lives are built. His death and resurrection have secured something that cannot be lost, stolen, damaged, or taken away.

That doesn’t mean life won’t shake us.

It means we have something that won’t move when it does.

David calls God his rock, his salvation, and his fortress. Those aren’t poetic exaggerations. They are descriptions of a God who remains faithful when everything else feels uncertain.

And because He remains faithful, we can entrust ourselves to Him.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

So often I place my confidence in things that cannot last. Help me to trust in You above all else. When life is uncertain, remind me that my hope is secure in Jesus Christ. Be my rock, my refuge, and my salvation each day.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

What have you been praying about lately?

Most of us would prefer a different answer to our prayers.

When we bring a burden to God, we usually want Him to remove it. If there is a problem, we want a solution. If there is pain, we want relief. If there is a weakness, we want strength.

That is how Paul prayed as well.

In 2 Corinthians 12, he speaks about a

“thorn in the flesh,”

some ongoing affliction that troubled him deeply. We are not told exactly what it was, but we know that Paul asked the Lord three times to take it away.

It was a reasonable prayer and it was a sincere prayer. Yet the answer Paul received was not what he expected or hoped for.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

At first, that may sound disappointing. Instead of removing the burden, Jesus promises grace. Instead of taking away the weakness, He promises His presence within it.

Yet Paul came to see that this was not a lesser gift. It was a greater one.

Had the Lord removed the thorn, Paul would have experienced relief. But through the thorn, Paul experienced something deeper: the sustaining grace of Christ.

That is often how God works in our lives.

There are burdens He removes. There are prayers He answers in exactly the way we hope. But there are also times when He allows a struggle to remain. A chronic illness. A difficult relationship. A recurring disappointment. A limitation we wish we did not have.

In those moments, we may assume that God is distant or inactive because the problem has not gone away.

But Paul discovered the opposite.

The presence of weakness did not mean the absence of God. In fact, it became the very place where Christ’s strength was most clearly revealed.

This runs against everything our culture teaches. We admire self-sufficiency. We celebrate strength. We often try to hide our weaknesses from others and sometimes even from ourselves.

But the Christian life is built on a different foundation.

We come to Christ not because we are strong, but because we are weak. We are saved not because we are capable, but because we need a Savior. And throughout our lives, God continues to teach us to rely on His strength rather than our own.

That does not make weakness pleasant. Paul never pretends that it is. But it does mean that weakness is no longer meaningless.

It becomes a place where we learn to depend on Christ.

A place where grace is not merely an idea, but a daily reality.

A place where the power of Jesus is seen not through our ability, but through His faithfulness.

Remember that God wants us to trust Him and rely on Him. It seems to me that God’s ultimate goal is not that you would be wealthy, be free from struggle, or accomplish great things, even if those great things would be for the Kingdom of God. He wants you to believe and trust in Him. He wants your first instinct in life to be turning to Him. And He wants you to know Him and His faithfulness.

For Paul, he says that God gave him this thorn in the flesh to keep him from pride. He WAS doing great things for the kingdom of God and had seen visions of God in heaven. He was also a former Pharisee and Pharisees were prone to pride. So, God protects Paul from pride and possibly going astray by giving him a thorn in his flesh and refusing to remove it because He loves Paul.

So if you are carrying something today that feels heavy or unresolved, do not assume that God’s grace is absent because your weakness remains.

His grace is with you and may be meeting you there in ways you cannot yet see.

And His grace is enough.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

There are burdens in my life that I would gladly lay down if given the choice. You know my weaknesses, my struggles, and the things that cause me pain.

When You choose not to remove them, help me to trust that Your grace is still at work. Teach me to rely on Your strength rather than my own and to find comfort in Your presence.

Remind me that Your power is not limited by my weakness. Instead, it is often revealed through it.

Thank You for Your sufficient grace and Your unfailing faithfulness.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.