Blog

What impresses you?

Samuel thought he knew what a king looked like.

God had sent him to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel. When Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, walked in, Samuel was impressed. He apparently was tall and had the appearance of a king, because Samuel immediately thought,

“Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”

But God said no.

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.”

Then God explains something about Himself that Samuel needed to remember:

“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

This is a lesson we would all do well to learn.

We understand Samuel’s mistake because we make it all the time. We naturally judge by what we can see. Someone appears confident, successful, intelligent, attractive, or put together, and we form an impression. Someone else seems awkward, unimpressive, or unsuccessful, and we form a different one. It’s not a coincidence that the vast majority of political leaders and even leading actors and actresses are tall and pretty good looking.

Sometimes we even do this to ourselves. We compare our appearance, accomplishments, abilities, homes, careers, or families with someone else’s and decide what that says about our worth.

It reminds me of Susan Boyle on Britain’s God Talent from several years ago. (see the video embedded below). No one was impressed with her when she walked out on stage. They judged her by her appearance, but were they ever wrong. Everyone was impressed with her when she walked off the stage having sung “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables beautifully.

But God sees what we cannot.

One by one, Jesse’s sons pass before Samuel, and one by one God says no. Eventually Samuel asks whether there are any sons left.

There is one.

David is so unlikely to be chosen that no one bothered to bring him to the gathering. He’s out watching the sheep.

Yet he is the one God chooses because of his heart.

God even said David is,

“A man after [God’s] own heart.”

This doesn’t mean David had a perfectly pure heart. The rest of his story makes that abundantly clear. David would commit terrible sins and desperately need God’s forgiveness. His hope was never that God looked inside him and found someone without sin.

Rather, God saw what Samuel could not see. He had a heart that loved God, even if imperfectly. And, according to His gracious purpose, God chose the unlikely shepherd to become king.

And through David’s family, God would eventually give Israel another King.

Jesus also didn’t look like the king people expected. He came in humility, born into an ordinary family. Isaiah had foretold that the promised Servant would have no outward majesty that would make people desire Him. Eventually, people would look at Jesus hanging helplessly on a cross and see only weakness and defeat.

But God was accomplishing salvation.

That’s worth remembering when appearances seem convincing. We see only a small part of the picture. God sees what is hidden, knows what is true, and often works through people and circumstances we would have overlooked.

So we don’t have to measure ourselves or others merely by what can be seen.

We can leave the judging of hearts to the One who actually sees them.

Let’s pray…

Heaven Father,

I am often too quick to judge by what I can see. Forgive me for measuring myself and others by outward appearances. Teach me to see people with humility and grace, and help me trust Your wisdom when Your ways are different from what I would expect. Thank You for sending Jesus, the promised King from David’s line, to save me.

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.

Have you ever known someone who seemed to just be going through the motions?

Jesus has finally reached Jerusalem for the last time.

As He approaches the city, He sends two disciples to find a colt. Then He rides into Jerusalem while crowds spread their cloaks and branches along the road, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

and welcoming Him as the One who comes in the name of the Lord. In Jesus’ day, when a king entered a town, it was common for the people to come out of the town and escort him in with songs and celebration.

Jesus is entering Jerusalem as a king.

But He is not the kind of king many expected. He does not arrive on a warhorse at the head of an army. He comes humbly, riding on a colt, fulfilling what God had promised through the prophets.

He has not come to overthrow Rome. He has come to overthrow a greater power.

The next day Jesus enters the temple and finds people buying, selling, and exchanging money. He drives them out, declaring that God’s house was meant to be “a house of prayer for all the nations,” but they had made it a den of robbers.

Jesus is not simply angry about commerce taking place in a religious building. The temple was supposed to be the place where sinners came into the presence of God, where sacrifices were offered and God’s mercy was proclaimed. Yet the religious system itself had become corrupt, both in how it carried out the religious duties with the Jews, but also in that the Jews had not been a light to the Gentiles as they were supposed to be.

The King has come, and He is judging what He finds.

That helps explain the fig tree surrounding this account. Jesus finds leaves but no fruit, and the tree withers after His judgment. Like the tree, Jerusalem’s religious life may have looked impressive, but outward appearances could not substitute for genuine faith. There was no genuine fruit of repentance and faith.

That warning applies to us as well.

It is possible to have the outward appearance of Christianity while our hearts remain far from God. Church attendance, religious knowledge, and Christian habits are good, but none of them can replace faith in Christ.

Thankfully, the King who exposes empty religion has come to do more than condemn it.

Jesus is heading toward the cross, where the old system of sacrifices will find its fulfillment in Him. He will offer Himself once for sinners and open the way into God’s presence. He would then send His Word into the world to lead people of all nations to repentance and to create faith in their hearts. Thankfully, He comes to us humbly, like Jesus on the colt, and for our salvation.

So our confidence is not in how religious we look.

It is in the King who came to save us.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

Forgive me when my faith becomes merely outward habit. Keep my heart fixed on You and Your saving work. Thank You for coming as my King and giving Yourself for me.

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.

Have you ever thrown something away only to discover later that it was valuable?

Maybe you were cleaning out a drawer or garage and came across something that looked useless. Only later did someone tell you,

“Do you know what that was worth?”

Or maybe it wasn’t about its monetary value, but rather you discovered later it was something you needed for a device or could have used in a project. That’s happened to me enough that I have spare parts and tools for things I’m not even sure I own anymore.

Psalm 118 describes something far more significant:

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Imagine builders examining stones for a new building. One stone doesn’t look right, so they set it aside. They reject it as unsuitable for what they’re building.

Then the master builder picks up that rejected stone and makes it the cornerstone, one of the most important stone in the entire structure. It’s the one piece to the IKEA furniture that looked strange at first, but later you find out it holds the whole thing together.

Jesus tells us that Psalm 118 was written about Him.

In Matthew 21, Jesus quotes this passage while confronting the religious leaders who rejected Him. They were supposed to be waiting for God’s Messiah. Yet when He stood right in front of them, they refused to believe.

Soon, that rejection would lead to the cross.

Jesus was betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified. The religious authorities condemned Him. The Roman government executed Him. Even His disciples scattered. By Friday afternoon, Jesus had been thoroughly rejected and discarded by his people.

But Jesus wasn’t rejected by the master builder, God the Father.

On Sunday morning, the stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone.

God raised Jesus from the dead.

Peter later used this same psalm when he preached about Jesus. He said,

“There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12).

The Savior the world rejected is the only Savior the world has…He’s the savior the world needs.

Unfortunately, things haven’t changed all that much.

People build their lives on all kinds of things: success, relationships, money, reputation, their own goodness. Those things may be gifts from God, but none of them can bear the weight of our lives. Eventually, everything in this world gives way. It all crumbles, like a house built on sand.

Jesus doesn’t. He is a strong fortress…our rock.

He has defeated the sin that condemns us and the death we cannot escape. He cast the devil down and has put him under His feet. And our salvation rests entirely on Him.

That’s why the psalm continues,

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Those words aren’t simply telling us to have a positive attitude because God gave us another day. In context, they’re celebrating what God has done with the rejected stone. The Lord has given us a Savior.

The crucified Christ is risen. The rejected stone has become the cornerstone.

And that gives us something worth rejoicing about every day.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son to save me. Forgive me for the times I build my life on things that cannot last. Keep my faith firmly grounded in Jesus, the crucified and risen cornerstone, and fill me with joy in the salvation You have given through Him.

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.

Few things can bring a parent more joy than watching a child grow into a faithful, responsible adult.

…And few things can bring a parent more heartache than watching a child walk away from everything they were taught.

That can make today’s proverb difficult to read.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

It sounds like a guarantee: Raise your children correctly, and they will turn out well. If an adult child makes destructive choices or walks away from the Christian faith, then perhaps Mom and Dad must have done something wrong. On the one hand we want to claim our just reward for raising our kids right and on the other we get to judge other parents when their kids make poor choices. (But don’t judge me if my kids make poor choices!)

But that’s not how Proverbs work.

Proverbs generally describe how life ordinarily works according to God’s wisdom. They aren’t necessarily unconditional promises about what will happen in every circumstance. A parent can faithfully teach a child God’s Word, bring that child to worship, model the Christian faith at home, teach them right from wrong, show them responsibility, and still watch that child make foolish or sinful choices later in life.

Children aren’t machines and parenting isn’t a formula where the correct inputs guarantee the desired output.

So what does this proverb teach us?

It teaches us to take formation seriously.

Sometimes, as parents, we want to be able let the kids learn about Jesus and walking in the faith from the church, learn responsibility and knowledge from teachers, and our job is to just make sure our kids get to those places. However, parents have an enormous influence on the people their children become. What children repeatedly hear, see, and experience at home helps shape them. They learn about honesty when they watch their parents tell the truth. They learn about forgiveness when Mom or Dad says,

“I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”

They learn what matters by watching what their family makes time for.

I know that sometimes it seems like your kids don’t ever listen and that their friends and celebrities or social media influencers have more influence, but survey after survey for decades has shown that our kids say their parents are their biggest influence.

And Christian parents have been given something even greater to pass on: the Word of God.

We teach our children who Jesus is and bring them to the place where Christ serves His people through His Word and Sacraments. We pray with them and for them and remind them that when they sin, they have a Savior.

Then, we entrust them to the Lord.

That’s an important part of parenting too, because no parent can create faith in a child’s heart. We can teach and model and correct and encourage. But faith is God’s work through His Word.

That truth is especially comforting for parents carrying regrets.

Every parent has them. You are not alone.

There are moments you wish you could redo, things you wish you had handled differently, and opportunities you realize you missed. Your children’s salvation, however, does not depend upon your being a perfect parent.

They have a perfect Savior.

So faithfully teach the children God has entrusted to you. Pray for them when they are young, and keep praying when they are grown…and pray with them. Read the Bible with them and let them see you reading the Bible and praying on your own. When you fail them, ask their forgiveness and when they fail, forgive them. And whether they are walking closely with the Lord today or seem very far away, entrust them to the God who loves them even more than you do…and keep praying!

Speaking of which…

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the children You entrust to parents and for all those You give opportunities to influence the next generation. Give us wisdom to teach Your truth faithfully and to model repentance, forgiveness, love, and wisdom. Forgive us for the ways we have failed, and keep us from placing our confidence in our own parenting. When children wander, pursue them with Your Word and draw them back to Christ. Help us faithfully do what You have given us to do and then entrust those we love into Your gracious hands.

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.

Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

Are you hungry?

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

It may be the simplest request in the Lord’s Prayer. We need food, so we ask God to give it to us, but there’s much more packed into those two words: daily bread.

Daily bread includes everything we need for this earthly life.

• Food and clothing.
• A home and income.
• Good government and good weather.
• Health, family, friends, and neighbors.

The list in the catechism is surprisingly practical and this petition teaches us something.

God cares about ordinary life.

Sometimes we can imagine that God is interested primarily in “spiritual” things. We pray about forgiveness, faith, and eternal life, but hesitate to bother Him with the everyday concerns of paying bills, finding work, recovering from an illness, or having enough food for the week.

Jesus teaches us to pray for those things too.

Your body matters to God. So, does your work and your home and all the needs of ordinary life. After all, He created you with a body and placed you in this world. The same Father who created you continues to care for His creation.

And much of the time, He does it through ordinary means.

The bread on your table may have come from a grocery store, but before that there were farmers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, store employees, rain, soil, and sunshine.

God often hides His provision behind ordinary people doing ordinary work.

Sometimes we refer to this as God wearing masks. He’s at work, but he’s working behind the mask of a farmer, neighbor, construction worker, etc.

There is another interesting part of Luther’s explanation. He says that God gives daily bread even to evil people, even without our prayer. Jesus says this as well when He said,

“For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” – Matthew 5:45

God provides because He is good, not because we have earned His generosity.

So why pray for daily bread?

We pray that God would lead us to recognize His gifts and receive them with thanksgiving.

That may be the harder part.

It is easy to notice what we lack. Someone else has a nicer home, a better job, more money, better health, or fewer problems. Soon, the gifts God has placed in our hands seem small because we are looking at what He placed in someone else’s.

The Fourth Petition turns our eyes back to our Father.

Give us what we need…today.

Remember the Israelites in the wilderness. God provided them manna, bread from heaven, every day, but only enough for that day. 

Jesus doesn’t teach us to pray for enough bread to guarantee that nothing can go wrong for the next twenty years. He teaches us to pray for daily bread.

There is trust in that prayer.

Tomorrow, we will ask again. And tomorrow, our Father will still be our Father.

The greatest proof of His care is Christ Himself. The Father who did not withhold His own Son from us has already given us something far greater than anything we need for this earthly life. In Christ, we have forgiveness, salvation, and an eternal inheritance that cannot be taken away.

So receive today’s gifts with thanksgiving.

And when tomorrow comes, ask again.

Your Father knows what you need…He cares…and He gives generously.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for providing everything I need for this life. Forgive me when I overlook Your gifts or become dissatisfied with what You have given me. Open my eyes to recognize Your daily provision, give me a thankful heart, and teach me to trust You for tomorrow. 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.

You may have seen the words on a sign hanging in someone’s home:

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

It’s a beautiful statement of faith. But when Joshua first spoke those words, they weren’t intended primarily as home décor. They were part of a serious conversation with God’s people about whom they trusted.

Israel had reached a turning point. God had brought them into the Promised Land, and Joshua was nearing the end of his life. Before calling the people to serve the Lord, Joshua reminded them of everything God had already done for them.

• God had called Abraham.
• He had brought Israel out of Egypt.
• He had protected them in the wilderness.
• He had given them the land in which they now lived.

God had been faithful every step of the way.

Now Joshua tells them to put away the false gods that remained among them and serve the Lord. If they refuse, then they should decide whom they are going to serve instead.

“Choose this day whom you will serve.”

At first, that can sound like Joshua is saying faith is simply a matter of making the right decision. Choose God instead of the alternatives.

But notice the order of the chapter. God acts first.

Long before Israel responds, God chooses Abraham, rescues His people, protects them, provides for them, and gives them a home. Their service to God is a response to what He has already done. In other words, Joshua isn’t speaking to a bunch of gentiles trying to convince them to believe in Yahweh. He is speaking to God’s people telling them to continue serving God in the Promised Land.

I remember a time when I was trying to sell my house. We had been trying for several months and nothing. The longer it took, the more I prayed and read the Bible. Then, one day we got an offer. It stuck and we sold the house. Yay! Now, what was I going to do?

Would I continue praying and reading the Bible or, now that I had what I wanted (sold my house), would I let that fall away?

Now that Israel had been delivered and received the Promised Land, will they continue to serve the God who got them there?

That’s an important distinction for our lives as well.

We don’t become God’s people because one day we decide to be faithful enough. God comes to us first. He calls us through the Gospel, gives us faith by His Spirit, forgives our sins through Christ, and makes us His own.

Then, as His people, we face choices every day about how we will live.

• What will shape the priorities in our homes or how we use our time and money?
• What voices will influence the way we think?
• When God’s Word conflicts with what our culture tells us, which one will we follow?

Those decisions don’t earn God’s grace. They flow from it.

Joshua could say,

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,”

because he knew the Lord whom he served. He had spent a lifetime witnessing God’s faithfulness.

The same God has been faithful to you.

So Joshua’s words are worth putting on the wall. But they’re even better when they shape the life lived inside the house.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

You loved me and made me Your own before I could ever offer anything to You. Thank You for Your faithfulness and for the salvation You have given me through Christ. Keep me from the false gods that compete for my trust, and help me to serve You faithfully in my home and in my daily life, when there are things I need, after I receive them, and every day of my life.

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.

Jesus and His disciples are on the road to Jerusalem, and for the third time, Jesus tells them exactly what awaits Him there. He will be betrayed, condemned, mocked, beaten, killed, and after three days rise again.

Then James and John approach Him with a request. They want the best seats in His kingdom.

The contrast is striking. Jesus has just described His suffering, and they are thinking about their status. They understand that Jesus is a king, but they still misunderstand what kind of King He is.

Jesus explains that the rulers of this world use their positions to exercise authority over others.

“But it shall not be so among you.”

Then He tells them why.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This is one of the clearest statements in Mark about why Jesus came.

A ransom is a price paid to set someone free.

Jesus is going to Jerusalem to give His own life as that price. Humanity is trapped by sin and unable to free itself. Jesus does not come merely to teach us how to become better people. He comes to rescue us by taking our place.

The King becomes the servant. And the servant gives His life for us.

Mark then introduces one more person before Jesus reaches Jerusalem: a blind beggar named Bartimaeus.

When Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is passing by, he cries out,

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Others tell him to be quiet, but Jesus stops.

The man who is walking toward His own suffering takes time for a beggar beside the road.

Jesus restores his sight, and Mark tells us that Bartimaeus follows Him “on the way.”

That is a fitting picture of discipleship. Bartimaeus can now see, and he follows Jesus on the road.

Jesus is the King who humbles Himself and comes to us. We are blind to see Him and can only cry out for mercy, but mercy is something Jesus gives out freely and abundantly. He opens our eyes to see Him as He truly is, our Lord and Savior who gave His life to ransom ours. Then calls us to follow Him and His way.

He has come to you and generously offers you mercy. I pray your eyes are opened to see Him.

Let’s pray…

Lord Jesus,

You came not to be served but to serve and to give Your life as a ransom for me. Open my eyes to see You clearly. Teach me to trust Your saving work and to follow You by serving others in love.

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.

Who is Jesus?

Depending on whom you ask, you’ll get a lot of different answers. Some people describe Him as a great teacher. Others see Him as an example of love and compassion. Christians certainly believe those things about Jesus. But He is much more than that.

Psalm 110 helps us understand who He really is.

David begins by describing a conversation between the Lord and someone David calls “my Lord.” God invites this person to sit at His right hand, the position of authority and honor.

That raises an interesting question. David was the king of Israel. Who could be David’s Lord?

Jesus Himself asked the religious leaders that question in Matthew 22. They knew the promised Messiah would come from David’s family, but Jesus showed them that the Messiah would also be greater than David.

Psalm 110 was pointing forward to Jesus.

After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. We confess that every week in the Apostles’ Creed.

But what does that mean?

It doesn’t mean Jesus is sitting somewhere far away from us, waiting until it’s time to return. The right hand of God describes His authority. The Jesus who was born in Bethlehem and crucified outside Jerusalem now reigns over all things.

That can be difficult to believe sometimes.

We look around and see wars, suffering, disease, persecution, and death. We look at our own lives and find plenty of things that don’t seem to be under anyone’s control.

Yet Jesus reigns.

His authority was hidden at the cross, too. To anyone watching, Jesus looked powerless. His enemies mocked Him as a failed king while He hung beneath a sign identifying Him as the King of the Jews.

Then came Easter.

The resurrection showed that the apparent defeat of the cross was actually Christ’s victory over sin and death. His reign is real even when we cannot see it.

Psalm 110 also calls this King a priest forever. Jesus doesn’t simply rule over us. He is the great High Priest who offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins and continues to intercede for us before the Father.

The One who has all authority is the same One who gave His life to save you.

That makes His reign very good news.

I saw a really cool clip from a little league baseball game the other day. The pitcher was struggling and the coach had called a conference at the mound. The coach look the pitcher right in the eyes and said, “If you strike out this batter, Jesus will still be Lord, right?” The kid said, “Yes.” The coach went on, “If you walk this batter, Jesus will still be Lord, right?” The kid said, “Yes.” The coach finished by saying, “So, don’t worry about it. No matter what, Jesus is Lord and that’s all that matters.” What an amazing coach!

Whatever happens today, Jesus is still Lord. Whatever happens tomorrow, He will still be Lord.

And there is no safer place to be than under the gracious reign of our crucified, risen, and ascended King.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for giving us Jesus, our Savior, King, and great High Priest. When the world seems out of control, strengthen my faith to trust that Christ still reigns. Help me to live confidently under His gracious rule as I wait for the day when His victory will be seen by all.

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.