“You are no longer strangers and strangers, but fellow citizens of the saints, and at home for God.” — Ephesians 2:19
“You don’t belong here.” These words broke the heart of an eight-year-old girl, and the pain caused remained with her forever. Her family emigrated from a refugee camp in a war-torn country to another country, and her immigration card read: “Foreigner”. She felt that she did not belong here.
As an adult, although she believed in Jesus, she still felt alienated. The thought that she was an unwelcome guest in a new country did not leave her. While reading the Bible, the woman discovered the promises recorded in the 2nd chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians. In the 12th verse, she saw that old, disturbing word: “Aliens.” “At that time you were without Christ, separated from the community of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” However, as she continued to read, she saw how Christ’s sacrifice changed her status. The woman came to the 19th verse, which said: “You are no longer strangers and foreigners.” She became a “fellow citizen” of God’s people. The realization that she had become a citizen of Heaven caused her great joy. She will never be a stranger again. God accepted her.
Because of our sins, we are alienated from God. But we don’t have to stay that way. Jesus brought peace to everyone, including the “far off” (v. 17), making everyone who trusts in Him fellow citizens of His eternal Kingdom, united in the Body of Christ.
In what sense do you feel alienated? What does it mean to you to realize that God has called all His children to unity in Him?
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to communicate with You and with other people who love You and trust You.
Author: David Brenon
“I told you this so that you may have peace in Me.” —John 16:33
A photo of my five-year-old daughter, who triumphantly won the fun competitive game “Gutters and Stairs,” appeared on the Facebook social network. We also played this board game a lot when we were kids. The game, which was invented in ancient India, helps people learn to count and gives the thrill of climbing the ladder and winning by reaching the 100 mark faster than others. But be careful! If you land at 98, you’ll slide far down the chute, delaying or even preventing victory.
Isn’t that like life? The Lord Jesus lovingly prepared us for the ups and downs in our lives. He warned: “You will suffer in the world, but be of good courage: I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). We should not be afraid of trials. Why? Because Christ has overcome the world! There is nothing greater than His power. Therefore, we can meet everything that comes our way with the manifestation of “His mighty power” that He has given us (Eph. 1:19).
As in the game “Gutters and Stairs”, life sometimes presents us with stairs that we happily climb up, and sometimes we fall down a slippery mountain. However, we must not play the game of life without hope. We have the power of Jesus to get us through it all.
What challenges do you need help with? How can focusing on Jesus’ power to overcome life’s trials and tribulations encourage you?
Dear Jesus, thank you for reminding me that You have overcome the world! Help me rely on Your strength to handle the ups and downs of life.
Author: Katara Patton
“You will show me the way of life: joy is great with You.” — Psalm 15:11
The pandemic was winning. That’s what it looked like for Jason Persoff, an emergency room doctor who dedicated himself to saving patients with the coronavirus. What helped him to study “to the fullest”? In his off-hours, he relaxed by photographing something small, such as individual snowflakes. “Perhaps it sounds rather strange,” says Dr. Persoff, “but finding joy in something small, yet beautiful, is an opportunity to reunite with the Creator, and also to see the world as few see it.”
A wise pursuit of joy to reduce stress and increase resilience is a high value in the medical profession, the doctor believes. And to all of us he gives the following advice: “You have to breathe. You have to find a way to breathe and enjoy life.”
This opinion was expressed by the psalmist David in Psalm 15, when he proclaimed the wisdom of finding joy in God: “The Lord is part of my inheritance and my cup… Because of this, my heart rejoices and my spirit rejoices, and my body rests safely” (vv. 5, 9).
People do a lot of stupid things in an attempt to relax. Instead, Dr. Persoff found a wise way – one that pointed him to the Creator who gives us the joy of His presence. “You will show me the way of life: joy is great with You, bliss is always at Your right hand” (v. 11). In Him we find eternal joy.
How does finding wise joy bless your life? How might reading Psalm 15 inspire you to identify ways in which you find joy in God?
God, bless me in my life’s journey, that I may wisely find the joy that originates in You.
Author: Patricia Raybon
“He will not break a broken reed, and a smoldering wick will not be extinguished.” — Isaiah 42:3
When I pet our fluffy Norwegian Forest cat, Mystique, when I play with her or when she falls asleep in my lap at night, it’s hard to believe that this is the same cat we met years ago. She used to live on the street, was underweight and afraid of everyone. However, this gradually changed when I started bringing her food every day. One day she finally let me pet her and the rest is history.
The Mystic Transformation is a reminder of the healing that can come with patience and love. This reminds me of God’s heart described in the 42nd chapter of Isaiah. It tells about the Servant, filled with God’s Spirit (v. 1), who will work tirelessly to establish God’s “truth” (v. 3-4).
However, this Servant, Jesus (Matt. 12:18-20), will not carry out God’s justice through violence or the pursuit of power. Instead, He will be quiet and gentle (Is. 42:2), tenderly and patiently caring for those rejected by others – the “broken” and wounded (v. 3).
God never leaves His children. He has plenty of time to tend to our wounded hearts until they finally begin to heal. Thanks to His gentle, patient love, we gradually learn to love and trust again.
What kind of transformation have you seen through patient love? How can you grow in feeling God’s love and in showing it to others?
Dear God, thank you for never leaving me, but patiently loving and caring for my wounded heart. Help me to love others with patience.
Author: Monica La Rose
“And yourselves, as if those stones are alive, build a spiritual house.” — 1 Peter 2:5
There are many names for groups of animals in the world. No doubt you have heard of a flock of sheep, a herd of cattle, or even a flock of geese. But some names may surprise you. For example, have you heard of the building of rooks (Eurasian crows)?
In fact, the building is one of the biblical names for the community of believers in Jesus Christ. “You are… God’s building,” wrote the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 3:9). There are other names for believers: “flock” (Acts 20:28), “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27), “brethren” (1 Thess. 2:14), etc.
The metaphor of the building is repeated in the 1st Epistle of the Apostle Peter, where he tells Christians: “And yourselves, as living stones, build a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5). Then, in the sixth verse, Peter quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen, cornerstone, precious stone” (Is. 28:16). Jesus is the foundation of His building.
It may seem to us that building the church is our job, but Jesus said: “I will build my church” (Mt. 16:18). We are chosen by God to “proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9). By uttering this praise, we become instruments in God’s hands as He does His good work.
How does the Lord Jesus build His Church? How can you get involved in this work?
Dear God, forgive me for what I sometimes think: everything depends on me. Use me for Your glory and the benefit of my neighbors in the building of Your church.
Author: Bill Crowder
“And he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God.” — 2 Kings 5:14
The best seller at Jocelyn’s stall was her rice porridge. She mixed the rice very carefully until it had a uniform consistency. So Jocelyn was surprised when a regular customer once said, “Your cereal tastes different today. The texture isn’t as uniform.”
This time, new assistant Jocelyn made the porridge, and she explained why this dish is different: “I didn’t stir it as long as the recipe says, because that’s how I make it at home. And I added more sesame oil. I think it tastes better that way.” She decided to ignore the recipe and do things her own way.
This is how I sometimes respond to God’s instructions. Instead of fully obeying His commandments written in the Holy Scriptures, I go my own way.
Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was on the verge of a similar error. After receiving God’s instructions through the prophet Elisha to wash seven times in the Jordan to be cured of leprosy, the proud warrior became angry. He had his own expectations of how his need should be met, believing that his opinion was superior to God’s command (2 Kings 5:11-12). However, the servants persuaded him to listen to the words of Elisha (v. 13). As a result, Naaman was healed.
If we act in God’s way, we experience a peace that cannot be described. Therefore, let us cooperate with the Lord in the fulfillment of His purposes.
Do you allow your own views to compromise your obedience to God? How does this affect His work in your life?
Dear God, please help me to obey You completely because Your commands are far more important than my own thoughts.
Author: Karen Huang
“Remember the Sabbath day.” — Exodus 20:8
Have you ever found yourself telling a story and then stopped, stuck on a detail like a name or a date you couldn’t remember? We often chalk it up to age, believing that memory weakens over time. But recent research suggests that the problem is not our memory, but our ability to recover those memories. Without regular repetition, memories become less accessible.
One way to improve this ability is through regular planned activities or the experience of recalling certain events. Our Creator knew this, so He commanded the children of Israel to set aside one day a week for worship and rest. In addition to the physical recovery that comes from such a rest, we get an opportunity for mental training to remember that “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them” (Ex. 20:11). It helps us remember that God is at the center of the universe, not us.
In the rush of life, we sometimes forget what God has done for us and for others. We forget Who watches over our lives and promises His presence when we feel down and alone. A break in our daily routine provides an opportunity for the much-needed “practice of restoration” – a conscious decision to stop, remember our Creator and not forget about “all His good deeds” (Ps. 102:2).
What tempts you to skip rest? How can rest bring you closer to God?
Dear God, please give me the wisdom to stop and remember You.
Author: John Blaze
“And I will remember My covenant between Me and you, and between every living soul in every body.” — Genesis 9:15
On September 11, 2023, the twenty-second anniversary of the attacks on the United States, a stunning double rainbow graced the sky over New York. This city, where the former twin towers were located, suffered the greatest losses from those terrorist attacks. More than two decades have passed since those events, and this double rainbow brought a sense of hope and healing to those who were there to see it. Video captured the moment a rainbow appeared to emerge from the exact spot where the World Trade Center used to stand.
The rainbow in the sky brings assurance of God’s faithfulness since the time of Noah. After God’s judgment on sin, which led to incredible destruction, He set up a colored “beacon” as a visual reminder of the “eternal covenant between God and every living soul” (Genesis 9:16). After forty gloomy days of rain and months of flooding (Gen. 7:17-24), one can only imagine how joyful the “sign of the covenant” was for Noah and his family (Gen. 9:12-13). He reminded of God’s faithfulness that “there will be no more floods to destroy the earth” (v. 11).
When we face dark days and tragic loss—whether through natural disaster, physical or emotional pain, or illness—let us turn to God for hope. Even if we do not see His “sign” in these moments, we can be sure of His faithfulness to His promises.
How has God revealed His presence to you during difficult times in life? Who needs to hear your story today?
God, please help me to see Your hand today in the midst of my difficulties.
Author: Kirsten Holmberg
“And to all those who accepted Him, power was given to them to become children of God, those who believe in His Name.” —John 1:12
When Jay Spates of Rockville, Maryland, took a DNA test, nothing could have prepared him for the results he got. They contained a big surprise: he turned out to be the prince of the West African state of Benin! Soon, Jay boarded a plane and visited the country. When he arrived at the place, the royal family welcomed him and arranged a festive meeting with songs, flags and a parade.
The Lord Jesus came to earth to preach the Gospel. He went to His people Israel to tell them the good news and show them the way out of the darkness. Many received this message with apathy, rejecting the “true Light” (Jn. 1:9) and refusing to accept Him as the Messiah (v. 11). However, disbelief and apathy were not the general reaction among the people. Some people, on the contrary, humbly and joyfully accepted Christ’s invitation, accepted Him as God’s sacrifice for sin and believed in His Name. Therefore, a surprise was waiting for this faithful remnant. Jesus gave “them authority… to become children of God” (v. 12), to be His royal children through spiritual rebirth.
If we turn away from sin and darkness, accept Jesus and believe in His Name, we discover that we are children of God, adopted into His family, as royal children. So, let us enjoy the blessings as we fulfill the duties of the King’s children.
How does being a child of God affect you? What will you do this week to live up to your status and responsibility as His child?
Heavenly Father, it is amazing that through the death of Jesus You invite me into the spiritual Kingdom. I am truly grateful for that.
Author: Marvin Williams
“I will build My Church.” — Matthew 16:18
A fire completely destroyed the premises of a Baptist church in Texas. When rescuers and members of the community gathered after the flames died down, they were surprised to see a charred cross standing upright in the smoke and ash. The firefighter said the fire “took the building, but not the cross. It’s a reminder that the building was just a structure, and the church is a community.”
The church is not a building, but a community of believers who are united by the cross of Jesus Christ, the One who died, was buried, and rose again. When Jesus lived on earth, He told Peter that He would build His Church, and nothing would destroy it (Mt. 16:18). The Lord Jesus will gather believers from all over the world into a community that will exist forever. This community will suffer great hardships, but in the end will endure. God will live in them and sustain them (Eph. 2:22).
If we seek to establish and strengthen local churches and they do not develop, if church buildings are destroyed or if we are concerned about believers who are suffering in other parts of the world, let us remember that Jesus is alive and actively helping God’s people to endure. We are part of the Church He is building today. He is with us and for us. His cross remains.
How can you support other believers? How does spreading the Good News relate to God’s plan for the church?
God, please strengthen Your people. Fill him with wisdom, protect him and help him remain faithful to You.
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
