Are you relentlessly following Jesus? Lost the way to Jesus? Do you doubt Jesus?
It is true that you are important to Jesus. Yes, you are.
There are no strings attached to God’s love and longing for you. You matter to Jesus; He calls you by name to come to Him and wants you to be with Him.
Read these words again: He wants you to be with Him. In Matthew 18:12, Jesus shares this parable:
“Do you think that if one of you has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountainside and go look for it?” (UTM)
This is not just a story; it is the encouraging reality of Jesus’ love and commitment to each of His own. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, never abandons His sheep. Never. He diligently seeks the lost.
We all have moments when we feel like lost sheep. Sometimes we feel like we’ve lost our way. But remember: you are not forgotten and you matter to Jesus. He cares for those who have gone astray, as well as the ninety-nine who stayed by (Matthew 18:13). So, draw close to Him today.
Therefore, wherever you are on your spiritual path, Jesus is looking for you, calling you by name not only to follow Him, but also to be with Him.
What will be your answer today?
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Is it misfortune, or oppression, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? — Romans 8:35
We serve a God who loves us more than our work.
Of course, God expects us to work, feed our families, care responsibly for this world that He created. He also wants us to take care of the weak, the hungry, the thirsty, the needy, and the generally unhappy people – while not forgetting the fate of those who have not yet responded to the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
And yet we serve God, who loves us more than our work.
It is not necessary to forget about this, because the time may come when the ability to “do something for God” will be taken away from us – due to illness, various problems or an unforeseen catastrophe. It is at such times that God wants us to remember: He loves us not for what we do for Him, but for who we are – His children! From the moment we called on the Name of Christ for salvation, nothing – “misfortune, or oppression, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword” – will never separate us “from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord!” (Rom. 8:35, 39).
If the time comes when everything we have or can be is taken away from us, then let us remember that all God expects of us now is simply to rely on our identity in Him.
Father, help us to never lose sight of Your unconditional love for us. Give us the strength to cling to this hope when we can no longer work for You and see the fruit of our service.
The meaning of our existence is communication with God.
Author: Randy Kilgore
Imagine you are working in someone’s home. One day the master of the house leaves and assigns you to look after his property, and you do not know when he will return. What would you do?
Would you take a nap? Have a party? Would you eat all the food from the pantry? Would you ignore instructions?
No. A faithful servant would obey his master’s orders and keep the house ready for his return.
Jesus’ parable in Mark 13:32-37 illustrates that the same is true of what our Master, Jesus, has entrusted to us—possessions, gifts, talents, and more. After all, it’s not ours—He left it for us temporarily. We do not know when He will return: “in the evening, or at midnight, or as the roosters crow, or in the morning (Mark 13:35)”. But God’s Word tells us what we are to do at this time. Here are a few tasks our Master has given us while we wait:
– Be alert and attentive. (Mark 13:33)
– Pray for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
– Serve each other with your spiritual gifts. (1 Peter 4:10)
– Take care of the needy. (James 2:14–17)
– Practice humility. (Philippians 2:3–4)
Let’s be on guard, because “someday” can become “today”.
So, my dear brothers, be strong, steadfast, always enrich yourself in the Lord’s work, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord! — 1 Corinthians 15:58
A financial advisor I know described the reality of investing in one sentence: “Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.” Almost every decision in life has room for uncertainty about the outcome. However, there is one way in which, no matter what happens, we will know for sure that in the end all our efforts will not be in vain.
Apostle Paul spent a whole year with the believers of the city of Corinth. This city was known for the moral corruption of the inhabitants who lived there. Leaving the believers, he soon wrote a letter in which he encouraged them not to get upset and think that their testimony about Christ is not needed by anyone. He assured the Corinthians that the day will come when the Lord will return and even death will be swallowed up in God’s victory (1 Cor. 15:52-55).
Those who remain faithful to Jesus Christ may face difficulties, sorrows, and even danger, but such faithfulness is never pointless or in vain. If we walk with the Lord and witness His presence and power, then we live not in vain. Don’t even doubt it!
Lord, now that everyone feels uncertain, we hold fast to Your promise that our work for You will achieve its goals and have great value in Your eyes.
Living for Christ and testifying about Him are not in vain.
Author: David McCasland
Matthew 13:44 contains one of the most vivid metaphors in all of Scripture. Imagine: you are walking through a field and suddenly you find an ancient treasure that everyone has forgotten about. You will find out that this piece of land can be bought. What would you do? How quickly would you sell everything you own to buy this treasure land? Quickly? Of course! You have found something of great value that surpasses anything you had before.
Jesus uses this metaphor to show the Kingdom of Heaven. When you discover the true value of something like this, you give everything you have to get it, to be a part of it, to make it yours.
And what is the Kingdom of Heaven?
The Kingdom of Heaven is the will of God on earth. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that we can be freed from sin and walk in His mercy and grace. The Kingdom of Heaven is here and now. This invitation is for you.
Have you discovered it for yourself? The joy, energy, excitement of finding a priceless treasure in the field – this is the feeling that comes when you realize that you are invited to be a part of the Kingdom of God. Stop for a moment and realize this. You are invited. Have you said yes yet? Will you say?
Because when you answer yes, the value of anything else simply cannot compare to the value of this Kingdom. Scripture does not say that the man went to sell all that he had with sadness, uncertainty, or fear. It is said that he left with joy.
He left with joy because the treasure he found was incredible. And he became a part of it. You can too.
You are made for community. When God created humans, He created us with the intention of placing us in a loving family. Today we call this family the Church.
God’s original intention was for us to exist in the family of other believers. He did not want us to exist in isolation or apart from other people. Life was not meant to be lived alone.
Regardless of your family’s experience, God wanted His family to be loving and caring. And these are the qualities of God’s family that Paul writes about in Romans 12.
Paul says to be devoted to one another in love. This means that we have to walk together with other people in different periods of life. We should never leave people when life gets tough.
Paul also encourages us to honor others. Instead of seeking self-acceptance, we should honor and encourage one another. Instead of seeking what seems best for us, we should first seek the good of other people.
Loyalty and respect are only two aspects of good love for people, but Jesus said that the world will recognize us as His disciples by how we love. This means that we must truly love others and not just pretend to love them. And the place where we must begin to show sincere respect is our spiritual family. Instead of self-promotion dividing God’s family, our goal should be to honor those around us.
If we don’t learn to love people who follow Jesus, we won’t know how to love people who don’t.
This is why we should often stop and evaluate how we are doing in loving others. So take a moment now to think about how you loved and honored people last week. Write down two or three things you can do to continue showing love to those in your life.
David, who was king of Israel around 1000 BC, is the contemplative soul who wrote our verse for the day:
“… then and there You would have taken me by the right hand and led me.”
Psalms 139:10
Note: Whenever a poem begins in the middle of a sentence, it’s a good idea to explore the larger context of the story. In this case, David explores the overwhelming fact that he can never escape the presence of God.
David realizes that it doesn’t matter if he sits or stands, travels abroad or rests at home, in heaven or in the grave, speaks his mind or keeps his thoughts to himself, or even if he somehow ends up near the farthest ocean on earth.
That’s when David continues:
“… then and there You would have taken me by the right hand and led me.”
Even there, even here, even everywhere—God is always there to guide and direct, strengthen and sustain.
Even if we try to avoid God or run away from His calling in our lives, He is patient and does not leave us, corrects us, guides us.
One thing is certain: He will never leave us.
So, when you’re washing dishes, looking at your phone, or making a difficult decision; when you’re working hard, lazing around at home, or spending time with the people you love; when you’re heartbroken, when you’re happy, when you’re in doubt, when you’re hopeful, and even when you’ve made a terrible decision…
“… then and there You would have taken me by the right hand and led me.”
Wherever you find yourself today, know that you are not alone. You are not lost. You are not without someone who cares and who can save. Thank God, there is no escaping His presence.
Because I live and you will live! —John 14:19
His father’s words deeply wounded Ravi’s heart. “You are worthless. You are a burden to our family,” he said. Compared to the other talented brothers, Ravi seemed like a complete loser. He tried to achieve success in sports – and achieved it. But he still felt inferior. “What will become of me? – he worried. – I am completely worthless? Can I leave this life in some painless way?” These thoughts haunted him, but he did not tell anyone about them. This was not acceptable in his culture. He was taught to keep his personal pain to himself and not to let anyone into his broken inner world.
So Ravi suffered alone. And then it happened that after a failed suicide attempt, he ended up in the hospital, and a visitor brought him a Bible. He revealed to him the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John. And the mother read to him the words of Christ: “For I live and you shall live!” (John 14:19).
“Maybe this is my only hope,” thought Ravi. “This is the way to a new life. The kind of life the Creator intended.” And he prayed like this: “Jesus, if You really are the One who gives such a life as it should be, then I want such a life.”
There are desperate moments in life, but we can find hope only in Jesus, who is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:9).
Dear Lord, I recognize myself as a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me and offering eternal life. Change my life so that I can bring glory and honor to You alone.
Only Jesus can give new life.
Author: Po Fang Hia
If evil comes upon us… we will cry to You from our oppression, and You will hear and save. — 2 Chronicles 20:9
French artist Henri Matisse believed that the last works of his life best expressed his essence. During that period, he experimented with a new style, creating large color paintings, often using colored paper instead of paint. He decorated the walls of his room with these vivid images, which was important for him – because he was diagnosed with cancer and was often confined to bed.
A serious illness, job loss, great misfortune – all these are examples of “walking through the valley of darkness”, in which it seems that only terrible darkness reigns everywhere. The Jewish people found themselves in such a valley when they heard that enemy armies were approaching (2 Chron. 20:2-3). Their king prayed: “If evil comes upon us… we will cry to You from our distress, and You will hear and save” (2 Chron. 20:9). And the Lord answered: “Tomorrow go out before them, and the Lord will be with you!” (2 Chron. 20:17).
When the Jewish army reached the battlefield, it turned out that the enemy armies had already destroyed each other. For three days, God’s people collected valuable things, clothes and weapons left by the enemies. And before returning home, they glorified God and called that place “the valley of Berach”, that is, “the valley of blessing.”
Let’s remember that God walks beside us in the most difficult moments of our lives.
Dear God, help me not to be afraid when I face various difficulties. Help me to believe that Your grace and love are always with me.
God is the Master of turning burdens into blessings.
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Whoever loses his life for Me will find it. — Matthew 10:39
When I married my English fiance and went to the UK, I thought it would be a five-year adventure in another country. I never thought that I would live there for almost 20 years, that sometimes I would feel like I was losing my life – because I left my family, friends, work and everything that was so familiar and familiar. But, losing the old, I found a new life. Much better life.
The paradoxical gift of finding life despite the loss of life is what Jesus promised His apostles. When He sent 12 disciples to bring the Good News to people, He asked them to love Him more than even their mother, father, sons and daughters (Mt. 10:37). These words were spoken in a culture where the family was the cornerstone of society and was valued extremely highly. But the Lord promised that if they lose their “old” life for His sake, they will receive a “new life” (Mt. 10:39).
It is not necessary to go abroad to find yourself in Christ. Through service and consecration, we can see firsthand that we receive more than we give, thanks to the great love of the Lord that pours down upon us in abundant rain. Of course, Jesus loves us regardless of how much we serve Him, but when we give ourselves for the welfare of others, we find deep satisfaction, a sense of a meaningful life, not lived in vain.
When I see the Golgotha cross, Where the King of glory dies for us, I find the greatest treasure there, I cover my pride with contempt. — Isaac Watts
Every loss contains the fullness of God’s presence.
By Amy Buescher Pye
