Devotionals

Daily readings to encourage your heart and mind in the pursuit of God and his glory.

  • The Good News of God’s Reign

    Isaiah 52:1–12

    Restoration requires faith in the Lord, but we are not able to muster up in ourselves faith that will persevere to the end. We need an atonement that covers even our unbelief, and God must create in us new hearts, ...Read More

  • Cyrus, the Lord’s Anointed

    Isaiah 45:1–13

    It might be a clichè to say that we should “expect the unexpected.” Yet because God is fully sovereign, there is a real sense in which we should expect Him to act in ways we have not anticipated because His ...Read More

  • God’s Kingdom and Power

    Romans 10:11–13

    Answer 128 of the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that the Father is “both willing and able to give us all that is good” that He might “receive all the praise, forever.” We should not doubt the goodness of God, nor ...Read More

  • The Second Petition

    Romans 14:17

    Today, God’s special kingdom of blessing is manifested primarily in the church. It is through the ministry of Word and sacrament that we learn what it means to bow the knee to Christ as Lord. Furthermore, it is through the ...Read More

  • Turning Adversity to Good

    Luke 11:5–13

    When the catechism says that God gives His Spirit only to those who ask, it is not speaking of God’s blessing of the Holy Spirit in our regeneration, which is His work alone. Rather, the confession is speaking of subsequent ...Read More

  • Why Do God’s People Pray?

    1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

    Giving thanks in all circumstances does not mean that we become thrilled with the prospect of pain. Instead, it means thanking the Lord for how He uses our greatest joys and deepest hurts to make us more like Jesus. Regular ...Read More

  • God’s Gift of Faith

    Ephesians 2:8

    If we believe that we are capable of working up faith in our souls, we cannot boast in Christ alone. But if we understand that we have faith only because of the work of the Holy Spirit, then we can ...Read More

  • Providence and Gratitude

    1 Thessalonians 5:18

    The Heidelberg Catechism says that knowledge of God’s sovereign providence enables us to be thankful when things go well for us (Q&A 28). That is certainly true. However, we can also be thankful when things go ill, not because of ...Read More

  • Surprised by Suffering

    Genesis 50:15–21

    At the outset of our look at suffering, we must realize that Scripture does not give us all the reasons for our pain in this life. In fact, we may never understand why we suffer the way we do on ...Read More

  • Gifts from the Ascended Christ

    Ephesians 4:8-10

    Christ’s ascension to the right hand of God the Father demonstrates His sovereign authority to distribute good gifts to us as He wills. Because He has conquered death and hell, Jesus can give what is best to each of us, ...Read More

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