Daily Devotional

The cross marks the most pivotal moment in history. It was a dark and solemn day when our Lord, Jesus hung on that cross. It was a cross that was meant for a rebellious murderer. Instead, Jesus willingly took the place of Barabbas so the world could witness the full extent of God’s great love. The sacrificial action of Christ changed the world.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

“Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

One of the greatest hymn writers of the church is Isaac Watts. He is considered one of the fathers of English hymnody. Many of his hymns are still sung in congregations around the world. He possessed a unique gift of bringing the story of our faith to life in poetry and music. He was so influential that, even while still alive, he was referenced by other great writers of the time, such as Herman Melville (Moby Dick) and Charles Dickens (David Copperfield). Isaac Watts wrote over 600 hymns in his lifetime. His hymns are a gift to the life of faith.

As Jesus went from village to village, he encountered so many unique people. Some of the people he encountered simply wished to see him as he passed through their community. They followed him like a modern-day celebrity. Others sought after Jesus because they wanted to hear his intimate religious knowledge. They knew he was a great teacher. Often, when Jesus entered a community, he would encounter people who were eagerly waiting on him because they needed healing. They had heard that Jesus was capable of incredible miracles. He brought hope with him as he traveled from place to place.

The disciples of Jesus were ordinary people with different backgrounds and personalities. A handful were fishermen, brothers who worked together on a boat, making a living by casting nets to catch fish.

It is our privilege and calling to share God’s love with others. We do not have to be a great preacher, teacher, missionary, or some other spiritual leader to convey the love and grace of God to the people in our lives. Each of us has been given a gift. God has given us a way to connect with others and offer a tangible way to know and share the love and grace of God.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

I recently had a conversation with a parent of a teenager. She told me that her son was driving her crazy. I laughed because I understood her frustration. In the very following sentence, the young mother told me that she was so proud of him. We shared a few laughs about our children, but it was clear how much we both loved our kids.