To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
God loves us. It’s a wonderful reality, but one we hear about so often that the idea can actually become stale in our minds. And sadly, if this truth becomes simply information, it loses the power to transform lives. On the other hand, if we make a daily practice of receiving God’s unconditional love and letting it wash over us, our faith will change dramatically. Then the impact will spread, as we’ll also be positioned to love others well (John 15:5; 1 John 4:19).
So today, let’s remember: God is love, and He is both everlasting and unchanging. His unconditional commitment to us comes from who He is; it has nothing to do with who we are or what we’ve done. No matter how many mistakes or good deeds we’ve tallied, they could never influence Him to change His mind about us. Our heavenly Father loves us just as we are, even before we receive His gift of eternal life (Romans 5:8-10). Meditate on His words today: “I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).
Psalm 63:1-11
When David was in the wilderness of Judah, he exclaimed, “God, You are my God; I shall be watching for You; My soul thirsts for You” (Ps. 63:1). The Lord seemed distant, and David longed for His presence. Then, in verse 2, he reminisced about times that he saw God’s glory in His sanctuary, when the Lord seemed more accessible. This contrast captures a common human predicament: We often don’t appreciate things going well until they’re gone. But in the wilderness, we quickly wither and recognize how urgently we yearn for the Lord. Many times, sadly, it’s not until we experience deep thirst that we’re able to taste the goodness of Jesus’ living water. (See John 7:37-38.)
The trouble is that it might take years to realize we are in a wilderness. Then, because of our desperation, every new mud puddle glistens with glorious possibilities like a mirage, and we plunge in, convinced that we’ve finally found something fulfilling. But only the water Jesus gives truly quenches thirst and promises eternal life (John 4:13-14).
That’s why we must remain sensitive to our Savior’s guidance through the barren land. He promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8). When we heed God’s call, we exclaim along with David, “My soul waits in silence for God alone; from Him comes my salvation” (Ps. 62:1).
We tend to separate our spiritual life from our physical life, but that’s not what God intended. He who carefully crafted each of us places high value on our physical being (Psalm 139:13). The human form is a masterpiece, which our Creator has entrusted to our care. And as with any other resource, He expects us to be wise stewards.
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians addresses some of the unsavory issues their city was known for. People in the church had been engaging in offensive practices, including sexual misconduct and gluttony (1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 11:21). They incorrectly regarded this behavior as separate from their spiritual lives, as if they could do whatever they pleased with their bodies and still be considered “good Christians.”
But the body and the spirit are one. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul declares, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” The apostle reminds us that God’s Holy Spirit has come to indwell every believer. If you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then His Spirit lives in you, and your body has become a walking testimony. What does your physical being say about your walk with Christ?
In Acts 20:1-38, Paul met with the Ephesian church elders one last time. They all believed their next reunion would be in eternity, so the gathering closed with heartfelt prayer, tears, embraces, and Paul’s final encouragement: “You must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).
You may have heard this promise before, but have you ever put it to the test? Offering others our time, money, resources, and energy may feel risky, but Jesus Himself assured us it is not. In fact, He connected the idea of giving with blessing. What’s more, one reason we are blessed with ample supply is so that we can bless others (2 Corinthians 9:8-11).
Giving was always part of God’s divine purpose for us—which means we already have what we need in order to begin sharing with others. By doing so, we’re actually following Jesus’ example: We receive His generosity and His life and then let it flow through us like a river.
The Bible is relevant for every situation. Although the details of our circumstances differ from what we read about in Scripture, the principles still apply. As we saw yesterday, for example, Joseph’s story teaches lessons to practice in our own life.
Something that stands out in Genesis 37-50 is how the Lord orchestrated events to achieve His purpose. Even though Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, God is the one who sent him to Egypt for the benefit of the Israelites (Ps. 105:17). The years of adversity positioned Joseph to become the leader who would rescue God’s people from famine.
Verse 19 goes on to tell us that “the word of the Lord tested him” (ESV). When Joseph was a young man, God gave him two dreams about his future exaltation (Gen. 37:5-11), yet he would experience 13 years of humiliation and hardship before seeing their fulfillment. The Lord was faithful, however, and at just the right time, Joseph was released to assume the role God had planned for him.
Our heavenly Father is arranging the events of your life too, and in the process, you also are being tested by His Word. Your difficulties in no way indicate that the Lord is absent. Instead, He oversees the events of your life and works them to fulfill His long-term purposes for you.
