Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

What will give us peace and satisfaction? We might think relationships will, a good job will, a good home, family, marriage, children, work, skill, talent, gifts, etc. All these things and many more might make us feel contented and satisfied, but only temporarily. . There is no one who can satisfy, nothing that can give us peace, other than Jesus Christ. Dear beloved children of God, Jesus is giving an invitation for each one of us to identify with Him as our Lord and Savior. The invitation is not biased. It’s not for a certain sect or region or nation but for all who put their trust in Jesus, believing He died and rose from the dead for us. . In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus wasand still iscalling on us to come to Him. He calls those who are in the depths of sin, those who are weak, abandoned, rejected, dejected, maltreated, victimized, sidelined, marginalized, disrespected, destructively criticized, those who have felt hopeless in life, those who are weary, those about to give up to come unto Him. . There’s rest in Jesus, so much peace in Christ. He forgives our sin, and He comforts us in our troubles. Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rEsther Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light (Matthew 11:28-30). . Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have His Holy Spirit living in us, who helps us understand God’s Word and empowers us to follow His good ways. This not only gives us clarity, guidance, direction, etc. but also comfort, because we can rest in the work Jesus has done to translate us into the kingdom of His Father. Beloved, there’s no sin beyond God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can find eternal peace and satisfaction when we come unto Jesus. Shadrach Goni . Why do you think Jesus wants us to come to Him? If you have never come to Jesus, you can, right now. If you have questions about this, see our “Know Jesus” page. . Even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we don’t have to feel bad for calling out to Him many times, He won’t get tired. Maybe you did something wrong today; you will probably fail tomorrow too. Don’t worry, just come to Him. He is inviting you to be with Him. His mercies endure forever. How could these truths give us hope and confidence to come to Jesus? . Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rEsther Matthew 11:28 (NLT) Read Verses: Matthew 11:28-Matthew 11:30; Colossians 1:13-Colossians 1:14

Heavy footsteps sounded from behind Skyla, and she turned to see Captain Solenar approaching. He gave her a nod, his jaw set in a grim line. . All of our work Skyla’s voice cracked as she looked out over the landscape in front of her. It had taken the group of extraterrestrial experts years to develop the beautiful Crimson Iris, but even before that, the captain had spent decades researching. It was his life’s work, and it had taken the team much planning and sacrifice to safely transplant the delicate flower onto the Kyrgythinian planet. Finally, they had planted a great crop of irises. But now, no flowers could be seen under the Bushvine Thistle Plant that was sweeping across the planet. Skyla knew that Dr. Nocscale had to be the one who had wreaked havoc. As the universe’s most notorious botanical terrorist, he made it his quest to destroy every beautiful creation Captain Solenar had made. . Skyla reached down to tear a thistle plant out of the lush ground and winced as thorns tore her skin. It will take years to weed all this out She grimaced. And even if we try, we have no guarantee that we will eradicate all the invasive thistle seeds from the planet. Captain Solenar gently motioned toward the thistle that was still in her hand. She held it up, and was surprised to see a young Crimson Iris that had been uprooted with the thistle. We can’t weed out these noxious plants, he said, or it will destroy all of our work forever. . Then there is no hope. Skyla felt tears of frustration well in her lavender-colored eyes. . Look, the captain’s deep voice directed. He pointed to the roots of the iris, and Skyla noticed the flower’s roots were long and strong, while the weed’s roots remained shallow. If the flowers reach toward the water beneath the ground, they will survive. Then, when harvest season comes, we will gather all the plants together. We will harvest the seeds of the Iris, and burn the thistle. . That’s a lot of work, Skyla reminded him. . If we can save just one iris Captain Solenar cradled the uprooted flower in his hand. Then it will be worth the effort. Lily Walsh . Today’s story is based on a parable Jesus told in Matthew 13. Why do you think it’s significant that the good crop and the weeds had to grow together? . The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. Matthew 13:24b (NLT) Read Verses: Matthew 13:24-Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:36-Matthew 13:43

Practically every year, when spring weather rolls around I feel a burst of energy. Living in an area that gets long, cold winters for more than half the year, I always feel a sense of happiness when spring comes. And almost every spring, I love to enjoy the beautiful fresh air and new life by going jogging outside. After a couple times of running, however, I tend to have the same problem every year sore ankles. I vividly remember having to apply ice packs to my legs for several days to help the swelling after last year’s jogging spree. Once I experience my annual sore ankles, I usually don’t want to go jogging againthat is, until spring rolls around once moreforming a cycle that has yet to be broken. . The writer of Hebrews was familiar with this problem, not just physically, but spiritually. Every Christian is running a race in this life to fulfill our God-given purpose to love God and others. But after a while, we tend to develop aches and painsweaknesses in our spiritual lives that have surfaced. These aches are different for every person; while I may struggle with discernment, maybe you struggle with patience, kindness, or something else. When we fall short in our areas of weakness, it’s so tempting to give up and stop running all together, just like I did with jogging. But don’t give up! All Christians have the encouragement of knowing godly discipline can only make us stronger through the power of the Holy Spirit. . My mom has shown me some leg-strengthening exercises I can do to discipline my body and make it stronger. Spiritual discipline is very similar. First, acknowledge your weaknesses so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead (Hebrews 12:13). Don’t try to tough it out by continuing to go onstop and get some help. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to help us, as well as our family of other believers in Jesus. In God’s community, our weak muscles are strengthened through prayer, God’s Word, and the help of godly mentors. And when you feel like giving up, look to Jesus. He will give you the strength you need to keep running. Lily Walsh . What weakness are you struggling with right now? Who are trusted Christians in your lifesuch as counselors, pastors, parents, or teacherswho can help you in your struggle? . Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-2 (CSB) Read Verses: 1 Corinthians 9:24-1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Corinthians 12:1-2 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 12:1-Hebrews 12:13

When I became a mental health counselor, I had no idea what to expect. What unfolded was difficult to accept but forever changed the way I viewed others. I learned firsthand that some people who might appear happy in their everyday life are actually experiencing mistreatment from those they trust most. . From the outside, we might never dream that others in our lives are undergoing such strife. I say this only to acknowledge that enduring a harmful situation anywhereat home, on a sports team, or even at churchis sometimes a reality. If this reality has crept into your world, or a friend’s, please seek help! Reach out to a favorite teacher, school counselor, or another trusted adult. There IS a way out, and you don’t need to go it alone. Yes, it’s hard to bring dark things into the lightand more than one try is sometimes requiredbut remember: God knows the tRuth Even the darkness will not be dark to you [God] for darkness is as light to you (Psalm 139:12). . Life can be unfair, unjust, and painful. However, hope and healing and restoration are also real. So, for whoever may be suffering, do not bear this heaviness alone. Jesus always calls us to carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). . Moreover, Jesus knows unjust suffering toothrust on Him by others’ wrongdoing (Isaiah 53). He truly understands our pain. And though our situation may remain unexplained, God, the Eternal One, knows the way that [we] take, and He extends His everlasting arms to us (Job 23:10; Deuteronomy 33:27), creating hope where once there was none, promising us His presence, and promising that the world will one day be made right through His death and resurrection (Revelation 21:1-5). G. Kam Congleton . Read Psalm 72:14, Proverbs 11:9, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-6. God is not okay with injustice and mistreatment. If you are experiencing mistreatmentwhether it be verbal, physical, sexual, or neglectful in natureplease reach out for help. In addition to telling a trusted adult, and if you don’t already have a therapist, one option is to use the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, call 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. . Even the darkness will not be dark to you for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:12 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 18:28; Psalm 34:18; Micah 7:7-Micah 7:8; Psalm 139:12

Sometimes, It feels like I’m swimming In a river Of my own thoughts. . Sometimes, It seems like I’m overwhelmed In a sea That crushes me. . Sometimes, It feels like I’m not swimming I’m sinking To the bottom. . Sometimes, I remember That I have hope That saves; Hope in Jesus. . And every time, Hope dives Into the ocean And draws me Out of my distress. Rereloluwa Bajomo . What kinds of things make you feel overwhelmed? Have you ever felt like the author of this poem? . Read Psalm 116:1-7. How does God respond to our distress? . Jesus not only saves us from sin and death, He is also near to us whenever we are in trouble or afraid. Even when we feel overwhelmed, we can rest in the sure hope that He loves us and will never leave us. How could these truths comfort us when we feel distressed? . I was overcome by distress and sorrow . when I was brought low, he saved me. Psalm 116:3,6 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 37:24; Psalm 91:14-Psalm 91:16; Psalm 94:19; Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 116:3

When the snow begins to melt away and the cold disappears from the air, we know that a new season is here. Springtime comes with bright green buds on the trees, blossoming flowers, and so many more signs of life. . The birds seem to chirp the loudest in the springtime, and the air smells crisp and fresh. Everything that seemed dead in the winter comes to life again in beautiful and vibrant colors. Everything is new! Springtime can bring us joy for so many reasons, and it can also be a reminder of how much God can change us. . Before we know Jesus, we are stuck in our old sinful way of life. We’re like the winter grass and trees, dry and dead. Without God’s grace, it’s like we’re out in the bitter winter wind that bites and stings. But when we come to Him, we are brought into the warmth of spring and made new. . When we put our trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, God transforms our lives. Through Jesus’s death on the cross and miraculous resurrection from the grave, God makes us fresh and new. We have life like the springtime blossoms because of God’s great love for us. . When we look around at the amazing transformation of springtime, we can thank God for how He has also changed us. Bethany Acker . Read Ephesians 2:1-10. How does this passage describe us before we know Jesus? How does it describe us once we do know Jesus? (If you have questions about knowing Jesus, see our “Know Jesus” page.) . Even as Christians, we all do things we regret, but God is full of grace and mercy, and He wants to make our lives as beautiful as spring. Jesus’s death and resurrection have secured our righteousness before Him and our forgiveness, so Christians are blameless in God’s sight! And through the Holy Spirit, God is transforming us to become more and more like Jesus, empowering us to continue to turn away from sin, come to Him, and live in His holy and righteous ways. Can you think of any ways God has brought renewal in your life? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this! . But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 2:4-5a (NLT) Read Verses: Ephesians 2:1-Ephesians 2:10

How terrible does it feel when you try to reach out but no one is available or willing to listen to you? When you call up one friend and then another but none of them answer? How lonely do you feel when you try to speak up when you’re with your family or friends, but no one listens to you? . How good does it feel when you make a connection? When you call someone and they pick up right away, or when you bump into someone and they ask about your day? How special do you feel when conversations pause because others want to hear what’s on your mind? . It feels good to reach out and be heard. Any time you reach out to God, He is going to pay attention to you. You don’t have to worry about God being too busy for you. God is never caught up in all He has to doHe is infinite! He can always give you His undivided attention. . God loves you so much, and He created you to be in relationship with Him. Even though our sin separated us from God, He made the way for us to be restored in our relationship with Him. Through Jesus’s sanctifying work on the cross, God has provided forgiveness for our sins. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you have full access to God. When you reach out to God, you can know that you will receive, not just a listening ear, but also empathy, because Jesus knows firsthand what it’s like to be human (Hebrews 4:14-16). He has felt the pain of being misunderstood, disregarded, and alone. He was willing to go through all that and morebecause He loves you. . There might be times when you feel like no one is there for you or ready to listen, but God sees you in those times, and He always wants you to reach out to Him. Emily Acker . Can you think of a time when you felt truly heard by another person? What was that like? (Community was God’s idea! If you’re feeling alone, you can ask God to help you identify trusted Christians in your life who will listen to you, and who you can listen to in turn.) . How might knowing that God hears usthat He really understands us and cares about us, even before we say anythingmake it easier for us to reach out to Him? (Psalm 139:4; Romans 8:26-27) . In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. Psalm 18:6 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 34:15-Psalm 34:18; Psalm 139:4; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 18:6

Sometimes I forget to pray. And sometimes I forget to pray for a while. Life gets busy, or I don’t find myself with quiet alone time and talking to God gets pushed aside. But praying is so important, especially during the busy times. It’s good to talk to God about what’s on my mind and be reminded of the relationship I have with Him. . It can be hard to remember to pray, but Jesus gave us an example of how to make special time for prayer. He often went off by Himself, found a quiet spot, and spoke with the Father. Jesus did this many times during His ministry. Even when it didn’t seem like He had time to pray, that’s especially when He withdrew to be alone with the Father (Luke 5:15-16). . One night, Jesus knew that He was going to be betrayed by one of His disciples very soon, and He took time to pray to the Father for the people He was about to die for. He asked the Father that they would be protected, sanctified, and unified in love (John 17:11-23). This is a beautiful demonstration of the sacrificial love that Jesus has for usHe prayed for us before His death. Jesus’s prayer reminds us of who He chose to die for and why He chose to go through with the brutal, humiliating, lonely death on the cross. It’s for us. Jesus knew that His death would provide the only way for us to be with Him forever (verse 24). And after Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended to the right hand of God, where He continues to pray for us (Romans 8:34). . As we wait for Jesus’s return, we still get to talk with Him through prayer. And, like Jesus prayed before He went to the cross, we can pray before we go through hard things. As we take time for conversation with our Savior, He helps recenter us. He reminds us that He loves us, that He is with us through every challenge we face, and that He will help us face those challenges in love. Naomi Zylstra . We can talk to God anywhere and anytimeHe loves to hear our prayers, including the short, quick ones. Even so, why do you think God invites us to take time alone with Him to pray? . When in your day do you like to pray? How could you make a habit of praying at this time every day (or at least most days)? . They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. Mark 14:32 (NIV) Read Verses: Luke 5:15-Luke 5:16; John 17; Mark 14:32

I read an interesting Bible verse the other day: The end of a matter is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8, NIV). Another Bible translation phrases it this way: Finishing is better than starting (NLT). I’m no ancient-language scholar, so I can’t go into the meaning of the original words and sentence structures, but this phrase captured my imagination . As I was sitting eating a snack and thinking about this Bible verse, I wondered, “Why is the end better than the beginning? Or, why is finishing better than starting?” . When I’m working on a task, usually the goal is to complete it. The examples that came to my mind were a school assignment or a woodworking project. It makes sense that finishing these tasks would be better, and more satisfying, than starting them. . But something else with both an ending and a beginning could be a journey, even a hike. The end is better, not just because you’ve arrived at your destination, but also because of all the experiences you’ve had along the way. Similarly, the end of a good book is better than the beginning, because the story is now more dear to you, the reader, than it was on the first page when all the characters were still just strangers who were starting to introduce themselves. . As I mused about all these endings and beginnings, I started thinking about the Bible in this way. And I found it so hopeful, because if the end is better than the beginning, then the new heavens and the new earth described in Revelation will be even better than the Garden of Eden described in Genesis! . When Jesus returns bodily to earth and restores His creation, everything will be better than it ever was before, because God is bringing His plan of redemption to completion. Even though we were once far away from God, strangers because of our sin, He brought us near through the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 2:13, 19). God has been glorified through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and since we belong to Jesus, God is also glorified through all of us! What a mystery and honorto have the privilege of glorifying God with the rest of His creation, with the mountains and the animals and the stars! In the end, together we will cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8, NIV). Hannah Howe . As Christians, we get to look forward to the end of the world, at least as we know it. What do you imagine living forever with Jesus in restored creation will be like? . The end of a matter is better than its beginning. Ecclesiastes 7:8a (NIV) Read Verses: Revelation 21:1-Revelation 21:5; Genesis 1; Genesis 2:4-Genesis 2:17; Ecclesiastes 7:8-Ecclesiastes 7:14

Crawling into bed, I snuggled under the blankets as clouds filled my mind. “Another day I’ve messed up,” I thought, tears filling my eyes. “When will I ever get it right?” Despair filled my mind, making sleep impossible. I wanted to pray, but I was too scared to do it. Why would God want to listen to me after I had failed Him for the umpteenth time? I could just picture Him shaking His head with a groan as I stumbled forward to ask for forgiveness again. . I pulled my knees into my chest, and pulled the covers around tighter. Then, a voice spoke right to my heart Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It was a ray of sunshine from heaven. I had heard the verse (Romans 8:1) before, but never needed to hear those words as much as I did then. . God doesn’t expect perfection from His childrenand He does not condemn us. He knows that all humans sin, failing to love Him and one another (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23-24). Our sin grieves Him because He loves us and sin hurts us, but He also understands the struggle we go through. More than that, He gives us victory in our strugglebecause His own Son, Jesus, lived through the same struggles we now experience, and He defeated every temptation. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have His Spirit in us, giving us that same power to resist sin. . And even when we fail, not only does God understand, but He has already forgiven us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, emphasis added). As we come to Him, repenting from our sins and seeking His help, He gladly gives it to us out of love. We don’t have to be afraid of punishment because Jesus took our punishment upon Himself when He went to the cross and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). So, through each struggle, temptation, sin, and failure, He is still there, ready to help you through and ready to give you victory. Lily Walsh . Do you ever feel like you’ve failed too many times to receive God’s grace? How does today’s Bible passage speak into this? . How can knowing that God gives us victory through Christ give us hope, especially when we fail? (If you want to dig deeper, read John 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:14-16; and 1 John 4:18.) . Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NIV) Read Verses: Romans 8:1-Romans 8:14

Markus stumbled through the dense overgrowth, his breathing growing heavy. The weight of the illness inside him grew heavier with each step, but he knew he had to keep trekking his life depended on it. . Every person alive had been born with the same illness Markus had. Some didn’t mind the dense feeling it left inside their bodies, but Markus had been looking for a cure for as long as he could remember, something to ease the pain. There had been the journey to the Creek of Wealth, and the hike to the Lagoon of Lust, but none had worked. Their waters had numbed the pain momentarily, but quickly made it worse than it had been before. Markus knew that each cure he’d tried came from the Torrent of Sin. The varying distributaries sported different names and appearances, but each had the same outcomeslow and sure death. . When Markus first heard of the River of Life, he could hardly believe it. He packed all his belongings and set out to find it. His friends laughed, likening his quest to the age-old search for the fountain of youth. But Markus knew it was something more. . Pulling the map from his rucksack, Markus smiled. He was almost there. Pushing himself to keep walking up the path, he gasped as he took in the view at the top. A beautiful river spurted from a hill where a man stood. As Markus approached, the man opened His arms and said, Come to me, and drink. Markus sank down, drinking as much of the water as he could, then rolled onto his back. The weight of illness inside him evaporated, and he knew that this man had healed him. He would never be thirsty again. Lily Walsh . In this allegorical story, who was standing by the River of Life? (Hint: read today’s Bible passages again.) . How can we drink the water He gives? (Find out more on our “Know Jesus” page.) . Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:13-14 (NIV) Read Verses: John 4:13-John 4:14; John 7:37-John 7:39; Revelation 22:1-Revelation 22:5

For a long time, people thought that Earth was the center of our solar systemuntil the late 1500s and early 1600s, when scientific advancements like the telescope proved that the sun is actually the center of our solar system. . It must have been strange to be living in that time, to grapple with the new knowledge proving that our Earth isn’t the center of everything. Could you imagine being alive then? You used to think the Earth was the most important part of the universe’s happenings, but now you realize we’re just one tiny planet orbiting the sun. You might feel like an insignificant speck, like you’re powerless and don’t matter in the vastness of the universe. . But realizing that the universe doesn’t revolve around us is actually a good thing. Just like how the sun is the center of our solar system (not Earth), we are not the center of our own lives: Jesus the Son is. The universe isn’t all about us; it’s all about God’s love and goodness, where we as humans find our center and purpose: The heavens proclaim the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). . Looking at the sky and the grandness of the universe is humbling: it reminds us of how small and weak we are as humans, and it points to God’s awesome power as Creator and King of the universe. Things may seem chaotic to us, but we can have peace in remembering God is in control. God knows every star, and He knows us. He made each of us in His image, and He cares about us so much that He came to rescue us from death (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:8). Now, He welcomes us into life and purpose in following Him. We may be small and weak on our own, but when we offer our lives to God in following Him, He turns our weakness into strength and multiplies our impact toward His good plan (2 Corinthians 12:10). Abby Ciona . Read John 8:12 and 14:27. What is one way Jesus brings us peace and comfort in a confusing world? . Where in your life are you tempted to put your own desires first instead of following Jesus? (Matthew 22:37-40) . What are some ways you could center your day around Jesus? . When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingersthe moon and the stars you set in placewhat are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT) Read Verses: Psalm 8

God is infinitely wise. Romans 11:33 says, Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! The riches of God’s wisdom are so deep. He sees the end from the beginning, and His purposes will never be shaken (Isaiah 46:10). . I got a glimpse of God’s wisdom recently when I reflected on how He has guided my career path. In high school, my dream was to become a lawyer. So for my university studies, I applied for law as my first choice and then education as my second choice. To my disappointment, I was accepted for education and not law. My dreams were shattered. . But years later, when I was living in a foreign land, I realized my profession fit with my life even in a different part of the world. Since I was a foreigner, it was not possible for me to work as a lawyer, but I could work as a teacherand I did. Proverbs 20:24 says, A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. I came to see God’s wisdom in directing my steps toward a career as a teacher. . Now, I ask God to lead me in making all kinds of decisions. In Matthew 7:24, Jesus said everyone who hears His words and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. As we build our lives, Jesus is the only solid foundation. His love for us is sure, and we can trust Him to guide us. Even when we make plans and those plans fail, He sits beside us in our disappointment and shares in our sadness. Through everything we face, He invites us to follow Him and rely on His faithfulness as He continues to direct our path. Enid Adah Nyinomujuni . Have you ever seen God use disappointing circumstances for good in your life? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. . How does knowing Jesus make it possible for us to have hope even when it seems like our dreams have been shattered? . To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:27 (NIV) Read Verses: Proverbs 20:24; Matthew 7:24-Matthew 7:29; Romans 16:27; Romans 8:26-Romans 8:39

A few years ago, I visited Windsor Castle in England. It’s an old castle that looks like a palace inside, with grand staircases, enormous chandeliers, and antique furniture. The weekend I was there, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were at the castle, and I got close to where he was. . The elevator for public tours exits onto a hallway that leads directly to the family quarters of the castle. As I got off the elevator, a woman from the castle staff walked by with a shopping bag. She told the guy who was helping me that Prince Philip had just asked her if she was getting groceries when he saw her bag. Apparently, he was in the room that I could just see at the end of the hallway. . This experience gave me a fresh perspective on the Bible verses about our access to God. When I was at Windsor Castle, I was very close to where Prince Philip was, but I didn’t get to see him. I wouldn’t have been allowed to if I’d tried. Other people are allowed beyond that doorwayfamily, staff, and friends are given special access. But I wasn’t any of those things to him, so I wasn’t allowed. . When it comes to the King of the universe, though, He gives me special access. Why? Because when He saved me, Jesus Christ gave me a new identity. Now I’m God’s child (John 1:12), His servant (Ephesians 3:7), and His friend (James 2:23). That means I can talk to Him at any time and for any reason. . Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have special access to the King of Kings We can speak with Him anytime, knowing that He’s paying attention to us and wants to help us (Hebrews 4:16). How amazing is that! Christina Joy Hommes . Is there a famous person you’d like to meet? Can you imagine what that would be like? . If you could meet Jesus in person today, what would you want to tell Him? The wonderful truth is that we can interact with Himright now! Consider taking a moment to tell Him whatever is on your mind; He’s listening. . But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13 (NLT) Read Verses: Ephesians 2:13; Ephesians 2:18; John 1:12

God is everywhere. When you’re sitting by a creek bubbling in between rocks along the way. When you wake up on an ordinary day. When the sun is shining through your window at work or play. When you are up on the mountain or in the valley below. . Words of wisdom to remember God knows and goes where you go. God is in the sunshine and even in the rain. God is with you all the way. . When nothing is working out as you planned. When you feel all alone. Remember that isn’t so. In the hard times when you feel low, Remember God stays with you and will never go. . In all the sights and sounds, God shines through. He makes a rainbow after the rain. He is with you. Ruth Stephan . Read Psalm 139:7-12 and Jeremiah 23:23-24. What do you think it means that God is everywhere? (Some theologians use the word “omnipresent” to describe this attribute of God.) . If you know Jesus, God is with you personally (see our “Know Jesus” page for more about this). How can looking at the beautiful things God has created in nature remind us of His presence with us? . Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth? says the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24 (NLT) Read Verses: Psalm 139:7-Psalm 139:12; Jeremiah23:23-Jeremiah23:24

Not worrying is easier said than done. . I know that I can leave it all to God and that He is ultimately in control of everything going on in my life, but I still want to control it. I still want to feel that I have some power over any situation that I am in. But then, I just get stressed. I worry. I fear over all that is going on and all that could happen. This is a daily struggle. A moment-by-moment struggle. I need to constantly remind myself to give everything to God. . In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus tells us to come to Him when we are weary, and He will give us rEsther Similarly, Philippians 4:6-7 says, even when we are anxious, we can pray to Him about everything and rest in His peace, no matter how we are feeling. Because Jesus is Lord of all, and His Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, we can be still, even when the things around us are troubling. . Worrying does us no good. I know this, yet I find myself getting anxious all the time. And every time I find myself getting anxious, I try to remind myself that I can go to God to find rEsther . No matter how long we are anxious, the good news is that God never gives up on us. Jesus knows firsthand what it’s like to be a human living in this stressful, broken world. He empathizes with our struggles, and He doesn’t scold us for worrying. Instead, He invites us to bring all our worries to Him, being totally honest about our thoughts and feelings. In His unshakable love, He has promised to be our rest and to be with us no matter what, and through His Word, His Holy Spirit, and His people (the church) He reminds us that He is with usand that He gives us rest through His death and resurrection. Moment by moment, He is walking with us through everything we face, and one day He will put an end to all worry for good. Bethany Acker . Sometimes, we experience worry that is too much for us to handle on our own, even by praying and reading the Bible. But God wants to help us with worry in lots of ways, including through other people such as medical and mental health professionals who can help us figure out if what we are experiencing is worry, clinical anxiety, or something else. It’s important to remember that we all need help from others, and it’s okay to be honest about our struggles. If you find yourself feeling afraid, stressed, or worried a lot of the time, or if your thoughts keep going to what if scenarios and you can’t seem to stop, who is a trusted adult you could talk to, such as a parent, pastor, teacher, or counselor? If you need someone to talk to, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. . When you feel worried or anxious, do you feel like you can talk to Jesus about what you’re experiencing? Why or why not? . Read Mark 14:32-34 and Hebrews 4:14-16. How might knowing that Jesus empathizes with all our struggles make it easier for us to be honest with Him? . Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (CSB) Read Verses: Matthew 11:28-Matthew 11:30; Isaiah 41:10

Saying goodbye is my least favorite thing. And my honorary niece agrees with me. . Last year, my husband and I bought a house with our dear friends from collegethe parents of our aforementioned niece. We wanted to live in community and save money, and it has been such a joy for our two families to live together. . While we were in the process of buying the house, we were still living in separate apartments, and I was babysitting my niece while her mom worked. On one particular day, when it was time to go home my niece burst into more tears than usual. We had been having so much fun together, and she didn’t want it to end. . She was too little to understand, but I was desperate to find a way to comfort her. Little one, I have good news for you! I said. Pretty soon, we’ll be living in the same house. . It really reminded me of Jesus’s promises to us. As Christians, we rest in two great promises: (1) that Jesus Christ is always with us, constantly present in our lives, and (2) that He will return someday to make all things new. Jesus is present with us even on the worst of days through His Spirit, His Word, and His people. And when Jesus returns bodily to restore the world, we will dwell forever with Him and our siblings in Christ on the new heavens and new earth. Then, we will be free from the sadness and brokenness sin introduced into our world. Free from the heartbreak of goodbyes. . In Christ, no matter what we face, we can trust that our future is secure. Even death can’t separate us from God’s love because our Savior beat sin and death when He died on the cross and rose from the grave. Now that’s good news! Aurora Scriver . What kinds of changes or disappointments have you experienced lately? How can the promises from today’s reading give you hope for both the future and the present? (If you want to dig deeper, read John 14:16-23 and Romans 8:38-39.) . If you want to learn more about what it means to know Jesus, check out our “Know Jesus” page. . I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. Revelation 21:3 (NLT) Read Verses: Matthew 28:20; Revelation 21:1-Revelation 21:5

If I were to tell you a secret, I think you would see that you shared in my secret. What if I were to tell you that I secretly struggle with having faith in God’s plans when things go awry? It’s true. As I go through this fun adventure we call life, I have my good moments when I raise my hand and proclaim, God is so good! But I also have my moments when the worry of life becomes too much, and I wonder if God can see me in this low valley that I’m in and if He has time for me. . It’s easy to hold on to God’s promises when life is going the way that makes sense to us, when things seem safe and predictable. But what about when things seem to go off track? If you’re anything like me, you might be sitting there imagining yourself having the perfect response and the deepest faith and trust in God, even when the world is falling apart. But let’s be honest for a minute. If the thing we feared most were to happen right now, what would our response really be? We would probably shake silently as we begged for it not to be true. We would probably pray and ask God to let this be a bad dream and let us wake up soon. . When things are crashing down around us, the worry hits us without our consent and sends a round of crazy thoughts through our head. What happened to God, though? It didn’t take Him by surprise. It didn’t catch Him off guard. Instead, He’s sitting there with His hand outstretched saying, Come to me, my child. Come home. I see your pain, and I am grieving your hurts with you. Let me give you the strength and faith you need to hold on and to keep your eyes on me. And even when you feel yourself slipping, I won’t let you go. . As you close your eyes and hear His gentle voice reminding you that you aren’t alone in this mess, you can rest in His promise: For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, Do not fear, I will help you’ (Isaiah 41:13). Mary Garner . Consider taking a moment to imagine if the thing you feared most were to happen, but imagine God being there with you. How might God help you in that situation? . Read Matthew 14:22-33. When Peter didn’t keep his eyes on Jesus, what did Jesus do? How could this story give us hope when we feel overwhelmed by what’s going on around us? . For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, Do not fear, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 (CSB) Read Verses: Psalm 94:18-Psalm 94:19; Isaiah 41:10-Isaiah 41:13; Matthew 14:22-Matthew 14:33

Have you ever messed up and then felt like you needed to somehow hide from God? Adam and Eve felt that way in the Garden of Eden. They did something wrong, and they thought they could make things better by hiding from God. . Not only does God see you even when you are trying to hide, but He loves you even after you’ve committed a sin and done something you know you shouldn’t have done. He already knows it all. There is no need for you to hide from Him. . We all mess up. When we do wrong, we might feel that we are unworthy and that God shouldn’t love us after what we’ve done. God always loves us though, no matter what we do or how badly we fail. God’s love for us isn’t based on what we have done, but on what He has done. . In Jesus, God came to earth as a human and lived among us. He never sinned, but He took the weight of all our sin upon Himself when He went to the cross. He paid the price for our sin with His life, and then He rose from the dead, triumphant over sin and death! Through Jesus, God has given us the gift of salvation: He forgives all our sins, saves us from death, and restores us to relationship with Him. . You don’t have to hide away when you’ve done something wrong. Instead, you can confess and repent of your sin: turn away from your sin and turn to God for forgiveness. Because of what Jesus has done, you can be totally cleansed from sin. And, because the Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, you can move on and follow God’s good ways, free from shame and guilt. . You are loved with an unconditional love. You are cared for by the One who created you and really knows you. God’s love will always be a part of your life. Emily Acker . Why do you think, as humans, we try to hide when we do something that we know is wrong? . Sometimes it’s hard to believe that God loves us even when we mess up. In moments like these, who are trusted Christians who can pray with you and remind you of God’s forgiveness through Jesus? How can you be this kind of friend to others? (If you want to know more about Jesus’s forgiveness, take a look at our “Know Jesus” page.) . For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:23-24 (NLT) Read Verses: Psalm 69:5; Romans 5:6-Romans 5:8; Romans 3:23-Romans 3:24; Genesis 3:1-Genesis 3:10

Have you ever reached boiling point? You’ve been trying so hard to do the right thing, and in a weak moment, you sin. Your temper bubbles over, scalding hot. Your good intentions vanish, and you lose it, only later to be overwhelmed with guilt and failure. All is not lost. . I’ve had those days when I’ve blurted out angry words. I’ve allowed harmful thoughts to fester rather than asking God to deal with them. Unforgiveness has strangled my heart when I’ve allowed others’ hurtful behavior or comments to control me. Other times, my head has been so preoccupied with worry that I’ve briefly abandoned God in my self-absorption. If, like me, you have a tendency to overthink things, these are some of the strategies I use to help me: . 1. Remember no one is perfect. In Romans 3:23-24, Paul reminds us that we all fall short of God’s glory, but He doesn’t give up on us. This is a hopeful message. I have to remember I am an imperfect and flawed human in a dysfunctional and broken world, just like everyone else. As a result, I will inevitably mess up and even repeat the same failures several times. . 2. Don’t dwell on past failures. While it’s wise to learn from what I’ve done wrong, dwelling on all my past failings isn’t what God wants for me. Instead, He gives me complete forgiveness through Jesus, and He promises to walk with me on my journey. Because Jesus died and rose again for me, I can believe in Him and receive His forgiveness. . 3. Most of all, I need to focus on Jesus. And not only after I’ve sinned, but also when I am tempted (Hebrews 12:1-3). The good news is that Jesuswho lived among us as a human but is also fully Godknows firsthand what it’s like to be tempted, and He understands my weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus never sinned, but He took my sin and promised me that belief in Him is lifechanging. His Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, transforming us to be more and more like Jesus. Even though I will sin at times, He is always there for me when I stumble. . 4. Remember God’s love never changes. Although the stresses of life may weaken our resolve at times, God’s love never changes. He understands us deeply and will never stop loving or forgiving us. Isn’t that amazing news? Cindy Lee . Do you ever get frustrated with your own imperfections or the ways you have messed up? Jesus invites us to come to Him and rest in His sure forgiveness. How could you practice this today? . If you’ve wronged someone, what could you do to make it right, such as apologizing? . Oh, what joy for [the] forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Psalm 32:1 (NLT) Read Verses: Romans 3:23-Romans 3:24; 1 John 1:8-1 John 1:10; Psalm 32:1-Psalm 32:5

It can be hard to sit back and be still. Some people will call us lazy if we do this. Some will say we need to get going and take action. There are times when we need to be still, though. There are times when we need to wait for God’s leading and direction. There are times when we need to hold back while God takes care of our battles for us. . In this broken world, we are pushed to rush through life. Many of us feel like there is always something we need to be doing, and like we have to stay busy. But we can miss out on hearing God’s voice when we don’t slow down and take time to be still. God wants to communicate with us, and it’s easiest for us to listen to Him when we are quiet and still. . Even though we might have a lot going on in our lives, it’s important that we take some time to slow down, no matter what’s happening. Jesus invites us to come to Him, to rest in His love and be refreshed in His presence (Psalm 23:1-3; Matthew 11:28-30). Even though we want to make sure we’re doing what we’re expected to do, and we don’t want to become irresponsible or lazy, it could be that the things we think we need to do aren’t actually God’s priorities for us. Remember that Jesus came so we could have relationship with God. We need to take some time to just breathe, and listen for God to speak. He communicates with us through His Spirit (who lives inside Christians), His Word (the Bible), and His people (the church), allowing us to hear the wonderful true story of Jesus’s rescue of humanity through His death and resurrection. Emily Acker . When do you feel rushed? God has compassion on you, and He is never in a hurry. There’s enough time to take a deep breath, and rest in His love. What are some practical ways you could take time to be still with God, especially when life feels busy? (Luke 5:15-16) . God invites us to interact with Him through His Spirit, His Word (the Bible), and His people. While spending time with other Christians is important, why is it also important for us to spend time with God individually? . Read Luke 10:38-42. What was Mary doing? What might it look like for us to follow her example? . Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7 (NIV) Read Verses: Exod:14:13-Exod:14:14; Psalm 62:5-Psalm 62:8; Psalm 37:7

In Luke 15, Jesus told a story of a prodigal son who asked for his own portion of the inheritance from his father instead of waiting for him to die, and the father granted it to him. Years later the son came back with nothing. Surprisingly, his father welcomed him back into the household with open arms! . This parable shows us the extent of God’s unfailing love toward us, that at any point in time He is ready to receive us no matter what we have done. His love has no limits; His mercies endure forever (Psalm 136:1). Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for us, we can always come home to God and be forgiven. No matter what we have done, God wants us to run to Him for help. . A close look at the parable shows us that the young man felt so ashamed, and he thought he was unworthy to even be called the son of his father anymore. He acknowledged that he had sinned. He realized that by rejecting his father, he had missed it. But the idea dawned on him to return back home and ask to be treated as a servant. When the father saw his son coming, he ran to him and welcomed him back wholeheartedly despite all he had done. . Beloved child of God, what have you done that you think is beyond God’s forgiveness? Instead of trying to analyze the situation, just go back to God. No matter the gravity or intensity of sin you have committed, God is ready to receive you back into the fold of His family. He has been waiting for you for so long. Just go ahead and come to Jesus, and you will receive forgiveness. Remember how the prodigal son was restored back to the family as if nothing had happened. That’s how God works. If you return to Him, He will restore you better than before. The prodigal son was treated as a legitimate part of the family, and even given a welcome-home party, all because his father was overjoyed to have him back! . If you are hesitating to go back to God, remember, He already knows that you have done wrong, and He doesn’t want you to stay in guilt and silence when there’s help available to you. Run to Jesus. He will enfold you in His arms, and your sins will be forgiven. Shadrach Goni . Why do you think we often hesitate to come back to God when we sin? . How has Jesus made it possible for us to return home to God? (Find out more on our “Know Jesus” page.) . So he returned home to his father his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 (NLT) Read Verses: Luke 15:11-Luke 15:32

Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit, and it’s vital for every Christian, in every walk of life (Galatians 5:22). When we are faithful, we are rooted in motivations and desires that are in line with the Bible, and our feet are steady upon the solidness of God. But faithfulness is something I struggle with a lot. I find it hard to do what I need to do, because the desires of my sinful nature are at war with the desires of serving God (Romans 7:15-25). Feelings of discouragement and tiredness make it even harder for me to keep walking the straight and narrow path. My struggles and weaknesses pull me into a spiral of hopelessness and leave me feeling like I’ll never actually progress in my faith. Having fallen many times in my life, I sometimes question if God has given up on me. . While pondering these thoughts, I was reading Psalm 91 when something stood out to me. The psalmist writes, His faithfulness is your shield and rampart (verse 4). HIS faithfulness. Not mine. While I’m slipping and sliding on life’s path, God is steady. He’s firm. He’s faithful. Throughout our lives, we will always have sinful struggles and temptations, but God doesn’t leave us. He shields us, holds our hand, and promises to walk with us. Jesus is Immanuel, which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, everyone who puts their trust in Him is forgiven for all their sins. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, transforming their desires and empowering them to follow Jesus. . Through our weakness, God doesn’t expect perfection or performance out of fear (1 John 4:18). But He does expect us to find strength in His faithfulness, letting Him take the reins and fight our battles with us. He gives us the strength to endure, and He shows us a way out of every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). As we lean on His strength in our weakness, we learn how much we need Him. We grow closer to Him in love, finding absolute joy in walking with Him. . When we feel tired and worn out from the fight, feeling like our faith is weak, we can lean on His strength. RememberHe’s the voice that whispers I’m not giving up on you when we are in our darkest struggles. His faithfulness will shield us, protect us, and strengthen us. Therefore, in our struggles we can confidently call the Lord my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust (Psalm 91:2). Lily Walsh . What weaknesses do you have that make you feel inadequate for the path ahead? Consider taking a moment to bring these troubles to Jesus, trusting in His faithfulness and love. . If we are faithless, he remains faithful; for he can’t deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 (WEB) Read Verses: Psalm 91:1-Psalm 91:4; Lamentations 3:22-Lamentations 3:23; 2 Timothy 2:11-2 Timothy 2:13

Ever struggled to focus on reading the Bible? You’re not alone! Today, I want to talk about one of my favorite ways to read and focus on God’s Word. It’s called “lectio divina,” which is Latin for divine reading. . This practice was used by Christians long before it was common for individuals to be able to read or have a Bible of their own. Lectio divina is a four-step process that allows us to chew on God’s Word, reflecting on the story of the good news of Jesus no matter what Bible passage we read, because the whole Bible centers around Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and return. The four steps are read, pray, meditate, and contemplate. . 1. Read: Begin by reading or listening to a Bible passage out loud. After that, take a moment or two just to sit with what you’ve heard. . 2. Meditate: Read or listen to the same Bible passage out loud again, keeping an eye out for words or phrases that stick out to you. . 3. Pray: Read or listen to the Bible passage again. After that, take a moment to pray about the word(s) that stuck out to you. You can talk to God about what you liked or didn’t like, things you have questions about, etc. . 4. Contemplate: Read or listen to the Bible passage one last time. Finally, take a moment to focus on the word(s) that stuck out to you, resting in God’s love and in the unshakeable hope of Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and return. Aurora Scriver . Every word of the Bible points to Jesus. He is fully human and fully God, and He offers rescue from sin and death to all who put their trust in His death and resurrection. How can meditating on these truths help us as we read Scripture? . All the prophets testify about him [Jesus] that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. Acts 10:43 (CSB) Read Verses: 1 Corinthians 2:10-1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Timothy 3:16-2 Timothy 3:17; Acts:10:43; Psalm 119:15-Psalm 119:16; John 20:31

The book of Philippians is a letter written by Paul and Timothy to the Christians in Philippi. There are many uplifting verses and passages in this letter, and many Christians choose one of the verses in Philippians as a favorite. The reason Philippians 1:6 is my favorite verse (not only in this book but in the whole Bible) is because it assures me that God is able to sanctify me and He is faithful to continue sanctifying me. . Being sanctified means becoming more and more like Jesus. Sanctification isn’t something that we can do on our own if we just try hard enough or long enough. Like we can’t save ourselves, we also can’t sanctify ourselves. I love how Paul expressed confidence in Godnot in himself or anyone elseto sanctify the Philippian believers. Yes, Paul knew that his preaching and teaching were important for their growth, but he recognized that he couldn’t force them to grow. God is the only One who can accomplish the work in our lives we call growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)! His Holy Spirit lives inside everyone who has put their trust in Jesus, transforming us to become more and more like our loving Savior (2 Corinthians 3:18). . It’s sometimes frustrating when we don’t see growth in our lives. We might feel like God isn’t working hard enough or fast enough to make us more like Jesus. But the reality is that the work God is doing in our hearts won’t be finished until Jesus returns to raise us from the dead and restore His creation, finally freeing us from sin and its effects. Until that day, sanctification is a moment-by-moment process that lasts an entire lifetime. Yet, just as we have trusted God to save us from our sins, we can also trust Him to sanctify us. Grace McCready . Are you ever frustrated with yourself for failing to live like you know a Christian should? How can remembering God’s promises of forgiveness through Jesus, and sanctification through the Holy Spirit, give you hope? . Read 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 1:9-11, Galatians 5:22-25, and Ephesians 3:20-21. How can we follow Jesus while relying on the Holy Spirit’s power at work within us? . And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT) Read Verses: Philippians 1:1-Philippians 1:11; 1Thess:5:23-1Thess:5:24

The following is a fictional story inspired by 2 Samuel 12:1-15 (when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin and what he did to Bathsheba and Uriah) and it also takes ideas from Psalm 139, which was written by David. . I reach the abandoned well and climb down as fast as I can, checking over my shoulder to make sure no one followed me. All around me is an empty field. I’m finally alone. Deeper and deeper I climb. Fifteen feet. Thirty. I scrape my knee on the stone wall, and my pants tear. The blood starts to trickle down my leg, but I keep climbing till I’ve reached the bottom, the depths. No one will find me here. . I can’t face what I’ve done right now. How I lied to everyone, how I hurt her. I feel my stomach twist at the memory. If anyone else would have done what I did, I would make them pay for their crime. Yet, here I am, guilty and alone. . Suddenly, I look up to the small opening at the top of the well. I’m so far down, it’s just a small circle of light now, but something enters the well. I watch as a leaf floats all the way down to the bottom. I catch it before it hits the silty floor. . Written on the leaf are the words, I see you. Even though your sin is great, I love you. I feel the same gentle breeze that carried the leaf now on my cheek. Leaning my head back, I close my eyes as the tears start to fall. Deep down, I knew there was one person I could never hide myself from. Naomi Zylstra . When our sin is exposed, we naturally want to hide. But God sees us, and He wants to restore us. Because Jesus died and rose again for us, those who put their trust in Him are totally forgiven for all their sins. What’s the difference between hiding in the dark and being sheltered by God’s love and forgiveness? . Even though David committed two horrendous sins in 2 Samuel 11, God still loved David. Through the prophet Nathan, God exposed David’s sin and called David to turn away from sin and turn back to Him. When David repented, God forgave him! There were still very real consequences for David’s sin, but God continued to show His love to David and to Bathsheba. How can David’s story give us hope when we sin? (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalm 51.) . If I say, Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you Psalm 139:11-12 (NIV) Read Verses: 2 Samuel 12:1-2 Samuel 12:15; Psalm 139:11-Psalm 139:12

READ: JOHN 17:3; 2 PETER 3:18 Editor’s note: Today’s reading discusses abuse. Daniel. Esther. Peter. Paul. As a teenager, I knew them all. If there was a Bible trivia show, I could have been a champion. I went to church and knew Bible stories like the back of my hand. I knew about God, but I did not know Him. How about you? Do you know about God? Or do you know God? What’s the difference? While I had accepted Jesus as my Savior, I didn’t understand what it meant to have a relationship with Him. I didn’t know His Word, I didn’t know my worth in Him, and I didn’t know His promises and how to hear His voice over lies. In the midst of all of this, I had the good desires to be loved and to be a mom one day. So, when love came knocking, I opened my heart wide. This could have worked out well if my boyfriend had been a healthy individual, but he was not. Instead, he was abusive, emotionally manipulative, and a destroyer of my self-worth. At the time, I didn’t know God well enough to know His love for me, my worth in Him, and the promises in His Word. I didn’t know He would fulfill the desires of my heart as I delight in Him (Psalm 37:4). I didn’t know I could trust Him for all the details of my life, including relationships. When we know God and not just know about Him, it changes everything. His truths permeate our minds. His promises override our fears. His presence leads us through life’s big decisions. His Word becomes the lamp for our feet and the light for our paths (Psalm 119:105). God loves us so deeply, reaching out to us before we could love Him, dying on the cross for us (1 John 4:19). Our trustworthy Savior invites us into relationship with Him, so that we may be ever deepening in our understanding of Him and the good news that He has come to save and restore us. No matter what we experience, Jesus is present with us, including giving us wisdom to find safe people—who reflect His love—to reach out to when we experience abuse. • Erin Nestico • If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, and if your situation is potentially life-threatening, call 911 (or the emergency number for your area) or go to the local hospital emergency room right away. If you need someone to talk to but are not in need of immediate help, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. • Have you ever been hurt by a dating partner’s words or actions?* Have you hurt someone? There is hope through Jesus. He offers healing and forgiveness, no matter how terrible the situation may be. Who is a trusted Christian adult you can talk to as you seek to follow God’s good intentions for how people should treat one another, including setting up loving boundaries? • How is knowing God different from knowing about Him? • Jesus invites us into relationship with God, to know Him deeper and deeper throughout our lives. Would you like to pursue this kind of relationship with Jesus? If you have questions about it, who are trusted Christians in your life you can talk to? (If you want to learn more about what it means to know God, check out our "Know Jesus" page.) *If you are unsure about whether or not a dating partner is acting in an unhealthy manner, consider these questions: Is this person controlling, prideful, dishonest, or selfish? Is this person unable to admit when they are wrong?...

I decided to search the island for a spring to quench my thirst. As I passed under vibrant green vines, there before me was a tiny pool of crystal clear-water surrounded by periwinkle blossoms. Cupping my hands in the water and lifting it to my lips, I drank and was refreshed. . Suddenly, the surface of the water rippled, though no wind blew this far inland. I gazed intently as a picture formed in the water. I blinked twiceit was me! First as a baby, next as a toddler, then the day my parents proudly held the Growing Ceremony and our whole town came to celebrate. This went on and on, snapshots of my life, the good and the bad. . Tears filled my eyes and coursed down my cheeks. “Could it be true? This feeling I’ve had all my life that Someone knows me Someone cares about every intimate detail of my existence?” Yes, My Child! The answer was immediate, warm and soft. I knew in the depths of my soul that it was the Presence. I created you, and I love youyou are wonderfully made. My heart felt as though it would explode in joy. . I am the Author of Life. A bright light swelled around me, and a large book gilded with gold appeared in the pool. You see, all the days ordained for you were written in My book before one of them came to be. You were created to be in relationship with Me. I will never leave you or forsake you, my precious one. . The book flipped to the next page, but I found I could not decipher what was written on it. “Is this my future? Can I not know it?” I felt the Author’s smile surround me like an embrace. I know the plans I have for youthey are to give you hope and a future. Your purpose is to seek me, and I promise that you will find me. Savannah Coleman . God made you and knows you completely. No matter how far you roam, nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8:39; Hebrews 13:5). How can these truths give you hope as you look back on your past and forward to your future? . The purpose of our life is to know Godand He has made this possible through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Jesus is the author of life (Acts 3:15), and He will fulfill His purpose for us (Psalm 57:2). If you have questions about what it means to know God, see our “Know Jesus” page. . For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 139; Jeremiah29:11-Jeremiah29:13

I rose from my bed, thoughts swirling like tornado winds. “Does anyone really know me? What is the purpose of my life?” Resolution filled my veins like urgent flames. Today I would search and seek until I found the answers I needed. . As I packed a sack of food for my journey, I had the sensation that Someone was watching me. This was nothing new, for I had felt this watchfulness my whole life, pushing it from my consciousness as one would shoo a pesky fly. But today, I allowed the sense to linger. “What if? What if there was Someone who saw my every movement, knew when I left my home, had an intimate knowledge of every activityevery thought.” . The sun was just breaking over the horizon, golden light cascading through the fields. I chose to journey toward the sea; the vastness of its waters called to me. This Presence, this Someone, surely had no hold on me where the endless miles of ocean roared. . Traveling over the great sea in my small vessel, I was amazed to feel the Presence with me still. “Surely the darkness will hide me,” I reasoned as the velvet night fell, ocean spray misting my hair. No, hours into my voyage, Someone was still with me. . Amid the pre-dawn light, a small island winked in the distance. I felt weary from my journey and decided to rest on the shore. As my bare feet dragged over the grains of sand, a sudden thought sprang up in my mind: “What if the Presence thought of me every day, hour, minute What if these thoughts amounted to more than all these grains of sand?” A gurgle of a laugh welled up in my throat. It was almost too wonderful to contemplateperhaps I was dehydrated. Savannah Coleman . Like the character in today’s story, do you ever wonder if there is more to life? Wonder what is the purpose of your existence? . In Psalm 139, David wrote about how God has an intimate knowledge of us. The God who made the universe knows when we wake, where we go throughout the day, and every thought that enters our minds. How does the knowledge that God knows everything about you make you feel? . Am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Do not I fill heaven and earth? Jeremiah 23:23-24 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 139:1-Psalm 139:18; Jeremiah23:23-Jeremiah23:24

Jesus is often called the Messiah, but what does that name mean? And why is this name an important title for Jesus? . “Messiah” means Anointed One in Hebrew. It was later translated as “Christ” in Greek. So, when people call themselves Christians, they are calling themselves followers of Christ, the Anointed One. . Anointing was a sign of kingship and honor in the Old Testament. For example, the prophet Samuel anointed David because God had chosen him to be king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). The pouring of oil on someone’s head was a sign that set that person apart for service. . Being the Anointed One means that Jesus is the Savior God promised throughout the Old Testament. He is the king who rules over all of creation and who frees all people who put their trust in Him. But what does He free us from? . In Jesus’s day, the Israelites thought that, as king, Jesus would free them immediately from the oppression of the Roman empire. Although Jesus did not free them in the way they expected, He did free the Israelites, and the whole world, from the oppression of evil as manifested in our own sin nature and our propensity to sin. How? By dying on the cross and rising again three days later. This is good news: Jesus is the promised, set-apart, sinless king who conquers sin and death! He is the Messiah, the Anointed One. Naomi Zylstra . What does it mean that Jesus was anointed and set apart? . Since Jesus is king, how does that affect how we as Christians see Him? . To learn more about Jesus as king and what that means for all of us, check out our “Know Jesus” page. . But what about you? he [Jesus] asked. Who do you say I am? Peter answered, You are the Messiah. Mark 8:29 (NIV) Read Verses: Isaiah 53:4-Isaiah 53:6; Mark 8:29

One day, I was paging through my Bible and stopped on the book of Habakkuk. I had never read this book in the minor prophets before, and I found it fascinating. Habakkuk was a prophet in Judah who loved God. He would pray often, and one day he was crying out to God about the evilness of the people of Israel. Habakkuk knew that God was a holy God, hating evil, but the people had turned their backs on Him, worshiped idols, and refused to follow any of the commands God had set in place. Habakkuk couldn’t understand why God was just sitting around, seemingly not doing anything. . Then God responded, explaining that He would use the Babylonians to execute judgment. Habakkuk was very confused by the way God intended to deal with His people. You see, the Babylonians were a ruthless people, conquering nations surrounding them and acting far more violently and wickedly than Israel did. . Why would God use those people to punish Israel? Habakkuk wanted to know! In response, God assured him that, in His timing, the Babylonians would themselves be punished. . So here was the situation Habakkuk found himself in: very soon God would raise up the army of Babylon to sweep over the nation of Israelconquering them, killing many, and enslaving the rEsther Habakkuk was innocent of the wrong that his fellow Israelites were being punished for, but he would have to endure the same hardship as those who did wrong. . Yet this prophet knew that God was God and understood His holiness and judgment. No matter what happened in the future, Habakkuk knew he could trust in the greatness and goodness of his almighty God and in His promise that one day every wrong would be made righta promise we now know finds its Yes and Amen in Jesus (Habakkuk 3:13; 2 Corinthians 1:20). Doug Velting . Have you ever been disappointed with the plans of God? Read Hebrews 4:14-16. Why are we free to bring all our feelings (including disappointment and frustration) to God? . Read Revelation 21:1-5. As Christians, what hope do we have for the future because of Jesus? . But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5 (NIV) Read Verses: Habakkuk 3:16-Habakkuk 3:19; Psalm 13:5; Habakkuk 1:1-Habakkuk 1:6

I started noticing the word “unrighteousness” in the Bible. I thought, why not use a stronger word like wickedness or depravity? Why just put an un in front of righteousness? But I’m not an ancient language scholar, and I assume Bible translation teams know what they’re doing. So, I let the question remain in my mind, holding it loosely to see if God might answer. . And soon after, I noticed something. A young deer, lifeless, discarded on the side of the road. It was probably hit by a car on its way to the woods. Maybe it was following its mother but got scared and froze. Maybe the driver stopped. Maybe they didn’t. But now, the body that was once warm and breathing was now cold, its insides turned outward. Pink. Those innards, those intestines and kidneys, should have been tucked safely inside the deer’s belly. Kept warm by skin and fur. Instead, someone had draped an old coat over the dead body to hide its ugliness. But the wind snatched the coat away. . Un-righteous. A perversion of what is right and good. Wholeness become un-wholeness. Life become death. Innocence become collateral damage. That’s what sin does. Sin takes what is good and lovely and turns its insides out. That’s what happened to the world when the first humans went their own way against God. All that God made, everything that existed, was good. But our sin made things un-good. Twisted. Broken. Violent. Un-righteous. Now, instead of doing good, we kill. We steal. We destroy. We let our greed trample the innocent. We revert to self-preservation and accusation. We do what is un-righteous. . But God still loves His creation. He still loves us. And He came to save us. When Jesus lived among us, He embodied righteousness. All He did was good, through and through. No mixed motives, no ends-justify-the-means rationale. And yet, we killed Him. We turned His insides out, ripped at His flesh and exposed His blood to the sky. And He let us. Because He wanted to forgive us. . . and set His creation free from unrighteousness. Though Jesus’s body hung lifeless on a cross, though Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus’s cold corpse with spices and strips of linen before the tomb was sealed, death was not the end. Unrighteousness would not prevail. Because on the third day, Jesus the Righteous One rose from the dead. Hannah Howe . Where have you seen unrighteousness in the world or in your own life? . If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit in us, who empowers us to live righteously. And when Jesus returns, He will put an end to all unrighteousness and we will live with Him forever in restored creation. How can these truths give us hope? . For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) Read Verses: John 10:10; John 19:38-John 19:42; Romans 8:18-Romans 8:22; 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 3:18

My heart throbs with each bound I take, my breath growing heavy. “Run, run, run,” a voice whispers, and I struggle to obey. When I’d found that I had once again veered from the path called straight and narrow, I knew I couldn’t go back. Trying to leap over a rotting log, I feel my foot catch in the crevice. Pain shoots up to my ankle as I tumble to the ground. I whimper and bite my lip. The pain inside is worse than the pain in my leg, but I will not cry. . Why are you running? Someone asks behind me. My throat closes up as I recognize the voice. . “No ” I think as I sit up feebly. The feet before me are marred with nail marks. “No, no, no! Not here ” . Why, child? He asks softly. . I have to get away, I choke out. . From what? . From You, I sputter. It’s too hard I can’t keep falling and facing You again. I bury my face in my dirty hands and sob. . It is hard, He agrees, and I marvel at his lack of anger. . How could you know? I feel my face heat up. . Because I walked the same path. I passed over every mountain, struggled through each valley. Child, His voice cracks, I know. . Tears fill my eyes, and I look at the ground. I’m not strong enough. . He holds out His hand, and I can see an ugly nail mark on His wrist. I am. Lean on me in your weakness, and I will sustain you. I will keep you from stumbling, and help you when you fall. I am your strength, and I have faced the trials you now walk in. . I’ll fall again. I shake my head. . My grace will sustain you. He lifts me up. I will fight for You. All you need to do is rest in my arms. My tears start to slow. The heaviness in my chest is replaced by something warm and light. My grace will sustain you, the words replay in my mind. I know they are true. Lily Walsh . How can knowing that God helps us in our weakness and trials change the way we view them? . Read Hebrews 4:14-16. Jesus is fully God and fully human, so He knows and understands every weakness and hurt we face. And through His death and resurrection, He has sealed our forgiveness. How can these truths make us more confident to come to Him in our weakness? . My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) Read Verses: Exod:14:14; Psalm 37:24; Matthew 11:28-Matthew 11:29; Hebrews 4:14-Hebrews 4:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Things change here on earth so quickly. Your parents get divorced and suddenly you’re living in two homes. Your grandparent moves into an assisted living community and no longer has the yard that they used to have. Your sibling graduates from high school and joins the military. You gain and lose people in your life as you grow up. You have new opportunities and spend time in new places. You never quite know what a day is going to bring or what changes you are going to have to face. . Change can be hard. It can be scary. But it’s good to remember that even as this world changes and we feel tossed around by all that’s happening around us, God never changes. . In all times and circumstances, God is good. He loves us with an unending love. He is always there for us, even when we feel alone. While the world seems to move all around us, God remains constant. In Isaiah 54:10, the prophet records God’s words: For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’ says the Lord, who has mercy on you. . The leader of a country might change, but God doesn’t. The place where you lay down to sleep at night might change, but God doesn’t. Your parent might get into a new relationship, change their job, or change their appearance, but God stays the same. You can count on God to always be who He has revealed Himself to be, no matter how this world changes. Emily Acker . Throughout our lives, we go through lots of changes, whether they be related to school, home life, relationships, or the overall state of the world. How can relying on God’s unchanging love make it easier for us to go through all kinds of changes? . Is someone in your life going through a difficult change right now? How could you share God’s love with them? Consider taking a moment to pray for this person and see if any ideas come to mind. . Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT) Read Verses: Numbers 23:18-Numbers 23:20; James 1:16-James 1:18; Hebrews 13:8

I am lost The world shatters I am alone Nothing matters I am done Reality has broken into a million pieces And I am lost in the chaos I am finished; the nightmare’s begun Beaten and bruised; scarred and in pain I stumble through the dark I scream Death is at my door A knock at the window Another Visitor Life The Light hovers outside I invite Him into my heart Death is gone The nightmare has ended Life slowly pieces my world back together I am no longer alone I have been found Maria Achilleos . We live in a world full of evil, darkness, and death. At times we feel lost and hopeless. But even as our world falls apart, God searches us out. Through His own death and resurrection, Jesus saves us from death. When Jesus returns to raise all His people from the dead, we will live with Him forever, free from pain and sorrow. As we wait for that day, Jesus holds us close, and He takes all the broken and painful parts of our lives, working everything for good. . Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt as if God abandoned you? How could it be comforting to know that even Jesus felt this way when He was on the cross? (Mark 15:34) . For the Son of Man [Jesus] has come to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 (CSB) Read Verses: Luke 15:3-Luke 15:6; John 8:12; John 14:1-John 14:6; Romans 8:26-Romans 8:28; Luke 19:10

Throughout history, people have asked the question, Who is Jesus? Some consider Him to be a good man, a prophet, a teacher. Others believe that He is in fact God, but consider Him to be distant, unknowable, unapproachable. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question, Who is Jesus Christ to me? . I believe Jesus is the Son of God, my Savior and King, but He’s also my closest friend. The only One I can have complete and total faith in. The One who will always be there to listen to me when I need Him most. The One who understands me when no one else can. He is approachable, relatable, and I can talk to Him wherever and whenever. . There are times when I feel a variety of emotions all at once: joy, anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety but whatever my feelings are, I know I can go to Jesus with them, and He will understand me perfectly. When I want to talk to someone and no one is there to listen, Jesus is. When I feel alone and afraid and like no one understands, Jesus does. When my own confused feelings threaten to drag me down under and I need someone to lift me up, Jesus pulls me out of the mire and comforts me with His gentle touch. When I feel worthless, empty, uncared for and helpless, Jesus knows and calls me precious. He tells me that, to Him, I’m beautiful and loved, I’m the daughter He died to save. . Who is Jesus? He is my Protector, Lover, Comforter, Savior, Friend. . That’s who Jesus is to me. Eliana Canfield . Since before the beginning of time, God had a plan to make the way for us to have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4-5). He is the God of the universe, and yet He wants you to know Him personally! If you have questions about what it means to know Jesus, who is a trusted Christian you could talk to? (You can also find out more on our “Know Jesus” page.) . In Matthew 16:13-17, what questions did Jesus ask? How did Peter respond? . Why is it important for us to consider the question, Who is Jesus Christ to me? . Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT) Read Verses: Matthew 16:13-Matthew 16:17; Psalm 73:23-Psalm 73:26

One of Jesus’s names is the Lion of Judah. But what does this name mean? We have to go way back to the beginning of the Bible for this question, to the book of Genesis. The ancestors of the Israelites’ tribes were the sons of Jacobwho was later called Israel (Genesis 32:24-30). Among these brothers, Judah was elevated to be the brother who would be an ancestor of Jesus, even though Judah wasn’t the firstborn in his family. . Before this happened, all the sons of Jacob ended up in Egypt when there was a famine. But here’s the shocking part: Joseph, one of the youngest sons, was already there. Years earlier, his brothers had sold him as a slave to Egypt, but, through a series of events with all kinds of twists and turns, Joseph ended up becoming second in command in Egypt. God had given Joseph the ability to interpret dreams, and through this gift, Joseph learned that a famine was coming. Thus, Egypt was prepared and had extra food to share. Joseph’s brothers, unaware of what had happened to their brother since they sold him, arrived in Egypt asking for food, but they didn’t recognize Joseph. But Joseph recognized them and put them through an elaborate test: he demanded that Benjamin, the youngest brother, stay in Egypt as a slave. That’s when Judah showed that he had changed: he offered to take Benjamin’s place (Genesis 44). This offer of self-sacrifice also points to the sacrifice that Judah’s descendentJesuswould later make. Jesus, who is God, took our place on the cross, and His self-sacrifice fulfilled prophecies of a Savior that are found all throughout the Old Testament. . Jesus, a descendent of Judah, had victory over His enemies through dying on the cross and rising from the grave. He is a voice for the voiceless and a shelter for those in need. He is our ruler and is the only One with the strength and power to conquer death. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. The image of a strong and powerful lion is fitting for Jesus as a ruler. A lion is fearsome and is not easily defeated; it rules over the land and its creatures, just like Jesus rules in God’s kingdom. Naomi Zylstra . Judah was just a human, and he sinned like all of us, yet God chose him to be the ancestor of Jesus. Why do you think Judah was chosen out of all the sons of Jacob? . How does Jesus’s kingship look different from any other king’s? What does it mean to be ruled by Jesus? (See our “Know Jesus” page to go deeper.) , See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed Revelation 5:5 (NIV) Read Verses: Genesis 49:8-Genesis 49:12; Revelation 5:5

When we are falsely accused, it’s natural to try to defend ourselves to prove our innocence. I used to try to defend myself by tarnishing the image of my accusers. But now at age sixty, I have learned to explain myself in a proper way, and to let God be my defender. . I came to see this truth when someone I had helped made false accusations against me, causing a misunderstanding between me and a friend. I was so hurt because I knew I was not guilty, and I was tempted to speak evil about my accuser. But I decided not to, believing God would defend me. Indeed, He did! My friend learned the truth, and our relationship was restored. . Deuteronomy 32:4 says God is just and faithful in all His ways. When people accuse us falsely, God knows the whole truth, and His justice will prevail in the end. . In Mark 14:55-59, some of the Jewish religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus, so they had many people bear false witness against Jesus, accusing Him of things He hadn’t done, but then their witnesses did not agree. In this way, their accusations were shown to be false. Jesus did not defend Himself or try to show how bad these accusers were; instead, He entrusted Himself to God the Father and let Him handle the matter. Even when Jesus was sentenced to death, the one presiding over His trial, Pilate, said that Jesus had done nothing wrong (Luke 23:4, 14-15, 22). Jesus was willing to die a death He didn’t deserve so we could be made right with God. And death didn’t have the last word. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave! . When we are falsely accused, we can certainly try to explain ourselves. We can also tell the truth about what other people have done. But we don’t need to try to show how bad our accusers are or paint a bad picture of them so people will believe us rather than them. Let us learn to trust the faithful and just God to be our defender even when people may fail to understand us. While our reputations may not be restored before Jesus returns, we can know that one day He will bring everything into the light and right every wrong. Enid Adah Nyinomujuni . When people falsely accuse us, how does God call us to respond? (If you want to dig deeper, you can read about how Paul responded to false accusations in Acts 24-26.) . If anyone has done something wrong, it’s important to be open and honest about this, especially if a person is being hurt. If someone has hurt you or others, who is a trusted adult you can tell right away? (If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 23 and Galatians 2:11-21.) . He [Jesus] was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7a (NIV) Read Verses: Mark 14:55-Mark 14:62; 1 Peter 2:22-1 Peter 2:23; Isaiah 53:7; Deuteronomy 32:4

The Revana people, including Layla, had been flying at near-lightspeed for close to three years to settle on the new planet they were missioned with terraforming. It was going to be their new home. . Alerts started popping up all over Layla’s screen. As chief navigator it was her job to make sure everyone stayed on course to the planet. Layla scanned her screens and her face started to burn red. Mortified, she sank to the floor; she had failed her crew. . Layla read her screen again. “Fifteen degrees? We’ll miss the planet entirely!” . It’s all my fault. Tears started to leak out of Layla’s eyes. She got back up into her chair and put her head in her hands. “There’s nothing I can do to fix this,” Layla thought to herself. “Even if I over-correct our course, we don’t have the fuel to make up for the lost distance.” . Suddenly, a message alert popped up on Layla’s screen. The preview message only read, We can help. Attached were the sender’s credentials, identifying it as an official freighter ship. . Without hesitating, Layla accepted the message. Right now, she needed all the help she could get. . It appears your ship is off course and will collide with a nearby moon if not corrected, a voice crackled over the system. Do you need assistance? . Yes! Layla blurted. How can you help us? . Our ship is a t24 freighter, so we have a large hauling capacity. If you power down, we can tow you back onto course and help you avoid collision. . That would be amazing, but why would you help us? You don’t even know us. . I can see you’re a terraforming ship so you have civilians onboard, and the rule of our ship is to come to the aid of any vessel in need. . Yes, we do have civilians. I I made a mistake, and I couldn’t fix it in time with our fuel supply. We needed your rescue. . We’ll be at your location within the hour. The communication ended, and Layla began to power down the ship. Naomi Zylstra . Have you ever felt like Layla? Throughout our lives, we get into trouble that we can’t get ourselves out ofeither because of our own failures, or simply because we live in a world that has been broken by sin. But the good news is, God wants to help us, no matter how we got into trouble. . One of the primary ways God helps His people, is through His people! Has someone ever helped you when you really needed it? What did they do? Consider taking a moment to thank God for this, and maybe thank the person too! . The gospel is the good news about how God rescues us through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Though none of us deserve to be rescued from sin and death, Jesus freely rescues everyone who puts their trust in Him. If you have questions about this, who are trusted Christians you could talk to? (You can also find out more on our “Know Jesus” page.) . Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him. Psalm 37:40 (WEB) Read Verses: Psalm 69:13-Psalm 69:14; Hebrews 13:6; Hebrews 13:14; Psalm 37:40

I like to take walks with my dog almost every day. One evening, I passed a house that had so many flowers of all different colors, and it just made me so happy! A woman was outside watering them, so I told her I loved all her beautiful flowers. She responded with a big smile, Flowers are the best thing ever! . As I continued walking, I thought about that. While flowers are definitely one of my favorite things, I don’t think they are the best thing ever. I think the best thing ever is love. And generations of human history and storytelling seem to agree. People throughout the ages have been willing to do almost anything for love. . Pondering this, I remembered a Bible verse: 1 John 4:16 says, God is love. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? The very thing we humans crave most of all is God Himself. . Every loving interaction we have with other people is only an echo of the beautiful love God has for us. Later on in the same passage, John writes, We love because he [God] first loved us (1 John 4:19). Out of love, God created us. And even though humanity has rejected our Creator, He never stopped loving us. . And God’s love is not some ethereal, untouchable idea. God embodied His love for us by becoming human, living among us. Jesus came bodily to earth, and people could physically touch Him. And they could hurt Himbut only because He allowed it. Jesus was willing to be tortured and humiliated on the cross, because that’s what it took for our broken relationship with God to be healed. God’s fullest expression of love for us was the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus, God the Son, gave His own life for us so that we could live with Him forever. . And love is more powerful than death. After three days in a tomb, Jesus rose from the gravedefeating sin and death forever! Now, everyone who puts their trust in Jesus is reunited with God, the One our hearts crave above all others. He made us for relationship with Him, and our hearts are finally satisfied when we are His once again. Hannah Howe . Do you agree that love is the best thing ever? Why or why not? . How can loving human relationships give us glimpses of God’s love for us? . And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. 1 John 4:16a (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 63:3; John 3:16-John 3:17; 1 John 4:7-1 John 4:19

“She does WHAT?” As we walked out of class, a friend told me something surprising. A boy at our school, who I’ll call Henry, had persuaded his girlfriend, Vanessa, to do his homework for him. When another student asked Henry about this, he admitted that every school night Vanessa completed not only her own homework but Henry’s too. . I felt indignant on Vanessa’s behalf. Why should she carry this extra load? Why had she ever agreed to this? But then I wondered How would I respond if a person I cared aboutor a person I was in a long-term relationship withpressured me to do something I wasn’t comfortable with? . When we place our faith in Jesus and enter a loving relationship with God our Father, we receive His Spirit. In John 14, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth, promising He will be in us and guide us in God’s truth, no matter what situations, pressures, or temptations we face. . In difficult situations like these, setting verbal boundaries can often help, giving us a way to sidestep pressure from others to do something we don’t believe God would want for us. We can say things like the following: No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. No, that’s just not for me. No, I’m not comfortable with that. Or you could make your parents the bad guys and say, No way! My parents would go crazy if they found out! Most parents and grandparents wouldn’t mind if it helped protect you from sinful and/or dangerous choices and situations. . In our broken world, we face struggles of all kindstemptation, pressures, and other challenging situations; even Jesus Himself faced these things (Hebrews 4:14-16). For this reason, we can know we’re not alone, no matter what we face. Allison Wilson Lee . Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. As Christians, what hope do we have when we face temptation? . If you are being pressured to do something that is wrong or that you are not comfortable with, who are trusted adults you can reach out tosuch as parents, counselors, pastors, or teachers? . [Jesus] has been tempted in every way, just as we areyet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) Read Verses: Hebrews 4:15-Hebrews 4:16; John 14:15-John 14:18; 1 Corinthians 10:12-1 Corinthians 10:13

Have you ever felt deeply satisfied after enjoying a meal that you love? Have you found yourself eating slowly while savoring your favorite food, thinking about each bite and fully tasting it? . In Psalm 63, David talks about how God satisfies us even more than good food does. David writes, I have beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you (verses 2-5). When we experience the power, glory, and love of God, we praise Him because of who He is and all that He has done for us. . What do you enjoy eating the most? A large dish of pasta? Ice cream piled into a cone? The food we eat can be enjoyable while we’re eating it and leave us feeling happy when we’re done with it. It can leave us feeling full and content. What God offers us is even better. His love for usand the way He is there for us and looking out for uscan leave us feeling safe, secure, and satisfied. . God demonstrated His power, His glory, and His better-than-life love when Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead so that we could be with Him forever. As Christians, we can know that God is with us, and we can look forward to the day Jesus will return bodily to earth and we will be fully satisfied in His glorious presence. In the meantime, God makes sure we have what we need to get through each day. He helps us find peace when everything in our lives is falling apart. He gives us someone to talk to when we are nervous or scared. He is there for us during the day and all through the night. He invites us to know Him personally through Jesus, and when we follow Him, we find a fulfilling life (John 10:10). He satisfies us like the richest and tastiest food. Emily Acker . What are some of your favorite foods? In Psalm 63, why do you think David compares the satisfaction of eating good food to the way that God satisfies us? . When our lives are falling apart (like David’s was when he wrote Psalm 63) why is it important for us to take time to remember God’s power, glory, and love? . I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. Psalm 63:5 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 63

When my friend invited me to her twelfth birthday party, I couldn’t contain my excitement! I anticipated the fun we’d haveplaying games, eating cake, and swimming in her backyard pool. There was just one problem. My Campfire group planned to see a movie that same day, and I wanted to go. I couldn’t do both, so I had to choose. But how? . Decisions can be hard. It feels like the older we get, the more tough choices we have! My 12-year-old choices may seem easier than what we face in high schooland beyond. But no matter how old we are, we can trust God to lead us through every choice we face. . In Psalm 32, King David writes about how God guides us. He begins by describing his experience with forgiveness. David confessed his sin to God, and God forgave himso David wants to share the wisdom he learned and encourage others to trust in the Lord to forgive and lead them. He says, Therefore let all the faithful pray to you (verse 6). And God will respond, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you (verse 8). . Chances are you’re facing a decision in your life right now. It may be about what to do this weekend, or whether or not to join a team, or what steps to take after high school. Maybe you’re deciding what to do about a problem you’re facing or a conflict with someone you care about. Whatever the decision, the wisdom of this psalm is still true today. God has His loving eye on you, and He will be with you every step of the way. . When we turn to Jesus and confess our sin, we can rest assured that we are forgiven because of Jesus’s sinless sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. By putting our trust in Jesus, we get to live as children of God, which means we have His Holy Spirit in us, guiding us in our daily lives and helping us rely on God’s love through all the tough choices we have to make. Kristine Brown . Read Matthew 22:36-40. Which two commandments do all the other commandments in the Bible depend on? How could these commandments help guide the decisions we make? Read Psalm 37. Verse 3 says, Trust in the Lord and do good. What examples does this psalm give of good choices? What about bad choices? I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 32; Psalm 37

When we lived in Guinea, West Africa, we witnessed the beauty of hospitality. There’s even a proverb that states: “An unexpected visitor is like an unexpected rain.” . We lived through two seasons each year: six months of rainy season, and six months of dry season. We always loved the mango rainsthe rare, unexpected downpours that came out of nowhere during dry season. Children could be seen running through the rain, fully dressed, laughing with delight. . Hospitality comes more naturally to some of us than it does to others. When you hear a knock on your door, but you’re not expecting anyone, how do you respond? Does it make you excited, or do you find yourself thinking something like: Who could that be at this hour? Did anyone call to say they were coming? Everyone hide and be quietmaybe they will go away! . In the Bible, God repeatedly calls His people to practice hospitality. Thankfully, He also gives us the ability to do so through the Holy Spirit. So, how can we practice hospitality? The Greek word translated hospitality in the Bible is “philoxenia,” which basically means loving strangers because Philo=Love and Xenia=Stranger. Not at all like “xenophobia,” which means fear of strangers or outsiders! . In Matthew 25, Jesus says that when He returns bodily to earth, He will commend His people for inviting Him in when He was a stranger. But when they ask, Lord When did we see you a stranger and invite you in ? (verse 37-38), He will answer, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (verse 40). So, when we welcome strangers (or outsiders), we show our love for Jesus! . As Christians, we can show hospitality to others because God has shown the greatest hospitality to us. Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, God has welcomed us into His family! Though we used to be outsiders and strangers, we are now fellow citizens with God’s people (Ephesians 2:19). From the abundance of love that God has given us, we can share with others. . When you think of practicing hospitality, think of this picture: children standing in the rain, arms out, heads back, eyes closed, mouths opensheer joy! Daniel Dore . Can you think of a time someone showed you hospitality or philoxenia? What did they do? . According to today’s Bible passages, what might it look like to practice hospitality? . Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13 (NIV) Read Verses: Leviticus 19:34; Romans 12:9-Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:8-1 Peter 4:10

A storm is swirling around you, the winds howling. The rain falls hard from the sky, stinging you as it hits. Terrified, you cry out for help. Suddenly, something drapes over you. You are pulled close. You are covered in the shadow of the wings of God. Under the wings of your Savior, you find rEsther . Whether you’re going through actual physical storms in your lifetaking shelter because of a tornado, hurricane, or blizzardor you’re going through turmoil, stress, and grief, you can hide in the shadow of the wings of someone who cares about you. . Whatever is keeping you from feeling relaxed, know that there is someone who is watching out for you. Know that there is someone who loves you. You are never alone. God is a safe refuge where you can always find shelter (Psalm 71:3). . Life brings many struggles. We face many difficult situations and fears. But we have a safe place where we can go. Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). He longs to gather us like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Matthew 23:37). When we go under the shadow of His wings, we can receive the peace and rest that we need. Emily Acker . What do you think it means to take shelter in the shadow of God’s wings? . Especially when life gets scary or hard, God invites us to come to Him. While our circumstances may not change right away, God has promised to always be with us, and He has sealed this promise through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Consider taking a moment to imagine yourself being sheltered under God’s wings. What do you notice? How do you feel? . Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. Psalm 57:1 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 91:1-Psalm 91:6; Psalm 57:1

I’m great at trusting God until I have to. Trusting God is easy when things are going my way, but when I face a challenge or when life isn’t lining up the way it’s supposed to, I start trying to take matters into my own hands. I find myself trying to take controlmaking plans a, b, and ceffectively putting myself in God’s place and saying, I can do it better than You can. . Control can become an idol: something we put in the place of God. I often want control because I’m looking for safety and security, and these are good desires, but God tells us in His Word that He is the One who ultimately provides everything we need. If we try to rely on our own strength, wisdom, etc., we will always let ourselves down. . God cares deeply about us, and He calls us to trust Him in all things and at all times. He has proven that He is worthy of our trust by the greatest act of love: Jesus (who is God the Son) gave up His life for us on the cross, and then He rose from the dead so that we could be saved from sin and death. Now, God asks us to put our trust in Jesus. He offers us eternal safety and security, and He wants us to rely on Him, not just for salvation, but for everything. . But putting that amount of trust in Jesus can seem difficult when we can feel so removed from Jesus’s life here on earth two thousand years ago. Yet even now, Jesus is present with us through His Spirit, His Word, and His people (the church). The Bible reminds us that we are blessed and filled with joy for believing in Jesus, even though we haven’t met Him face-to-face yet (John 20:29; 1 Peter 1:8). As we put our trust in Jesus to save us, to give us eternal life, and to lead us, we can also trust that God will provide what we need for our lives right now, because He cares for us. Naomi Zylstra . Are you ever tempted to idolize control or try to take matters into your own hands? While it’s good to make plans and think through our problems, ultimately, only God can take care of us. How could it be freeing to rely on and follow Him instead of trying to do things ourselves? . When life gets chaotic, how could remembering God’s love for usexpressed in the good news about Jesusmake it easier for us to trust Him with the things going on in our lives? . Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (CSB) Read Verses: Psalm 28:7; Matthew 6:19-Matthew 6:33; 1 Peter 5:7; Proverbs 3:5-Proverbs 3:6

On October 5, 1703, in East Windsor, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards was bornthe son of Timothy Edwards, a pastor, and Esther Edwards, his wife. Young Jonathan soon found himself surrounded by ten sisters, whobecause of their average height of six feetcame to be identified by the townsfolk as Timothy’s sixty feet of daughters. . Jonathan was a gifted child and progressed easily through his father’s rigorous home schooling and, at a young age, came to trust Jesus Christ as his Savior. From very early on, Jonathan was concerned about his relationship with God. At times, he worried about the possibility that he was not converted. His diary provided him a tool for examining what God had done in his life. As he approached his nineteenth birthday, he even wrote his Resolutions, a series of instructions for life and guidelines for personal examination. For Jonathan, these resolutions became a spiritual discipline that encouraged him in his walk with Christ and were one of two great interests in his young life. . The second area of young Jonathan’s interest was the creation around him. He was fascinated with the star-studded sky and God’s bountiful display laid out in nature. As he walked daily in the densely wooded New England countryside, he would spend hours contemplating the intricacies of a spider web or the wonders of creation all around him. . But Jonathan’s curiosity and delight in God, His works, and His world lingered long beyond his teenage years. Edwards entered Yale College at age thirteen, later graduated with a master’s degree, and was eventually called to pastor a church in Northampton, Massachusetts. . Like Jonathan Edwards, we as Christians can take great comfort in God’s love for us in Jesus, reveling in the beauty of the universe He made and knowing that He walks alongside us no matter what challenges we face in our walk with Him. Mark Congrove . Jonathan Edwards grew in his faith by reflecting on his Creator while spending time in nature. Consider setting aside time each day to think about the wonders of creation. What are some ways you could take notice of some of the small details God included in His world? . Read Philippians 4:8 and Ephesians 5:15-17. How can setting goals further our walk with Jesus? . Pay careful attention, then, to how you walknot as unwise people but as wisemaking the most of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 (CSB) Read Verses: 1 Timothy 4:7-1 Timothy 4:8; Ephesians 5:15-Ephesians 5:16

Once there was a King whose wisdom and favor toward his subjects was renowned. From the highest mountain peak to the smallest village in the valley, the King’s care for His people and His justice in every area was praised. Day after day, the King’s people would approach His throne. The King had proven to be there in times of need, so they continued to ask for His help: . Oh Generous Ruler, my family and I have no foodcould you spare some bread? My son, everything I have is yours. I will direct my stewards, and they will supply as much bread as your family needs. Just as you would not give your children a stone when they request a crust of bread, so will I fill you with good things when you ask. (Matthew 7:7-11) . Just King, there is someone who has been hounding me day and night. My eyes can find no rest for fear that he will hurt me once again. Daughter, I will see that you get justice. Stay close to me, away from harm’s reach. I will provide trustworthy friends who will share your burdens, and I will heal your deep hurts. (Luke 18:1-8) . Compassionate Ruler, my heart has been aching since the death of my loved one. My eyes leak tears day after day, and I feel like I just can’t go on. Come to me, I will be your comfort. I will weep with you and share in your suffering. (2 Corinthians 1:1-11) . Merciful King, I have long struggled with my tendencies toward weakness in the area we discussed weeks ago. You offered to help, and I now accept. Walk with me as I try, in your strength, to do better? Dear child, I will always be here to help you in your time of need. And you can always rely on my sure forgiveness. (Hebrews 4:14-5:10) . Powerful King, there is a thorn in my flesh. Three times I have pleaded with you to take away this torment. Will you finally do it? Beloved one, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. My power will rest on you, so that even when you are weak, you will be strong. And when my kingdom covers the whole earth, your thorn will be no more. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Revelation 21:4) Savannah Coleman . As Christians, we have been given citizenship in Jesus’s kingdom because He has rescued and forgiven us through His death and resurrection (Colossians 1:9-14). We can come to Him any time, pouring out our hearts and our requests. How can knowing that Jesus is generous, just, compassionate, etc. make it easier for us to talk to Him? . Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence Hebrews 4:16a (NIV) Read Verses: Philippians 4:4-Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 4:14-Hebrews 4:16; 2 Corinthians 9:8

My grandmother had invited me to join her for a special event: the trip to the airport to pick up her brother, my uncle Barton. I felt grown up accompanying Nanny to the airport, so I decided to wear my favorite outfit with my new navy-blue loafers for the occasion. But Uncle Barton’s flight was delayed several times that day. As we waited, Nanny and I walked all around the small lobby area over and over during those hours. . We also walked to the restroom, to get a snack, to look out windows and still Uncle Barton didn’t arrive. I needed to give my feet a break after my new shoes had rubbed blisters on them. So, I sat on a hard, plastic seat at the airport gate and took off my shoes. I felt so relieved to have the shoes off that I didn’t mind the people staring at me. I was too uncomfortable to care. . But as painful as the waiting seemed, it was worth it. Uncle Barton eventually arrived for his visit, and we headed home. I’d been willing to suffer through the miserable waiting because I knew we waited for something worthwhile. . In the Old Testament, the prophet Micah noticed the troubles around him and yet still watched in hope for God, His Savior. He was looking forward to the coming of the One who would be the light of the world, who would shepherd His people with compassion, and who would make the way for us to be forgiven for all our wrongdoing (Micah 7:8, 14, 18-19). Today we know that Micah’s words are fulfilled in Jesus: He is the Light of the World, our Shepherd who lavishes us with compassion. When we put our trust in Jesus, we have new life in Himlife marked by hope. We trust in the One who lived among us on earth, died on the cross, and then rose again so that we could be forgiven and brought near to God. We also trust in His promise to return and set things right. As God’s children who live in a broken, messy world, we can watch for the Lord like Micah did. Even now, we can wait with confidence that Jesus our Savior will return and restore His creationjust as He promised. Allison Wilson Lee . Read Micah 7:1-7. What kinds of brokenness was Micah experiencing? What kinds of problems in your life or in the world around you cause you to long for Jesus to return? Jesus invites us to be honest with Him about all our pains and sorrows, knowing that He grieves with us and comforts us. Consider taking a moment to talk to Him now. (If you want to know more about what it means to know Jesus, check out our “Know Jesus” page.) . But as for me, I watch in hope for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 (NIV) Read Verses: Micah 7

Have you ever been in the kind of situation where you were just screaming out to God, painfully aware that you needed Him with you? Have you ever been hurt or scared, and you needed to feel His presence to keep going? . Not too long ago, I was working in the kitchen when my finger slipped, and I was in a mess. I was panicking, worrying about how bad the damage was and whether or not I would have to go to the hospital to have my finger fixed. . I was on the floor, with a towel around my finger, and I was whispering a prayer. Please God. Please help. Please help, God. I kept repeating those words, my heart beating fast. . Eventually, I calmed down. I got things cleaned up and bandaged my finger. Healing took weeks, but it did eventually get better. My finger has a scar on it that reminds me that God was there for me in a difficult time. . God is there for you, no matter what situation you’re in. He is ready to be there with you when you feel panicked. He wants you to cry out to Him. He is so near, and He has compassion on you. You don’t need to say a fancy prayersimply reach out to Him. And even if you forget to cry out to God, you can trust that He’s there, always. Emily Acker . One of Jesus’s names is Immanuel, which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). Because God loves us so much, He came to earth in human flesh to live among us, to die for us, and to rise from the grave so that we could be with Him forever. Even though Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised His followers, surely I am with you always (Matthew 28:20). We can reach out to Jesus anytime, and we can be totally honest about how we’re doing. He knows firsthand what it’s like to be human, to be in pain, and to experience hard emotions; He empathizes with us, and He wants to help us (Hebrews 4:14-16). How might knowing these truths make it easier for us to cry out to Him? . Can you think of a time you knew God was there for you when you were scared? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. . For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling Psalm 116:8 (NIV) Read Verses: Psalm 116