Category: Daily Devotions

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When [Jesus] noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.”
Luke 14:7-9

Know Your Place at the Table

Imagine that you are at a wedding reception. It’s time for the dinner to be served, and one of the guests sits down at the head table right next to the groom. That would be an embarrassing moment because everybody knows that spot is reserved for the “Best Man.” It would be arrogant of that guest to think he deserves to sit next to the groom more than the other guests.

This is the arrogant attitude Jesus noticed among the people who had been invited to a banquet. And this is the attitude that lurks under the surface of our own hearts, too. We want to be more important and more honored than those around us.

But what an insult to God, the Lord of all, when we act like we’re lords over the people God created. What are we but dust and ashes without God? And yet sinful pride believes that God ought to feel lucky to have us at his banquet.

How can we stamp ugly pride out of our lives? Going along with Jesus’ example of a banquet, the answer could be worded this way: Know your place at the table! You are not the king of the castle. You are the King’s guest.

Humility comes from recognizing that everything we are is a gift from God. If we have a place at God’s table, it’s only ours by grace.

You do have a place at God’s table! Jesus, the Groom, has personally invited you to sit next to him in a seat of honor! The Bible says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of [Christ] the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for raising me up to enjoy a seat at your heavenly table. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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[Jesus said] “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 14:11

Humility Rules

What do you think would happen if a teacher announced to her class of twenty, eight-year-olds, “Line up, class! The first ten in line will get an ice cream cone.” Will those children calmly and politely line up for ice cream? Will they insist that others go in front of them? Hardly! They will start pushing and shoving each other in their race to get to the front of the line.

In this cut-throat world, where everyone seems to be out for themselves, where if you don’t toot your own horn, someone else is going to run over you, Jesus teaches a shocking truth. In his world, humility rules.

This is a lesson that doesn’t come naturally to any of us. We want to think we can run our lives without any help. Sinful pride within us all says, “Me first and everybody else second.” Sinful pride believes: Exalt yourself and you win, humble yourself and you lose.

And what does such an arrogant attitude lead to? Disgrace. Jesus said, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled.”

When it comes to getting in line for heaven, selfish ambition and self-promotion do not get us to the front of the line. In fact, if we were to rely on ourselves to get into the mansions of heaven, our perfect God would have to say, “I saw how you treated those people around you. I saw how you hurt them with your unkind words, selfish behavior, and belittling attitude. Your sins have disqualified you from heaven.”

How astounded we are, then, to witness how the Son of God gave up his rightfully earned place of honor in heaven and willingly sacrificed his life to exalt us to heaven, even though we haven’t deserved it. And by his resurrection, Jesus proved that he has truly won a place of honor for us at God’s table in heaven.

This is the cause of our humble attitude before God. We are so humbled that our Lord Jesus humbled himself to show us such undeserved kindness. Even as you live in this cut-throat world, find your true value in the place of honor Jesus has won for you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, accept my gratitude for your humble service and exalting love. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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When [Jesus] noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.”
Luke 14:7,8

A Different Perspective

What would Jesus do? The dinner guests carefully watched his every move. But they were not the only ones doing the watching. Jesus also observed their actions. What he saw offered him an opportunity to teach a different perspective.

The guests were literally falling over themselves to have the best seat at the dinner. Pride was their motivation, as was the desire to be recognized as being just a little better than everyone else. Jesus offered a different perspective, and it is one to which we need to pay attention.

Being humble, truly humble, is difficult. As someone who craves attention, being overlooked is hard to accept. Still, Jesus’ lesson strikes home. Pride and self-promotion cannot stand up in front of God, who is judge over all. You may try to offer all the good you have done and may claim to be better than other people. You may even demand that God has to accept you for who you are. Unfortunately, God looks at this from a different perspective. He says, “Be perfect” (Matthew 5:48). He adds, “All have sinned and fall short of his glory” (Romans 3:23).

In humility, we realize we cannot stand before God nor take pride in anything we have done. This is why Jesus’ perspective is so important. He teaches us to look past our works and look to him. He provides us with the perfection we cannot attain. He offers the forgiveness needed. He gives the ability to stand before his Father and judge as completely acceptable.

Yes, it is a different perspective, yet it is one through which we receive life and lasting glory in heaven.

Prayer:

Dearest Jesus, you alone are my pride and glory. Give me the faith I need to depend on your work for my rescue, my ability to stand before your Father, and my certainty of heaven. Amen!

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations. . . They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD.
Isaiah 66:18-20

The Future

The people of Isaiah’s time were about to go through one of the darkest times in their nation’s history. The prophet Isaiah warned that God was about to send them into captivity because of their repeated rebellious and sinful behavior. Their future seemed bleak at best.

As Isaiah closed his book of warnings and judgment, he offered hope. He pointed to a bright future that didn’t seem possible. God would disperse his people to the different nations of the world just as he warned, but this act of judgment would bring about an unexpected positive result. As God’s people went out into the world, he would use them to share his glory with all people.

Isaiah paints a picture of the return of the people that would be spectacular. The people left in disgrace—in chains, but they would return in triumph with wagons and chariots and animals and wealth. God would bless his people beyond their wildest expectations.

God also has blessing for you beyond what you can imagine. Even today it is a challenge to describe God’s glory. How can we comprehend an enduring future that lasts for eternity? Look to the cross of Jesus. It is there that God showed his ultimate love by securing our future with him.

Looking into the future and completely understanding what God has in store for us is impossible. But as we take time to meditate on his Word, he grows our faith and understanding of what he has done for us. One thing we can know for sure is that our future with God is bright. May this give you hope as you face the difficulties of each new day with confidence.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, show me your glory. Help me continue to grow in understanding of your love for me and your will for my life. Thank you for letting me look to the future with confidence. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you…’”
Luke 13:26,27

Familiarity

The scene is this: The Good News of what Jesus has done has gone out into the world. The Lord, through his people, has patiently proclaimed his message of full forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Christ alone. He proclaimed his message with persistence. He has proclaimed the message to all. But now the time is up. The end of the world has arrived. Every last moment for repentance is gone. The door to heaven is closed.

Outside the door, however, are people who have convinced themselves that there must be some misunderstanding. Why is the door closed? Why can’t they get in?

With the strength of desperation, they knock on the door; pound on it. As they do, they call out. They plead, “Sir, open the door for us.” But the reply comes back that simply says, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”

He doesn’t know them. Impossible, they think. After all, they’re familiar with him. They’ve heard about Jesus all their lives. They’ve bumped into Jesus and his words lots of times. He was part of their background, part of their culture. And so, they lawyer up and make their case that they are familiar with him. “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets,” they say. But once again comes back the chilling, now final, reply: “I don’t know you.”

Their fatal mistake is now clear. Throughout their lives, they’ve presumed that familiarity with Jesus was the same as trust in Jesus. They presumed wrong.

Satan wants me to make the same mistake. He tempts me to presume that familiarity with Jesus, warm nostalgia for church and church culture—that it’s all good enough. But if I presume this, I will one day find myself standing outside of a closed door.

But Jesus knows the devil’s schemes too. That’s why our Savior is pursuing you and me right now, strengthening our bond with him through his Word and sacrament. All this so that it’s not familiarity, but trust: Trust in Jesus alone as our Savior from sin.

Prayer:

Lord, I am not just familiar with you. I trust you. Increase my faith. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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[Jesus said] “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
Luke 13:24

Narrow

Some have called the Valleys of Kashmir “Heaven on Earth.” The Valleys of Kashmir rest high in the Himalaya Mountains. In these valleys, one breathtaking scene after another awaits you. You see lush, flowing grass, evergreen trees, mountain streams, apple orchards, grazing sheep, waterfalls—all nestled in the surrounding beauty of the Himalayas.

If you are at a certain point to the east of this “Heaven on Earth,” however, the only way to reach the Valleys of Kashmir is to travel what is called “The Zojila Pass.” Many words could describe the Zojila Pass. But perhaps the best word is “narrow.” The Himalaya Mountains, you see, are treacherous. They are no place for multi-lane interstate highways. The Zojila Pass is a narrow road. Back and forth it winds. On one side is a sheer mountain wall. On the other is a sheer drop-off. To meet another vehicle on this road can be…tricky. Anyone driving the Zojila Pass must not be casual or careless. To stray from the Zojila Pass is to invite disaster.

Throughout his Word, our Savior makes it clear to us that he is the only way. He is not one with a wide variety of options by which we can find peace with God. Nor is he some vague, general concept that we are free to shape and use to our own liking. Our Savior is a specific person. His name is Jesus. And Jesus has done some concrete things to rescue us from the treacherous mountains of our sin; the mountains of sin that separate us from God.

In our place, he lived the life of perfect goodness that you and I have failed to live. On our behalf, he suffered and died on a cross to wash our sins away. Then, three days later, he rose from the dead.

Now he calls to us through his gospel. He calls us to trust him as the only way—the only way to full forgiveness; the only way to peace, joy, meaning, and purpose—the only way to heaven.

Prayer:

Lord, you alone are the one, narrow way. Keep me close to you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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You have come to God, the Judge of all.
Hebrews 12:23

Judge of All

Throughout his life, it was easy for Francis Newport to put off the existence of God and the reality of God’s judgment. After all, he enjoyed wealth, he enjoyed creature comforts, he enjoyed success, he enjoyed political power and influence, he enjoyed prominence in his community. God? Some final judgment? Such things just seemed too fantastic, too far beyond his grasp or concern.

The day finally arrived, however, when it was clear that Newport’s life was coming to an end. As it did, God as Judge no longer seemed fantastic. It is said that, in his closing hours, this avowed atheist spoke the following words in fear: “You need not tell me there is no God. For I know there is one, and that I am in his presence.”

In my 21st-century lifestyle, I can surround myself with conveniences, I can make my life comfortable, I can fill my time with hobbies and YouTube and weekend plans and scrolling on my phone. As I do, it is very easy for my old, sinful nature to concoct an artificial world—a world that does not include the reality of God, the reality of God as the judge of all.

Such an artificial world, however, is fragile. And temporary. For when my years of pretending are done, when my years of denial, dismissiveness, unseriousness are all gone—there I will stand. And there God will be. God. The Judge of All. My judge too.

And that is why the Lord, in his Word, calls out to me. To you. To all of us. When he calls, there is urgency in his voice. “Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.” “Listen, listen to me…hear me, so that your soul may live.” “Now is the time of God’s favor. Now is the day of salvation.”

It’s the reason God sent his Son. It’s the reason Jesus lived a perfect life as our substitute. It’s the reason Jesus suffered and died for our sins in our place. It’s the reason he lives. All so that, through faith in him, our day of judgment will be our first day of eternal life.

Prayer:

Lord, my last day is coming. Move me to find refuge in you alone. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure.”
Isaiah 66:22

Your Name

Here’s a pop quiz. Can you rattle off the names of your great-great-grandparents? Can you describe their appearance? What did they do for fun? What made them laugh? How did they meet and fall in love? How did they handle days of stress? What were their hopes for the future? What were their darkest moments? What were their happiest memories? Unless you have a deep passion for genealogy, chances are that you might have trouble just coming up with their names. And unless you have some treasure trove of letters and journals where they poured out their hearts about everything, chances are that you know precious little about them.

And yet only three generations stand between you and your great-great-grandparents. Three. It’s a sobering thing, isn’t it. Their lives were just as vivid and real and three-dimensional as yours. But it took only a short passage of time for even their names to fade. And you and I are not exempt. In a few short generations, your descendants and mine will struggle to recall our names.

But that’s okay. It really is. Here’s why. About 2,700 years ago, the Lord himself gave you and me a timeless promise through the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. He said this. “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name…endure.”

Let that sink in for a moment. God has promised that your name and mine will endure as long as the new heavens and the new earth of eternal life will endure. In other words, the Lord will never forget your name. Never.

There’s a reason he will not forget. He has gone to great trouble to see to it that your name will never fade away. He became one of us. He walked among us in the person of Jesus Christ. On our behalf, he never forgot the will of his heavenly Father. With his blood, he cleansed the record of all our sins. And now he lives to remember your name. He will cherish you through and through, forever.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you will never forget my name. Thank you. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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“Those who consecrate and purify themselves . . . they will meet their end together,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 66:17

Sincerely Wrong

In December of 1903, Samuel Langley knew he was about to make history. He knew he was about to demonstrate the world’s first flying machine. For the past five years, he had overseen a dedicated team of experts and technicians. They had sought out the best materials. They had developed a powerful engine. They had perfected a proper launching system. Such efforts had not been cheap. Langley had spent $70,000 at a time when the average income in America was $300 per year.

Finally, everything was ready. The big moment was near Washington, DC. The press stood nearby. The pilot climbed aboard. The engine roared to life. The launching system launched. And Samuel Langley’s flying machine immediately sank to the bottom of the Potomac River.

His confidence in his flying machine and trust in his team had been sincere. His certainty that his invention would be the world’s first flying machine had been sincere. In the end, however, Samuel Langley was sincerely wrong.

In Isaiah chapter 66, the Lord spoke of individuals who sincerely believed they could purify themselves before God. They were certain the answer lay within them. They were confident that if they developed their own way to God and were sincere in what they were doing, they would have God’s favor in their back pocket. But in all this, they were sincerely wrong.

When it comes to my relationship with God, I can be sincere about all kinds of things. I can be sincere in presuming that God will accept me if I try my best, and that God will accept me because I think I’ve done more good than bad. I can sincerely presume that God will accept me because I think I’m a pretty decent person. And I would be sincerely wrong.

It’s not about the sincerity of my faith. It’s about the object of my faith. Jesus alone lived a perfect life in my place. Jesus alone suffered and died on my behalf. In Jesus alone, you and I can sincerely rest.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I look to you for rescue. Not to myself. Not to others. To you alone. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Hebrews 12:18-24

A Mountaintop Experience

Go to church. If you figure out what’s going on there, it can be a mountaintop experience.

I’m not talking about the kind of church where they tell you how to be good enough to go to heaven. That kind of church is scary because deep down, you know you will never be that perfect, no matter how hard you try. When you go to that kind of church, it is like approaching Mount Sinai, where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. That was terrifying.

I’m talking about the kind of church where you hear the good news that Jesus is your Savior, no matter how sinful you are. That kind of church is like the mountain in Jerusalem, where the temple was built by Solomon, where animals were sacrificed as a picture of the sacrifice that Jesus would be once and for all on the cross. At that kind of church, you worship with people who are declared perfectly righteous through faith in Jesus. At that kind of church, even if you worship with only a few people, you are also worshiping with the angels whose songs you will hear fully when you go to heaven.

And won’t that be a mountaintop experience? Until then, go to church and enjoy a little taste of it.

Prayer:

Lord, lead me to rejoice whenever I go to your house. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.