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Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1

His Love Endures Forever

Many, if not most, psalms in the Bible were designed to be sung or spoken antiphonally—that is, the first half of each verse is sung by a leader or choir followed by the congregation responding with the second half. If you open your Bible to Psalm 136, you’ll notice that the second half of each of the 26 verses is exactly the same: “His love endures forever.” The entire psalm encourages us to give thanks to the Lord, the one true God, who powerfully created all things and who mercifully provides for his people. And with every mention of the Lord’s many mighty acts, the people interject the refrain: “His love endures forever.”

And it’s not just in this psalm. The first time this phrase is found in the Bible is in 1 Chronicles 16, when King David is bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The people sang and praised God with a psalm that included these same words. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” A generation later, in 2 Chronicles 5, when King Solomon completed construction of the temple, a great number of musicians played while the choir sang praise to the Lord: “He is good; his love endures forever.”

Someone might ask, “Why the repetition?” But consider why it is that we repeat anything. Usually, because it’s important or because we keep forgetting it—or in this case, both. The Hebrew word translated as love here calls to mind God’s loyalty and grace in dealing with us. Despite our frequent ingratitude and lack of love for God, he is unwaveringly devoted to his love for us, simply because of who he is. In everything he does—starting with the creation of the world, all the way through human history, right down to the way he watches over and provides for us today—God does it out of his commitment to love us. His promise of grace finds its fulfillment in his own Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from certain death by taking our punishment upon himself. It is truly a love that endures forever!

Prayer:

Lord God, you have been good to me in so many ways. Let me never forget your grace but always give you thanks, for your love endures forever. 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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Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, [Jesus] gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:19-21

With Jesus There is Always More

With Jesus, there is always more. More than five thousand people were fed with just five loaves and two fish. And there was more food left over than they had at the beginning.

This miracle is a big deal. Other than Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, it’s the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. The repetition means Jesus really wants us to know about it. Why?

Jesus teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). In other words, Christians are to trust God to provide. And what Jesus teaches, he demonstrates by feeding the five thousand. He takes care of us and provides everything we need.

This is a simple lesson to learn, but it is difficult to believe. Your sinful nature wants you to think that you take care of yourself. The devil does not want you to trust God. He wants you to trust yourself and say, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Deuteronomy 8:17).

But is that true? Who gives you time to work? Who gives you the strength to work? Who gives you the skills to work? “Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Jesus doesn’t work miracles to flaunt his power. He works miracles to show that he is God Almighty in human flesh. Jesus gives health and wealth because that is what Jesus does—he gives. He provides his life, death, and resurrection for your salvation. If he can do that, he can do something as simple as provide daily bread.

Because with Jesus, there is always more. Jesus’ compassion for you knows no bounds. No need is too impossible for Christ to meet. No sin is too big for Jesus to forgive. You can trust him with anything and everything!

Prayer:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever. 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] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
Matthew 13:44-46

Treasure

Discovering a hidden treasure is a common dream. Wouldn’t it be great to instantly be wealthy beyond anything you could have imagined?

In the first story of today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells us about someone who, finds buried treasure. In ancient times, rich people were known to divide their wealth into three parts: one for doing business, another converted to precious stones with which to flee, and, if necessary, a third part to be buried in a safe place. So, it could happen that when a rich man died, his buried wealth would remain to be found by some fortunate individual.

In the second brief story, Jesus speaks of a pearl merchant whose life’s mission was to seek out exceptional pearls and obtain them.

Some tirelessly seek treasure, and others just fortunately find it. But the most valuable treasure is that which Jesus has for us. This treasure Jesus tells us is the “kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom is Jesus’ rule in our hearts by faith. When Jesus rules our hearts, when our faith is in him, then we have the treasure of the forgiveness of sins, spiritual life, and eternal salvation—we will enjoy the glories of heaven forever.

Still, we don’t have to wait to enjoy this precious treasure. With faith in Jesus comes the peace of knowing we are God’s dear children right now, the hope of present certainty for a blessed future, and the joy of knowing God loves us today, tomorrow, and always.

So, whether you stumble upon earthly treasure or spend your life seeking after it, what really matters is that you have the treasure of Jesus. It’s worth giving up everything to make it your own.

Prayer:

Lord, lead us to the treasure that is Jesus and help us to treasure that treasure above all things. 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] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Matthew 13:44

The Treasure

A man by the name of Edward Doheny [pronounced Doh-HEE-nee] has just arrived in California. The year is 1892. Doheny is a drifter. He’s worked as a mule driver, a fruit packer, and even a singing waiter. But nothing has panned out. His financial future looks grim.

One day, you’re walking through town and see a strange thing. You see Doheny digging a hole with a pick and a shovel. Turns out he’s put down all the money he can on some vacant lot just so he can dig there. You roll your eyes. You think to yourself, “I guess desperate drifters do desperate things.” You keep walking.

But desperate drifter Edward Doheny knows something you do not know. He spotted a black, thick goo seeping up into this vacant lot. He also has a hunch that people will soon pay money for this thick goo. He’s right. Here, on this lot, he strikes oil. He sets up his first oil well—the first of many. As a result, Edward Doheny becomes one of the wealthiest men in the world.

Jesus tells a similar story: A man finds a hidden treasure in a field. When he does, he sells all he has to buy that field. Think about that for a moment. Imagine what his friends and neighbors are thinking. Imagine how silly and foolish they presume he is—how skewed and confused his priorities appear. But he knows something they do not know. He knows about the treasure.

Which brings us to your life and mine. The culture around us may often smirk at us in polite contempt. In a society where pleasure, money, recognition, entertainment, and power are the stuff of life, the priorities of a Christian often seem quaint, clueless, even stupid.

But we know something others do not yet know. We know about the treasure. We know about Jesus. We know about the priceless riches of forgiveness, peace, purpose, security, and meaning we possess in him. In addition, we know this treasure lasts not only for this life; it is eternal.

Prayer:

Jesus, priceless treasure, 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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…so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:19

Truly Life

For decades, Peggy Lee was a fixture in American pop culture. Called “The Queen of American Pop Music,” she performed on stage, on television, and in the movies. For example, you can hear her voice and her songs all through the Disney classic, “Lady and the Tramp.”

For all the joy she brought, however, perhaps her most memorable song is one that is not joyful at all. In 1969, she recorded a song entitled “Is That All There Is?” In it, a woman reflects on past events in her life, from the loss of her childhood home to going to the circus with her father, and her first romantic love. After each event, she asks herself, “Is that all there is?” She knows that something is missing, but she doesn’t know what. And as she looks to the end of her life, she’s convinced that, in her final moments, she’ll ask the same question: “Is that all there is?”

The song earned Peggy Lee a Grammy Award. It also reached the top of the charts. Clearly, the song had struck a nerve. It still does today.

In the closing sentences of the apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he reminds us not to look to the things of this world. Don’t look to the things of this world for security, for fulfillment, for meaning, for identity. Not only are the things of this world uncertain; even if they surround us until the day we die, they offer nothing that lasts. In the end, all we will have is the question, “Is that all there is?”

Enter our Creator. Enter God the Son. Enter Jesus. On our behalf, our Savior did what he had to do to rescue us from an empty, pointless existence. His perfect life and death in our place pulled us out of our darkness and back into his light. For now, in him, not only do we bask in his forgiveness; in him, we are once again what he created us to be. We are in the family of God. And because we are, we now have the life that is truly life.

Prayer:

Lord, in you alone I possess the life that is truly life. 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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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant.
1 Timothy 6:17

Arrogance

Max Roser does research. He researches the wide variety of living conditions that people experience around the world. He also offers some perspective. For instance, Roser has this to say about living conditions that many of us accept as ordinary. He writes: “What many people in wealthy countries regard as ordinary—electricity at the flip of a switch, clean water from a tap, refrigeration, antibiotics, hot showers, flush toilets, and abundant food—would have been luxuries unavailable not only to most people alive today, but to kings and queens for most of human history.”

Let that quote sink in for just a moment. The luxuries and conveniences many of us take for granted are not only inconceivable to millions of people around the world; these luxuries and conveniences were not available even to the richest kings and queens of the past.

It also means that when the apostle Paul was speaking about “those who are rich,” he was speaking about people who could not even imagine the kind of ordinary wealth many of us enjoy in the 21st Century. In other words, many of us are far, far, far richer than “the rich” of Paul’s day.

When God’s Word, therefore, says, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant,” you and I cannot immediately presume that this does not apply to us. In fact, in all likelihood, it does.

If I am, indeed, rich by historical standards of living, how might I slip into arrogance? I may not display arrogance like some stereotypical rich man from an old movie—smoking a big cigar while I count my money, barking out orders, looking down my nose at others. In my ordinary comforts, conveniences, and luxuries, however, I can begin to insulate myself from the desperate, constant need for Jesus in my life. Such arrogance can be lethal.

Regardless of my wealth, or lack of it, my need for Jesus is urgent and is real. I need him now and always. He came to take away the sins of the world. Even the sins of the rich. Even mine.

Prayer:

Lord, remove my arrogance. Empower me to grasp my constant need for 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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So God said to [Solomon]. . . “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart.”
1 Kings 3:11-12

Priority

Solomon had just become the next king of Israel. He was about twenty years old. In lavish generosity, the Lord said a breathtaking thing. He said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

“Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” In your prayers right now, what is your most common request? Although we have the high privilege of talking to the Lord about anything, my sinful weakness can show up in my prayer life, too. There are periods in my life when I could fit most of my prayer requests under one big umbrella, and on that umbrella is one big word: “Easier.” I want God to make my life easier. I want him to remove difficulties. I want him to make my life more convenient. I want him to make my world more comfortable. I want him to clear my path of those things that create hardship, pain, loneliness, uncertainty, or grief. And while it’s not wrong to pray for any of these things, if the priority in my prayer life is simply for God to make my life easy, then I have forgotten why I am here. And for such forgetfulness, the Lord calls upon me to repent.

Solomon had the chance to ask for anything—anything at all. He could ask for wealth. He could ask for a long life. He could ask for an easy reign through the removal of his enemies. But he didn’t. Instead, he asked for wisdom. He asked the Lord to give him what he needed to serve in this difficult, broken world.

On our behalf, God the Son came here. In our place, he lived a life of perfect faithfulness. As our substitute, he suffered and died for our every sin. Then he arose. In him we stand forgiven, cleansed, at peace. As you and I now live to shine his light in this dark place, our privilege and priority is to ask the Lord to provide us with what we need to serve him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the privilege of asking you for anything. Give me wisdom. Make my priorities your priorities. 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 am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.”
1 Kings 3:7

Candor

Here’s the setting for today’s Bible passage. The great King David is now an old man. The Lord has just anointed David’s son, Solomon, to be the next king of Israel. At this time, Solomon is about twenty years old.

To be twenty years old is to be in a fantastic moment in your life. You’re an independent adult. Your physical and mental powers are at their peak. Countless possibilities lie before you. But this can also be a dangerous moment. For a variety of reasons, it can be easy to presume that you know much more than you really know. And ignorance, coupled with arrogance, can quickly open doors to all kinds of disaster.

And so here is twenty-something Solomon. He has just experienced the indescribable thrill of becoming king. What to do first? One of the first things Solomon does is to speak to the Lord in profound candor. “I am only a little child, he prays. I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.”

Candor in prayer. To talk to my God without candor is to run the ultimate fool’s errand. He is, after all, the One who has searched me and who knows me. To talk to my God without openly acknowledging my frailties, my weaknesses, my sinful flaws—to talk to him in such a way is not only an insult to him; it robs me of the assurance of forgiveness, comfort, and strength that my Savior purchased for me at Calvary’s cross.

Which brings us to the beautiful truth we possess through the power of the good news of Jesus Christ. Because God the Son has lived a perfect life on my behalf; washed my every sin away through his suffering and death, and risen from the tomb, I now have the priceless privilege to speaking to God without fear. I can speak to him in the greatest of openness. I can talk to him in candor about anything. For through faith in the Messiah, I am secure. I am his.

Prayer:

Lord, through faith in your blood I am secure in you. Move me to speak in candor. 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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[Solomon said], “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3:9-10

Wisdom

Thanks to Walt Disney and others, we’ve all heard of the magic genie who grants you three wishes for anything you want. I doubt most folks have ever asked themselves what they would ask for if given that opportunity. Why? Because it isn’t realistic.

Yet in today’s Bible passage, we have an example of the powerful Lord God himself—not some mere cartoon genie—offering Solomon anything he wanted. And for what did Solomon ask? He asked for a discerning heart that he would have wisdom to govern God’s people. What a request!

It might be more impressive what he did not ask for. He didn’t ask for more wealth than he already had. He didn’t ask for continued health, that he might enjoy a long life on this earth. He didn’t ask for the death of his enemies so that his throne would be secured even more than it already was. He didn’t even ask for a trouble-free life. Instead, he asked for wisdom.

We can learn from Solomon. We can place a high value on wisdom in the Lord, which starts with knowing, “There is a God, and I am not him.” We can set our hearts on carrying out the work the Lord has given us in a way that honors him. We can set our hearts on things above—the eternal promises of Jesus—and not on things below.

Prayer:

Lord, earthly blessings are important, and you have given me too many of those to count. But today I ask you not for more money, better health, or a trouble-free life; instead, I ask you to give me wisdom that I might have deep contentment with all you’ve given me and make choices that honor you as my Savior. 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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“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:43

Light at the End of the Tunnel

It is said that people can endure almost anything if there’s some goal to shoot for, some “light at the end of the tunnel.” Prisoners of war have talked about undergoing horrible treatment of all sorts but making it out alive because they thought about the day they would be released, or when the war would end, or reuniting with a loved one.

This world can be tough, with all its stresses and challenges. We struggle to focus on eternal things. We get caught up in the rat race of life. We fail to love God and our fellow humans, and we feel guilty because of it. We experience sinful actions from others, even from close loved ones. We deal with the temptations of the devil, the temptations of our sinful flesh, like lust, greed, and laziness. Our minds become cloudy, etc., etc. It’s tough!

But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Someday you’re leaving this world, and you’re going to a world that is so far better that it can’t even compare. Because Jesus paid for your sins on the cross and rose from the dead, the doors of heaven are wide open for you. And, it’s going to be awesome!

Looking at that “light” at the end of the tunnel, you and I can endure anything.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, may the thought of the glorious eternal life you won for me give me the strength I need to endure the trials and tribulations of this life. 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.