St John Lutheran Church & School

10/02/2026

"Embrace Life"
October 2, 2026
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

[Jesus says,] “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. However, I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

This year’s theme for our Hispanic Heritage Month at Lutheran Hour Ministries is “Abraza la Vida,” or “Embrace Life.” This is an invitation to recognize the life God gives us, the life He prepares for us, the life He alone can offer. We’re not talking about a life without problems, or without challenges or sorrows, but rather a better life here on earth, and an eternal life that—according to the Bible—is perfect, abundant, and that God gives us only by grace.

In the Scriptures, Jesus says that He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6b). And in John 10:10b, He actually declares that His purpose to come to this world, to our world, is simple and powerful. He says, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.

However, things in this world may not be as easy as we would like. Right? There are pains that don’t end by talking to someone, whether a pastor or a therapist. There are challenges that overwhelm us, crush us, and leave deep wounds and profound sadness within us. There are situations that seem to have no solution, or that sometimes we cannot change even if we wanted to. This reality leads the world to alarming su***de rates, and to see life ending solutions as the only path. That’s why life in this world seems to have little value.

Furthermore, whether we like it or not, we have long lived in a culture marked and shaped by death. If we go back to Genesis, to the very beginning, we know that sin opened the door to death (see Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12-21). Death was never God’s plan or His goal when He created men and all things; it was the consequence of our disobedience.

In a culture of death, in our human nature that believes death is the only alternative, in a world that places very little value on life, Jesus presents Himself to us with a different proposal: eternal life.

Remember: “For God so loved the world that [He sent Jesus,] so that those who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In fact, Jesus came to experience the death we deserved so that we might live forever. He conquered death so that in His resurrection, we too may rise again and live eternally in His presence. That is His plan for you and for me!

When the Holy Spirit empowers us to embrace life, we are prepared to welcome Jesus in our hearts, recognize His sacrifice, and celebrate the blessings that come when our sins are forgiven by Him … blessings of comfort in our pain, support in our grief, and yes, life when we are dying.

WE PRAY: Lord, in a world filled by death and sorrows, bring the balm of the eternal life that Jesus won for me on His death and resurrection. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Germán Novelli-Oliveros.

Reflection Questions:

Why do you think people worry so much about temporary life in this world, and not about the eternal life that lasts forever?
What did Jesus do to turn our death into life? Why is this important for you now?
What can we say to people who don’t see life as a gift from God or as something valuable?

LHM is a Christian outreach ministry that provides The Lutheran Hour radio program, daily devotions, help topics and booklets, evangelism training, outreach resources for churches, Bible correspondence courses, international ministries, volunteer trips and service projects.

10/01/2026

"A Ridiculous Story"
October 1, 2026
[Jesus said:] “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a w**epress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, … “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.” … When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they held Him to be a prophet. (Matthew 21:33-42a, 43, 45-46)

On the face of it, this is a ridiculous story. Whoever heard of a landowner like this one, who would keep sending servants to get attacked and killed—and then finally send his own son? People aren’t like that. Any sensible landowner would have called the police the minute he heard about his first servant getting attacked!

But then, the story of Jesus is also a ridiculous story, on the face of it. Whoever heard of a God who would send His only Son into the world, knowing that we would treat Him exactly the way we treated all God’s prophets? And what kind of a person must Jesus Himself be, to come willingly into our world, knowing that death was waiting for Him?

Because it’s a true story. God really is that patient, that merciful, that unbelievably loving, in spite of all our rebellion against Him. And Jesus Himself is no helpless victim—He chose to come to us, knowing that we would kill Him. But He also knew that His death for us would transform us—would take away our sin and change us into true children of God. Because Jesus goes beyond the parable—He not only dies, but He rises from the dead for our sake. And now that He lives forever, He has shared His own everlasting life with us—and given us the Holy Spirit.

Yes, it’s a ridiculous story. But it’s ridiculous in the best possible way—because God is unbelievably good to us. He loves us that much.

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, it’s hard for me to believe You loved me that much. Strengthen my trust in You, and make my heart like Yours. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

Do you find it easy or hard to believe that God would choose to suffer, die, and rise for you?
Why?
If that is true (and it is), then what other unbelievably good things does God have in store for you? Name as many as you can.

09/30/2026

"Knowing Jesus My Lord"
September 30, 2026
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4b-14)

I love how eager Paul is to know Jesus as deeply and closely as he can! And no wonder, because to Paul, Jesus is the One who “has made me His own” in spite of Paul’s past as a persecutor of Christ’s people. Jesus knew the truth about Paul; and yet, He loved this man so much that He gave Himself into death so that Paul could live. No wonder Paul is willing to throw everything away—heritage, history, honor—to gain Christ. Nothing else compares to Him.

And that’s true for us, too, isn’t it? Jesus is God Himself, come down from heaven for love of us—come down to be one of us, to become our Savior. It was for love of His Father that He laid down His life on the cross to buy us back from death, ruin, and everlasting grief. It was for love of us that He rose from the dead to become our living Lord, who stands at God’s right hand and intercedes for us even now.

And He has promised to raise each of us from the dead on the day He returns to wind up history and bring us into the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no more sin or sadness or evil or death. We will be with the One who loves us forever.

And we are not just faces in a crowd to Jesus! The Father chose us individually and gave us to Jesus to be His own (see John 6:37-40). He knows us each by name. We are people He knows and loves and watches over, as tenderly as a good mother watches over her baby (see Isaiah 49:15-16; 1 Peter 2:2).

WE PRAY: Dear Lord Jesus, You have made me Your own. Keep me with You forever! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

How can you get to know Jesus better?
When you see Jesus face to face, what do you think you will say or do?
Jesus not only loves you, He likes you. What does that mean to you?

09/29/2026

"A Terrible Love Song"
September 29, 2026
Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning His vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; He built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a w**e vat in it; and He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do for My vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting; and He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! (Isaiah 5:1-7)

What kind of a love song is this to sing to the Lord? It starts out fine, describing all the good things God has done for His people. But then it goes terribly sour. It ends with people who yield nothing but violence and grief to the God who made them and cared for them.

Thank God this is not the last verse of the love song! For we know how it ends. Yes, there is judgment, and yes, there is regret and sorrow and repentance and pain. But there is also hope. Because God refuses to give up.

What does He do? He comes Himself into the vineyard to save and renew it. He uses the very violence and evil of the people as part of His plan to redeem them. That’s what God did when He came into our world as the Man Christ Jesus. He knew exactly what we would do to Him—that we would refuse Him and reject Him and finally put Him to death on a cross. But by submitting to that, Jesus changed the whole story—because He took our evil and destroyed it through His own death.

And then Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again. He shares that new, everlasting life with everyone who trusts in Him—all the transformed vines in His vineyard. Now He has made us fruitful vines—people who love Him and live in love toward each other. Only God could do it—and He has.

WE PRAY: Dear Savior, thank You for writing such a wonderful end to our terrible song. Fill us with love for You always. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

Is this the kind of ending the vineyard deserves?
Why does God show us this amazing love and mercy?
As one of Jesus’ vines, what fruit would you like to bear for Him—with His power working through you?

09/28/2026

"The True Vine"
September 28, 2026
You brought a vine out of Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. (Psalm 80:8-9)

God brought a vine out of Egypt and that vine was Israel, His chosen people. He set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and planted them in the Promised Land, on ground cleared as “He drove out nations before them” (Psalm 78:55a). Israel became a kingdom that filled the land. The people of Israel were to be a shining light among the nations as a witness to God’s love and power. The promised Messiah would one day be born among them. Yet the Israelites did not shine as a light. They did not remain faithful to the God who set them free. They turned to idolatry and worshiped the false gods of the nations that surrounded them. Instead of growing the fruit of faith, the vine of Israel yielded the wild grapes of idolatry and unbelief.

God brought Israel, the people He called His son, out of Egypt, but they failed to remain faithful. They failed to be the light in the world that He wanted them to be. When the time was right God sent His own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the world. After His birth in Bethlehem, the infant Savior and His parents fled to Egypt to escape the murderous wrath of King Herod. When it was safe to return, God once again called His Son out of Egypt. God had said of this promised Son, “I will make You as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6b). This Son, another vine brought out of Egypt, said of Himself, “I am the true Vine” (John 15:1a). This Vine, the Son of God, is the Light of the world. Jesus humbled Himself, remaining faithful and obedient to His Heavenly Father, even to the point of dying on a cross for our salvation.

Jesus is the true Vine and all who believe in Him are the branches united by faith to the Vine, growing and nourished by His Word. We remain strong in Jesus, growing and thriving, as we cling to Him by faith as our Source of life. Growing in Christ, rooted in Him, we bear the fruit of love and good works to the glory of the Father. Jesus was raised from death and exalted to reign at the Father’s right hand. He reigns over a Kingdom that is rooted deeply in grace and growing in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit sends us out as witnesses as the kingdom of God’s Son spreads across the land, a Kingdom that will last into eternity.

WE PRAY: Lord, help me to bear the fruit of love and good works that will glorify Your holy Name. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.

Reflection Questions:

Has there been an area of “captivity” from which God has led you to freedom?
How were the children of Israel to be toward their neighbors in the Promised Land? How was this often not the case?
In what specific areas can you be the light of God to others in your life?

09/27/2026

"May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill"
September 27, 2026
“May we Thy precepts, Lord, fulfill / And do on earth our Father’s will / As angels do above; / Still walk in Christ, the living way. / With all Thy children and obey / The law of Christian love.”

In the Lord’s Prayer we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We want to carry out our Father’s will on earth just as the angels do in heaven. What is the work of the angels? They offer unceasing praise to God and serve as His messengers. Angels carried out God’s will on earth in the unfolding plan of salvation. Angels brought the Word of God to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph, announcing the coming births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Angels celebrated Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and, years later, strengthened the Savior as He prayed in Gethsemane. Angels announced the joyful news that Jesus had risen from the dead and, at His ascension, angels assured the disciples that their Lord would return. At God’s command, angels brought the apostles out of prison and sent them out again to preach the Gospel. The holy angels carry out God’s will on earth, and according to His will the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection must be proclaimed! The angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14b).

We do the work of angels as we offer praise to God with our songs and prayers. We do our Father’s will on earth as we tell people the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, speaking to them about the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life granted by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Angels are sent to serve for the sake of those who trust in Jesus, and we join in their work when we go into the world to serve others: our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who do not yet know the Lord.

In our angelic work of praising God and serving others, we walk in “Christ, the living way.” That living way is the way of love. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). We seek to do our Father’s will on earth. We want to obey Jesus’ precepts, that is, His commands, and that means walking in love as Jesus did, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14).

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, help me to share in the work of angels and do Your will on earth as it is done in heaven. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill,” which is number 698 in the Lutheran Service Book.

Reflection Questions:

How are we—like the angels—messengers sent from God? What is the message we have to share?
Can you think of a time when, perhaps, an angel ministered to you?
How does showing love to another person mirror the message and life of Jesus?

09/26/2026

"Building Solidly"
September 26, 2026
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)

Saint Paul, Christ’s energetic apostle, claims to have the answer to the question: “And what shall a man build for absolute security?” The whole Bible supports him in his answer, as does all history. With the full authority of divine inspiration, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:11, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Every Christian minister who is true to his calling must build on Christ. All Christians place their hope of heaven on Christ. The center of all true Christian teaching is Christ. Without Christ, a person has no true security in life and no security whatsoever in eternity. The truth of this is all around us. The world has pretty well forgotten Christ or at least has ignored Him—and look at the state it’s in now!

But do we know what Paul means when he calls Jesus Christ the only foundation? Some say Christ was the greatest teacher who ever lived. He certainly was that—an infinitely more. Some say Christ was the most brilliant example of right living the world has ever seen. His teaching and example are matchless, but that does not mean I will be able to follow them. So what is Paul thinking of when he calls Christ the only foundation?

Christ is the foundation because “He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). God Himself came down the stairway of heaven with His Son in His arms to place Him into humanity that all men might have a foundation for life. From His richly abundant treasures, God gave His best. He gave Himself. He went right to the source of man’s trouble: He picked up sin in all its horror and took it to Calvary. There, the Son of God suffered and died, bearing the weight of mankind’s sin, all of it (see Isaiah 53:6).

That’s exactly what the apostle Paul was thinking of when he wrote, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And how could it be otherwise? It was God Himself who left the glories of heaven, suffering the pangs of hell for you and me, dying magnificently, rising majestically, promising to each of us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

In this world so full of false and deceiving promises, it’s easy to think the foundations we lay are of lasting and permanent value. They are not. As the old hymn tells us, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” May the Holy Spirit lead you to a faith that clings to God’s Son as the true foundation for your life.

WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, teach us to build on Your Son, Jesus, our firmest foundation. Amen.

Based on “The Foundation for Life,” a sermon by Rev. Dr. Armin Oldsen, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour

Reflection Questions:

What can happen when there are cracks in a building’s foundation?
How has Jesus laid the perfect foundation for each of us?
What kind of foundation are you building on? What are its most important elements?

09/25/2026

"Teachable"
September 25, 2026
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

[Jesus said to the religious leaders who were challenging His authority] “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They [the religious leaders] said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John [the Baptist] came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.” (Matthew 21:28-32)

“Oh, you just got schooled,” was a phrase I often heard when playing basketball. It meant that someone had driven past you and scored in your face, or something like that. The implication was that the guy (or girl) on offense had taught you a lesson. They took you to school, so to speak. I was talking about this phrase with my 16-year-old son, who informed me, “Dad, people don’t say that anymore.” “Okay, so what do they say when someone beats you bad on offense?” I asked. “They say you got ‘cooked’ or ‘broke.’” Well, all right then. These days I’m getting schooled by my 16-year-old.

Whatever the generational slang, we all know the feeling. And that’s what’s happening in this scene with Jesus and the religious leaders. The Lord is taking them to school. They had challenged His authority. “Who gave you this authority?” they demanded. Now, it’s said that there is no such thing as a dumb question. But if you’ve been reading Matthew’s Gospel, you know that this is an exception. By now it’s obvious where Jesus’ authority comes from. But the religious leaders refuse to be taught by Jesus. So, rather than letting their social status be “broke,” and their pride get “cooked,” they had Him crucified.

It was all part of God’s plan, though. Jesus was offering Himself as our Substitute, to deliver us from God’s righteous wrath over our prideful rebellion. There’s more, because Jesus was more than just our Substitute. He is our exemplar (which is more than an example). As our exemplar, Jesus provides the pattern into which the Holy Spirit now forms us. The Bible says: “Although [Jesus] was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Did you hear that? Jesus learned. He let Himself get schooled for all of us. The all-knowing, eternal Son of God humbled Himself to become teachable (see Luke 2:52), so that you and I could be like Him

Often I feel embarrassed when my ignorance (or disobedience) is exposed. But with Jesus, there is no shame. Like ex-prostitutes and former thieving tax collectors, He loves us enough to make us teachable. Being teachable does not degrade you. Being teachable does not mean that you uncritically accept everything you hear. It doesn’t mean you’re gullible. It just means that you’re not God. But you were made for God, to be His obedient son, His daughter. And He loves you and wants to work with you and teach you everything He knows. And all it’ll take is an eternity to do it.

WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, give me a teachable spirit so that I may learn from You. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.

Reflection Questions:

When have you recently learned something important unexpectedly?
From whom is it difficult for you to learn—a child, a spouse, a stranger, an expert, an enemy?
While we learn from many sources and people, Jesus says we only have One Teacher (see Matthew 23:8-10). What has He been teaching you lately?

LHM is a Christian outreach ministry that provides The Lutheran Hour radio program, daily devotions, help topics and booklets, evangelism training, outreach resources for churches, Bible correspondence courses, international ministries, volunteer trips and service projects.

09/24/2026

"Truth or Safety?"
September 24, 2026
And when He [Jesus] entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell Me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The Baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21:23-27)

The religious leaders in this story are in a tight spot. They want to know who sent Jesus to carry out His mission—and Jesus promises to tell them, if only they will answer the same question about John the Baptist. Who sent John? Was he from God, or did he baptize on his own authority—or from the devil?

The religious leaders discuss the question among themselves, and finally decide to duck it completely. It’s too dangerous for them to answer, either way. They would rather be safe than speak the truth—or hear the truth from Jesus, either.

But that means they miss out. They miss the chance to hear Jesus say honestly, “God sent Me. I am your Messiah, the Savior God promised to send you.” They could have heard it from Jesus’ own lips. What an opportunity they lost!

And yet, when I look in my own heart, I wonder too what opportunities I’m missing, because I prefer safety to truth. Are there areas of my life that need examination in the light of God’s truth, but I’m too afraid to go there, even with the Holy Spirit lighting my way? Are there actions I ought to take—apologies I should speak, amends I should make, but I can’t bring myself to face them, even with Jesus holding my hand?

Maybe. Probably!

And yet in spite of my cowardice, the truth remains. Jesus really is the Messiah. Jesus is the Son of God, sent from heaven to be our Savior. He suffered and died and rose from the dead for us, so that we might have truth and safety both—that we might be forgiven and cleansed and blessed forever, true children of God.

Because Jesus is the Truth of God and never, ever lies, we know that He will raise us also from death, according to His promises (see John 6:44, 54, 57). And Jesus is also our safety, and when we trust in Him, we are safe forever—because nothing can take us out of His hands.

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, when I am afraid, help me to look to You for safety and truth both, and nowhere else. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

Generally speaking, would you rather know the truth or be safe?
Why does it matter to you that Jesus is the Truth and speaks the truth to us?
How does Jesus meet your needs for safety—physical, emotional, or spiritual?

09/23/2026

"On the Day of Christ"
September 23, 2026
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. … Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:1-4, 14-18)

Paul is looking forward to the day Jesus returns—and why? So that he can be proud of the Christians he has taught and evangelized and cared for, loving them like his own children. He is hoping for the same thing my own missionary family hopes for—that when Jesus comes, and all His people stand before Him rejoicing, we too may stand among the Christians we have helped to be born into His family—the people who have come to faith because the Holy Spirit worked through us.

That’s hard work! It involves a lot of difficult days and sleepless nights. Some people reject the Gospel as soon as they hear it. Others believe for a while, but then fall away. There are fights in the church and conflicts between fellow Christians, especially those who are immature and show it through grumbling and selfish ambition. At times like those, we grieve. Jesus’ coming seems so far away!

And yet, we live in hope—because we know that Jesus gave His life for these people we love, and He rose from the dead and intercedes for us right now at the right hand of God the Father. He will certainly finish the work He has begun! And He has given His Holy Spirit so that all of His people, mature and newborn, may trust in Him and grow up in love for each other.

Who is watching over you with hope? And who are you watching over, as a parent or teacher or leader?

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, give us Your Spirit’s help so that we can grow up in Your love, and bring us all safely to stand before You in joy when You return. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

How did you come to faith? Thank God for whoever baptized you and taught you the Gospel.
Who has been caring for you while you grow in faith? Pray for them as well.
Who are you caring for and praying for right now? Who could you tell about Jesus, with the Spirit’s help?