Pastor Matt Ewart

In the days of Jesus, disabled people were hardly viewed as people. They were viewed as a burden on society. They were often forgotten and considered insignificant.

One day a blind beggar named Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by. Rather than humbly gesturing for some alms, this blind man did something so bold that it annoyed the people around him. Over and over, he shouted with all his might, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

What happened next shocked everyone. This blind beggar who was just one person in a crowd was significant to God. Jesus called him to come near.

“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see’” (Mark 10:51).

I wonder what would happen in your life today if you were bold like Bartimaeus. What would happen if you lived as if you were significant to God? What problems would you bring to him in prayer? What hopes would you ask him to grant? How boldly would you call out to him in times of need?

While I don’t know who is reading this devotion, I do know that each reader is significant to God. You are not just an anonymous person in the crowd who has nothing to offer him. He loves you and he makes a big deal about you, as was proven by what Jesus did for you.

Live today as if you are significant to God. Because you are.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Jason Nelson

When darkness was so thick you could wear it, God had an idea. “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). In a flash, he knew he could get photons excited enough to glow. He made them glow in the direction of his magnetism. He dialed in different intensities so he could create day and night, dusk and dawn. He sourced light in suns, moons, stars, and on his own face. He figured out that light across a spectrum would make for a very colorful existence. He put all the physics in place in the blink of an eye. There it was. Light. And he wanted others to enjoy the beauty of light as much as he did. He willed for people to see the light and reflect the light. To be the image of light. 

Darkness didn’t surrender. It never does. It’s powerful too. It always threatens to snuff out any little bit of light. But God is light. He will not let evil take us back to only darkness. God is there in every ray of hope for a happy ending. His face lit up with pleasure in his one and only Son who is the Light of the world. Christ’s love for us brightens our mood.

When you feel darkness creeping in, may the light of the Lord bless you and keep you. May his face shine on you and show you his grace. May he look you right in the eye and give you peace. Amen.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Dave Scharf

In the Old Testament, God wanted his people to celebrate a year of Jubilee. It was to take place every 50 years. In that year, all debts were canceled, and all slaves were released to return to their own families. Just imagine what a joyful event the year of Jubilee must have been for the people of Israel! 

“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan” (Leviticus 25:10).

You see, sometimes it happened that an Israelite had to sell himself into slavery to pay off debts. However, that Israelite knew he was not going to be a slave forever. He knew freedom was coming. What a day to look forward to, the day he would be set free!

We no longer need to look forward to that day. We are living that day, every day. We have been set free from our slavery to sin. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” he was proclaiming your freedom. Sin is no longer your master. You and I can now live our lives in freedom, serving our Savior! We have that freedom today, right now. It will get even better when we go to heaven and live in perfect, eternal freedom with our Savior Jesus. Jubilee is a time for rejoicing. In Jesus, every day is a Jubilee for you.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Sarah Habben

Grandparents. You have a bit of a reputation, you know. You hand out cookies before dinner. You obey the bedtime plea, “Just one more story!” You fork over change for bubblegum machines and Happy Meals. You hug instead of lecture. You cheerfully push swings, occupy bleachers, make muffins, buy pizza, chauffeur, tutor, and send birthday cards. 

Thank you, dear grandparents, for your legacy of love.

But thank you infinitely more for your legacy of faith. Biblical grandparents left this legacy too. As death neared, Jacob/Israel made it a priority to pray over his grandsons and ask God to bless them: “When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, ‘Who are these?’ ‘They are the sons God has given me here,’ Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, ‘Bring them to me so I may bless them’” (Genesis 48:8,9).

Thank you, grandparents, for all the grandkid prayers that have gone from your hearts to God’s ear. 

In another Bible account, Paul reminded young Timothy that his faith was a legacy from his grandma: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5).

Thank you, God, for the “sincere faith” that our Christian grandparents have so carefully shared from their laps, over coffee, through the mail, and on the phone . . . so that one day we can share a home with them in heaven. 

What a precious, priceless inheritance.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mike Novotny

You know the service is good when housekeeping turns your bathroom towel into a sloth. My extended family took a cruise recently and were delighted to learn that the housekeepers were trained to turn ordinary towels into extraordinary animals. After finding a towel bunny on our bed, my daughter wrote a passionate note in her second-grade font, "Please make me a sloth." And the housekeeper did! She even managed to make it hang from the drapes like it was in the wild! That kind of over-the-top service reminds me of Jesus. He surprises us, doesn't he? He washed feet. He changed his plans for the scared dad of a dying girl. He chose a cross so we don't have to be scared of dying. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45). No one would blame Jesus for ruling on a throne while we washed his feet. But—miracle of miracles—he humbled himself to serve. I know of no greater comfort than to remember that the God who created the universe with a few words is in the service industry. Every day our Lord loves to serve us daily bread and hourly mercy. Just when you think you are blessed beyond what you deserve, you open your eyes and see the sun shining, the air conditioning, running, a friend forgiving, a fellow Christian caring.Or a sloth hanging from the drapes of Room 6152.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Clark Schultz

“You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13).

Normally when someone looks at you and says, “You’re being a little salty,” it’s not meant as a compliment. Jesus, who liked to be different than the religious leaders of his day, was encouraging his listeners to be just that . . . salty. But he didn’t mean it in a negative way.

Salt preserves, salt (when taken in the appropriate dose) is good for you, and salt even adds a little flavor. Earlier in the book of Matthew, Jesus said that the people of this world who reject him are in the dark. So he encouraged his listeners to be a light to this dark world. Like peanut butter is to jelly, with letting our lights shine, Jesus also encouraged us to add a splash of salt to our lives of living for him. We can use the salt of the gospel to show God’s preservation for us and for others. We can give a good sprinkle of the law and the gospel over our daily conversations. And when others are being negative, we can spice things up by being a salty Christian. A Christian who’s not a perfect know-it-all but one who realizes he or she is a lost and condemned creature, a follower of God who needs a whole lot of flavoring in his or her life, a flavor that only Christ can give.

So grab the shaker of the gospel God has given you and, like dinner, feel free to pass the salt.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Andrea Delwiche

“Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God” (John 3:21).

Do you ever think about the motivation behind words and ideas that you might throw out to others? Do you wonder if the thoughts that lead to those words are of God? Sometimes our words can take on a veneer of Christianity, but in actuality they stand in opposition to Jesus’ teachings.

It can certainly happen these days. Words and ideas come to us prepackaged. They trigger emotions in us—fear, hatred, self-preservation. We receive them, and to ease our own anxiety, we pass them on to others. They may even sound like Christianity as we’ve heard it represented by people whom we love and respect but, in actuality, may have nothing to do with Christ and his love.

How can we guard against this false religion? We can take time to hold thoughts and words up to the light of Christ. Prayerfully read through the gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—to see what was important to Jesus. How did he live? What did he prioritize? Ask the Spirit to help sort out longings and fears, to separate what is of Christ and what is a construct of human hatred masquerading as Christ. 

Lord Jesus, let your light shine among us. Give us courage to hold every thought and action up to the light of your goodness and truth. Help us change where we need to change. Amen.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mike Novotny

Jesus wasn’t a fan of fine print. When someone from the crowds wanted to follow him, Jesus didn’t get out a glossy brochure with all the blessings of believing. Instead, he admitted the true cost of being a Christian.

“When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head’” (Matthew 8:18-20). Even though this teacher of the law was ready to follow “wherever” Jesus went, our Savior still wanted him to know how hard that “going” might get.

Jesus wants you to know that too. Being a Christian will cost you. Letting go of control and letting Jesus be the Lord of your life (your schedule, your sexuality, your checkbook, your body, your worldview, your everything) will make you more uncomfortable than a homeless man without a pillow.

So why would you become (or stay) a Christian? Because Jesus is worthy. He is a treasure, a pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46). He is the Lamb of God who takes away your sin (John 1:29). Following Jesus is the only way to get to God (John 14:6).

Be honest with yourself about how much Jesus will cost you. But make sure to remember all that Jesus promises you. He is worthy! Jesus is worth it!

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mark Jeske

The last book of the Bible intimidates Bible rookies. It is couched primarily in the language of visions and dreams and needs some care in interpreting and understanding. And the content of those visions is so scary! Things do not look good for the church until Jesus comes back. Even the rookies, however, can see that there is an unbelievably happy ending for Christians.

In the meantime, to give encouragement and hope to the believers as we struggle along, waiting for our final redemption, the Lord gave seven “benedictions” or “blessed statements.” These statements describe happy outcomes for the people who do certain things. Here’s #1: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

The Bible, including its priceless Revelation at the end, does not self-read or self-hear or self-believe. It is a stunning gift of God, but that gift needs to be received gladly and thankfully and then used. It is not intended as a decorative object in homes and churches. It is a working document, living and breathing, pulsing with spiritual energy, and deep with wisdom for the Christian life. It reveals Satan for the ugly terrorist that he is but reveals Christ our Savior in his sacred and triumphant glory.

You will be blessed when you read it and hear it. You will be blessed even more when you believe it.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mark Jeske

Of the many, many astonishing features of the events of the first Christmas, one of the most astounding is how few people noticed anything at all. Mary’s emergency childbirth in the stable was attended only by Joseph and the other animals. Nobody in the packed inn wanted to risk losing a bunk for the night, so Joseph probably didn’t even bother asking for help.

The chosen shepherds, working late in their favorite Bethlehem fields, were the only viewers of a heavenly light show that you’d think half the world would have seen. But even though the human audience for God the Son’s stunning entry in the flesh onto our planet was small, it doesn’t mean that not much was happening.

On the contrary. There was massive two-way traffic between earth and heaven that night, some going up and some coming down: “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13,14).

Peace came to earth that night. Not the ceasing of warfare or crime. Those two evils will plague us till judgment day. No, a better peace—God turning a smiling face to all believers because of his Son. And starting that night, the glory-praises for the great Incarnation will rise for all ages from the throats of people and angels.

Let me hear you say, “Glory to God!”

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mike Novotny

Have you ever found yourself in a total mess? When your past choices have left you with present consequences that probably won’t change for the foreseeable future?

Maybe your body is broken down because, in part, you messed up. All those morning workouts skipped and desserts ordered caught up to you, leaving you with a sluggish heart that can’t be quickly fixed. Or maybe your connection to your parents, your siblings, or a coworker is strained, stripped down to the bare minimum of communication. You were so focused on your goals and your life that you forgot that real relationships require time and sacrifice. There’s no text you can send to instantly create closeness.

So what do you do when your sin has made a mess of things? You imitate Jeremiah. He wrote, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).  

Instead of fixating on his failures, Jeremiah forced his mind to think about God, his great love, his unfailing compassion, his great faithfulness. That’s what restored his hope.

Could you do the same thing today? Call to mind everything you know about God. His grace. His mercy. His patience. Meditate deeply on our Father’s heart, his Son’s sacrifice, and his Spirit’s presence. Your day can wait. Because that’s how you deal with the mess. That’s how you live with hope.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Linda Buxa

When President Obama was elected, a number of people said, “Not my president!” Then, when President Trump was elected, people from the other end of the political spectrum said the same thing. This is the adult equivalent of children putting their fingers in their ears, closing their eyes, and saying, “La-la-la-la-la. I can’t hear you!” This is simply avoiding reality. The fact is, for American citizens, both men actually have the title of president. 

Many people do the same thing with God. Maybe they’re afraid they’d have to change their lives or don’t want to face the truth; maybe they plan to deal with faith later and prefer their own god for now. So, for now, they put their fingers in their ears, close their eyes, and say, “La la la la la. Not my God!” This is simply avoiding reality. The fact is, for all people of the world, God really is their God—and denying that will have eternal consequences. 

The truth is that one day, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10,11). 

That’s why you are vital to God’s plan—now! You have been called to tell people the good news of Jesus. As you speak his Word, the Holy Spirit will work to unplug their ears and open their eyes to the truth

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Jason Nelson

I would like to revisit an expression I heard when I was watching coverage of hurricanes Harvey and Irma: “The water always wins.” Meteorologists used it to sound a warning. When it comes to catastrophic weather events like hurricanes, don’t think you can take on the water and win. It always seeks its own level and will rise as high as it wants to go. It can force its way through a hairline crack in a wall and wash everything away. Water can kill you. Most people who die in hurricanes lose their lives in the surge of water. The water always wins because God made so much of it. Over 70 percent of the earth’s surface is water now, and there could be more in the future if glaciers and ice caps continue to thaw. 

Let’s flip this idea. With the power of ordinary H2O in mind, think about what Jesus is saying about himself here: “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). Jesus takes water to a divine level. He is the risen tide of our spiritual survival and eternal salvation. He won. “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6).

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit www.timeofgrace.org

Pastor David Scharf

"If I were king ..." Perhaps that line reminds you of the cowardly lion from the Wizard of oz singing proudly, "If I were king of the forrrest, not queen, not prince, not duke.." The song is about what a frightened lion would do if he weren't so frightened. Everyone would how to him!

What would you do if you were king? You could enjoy the pleasures of living in the lap of luxury. You would have the best foods, accommodations, and entertainment, not to mention the prestige and respect. And you know what? That would be your right! After all, you would be the king!

Revelation describes the King of kings, Jesus: "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests"(1:5,6).

Christ rules in our hearts through faith, rules the church by his grace, and rules the whole world by his power. Yet the most incredible thing about our King is in how he showed his power. He laid it aside on the cross so that we might be kings and priests. You have no cowardly lion for a king. Instead, you have the Lion of the tribe of Judah as your King- the One who never backs down in his protection of his children, in the preservation of their faith, and in the pursuit of their salvation!

There's no reason to be cowardly with a King like

Christ!

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mark Jeske

A waitress at the restaurant where I once worked told me why she wasn't a church member. "I would like to believe," she said. I was stunned. To me faith was obvious and easy. Not to her. She actually kind of wanted to be a believer, but it just wasn't happening for her.

What's not to understand about the coming judgment? How can you not agree with the Bible's teaching of universal evil? What's not to like about a Savior who gives you unconditional love, forgiveness of your sins, and eternal life after death?

Sometimes church lifers like me forget that all faith is a gift from God. We are all born skeptics and doubters. Until Word and sacrament turn on the lights in our brains and bring warmth to our cold hearts, we find the Bible's stories strange and unbelievable. One of the very first fruits of our gratitude for the gift of faith should be patience with those who are not as far along as we have been blessed to come: "Be merciful to those who doubt" (Jude 1:22).

It's important that church people don't make inquirers feel stupid. It's important that we take their questions seriously and that we have God's answers for people from God's words, not our own doctrinal opinions. An arrogant and judgmental tone in our voices might keep people frozen in their doubts.

A soft voice, listening ears, and compassionate heart are better. Way better.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Diana Kerr

Have you seen that “awareness test” on YouTube with millions of views? Two teams of basketball players shuffle around amongst each other in a small area, each team passing a basketball around. The two basketballs crisscross all over the screen as the teams, one dressed in white and the other in black, pass their team’s ball to their teammates. The “awareness test” is to count the number of times the white team passes the ball, and only the white team. 

It’s a trick, though. As you intently focus on the white team’s passes, you miss something shockingly obvious. Someone in a bear costume moonwalks right through the crowd of players. You don’t notice until you watch it a second time.

We’re more easily fooled than we like to admit. Satan knows this. He wants to keep your awareness off of what really counts. (I’m referring to Jesus, of course, not the moonwalking bear.) I was reminded of how Satan works as I read Exodus 5:9. Pharaoh mimicked Satan’s strategy of distraction when he wanted to keep the Israelites from focusing on their desire to worship. “Make the work harder for the people,” Pharaoh said, “so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” 

Sometimes Satan’s tricks aren’t blatant temptation but cleverly hidden distraction. Let’s pray for proper awareness. Lord, help us “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1,2). Amen.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Pastor Clark Schultz

Both my father and wife love the challenge of putting together 1,000+ piece puzzles. I, on the other hand, like to stick to the ones my kids hand me that have 8-12 pieces tops. But 1,000 or 8 pieces, nothing is more frustrating then when there’s a piece or pieces missing. The puzzle is incomplete. You could try to jam other pieces in there, but it wouldn’t look right or complete the picture properly. 

Life can be like a puzzle with missing pieces. Every day we wage war with ourselves to fill the missing pieces with items that are me-centric: money, me, possessions, me, sports, me, etc. The trouble is these pieces don’t fit, nor do they complete the picture God intends for our lives. 

The apostle Paul gives us some practical advice in Colossians 3:1,2: “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Instead of being navel gazers, look to Jesus who says to you, “My head is filled with the requirements God has for you, and I kept those in your place.” He also says, “My heart bleeds nothing but love for you . . . enough to die for you. The trial is over. Stop trying to go back into the courtroom. The puzzle of salvation is complete; you are saved.”

So enjoy the blessings God showers on you while letting your head and heart put the pieces together of God’s love for you. And be at peace.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Pastor Mike Novotny

Every Christmas when I was a kid, my church made me memorize and recite the words of Luke 2:1-20: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree . . .” I droned out the words, counting the minutes until church was done and the present-opening extravaganza could begin.

But in my monotonous recitation, I missed something massively important—God does good things during bad days. Just think about the words in Luke’s account. “Those days” were hard days for God’s people. The Romans ruled with an iron fist. Tax collectors bled them dry. Herod the Great murdered anyone who looked at him the wrong way. Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor, considered himself divine, a son of the gods. He “issued a decree.” He demanded that humble men like Joseph take days off of work to travel and pay taxes to make Rome stronger and the rich richer.

In other words, those were bad days. And yet God was up to a good thing. The birth of the Savior. The start of Jesus’ perfect human life that would end in his innocent death, which would lead to an empty grave and the forgiveness of every one of your sins.

Remember that when the headlines tell you these are bad days. We have our own Herods and Caesars and decrees, as you know too well. But we also have a God who is at work through it all, working out his plans and purposes. Now that’s good news!

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Linda Buxa

I was in the garage attic bringing down sleds and shovels for the impending winter when I took a wrong step. A very wrong step.

I missed the beam and stepped right through the insulation and Sheetrock. I started falling to the floor below. Suddenly, I jolted to a stop; my right arm was stuck in a truss, and I was hanging by one arm while my feet dangled below. Thankfully, the pull-down ladder was right next to my feet, and I was able to crawl out. Over a year later, even though I still have some muscle damage, I’m grateful I didn’t fall to the floor and shatter bones—or worse.

What happened in seconds has given me a graphic visual for Ephesians 5:15,16: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (ESV).

Christians, look carefully then how you walk through this life. Careless financial decisions leave you bankrupt. Poor relationship choices fill you with regret. Reckless words result in deep wounds. Abuse—whether substance, physical, or emotional—results in generations of baggage.

Look carefully, then. Be wise. Make the best use of your time. This is not your time of folly. This is your time of grace. It starts now.

(Just a reminder that if you’ve been living as the unwise, Jesus has forgiveness for you. His mercies are new every morning. Thanks to the cross, you don’t have to carry guilt or shame. It is finished!)

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org

Jason Nelson

I’m starting to get how this blessing works: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Because I’m a Christian, I’ve been expecting some peace. But I still have trouble sleeping. I still don’t have everything done. I’m still concerned about so much violence in our world. I still bounce my foot up and down constantly. But I see this blessing isn’t about the peace of Jason. It’s about the peace of God. It’s about God remaining perfectly calm as he deals with things that cause our innards to roil because they are out of our control. The apostle could have said, “Here you go. Have some peace when it makes no sense.”

God never gets rattled. He is Jehovah Adonai. He has always been here and always will be. He has seen it all, sees what’s coming, and is unmatched in directing how it will play out. Even when hell breaks loose, he doesn’t get rattled. He is El Shaddai. He shatters satanic revolts against his authority with his power. He is the wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and the Prince of shalom. Nobody gives peace like he does. No matter what, he guards our hearts and minds through faith in Jesus Christ. Because God says, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14), we can have some peace when it is what it is.

Devotional used by permission of Time of Grace®. For more information, visit timeofgrace.org