Today Daily Devotional

“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. . . .”
— Mark 14:62

Jesus often used the name “Son of Man” to refer to himself.What does this name mean?On the surface, “Son of Man” seems simple enough to understand. This name shows that Jesus is a human being. But for Jesus this name had a meaning that pointed to something deeper and bigger.In the Old Testament the prophet Daniel describes a vision in which he saw a “son of man” who came “with the clouds of heaven.” That person went into God’s presence and received “authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is . . . everlasting . . . and his kingdom . . . will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).And when Jesus stood on trial before the religious rulers of his day, and the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus applied Daniel’s vision to himself, saying: “I am. . . . And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62).Wow! The name “Son of Man” shows us that Jesus shares our humanity—with our scraped knees, fingerprints, and belly buttons—and that he is also the One with all power and authority (see Matthew 28:18).Jesus, the Son of Man, is fully human and fully God—Savior and Lord of all!

Who is like you, Lord Jesus? We lift up our hearts to you. May we honor and worship you faithfully. In your name, Amen.

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
— John 8:58

We can often see how weighty a statement is by how listeners react. Some words prompt a smile; others a scowl; others a glance at the watch. But what about words that make people reach for stones to throw?When Jesus said, “I am,” in our passage for today, his listeners were shocked. Then they tried to kill him. Why? Because he was taking on the name of God to identify himself.God had revealed this name when he called Moses to lead his people out of slavery: “I AM WHO I AM. . . . Say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” . . . This is my name forever” (Exodus 3:14-15).The name “I AM” is heavy with meaning. It means God is complete in himself, eternal, and worthy of all worship. When Jesus called himself “I am,” he was saying he is the God who spoke to Moses. His audience understood, and that’s why they were ready to stone him.When we hear Jesus’ claim that he is God, what is our response? C. S. Lewis noted that either Jesus is lying and knows it, which would make him evil. Or Jesus just thinks he is God but is mistaken, which would make him delusional. Or Jesus is telling the truth, meaning he really is the eternal God of the universe.If Jesus is a liar or deluded, we should reject him. But if he is God, we should trust him completely and worship him. What is your response?

Lord Jesus, you are God. Forgive us for treating you as anything less. Help us to live faithfully for you as the Lord of our lives and, indeed, the Lord over all. Amen.

“The bride belongs to the bridegroom.”
— John 3:29

An old Algonquin folktale (a sort of Cinderella story) goes something like this:Once there were three sisters. The two oldest were beautiful, proud, and mean. Their youngest sister was weak and often ill. Her sisters were cruel and scarred her face with hot coals. She became known as the “rough-faced girl.”A powerful and unseen being, known as the Invisible One, said he would marry the girl who could truly see him. So the older sisters put on fine feathers and beads and went to his camp by the Big Water. But he didn’t reveal himself.The rough-faced girl wanted to visit the Invisible One too. She had no beads to wear—only a birch-bark dress and old moccasins. Her sisters and the villagers laughed at her. But she went to meet the Invisible One, and she could see him— or, rather, he saw her. He loved her, and she was changed. She washed in the Big Water, her rough scars disappeared, and she became as beautiful on the outside as the love she had received.In some ways this story reminds me of Jesus’ love for his bride, the church. Ephesians 5 shows that Jesus’ love changes us, cleansing and healing us. His love is all that is needed to transform the “rough-faced” church. His love is what makes her beautiful.Let’s not give up on the “rough-faced” church. Jesus, our perfect Bridegroom, won’t.

Lord Jesus, we are in awe of you. Thank you for your washing, beautifying, faithful love for your church. Amen.

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
— John 1:38

We learn from a variety of people in our lives—parents, friends, relatives, teachers, mentors, and more. Writers, entertainers, and leaders of all kinds can influence us too. My favorite teachers or mentors have often been my hardest ones.Without question, Jesus is the greatest teacher of all. As Colossians 2:3 puts it, “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are hidden in him. Jesus’ teaching amazed crowds, and his teachings in the Bible continue to amaze and challenge us today. In addition, Jesus’ teaching isn’t easy—it demands our all.Jesus’ disciples called him “Rabbi,” the traditional title in their culture for a person who was so respected as a teacher of God’s law that people would follow him and try to learn how to be like him. Following a rabbi involved imitation, learning how to think and act like that person. Jesus said, “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40). And in 1 John 2:6 we read, “Whoever claims to live in [Jesus] must live as Jesus did.”How do we live as Jesus did? How can we follow him without being crushed by the weight of the expectations involved?The answer, in part, is in the many names of Jesus we have been reflecting on. He is the true vine, our head, our mediator, our good shepherd, the one who serves, and so much more—and through his Spirit he give us the strength and ability to live as he calls us to.

Rabbi Jesus, teach us, by your Spirit, how to be like you, living as you did. In your name, Amen.

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed . . . meaning . . . Christ.
— Galatians 3:16

Disappointment can shrivel hope. A grandmother can pray for years, and yet her grand children may leave the faith. A man can work decades in a job and be let go. People can struggle for years in pain or mental distress, with no relief in sight. We may ask, “Where is the joy? Have God’s promises failed?”Sarah knew that kind of heartache. God had promised her husband, Abraham, a child, but over 24 years had gone by, and there was no baby in her womb. Her laugh grew hollow, hardened into cynicism (see Genesis 12:4; 17:17-18:15).But God did give them a son, Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). And God didn’t just fulfill a promise or set redemption in motion (which he did!); he also healed Sarah’s laugh.In addition, Isaac, whose name means “laughter,” became a pointer to Jesus. Isaac brought joy to one family, and Jesus brings joy for all the nations.When Jesus was born, angels rejoiced, shepherds rejoiced, old Simeon and Anna rejoiced, and wise men from the East came to worship him (Matthew 2; Luke 2). Earlier, another baby, John, leapt in his mother’s womb, and Jesus’ mother, Mary, sang: “My spirit rejoices in God. . . . He has . . . remember[ ed] to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1:41, 47, 54-55).Jesus, the ultimate promised Son, took all of our disappointments and hollow laughs onto himself. He died and rose to heal our dried-up hopes. And we can laugh again.

Lord, may we always see you keeping your promises in Jesus. Heal our hearts, we pray, and bring us joy in him. Amen.