Today Daily Devotional

. . . Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. . . .
— Matthew 1:1

Ever since humanity fell into sin, God promised that someone would come and put it right.God promised Eve a snake-crusher (Genesis 3:15). He promised Abraham a line of descendants who would bless the nations (Genesis 12:3). God promised his people a prophet who would come from among them, and to whom they should listen (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). He promised David a descendant whose throne would “be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-16). God also declared that this person would be “a priest forever” (Psalm 110:4), mediating for the people.That ultimate promised one also had a unique anointing. The people’s prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil, but the promised one would be anointed with the Holy Spirit, and God himself would do the anointing. This Spirit-drenched person would be the “Anointed One” (mashiach in Hebrew, christos in Greek).Luke describes Jesus’ having the Holy Spirit descend on him at his baptism and then serving “in the power of the Spirit” wherever he went. And in his sermon at Nazareth, his hometown, Jesus preached from Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me. . . .” Jesus is crystal clear, and he says, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”He is the Messiah! Amen!

Jesus, Messiah, all God’s promises point to you. Our waiting and searching end in you. Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live. . . .”
— John 11:25

I don’t know about you, but I tend to think of resurrection as an abstract or distant thing—as if it is only about Easter Sunday or a date on the end-times calendar.But, no—and more profoundly— Resurrection is a name for Jesus! “I am the resurrection . . .” he said. Resurrection is a “right now” reality in the unique person of Jesus Christ.It’s the same with life. Life is not mainly about having a beating heart and brain waves. Nor is it something we get or make or buy or achieve. Life is a name for Jesus. “I am . . . the life . . .” he said. And in a prayer to his Father, Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).When we reject a relationship with the Life himself and say “No thanks” to Jesus, then, essentially we are like dead people walking (see Ephesians 2:1-5). Rejecting Jesus is like staying in a tomb.Sin is a tomb. Self is a tomb. Unforgiveness is a tomb. Pornography is a tomb. Fear, perfectionism, pride, envy . . .— tombs are everywhere!Hear the voice of the One whose name is the Resurrection and the Life: “Come out!” That tomb is no place for you. Why look for life among the dead? (See Luke 24:5.)Anyone who looks to Jesus will live. Eternity starts today!

Lord Jesus, who is like you? Thank you for being “the resurrection and the life” to all who believe in you. Amen.

He will be called . . . Prince of Peace.
— Isaiah 9:6

Here Jesus is named “Prince of Peace.” What is peace?Two artists, the story goes, are asked to paint pictures depicting peace.One artist paints a tranquil scene—a calm lake surrounded by rolling green hills and with towering trees mirrored in the water. The blue sky is still— and, well, peaceful.The other painter brushes onto the canvas a rocky ravine, with dark, ominous, jutting-out rocks. Over the top of the rockface rushes a powerful waterfall, splashing and roaring. Spray and mist everywhere!Yet on one of the crags, near the bottom of the gorge, stands a slender young tree. And there, on a tenuous branch overhanging the water, glistening with the spray from the waterfall, rests a bird’s nest. And in that nest a small bird is sleeping.This second illustration is a picture of Christ’s peace!Jesus makes clear that peace in this world is not the absence of trouble. It is not mainly about tranquil, relaxing scenes. Jesus’ peace means that even while the waters foam and surge about us, even amid storms of anxiety and struggle, we have a rock! A firm place to nest.In this world we will have trouble, Jesus said. But take courage, and be at rest. Jesus has overcome the world!

Thank you, Jesus, for giving us your peace, which is not like the world’s. In you we can find rest and refuge even amid the dangers, storms, and troubles of life. Amen.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
— John 8:12

With a tour group I went into a deep cave in New Mexico, and our guide turned off all the lights. The darkness was paralyzing; I immediately felt vulnerable.Darkness in a cave is one thing. Darkness in life is worse. We may face shadows of a dark past: abuse, ugly words, abandonment. A deep cavern of guilt from our sins and mistakes may fill us with doubt, disappointment, and long nights of anxiety.Darkness is real—and scary. But there’s at least one thing darkness is not. It is not a winner. If we go into a deep cave and turn off the lights, it will be so dark that you can’t see your hand in front of your face. But if we strike a match or switch on a light, all that darkness— football fields of it!—cannot overpower that one light. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).Jesus calls himself “the light of the world.” In his death on the cross, he took on darkness and descended into caverns of guilt, forsakenness, abuse, and the worst that sin could offer— for us. He took on sin’s pain and its cost for us so that we won’t have to. And with his rising, we receive what Isaiah foretold: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).Why stay in the dark? The light is here. Let’s walk in him today!

Lord, thank you for being our light. Only you can overpower the darkness in this world and in our lives. Shine, Jesus, shine! Amen.

God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. . . .
— Philippians 2:9-10

There are a lot of big names out there: Zuckerberg, Apple, Xi, Trump, Oprah, AI. Does our world rise or fall with these names?Or how about some names closer to home: Parkinson’s, Alzheimer's, ALS, Down Syndrome? Or what about labels that society might apply to us: divorced, disabled, addicted, infertile, fired, foreclosed, forgotten, paroled? Do any of these have the power to make or break us?No. Our reading today proclaims that no name, whether it carries princely power or brings us problems or roadblocks, is greater than Jesus— not even light years close.None of those names went down low, “taking the very nature of a servant” and “becoming obedient to death” to raise us up. None of those died on a cross to give us new life.Jesus is the only One whom God gave the name greater than any other name. He is the only One we should bow to. We can take him more seriously than any other name or label, for he himself is God, and he rules over all things.This month, let’s reflect on the various names of Jesus and what they show us about him. Each one reveals something marvelous and matchless about Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom every knee and power and threat will bow, “to the glory of God the Father.” We are in his hands, and he puts all things in their place.

Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done to give us new life and faith in the power of your name. May we honor your name above every name. Amen.