Today Daily Devotional

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
— Luke 24:32

Let’s return to the Emmaus road story that we reflected on yesterday. Two disciples, walking home in deep discouragement, are met by the risen Jesus. As they recall this encounter, they speak of their hearts burning within them—and one of the key reasons for that transforming experience was their renewed encounter with the Scriptures. They describe how Jesus opened the Scriptures to them and revealed their true meaning.In our information age today, it is easy to treat the Bible like much of the content that scrolls endlessly past us—stuff we can engage with or just ignore if we want to. Yet the Bible speaks against being casually indifferent to its message.Psalm 119, the longest chapter in Scripture, is a passionate love song to God’s Word: “Oh, how I love your law!” it declares. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Jesus reflected this same deep devotion to Scripture throughout his life and ministry. As the Word made flesh, he is the ultimate fulfillment of everything the Scriptures proclaim.The Bible is not meant to be skimmed or approached halfheartedly. Instead, it is meant to be wrestled with, meditated on, and absorbed deep into our hearts. When we create space to listen to God’s Word in this way, like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, we too will be changed.

Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures for us. May we be able to say with conviction that your Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Amen.

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us . . . ?”
— Luke 24:32

One of the ways we can speak of “resonance” is in terms of human connection. When a person says something that connects with us deeply, we might say, “Yes, that resonates with me,” or maybe, “I feel the same way. I’m totally in sync with you on that.”We can find resonance in spiritual experiences as well. This happens in our story for today, about two disciples on the road to Emmaus. As they walk along, a stranger joins them and engages with them in a long and meaningful conversation about Jesus, his death, and what the Scriptures taught about the promised Messiah.Yet only after the stranger breaks bread with them and then disappears do the disciples realize that they were walking and talking with Jesus. They didn’t realize he had risen from the dead! Notice what they say to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” That description of burning hearts is a powerful description of resonance.When we encounter Jesus in a true and meaningful way, we may sense that something is shifting within us. We are in the presence of life-changing truth.Over the next few days, let’s explore more about this resonating experience. And, like those disciples, may we encounter the living Jesus as he breaks into our lives.

Jesus, may our hearts burn within us in response to your work in our lives. May your Word and Spirit enliven us today and make us more like you. Amen.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
— Psalm 42:2

The Christian writer C. S. Lewis was a careful thinker. One day he was asked which of the world’s religions gave people the greatest happiness. He thought for a moment and answered, “While it lasts, the religion of worshiping oneself” would do that. He was pointing out that when we focus on our own needs and wants, it is indeed possible to find happiness in the short term—“while it lasts,” but not for long.In the long term we discover that worship of self can never satisfy. Our appetite for more pleasure, more comfort, more possessions, and so on will lead us on an endlessly futile quest. Most troubling is that when we focus inward and only on ourselves, that cuts us off from the important voices around us, particularly God's voice.Many of us live in cultural settings where the focus on self has become the norm. All around us, people search for happiness as they follow personal dreams and pursue personal desires apart from God’s invitation to find life in him alone—life that brings true flourishing. We live in a thirsty world.In this challenging environment, we hear the Lord’s invitation in Psalm 42 to meet with him in worship. May our thirst lead us, like the psalmist, to the living God, who alone can meet our deepest needs.

Heavenly Father, many people around the world will seek you in worship today. Quench the thirst of your people, we pray, and move us to sing your praises and listen to your Word. Amen.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
— Psalm 19:1

Psalm 19 asserts that the heavens declare the glory of God. I recently learned some things about the Hubble Space Telescope and what it reveals about the known universe. Astronomers describe it in a way like this:Imagine holding up your finger with a grain of sand on it and looking at the patch of sky that the grain of sand blocks out. That’s the field of space the Hubble telescope can zoom into. There are tens of thousands of galaxies in a patch of sky the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length. If that tiny patch of sky is like every other, then we can estimate that the visible universe includes about 2 trillion galaxies. Each one of those galaxies contains about 100 billion stars. And this means the universe contains a number of stars that goes beyond any number we can even imagine. Astronomers say that there are easily more stars in the visible universe than there are grains of sand on the earth.When I think of the unimaginable size of the universe, I can’t help thinking how true Psalm 19 is: “The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”Creation resounds with praise for the Creator!

Dear Lord, although the heavens use no words, we join our voices with all creation to proclaim your praise. Thank you for making and redeeming us in love. Amen.

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy. . . .”
— Isaiah 54:1

I grew up (and still serve) in a Christian tradition that tends to be reserved in worship. I remember inviting a pastor from a neighboring church to speak in our congregation. He came from a more expressive background, in which people often said “Amen!” and “Yes, Lord,” to statements he made while he was preaching. Before the worship service I said to him, “When you’re preaching, and the congregation gets really quiet, that’s when you know they are really listening.” He laughed and said he had never heard that before!Bible commentaries are often fairly dry, yet I own one in which the author writes about Isaiah 54-55 with lots of enthusiasm. The writer highlights Isaiah 54:1, where God calls his people to sing with the joy of knowing they have been saved: “Burst into song, shout for joy.” The commentator rephrases that text vividly with these words: “Let joyful songs explode out of you!”In some traditions, our sense of reverence and decorum can make us feel uncomfortable with statements like that. We can become shy about expressing our love for God with great enthusiasm. Yet throughout Isaiah we see that creation itself is not restrained in praising its Maker. Creation resounds with praise. The mountains sing, the trees clap their hands, and the heavens declare God’s glory. Because of Jesus, we are a forgiven, restored people, and that moves us to joyful praise!

Jesus, forgive us if we have been unenthusiastic in worship. Teach us to express heartfelt gratitude for all that you have done for us. Amen.