Today Daily Devotional

The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.
— 1 Thessalonians 1:8

Old Testament scholars will tell us that in Hebrew writing, the main message of a passage is not usually found at the beginning or the end of the passage but at its center. This literary device is called chiasm. We see chiasm at work especially in the Psalms. One of the most beautiful examples is in Psalm 23, where we read, in verse 4, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Because the Lord is our shepherd, there is no need for us to fear.Today is the middle of September, and with the idea of chiasm in mind, let’s pay close attention to verse 8 of 1 Thessalonians 1. Our theme for this month is “Resonance,” and in 1 Thessalonians 1:8 we find that “the Lord’s message rang out . . .”—it resonated. It’s interesting that this is the only place in the Bible where the original Greek word for resonate is used. Tomorrow we will unpack its meaning, but, for now, let’s simply reflect on this beautiful verse to capture the central theme of our devotions for this month. We celebrate with the apostle Paul that the gospel of Jesus is ringing out with beauty and power.May this verse also powerfully reflect our everyday lives and the ongoing service of the church of Jesus.

Dear Jesus, may your message ring out from our lives today—in our conversations and our interactions with everyone we meet. May the joy of our faith be clear and attractive to others, we pray. Amen.

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8

Picture someone striking a large gong with a mallet, maybe as part of an orchestra or a marching band. The mallet hits the center of the gong, and the sound rings out powerfully. Not many of us have a gong in our homes, but if you have a phone or a computer nearby, take a moment to search online for “gong sound” and play it loud. Hear and feel the sound resonate through the space you are in.This week let’s think about the spread of the good news of Jesus like a resounding gong, moving through the world like a reverberating sound wave.Let’s revisit the poignant time in Jesus’ ministry shortly after his resurrection and just before he returned to heaven. Jesus tells his disciples that although he is leaving, they will soon receive the Holy Spirit to help them continue his work and mission.It may be easy to gloss over the geography that Jesus mentions when he commissions his disciples at this time. But if we imagine this commissioning to be like a resounding gong, we can picture the gong being struck in Jerusalem and its sound ringing out into the surrounding regions, across geographical and cultural boundaries, all the way “to the ends of the earth.”Let’s give thanks together that the gospel has been ringing out this way for nearly two thousand years!

Lord Jesus, you have equipped us with your Holy Spirit to be your witnesses wherever you have placed us. May your grace and love ring out from me today like a resounding gong. Amen.

“My word . . . will not return to me empty, but will . . . achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
— Isaiah 55:11

On this day of worship let’s return to the words of Isaiah 55 and reflect on the power of the preached Word of God.Human communication is often filled with mistakes and misunderstandings. We are imperfect people who communicate in many imperfect ways. Sometimes the results can be hurtful, and sometimes the results can be humorous.I once suffered a sports injury and was unable to preach in my church on the following Sunday. Before the worship service, an elder explained to the congregation that I had been “hit with a ball in the eye.” I found out later that one of the young people at church had misunderstood him and thought I had been “hit with a ball and died.” She was shocked. She also thought that the congregation didn’t show much concern over my sudden demise.One of the traditional marks of the church is the preaching of the Word of God. This week let’s focus on what it means for the gospel to ring out to the world. Faithful preaching is a vital piece of that task. In Isaiah 55, God reminds us that his communication is always effective. It will accomplish what God desires and achieve the purpose for which he sent it.This is profoundly reassuring. As we gather today for worship, let’s pray that God’s Word will be spoken clearly, with love, power, and grace.

Holy God, may your Word be preached faithfully in your church around the world today. And may your Word achieve the purpose for which you have sent it in our lives. Amen.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
— 1 Corinthians 1:18

One of the leaders in our mission organization visited a women’s Bible study in a local church. She knew that most study groups focus on God’s love, Jesus’ teachings, or a particular book of the Bible. But when she visited this group, she was surprised by how much they talked specifically about the cross.“Can you tell me why you focus on the cross so much?” she asked them. Their responses were a beautiful testimony.“The cross proves how much we are loved. . . . Jesus died for us!” said one participant. “The cross shows me how great my sins are and how powerful my need is for my sins to be paid for,” said another. “The cross tells me that Jesus died for everyone, including me. It’s so personal,” added another. The women shared how real the cross is to their faith and how it fills them with humble repentance, gratitude, hope, and love.The power of the cross resounded clearly that day as the Holy Spirit moved those faithful women to speak with heartfelt words, testifying that the cross is not merely a religious symbol but a living sign of the love of the Savior who died and rose again for all who believe in him.Many philosophies have come and gone. The message of the cross continues to resonate through the ages. Do you hear the good news that Jesus also died and rose for you?

Jesus, thank you for the wonder of the cross, where you made forgiveness and victory possible for us. May we live in gratitude to you. Amen.

“Follow me,” [Jesus] told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
— Matthew 9:9

Where I grew up in Canada, the church youth groups in the area would host an annual play competition. We wrote and performed our own plays, and the winning group received a trophy. To be clear, these were not Shakespearean masterpieces. The plays were often silly, with winding and unrealistic plots performed by teenagers who had little in the way of acting skills. But it was tremendously fun.When I was 18 years old, I found myself immersed in another play contest in a high school gym. The place was loud and chaotic, filled with hyper teens. Between two of the performances, a young guy stood up and invited people to sign up for a summer ministry program. Anyone could join, he said. In that noisy gymnasium, no one seemed to be listening to him. Except me. In that moment, in the midst of the chaos around me, it was as if the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of my heart and said, “You need to sign up for this ministry.” Like Matthew, I heard the words of Jesus speaking: “Follow me.” My experience that summer was transformative, and I was soon on the path toward becoming a minister.Is Jesus speaking to you today? Despite the noise around you, can you hear his voice resonating with your spirit and inviting you to follow?

Lord Jesus, thank you for calling young people and adults to follow and serve you in all kinds of ways. Open our ears and still our hearts to hear your voice today. Amen.