When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:10 ESV
Christmas 2025
Almighty God, you made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true Light. Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus’ presence and in the last day wake to the brightness of his glory; through your only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Join us as we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas leading us to the Epiphany. These daily devotionals will guide our worship of the King of Kings.
December 28, 2025 | First Sunday after Christmas
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Jonah 2:2–9; Ephesians 6:10–20; John 11:17–27, 38–44; Psalms 124 & 150 (AM); Psalms & (PM)
Jonah 2:2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7 ”When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
– Jonah 2:2–9 NIV1984
Dear friends, greetings in the name of our Triune God as we continue our celebration of God’s entrance into this world in human flesh in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The passage we read today, in some ways, feels a bit out of place during this Christmas season. It’s the prayer of a man named Jonah who had been called by God to preach a message of warning to the people of Nineveh, who refused to answer the Lord’s call, and who, as a result, boarded a ship heading in the opposite direction toward the city of Tarshish, in an attempt to run away from the Lord.
Perhaps you know the story and what happened. In the midst of a violent storm, Jonah was thrown overboard, swallowed by a great fish, and from the belly of that great fish, prayed the prayer we just read. It was a prayer of repentance, a prayer crying for the Lord’s help, and a prayer that acknowledged that without the help of the Lord, he was lost and without hope.
In one of the most graphic verses in all of Scripture, the one following immediately after the prayer Jonah prayed, it says, after three days in the belly of this great fish, “the Lord commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto the shore. And it did.” And this time, instead of running away from the Lord, Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh.
I’m not sure how it happens in life, but you see it happening in the lives of people all the time. It doesn’t matter if it’s three days or three weeks or three years or three decades. If you run away from God, from the calling given to us in Jesus, the results of that running end up much the same. Dead end dreams, empty and never-realized promises, paths filled with hope and assurance at the beginning that are never finally and fully fulfilled. And even if they are, they inevitably fall short of offering assurance and purpose in life that lasts.
The good news of Christmas is that God has a way of doing whatever it takes to offer us a second chance and, with that second chance, the opportunity to listen and respond to His call. Not only that, but God also has a way of helping us to see that even if we’re not running from Him, He is running to us. Not to control us, not to confine us, not to force us to live in ways we would not choose for ourselves to live, but to love us and to care for us and to set us free to live in ways and for purposes that will carry us into eternity.
Far too many people, as they look back on their life experience and decisions made along the way, wish they could turn back the clock and do it all again. They’re not sure how it happened. They don’t know exactly what went wrong and why. But they find themselves in a position where they finally realize that their way of doing things in this life is not working and are in desperate need of a second chance.
If that describes, in even a small way, what’s happened or happening in your life, the Christmas season is the perfect time to turn it around. Jesus came into the world, not to condemn it but to save it. Not to call out your sin and your failings and the things in your life you’ve tried that have not worked. In contrast, He came into this life to show us how to live, to offer His life on a cross for the forgiveness of our sin, and to give us, like was given to Jonah, a second chance.
My prayer for you and for all of us is that this Christmas season might be one in which we stop running, living life our own way and on our own terms, and start listening to the Good News of second chances given to us as a gift in Jesus.
Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for these days following Christmas and for the ongoing celebration and promise that are given to us in Christ. Help us to trust in Your Word, listen to Your calling, and respond in faith, that our lives might be used for purposes that will be, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Daniel W. Selbo (dselbo@thenalc.org)
December 29, 2025 | Fifth Day of Christmas
Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1170
2 Samuel 23:13–17b; 2 John 1–13; John 2:1–11; Psalms 96 & 145 (AM); Psalms 132 & 97 (PM)
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
– Psalm 19 ESV
Sing to the Lord, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day.
Did you know that singing is good for you? Perhaps you’ve experienced rolling out of bed on a Sunday morning and dragging your feet into church, only to cast away the doldrums with a good hymn! “How Great Thou Art,” “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” or “Shall We Gather at the River”; it doesn’t matter, all of them create happiness and a sense of wellbeing just by singing.
It sure does seem like God had that in mind when He created us! As Israel sang the psalms and passed them on to generation after generation, singing continues as God’s people worship Him.
It’s really a creative thing God did with our voices. When we sing, our brain and endocrine system release a hormone called oxytocin. It’s called the “love hormone.” Oxytocin combats stress and gives that good feeling, like a big hug which you can also get from the endorphin.
Obviously, that’s not why we sing. We sing because we want to praise the Lord and tell others about our love for Him and His love for us. The psalmist has given us 150 songs to sing. Some aren’t quite as joyful as this one, Psalm 96: “Sing to the Lord a new song: sing to the Lord all the earth!” But all of them lead us into a deeper conversation with God. The psalms give us words to communicate with the Lord. Whether we are happy, and want to communicate our faith, like this one: “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods,” (Psalm 96). Or if we are sad or feel forsaken, like this one, “Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help,” (Psalm 22).
I can almost hear what some of you are saying, “I can’t sing.” To that I say, “Yes you can.” Don’t worry about having perfect pitch because only 1 in 10,000 have it anyway. Just open your heart and your mouth and sing! Sing a song to the Lord! Make it up if you want to, but just sing for Him and communicate with Him. And, feel the peace descend upon you, because God created us to sing and He created our bodies to feel better when we sing.
“Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” Amen.
Prayer: Make us glad, O God, in recounting Your mercies and adoring Your holiness, and let it be our chief joy to glorify Your holy name. Almighty and everlasting God, the brightness of faithful souls, who brought the Gentiles to Your light and made known to them Him who is the true Light, and the bright and morning Star: fill, we ask You, the world with Your glory, and show Yourself by the radiance of Your light to all nations. (The Gregorian Sacramentary)
Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Amy C. Little (alittle@thenalc.org)
December 31, 2025 | Seventh Day of Christmas
1 Kings 3:5–14; James 4:13–17; 5:7–11; John 5:1–15; Psalms 98 & 147:1–12 (AM); Psalms 45 & 96 (PM)
James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
– James 4:13–17 ESV
I am writing this devotion on September 11th, the day before I leave to go to East Africa for the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum conference in Nairobi. December 31st seems a long way away right now, but I know it will be here soon! The end of another year—2025.
This reading from James always reminds me of my first visit to East Africa in 2002, not long after that terrible day we remember as 9/11. Particularly this phrase: “If the Lord wills…” makes me think of the people I met in Africa. I noticed that my Tanzanian friends would often say that they would do such and such, “If the Lord wills.”
There is some wisdom, it seems to me, in not making promises that we can’t keep. My friends in Africa knew very well that life is uncertain. Their awareness of the fragility of life was much more prominent than it is here in North America. Malaria, AIDS, and other illnesses were prevalent, and good medical care was not available or affordable for many people. Car accidents happened all the time. Death could come at any time. The Tanzanians knew that they were in the Lord’s hands and that the Lord’s will was far more dependable than theirs.
Nevertheless, we make promises all the time—promises about what we will do in the future. And yet the future is not guaranteed to any of us. It may be the Lord’s will to call us home at any moment. When we boast about what we plan to do, we assume that we are in control of our future. We forget that we are, as James says, “a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” We think that we have all the time in the world, and so we may be inclined to put things off, to not recognize the preciousness of each and every moment we have.
There is one, however, whose promises are absolutely reliable because the future is in His hands. That is our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When our God promises us a Savior, we can depend upon it! When Jesus promises us eternal life in His kingdom, we know He is capable of fulfilling that promise.
Why? Because there is nothing that can stand in His way, nothing can stop Him, not even death, for He has defeated death once and for all. Indeed, for you and me.
We have just celebrated Christmas and are about to ring in the new year. The long awaited and promised Savior has come to us. Time goes marching on, but one thing never changes. That is that our Lord Jesus is the one in charge! He is the one we can count on. He is the one who can and will fulfill all God’s promises. And because we know that He loves us, we can always rest securely in His hands, no matter what. Maybe we too should get into the habit of saying, “If the Lord wills…” to indicate to ourselves and to others that our hope ultimately lies, not in ourselves, but only in Jesus Christ our newborn King.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we come once more to the end of another year, we give You thanks for all that You have provided for us in 2025. We ask for Your blessing on this new year—may it be a time of growing peace and harmony among peoples and nations. May it be a year in which Your Church grows and prospers in every corner of the world. Bring an end to persecution and discrimination against those who believe in Jesus. We thank You for sending Your Son to save us and we pray that, by the power of Your Spirit, we may always seek to do His will. In His name we pray. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Carol E. A. Fryer (cfryer@thenalc.org)
December 30, 2025 | Sixth Day of Christmas
1 Kings 17:17–24; 3 John 1–15; John 4:46–54; Psalms 93 & 146 (AM); Psalms 89:1–18 & 89:19–52 (PM)
John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, ”Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, ”Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ”Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
– John 4:46–54 ESV
John tells us about an official who came to Jesus in desperation. His son was gravely ill, near the point of death. Any parent can imagine the fear that drove him to Christ. He begged Jesus to come and heal His child. But Jesus does not go with him. Instead, He speaks a word: “Go; your son will live.”
This is the moment of faith. The man had no proof, no sign, no visible evidence...only the promise of Jesus. Yet John tells us, “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” When he returned home, he discovered his boy was healed at the very hour Jesus had spoken. His faith became joy, and his whole household came to believe.
Having served most of my ministry in rural Iowa, I’ve stood with families praying in hospital rooms when all they could do was cling to God’s promise. Medicine is a gift, but it cannot take the place of Christ’s Word of life. Faith holds fast to what He says, even before the outcome is seen.
The Large Catechism puts it this way: “For where there is to be a heart that trusts God alone, such trust and faith must spring from the Word of God, not from our own imaginations” (Large Catechism, First Commandment, 26). The official believed not in a feeling, but in Jesus’ Word. That Word gave life.
This Christmas season, we celebrate that the eternal Word became flesh. Christ does not leave us uncertain. He speaks forgiveness, healing, and salvation, and by His Word, we live.
Prayer: Gracious Lord Jesus, You are the Word made flesh who brings life and healing. As You once spoke to the official and restored his son, speak Your promises into our lives today. Strengthen our faith to trust Your Word even when we cannot see. Turn our fear into joy, and let our households be filled with the hope of Your coming. Keep us steadfast until the day we see You face to face. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Tony D. Ede (tede@thenalc.org)
January 1, 2026 | Eighth Day of Christmas
The Circumcision and Holy Name of Jesus
Numbers 6:22–27,Exodus 34:1–8; Galatians 4:4–7,Philippians 2:9–13; Luke 2:15–21; Psalms 8 & 147:13–21 (AM); Psalms 99 & 8 (PM)
Numbers 6:22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, 24 The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 27 So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
Luke 2:21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
– Numbers 6:22–27; Luke 2:21; Philippians 2:9–11 NRSV
Have you ever had your full name called out in a way that stopped you cold? Maybe by a parent, maybe over a loudspeaker, maybe in a crowd. Names carry power. They can make us laugh, squirm, or even tremble.
In the Bible, names aren’t just labels—they reveal essence, character, destiny. At Sinai, God proclaimed His Name: “The LORD, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love” (Exodus 34:6).
Later, He told Aaron to place that Name upon Israel in blessing: “The LORD bless you and keep you…” (Numbers 6:24–26). God’s Name meant presence, mercy, and peace.
But Israel kept chasing other names—idols, kings, powers. And so do we. We attach our trust to fragile names: reputations, political slogans, brand names, even our own. They tremble, and when they fall, we fall with them.
Then comes Luke 2:21. On the eighth day—the day of covenant and new creation—the Child is circumcised, His first blood shed, and He is given the Name: Jesus. Yeshua. “The LORD saves.” Here, at last, the blessing becomes flesh. The Name is no longer thunder from a cloud or words spoken by a priest; it is embodied in a Person.
Paul tells us that God has “highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name above every name” (Philippians 2:9). Every rival power must bow. Every fragile name must yield. And in Baptism, that saving Name has been placed upon you.
So as a new year begins, lay down the trembling names that cannot hold you. Hear again the blessing fulfilled: The LORD bless you and keep you…and in Jesus, He has. His Name is mercy. His Name is peace. His Name is yours.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, holy Name above every name, we thank You that Your mercy is written upon our lives. Where our own names tremble and fail, You have spoken blessing. Where other powers rise and fall, Your Name endures forever. Place Your Name upon us again today—over our fears, over our families, over the year ahead. Make us bold to trust in You, quick to call upon You, and eager to carry Your light into the world. In Your saving Name we pray. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Dcn. Andrew S. Ames Fuller (aamesfuller@thenalc.org)
January 2, 2026 | Ninth Day of Christmas
Isaiah 62:1–5, 10–12; Revelation 19:11–16; Matthew 1:18–25; Psalms 48 & 148 (AM); Psalms 9 & 29 (PM)
Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married. 62:11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
“Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.”
12 And they shall be called The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord;
and you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.
– Isaiah 62:1–4, 11–12 ESV
The light of His dawning is so glorious, it comes as a comet beaming back into the atmosphere, exploding into a meteor, shattering the molecules of things as they were, into the bright glory of things as they ought to be. No more called Forsaken or Desolate but now My Delight is in Her, Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken, a crown of beauty—married to our Bridegroom who also is our Savior. How much changes in His presence!
This prophecy of desolation to consolation came hundreds of years before the coming of that promise. And even as the promised one was entering the world, His coming was accompanied by a forsakenness and desolation in this world that touched many. And yet…the Creator was at work, enacting the beautiful mystery of His grace, through sweat, blood, and tears, in the laughter and fears of His created children.
Oh, the great mystery, that a creature, formed in His very image, from dust and dirty things and then gloriously filled with God-breath, could carry His very self! Created carrying Creator in the miraculous mass of cells, muscle and skin that itself emanated from an overflow of Trinity love.
The stuff of dirt. The stuff of glory.
And as she gazes into the bloodied face of the tiny human who has shared her body for these many months, she gazes too into the face of the salvation of all humankind. This one who seeks out His bride, redeems this daughter of Zion in a manner at once forever mysterious and glorious.
Prayer: O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may be clothed in the divinity of Christ, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Dcn. Shannon R. Ames Fuller (samesfuller@thenalc.org)
January 3, 2026 | Tenth Day of Christmas
1 Kings 19:1–8; Ephesians 4:1–16; John 6:1–14; Psalms 111 & 149 (AM); Psalms 107 & 15 (PM)
Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
from east and west,
from north and south.
4 Some wandered in the wilderness,
lost and homeless.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
they nearly died.
6 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he rescued them from their distress.
7 He led them straight to safety,
to a city where they could live.
8 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
9 For he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
10 Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
imprisoned in iron chains of misery.
11 They rebelled against the words of God,
scorning the counsel of the Most High.
12 That is why he broke them with hard labor;
they fell, and no one was there to help them.
13 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
he snapped their chains.
15 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
16 For he broke down their prison gates of bronze;
he cut apart their bars of iron.
17 Some were fools; they rebelled
and suffered for their sins.
18 They couldn’t stand the thought of food,
and they were knocking on death’s door.
19 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.
21 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.
23 Some went off to sea in ships,
plying the trade routes of the world.
24 They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action,
his impressive works on the deepest seas.
25 He spoke, and the winds rose,
stirring up the waves.
26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens
and plunged again to the depths;
the sailors cringed in terror.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits’ end.
28 ”Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
29 He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.
30 What a blessing was that stillness
as he brought them safely into harbor!
31 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation
and before the leaders of the nation.
33 He changes rivers into deserts,
and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.
34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,
because of the wickedness of those who live there.
35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water,
the dry land into springs of water.
36 He brings the hungry to settle there
and to build their cities.
37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
and harvest their bumper crops.
38 How he blesses them!
They raise large families there,
and their herds of livestock increase.
39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
40 the Lord pours contempt on their princes,
causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.
41 But he rescues the poor from trouble
and increases their families like flocks of sheep.
42 The godly will see these things and be glad,
while the wicked are struck silent.
43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
– Psalm 107 NLT
New year, new you. For me, this is a great time of year! I have a new calendar, mostly blank. I still have to fill in the important birthdays and anniversaries of those I love. But as I turn those pages of a new calendar it is also time to reflect on new routines that may be needed in my life. The daylight hours are shorter, and the evening hours are longer. It invites more rest and more reflection on the past year and what the Lord Jesus might need me to do or be in the coming year.
Turning the calendar to the new year gives opportunity to look back and look ahead. It is a good time for review and to ask questions of what God has done in your life in the past year. Since I keep a gratitude journal every evening throughout the year, it is a reminder of all that the Lord has provided every single day. I have a list of what God has done and how the Lord has worked, answered prayers, and been with me in the storms and challenges of life. I would invite you to, like the Psalm writer, make a list of all the ways in which the Lord has provided for you, protected you, saved you, forgiven you, reconciled you with someone, and walked with you in your stormy days. How have you seen God at work in your life in the past year? I would invite you to write those down.
The new year is also a time when we traditionally set a few goals for ourselves. Perhaps it is shedding a few pounds, walking more, living a more balanced life, decluttering the stuff taking up space (either physical, emotional, or mental). Spending time with the Lord each day in His Word, in prayer, in reflection on His Word shows you how God will direct you in the way you are to go. Then this next season of your year ends, and you reflect and see what the Lord has done. What will He do with you in this next season, this next year?
Do you have a word or intention that forms your life for the day or for your week or this next season? It could be “calm,” “peace,” “no fear,” “joy,” “thankfulness,” “faithfulness,” “trust.” You listen for the word the Lord Jesus provides for you.
Prayer: Lord God, You fill the hungry with good things and break the sinner’s chains. Hear Your people who call to You in their need and lead Your Church from the shadows of death. Gather us from sunset to sunrise, that we may grow together in faith and love, and may give thanks for Your kindness in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Shelly D. Schultz (sschultz@thenalc.org)