The following devotions are written and shared weekly by Pastor Steve Harmon.
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Day One
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion is based on the last half of Romans 13:11. The writer talks about salvation as a now and not yet reality. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That is our possession right now. But the full reality of that salvation is not yet here. We still live in this world. We still struggle with our sinful flesh. We are still tempted and we still fall. Life is a struggle. And that struggle can tempt us to think that our salvation is in doubt – that we aren’t truly saved. And that’s where we would end up if we only focused on our works and strength. But that struggle is intended to turn our attention back onto Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is our salvation. And He gives the benefits of His saving work to us as a gift. We live in that gift in the good times and the bad trusting God to be faithful to His Word and promise. We live in the now and not yet knowing that God will bring to completion in our flesh all that He began when He called us to faith. Until that day when we will see Jesus face to face, we live in the promise of salvation and life that is certain and sure in Jesus Christ.
Day Two
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion from Portals of Prayer is based on Exodus 40:34 and talks about God dwelling among men – among us. It is a good word to hear. We are never alone. “The Son of God had led Israel through the Red Sea in the pillar of cloud and fire. Now the cloud covered and filled the tabernacle. Within that tent covered with animal skins, the Lord’s glory dwelt. God was specially present among His people in the tabernacle to lead and guide them. The tabernacle is a living prophecy of Jesus’ incarnation. The same Lord who dwelt in a tent of skins has taken on our human nature – flesh and blood, body and soul. The glory of the Lord dwells in human skin in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Son of God is specially present among us in the One born of the Virgin Mary. Scripture says that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt [literally, “tabernacle”] among us, and we have seen His glory’ (John 1:14). The glory of God is located for us forever in the flesh of Jesus. As the moving cloud in the wilderness led Israel on their way, so we are guided on our journey through this wilderness world by Jesus’ words and His real presence among us in Holy Communion. He Himself is the way to the promised land of everlasting life.”
Day Three
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The devotion today talked about Jesus as the one and only mediator between man and God. Many would like to think that, if God exists, they don’t need a mediator. They do a lot of good. They are trying their best. Surely God will look on them with favor. But that’s an illusion. It is wishful thinking that has no basis in reality. The reality is that sin separates us from God. Sin makes us abhorrent to God. When God found Adam in the Garden after he had eaten the forbidden fruit, God covered him and Eve with animal skins. He covered their sin and that covering made them acceptable before God. In the same way, we have been covered. We have been covered in the righteous robes of Jesus. He became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. By God’s work through His Word joined to the waters of Baptism, we are clothed in Christ. We are forgiven. We are made acceptable in the sight of God. Jesus stood between us and the wrath of God. He hung on the cross and suffered the condemnation that we deserved. He bore that penalty in our place so that we could be set free – so that we could live. Having taken our place under the curse of the law, He now welcomes us into His home and at His table.
Day Four
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion from Portals of Prayer is based on James 1:17 and is entitled “Loving Terrible Gift Givers.” “Many times, I’ve read that enduring Christmas story ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry. In the story, a classic illustration of irony, a young couple desires to give each other fine Christmas presents, but they are too poor to afford anything. So they each sell their most valuable possession – the wife her long hair and the husband his pocket watch – only to present each other with ultimately useless gifts. Our attempts to give good gifts often go astray, but God has given us a gift that will never miss its mark, though His gift is marked by nails. This good and perfect gift is our Savior Jesus, who gave His life to pay the price for our sins. He suffered under and for His wretched but beloved creation, and the sinless One took on the sin of the world that we might live eternally. It’s a story full of such tragedy and hope and irony that even O. Henry couldn’t dream it up. And it’s our story because Jesus secured our eternal salvation through that beautiful plot twist of His death and resurrection.”
Day Five
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion focuses on Hebrews 1:1-2: “God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” That is certainly in keeping with what John writes in His Gospel when he says: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh. He is the living revelation of God’s Word. God speaks to us through His Son. So Jesus is not only the final revelation of God’s Word, but He is also the final authority. Any teaching that contradicts anything that taught through His words and actions is a false teaching. It’s also important to note that the writer of Hebrews isn’t telling us that we no longer have to listen to the prophets of the Old Testament. God isn’t speaking anything new through Jesus. The revelation of God’s saving work is evident throughout the Old Testament. What he is saying is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promised salvation. He is the YES to every promise of God. It is by His saving work – His perfect life, His sacrificial death and His victorious resurrection – that all the promises spoken through the prophets are fulfilled.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion is based on the last half of Romans 13:11. The writer talks about salvation as a now and not yet reality. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That is our possession right now. But the full reality of that salvation is not yet here. We still live in this world. We still struggle with our sinful flesh. We are still tempted and we still fall. Life is a struggle. And that struggle can tempt us to think that our salvation is in doubt – that we aren’t truly saved. And that’s where we would end up if we only focused on our works and strength. But that struggle is intended to turn our attention back onto Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is our salvation. And He gives the benefits of His saving work to us as a gift. We live in that gift in the good times and the bad trusting God to be faithful to His Word and promise. We live in the now and not yet knowing that God will bring to completion in our flesh all that He began when He called us to faith. Until that day when we will see Jesus face to face, we live in the promise of salvation and life that is certain and sure in Jesus Christ.
Day Two
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion from Portals of Prayer is based on Exodus 40:34 and talks about God dwelling among men – among us. It is a good word to hear. We are never alone. “The Son of God had led Israel through the Red Sea in the pillar of cloud and fire. Now the cloud covered and filled the tabernacle. Within that tent covered with animal skins, the Lord’s glory dwelt. God was specially present among His people in the tabernacle to lead and guide them. The tabernacle is a living prophecy of Jesus’ incarnation. The same Lord who dwelt in a tent of skins has taken on our human nature – flesh and blood, body and soul. The glory of the Lord dwells in human skin in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Son of God is specially present among us in the One born of the Virgin Mary. Scripture says that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt [literally, “tabernacle”] among us, and we have seen His glory’ (John 1:14). The glory of God is located for us forever in the flesh of Jesus. As the moving cloud in the wilderness led Israel on their way, so we are guided on our journey through this wilderness world by Jesus’ words and His real presence among us in Holy Communion. He Himself is the way to the promised land of everlasting life.”
Day Three
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The devotion today talked about Jesus as the one and only mediator between man and God. Many would like to think that, if God exists, they don’t need a mediator. They do a lot of good. They are trying their best. Surely God will look on them with favor. But that’s an illusion. It is wishful thinking that has no basis in reality. The reality is that sin separates us from God. Sin makes us abhorrent to God. When God found Adam in the Garden after he had eaten the forbidden fruit, God covered him and Eve with animal skins. He covered their sin and that covering made them acceptable before God. In the same way, we have been covered. We have been covered in the righteous robes of Jesus. He became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him. By God’s work through His Word joined to the waters of Baptism, we are clothed in Christ. We are forgiven. We are made acceptable in the sight of God. Jesus stood between us and the wrath of God. He hung on the cross and suffered the condemnation that we deserved. He bore that penalty in our place so that we could be set free – so that we could live. Having taken our place under the curse of the law, He now welcomes us into His home and at His table.
Day Four
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion from Portals of Prayer is based on James 1:17 and is entitled “Loving Terrible Gift Givers.” “Many times, I’ve read that enduring Christmas story ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry. In the story, a classic illustration of irony, a young couple desires to give each other fine Christmas presents, but they are too poor to afford anything. So they each sell their most valuable possession – the wife her long hair and the husband his pocket watch – only to present each other with ultimately useless gifts. Our attempts to give good gifts often go astray, but God has given us a gift that will never miss its mark, though His gift is marked by nails. This good and perfect gift is our Savior Jesus, who gave His life to pay the price for our sins. He suffered under and for His wretched but beloved creation, and the sinless One took on the sin of the world that we might live eternally. It’s a story full of such tragedy and hope and irony that even O. Henry couldn’t dream it up. And it’s our story because Jesus secured our eternal salvation through that beautiful plot twist of His death and resurrection.”
Day Five
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s devotion focuses on Hebrews 1:1-2: “God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” That is certainly in keeping with what John writes in His Gospel when he says: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh. He is the living revelation of God’s Word. God speaks to us through His Son. So Jesus is not only the final revelation of God’s Word, but He is also the final authority. Any teaching that contradicts anything that taught through His words and actions is a false teaching. It’s also important to note that the writer of Hebrews isn’t telling us that we no longer have to listen to the prophets of the Old Testament. God isn’t speaking anything new through Jesus. The revelation of God’s saving work is evident throughout the Old Testament. What he is saying is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promised salvation. He is the YES to every promise of God. It is by His saving work – His perfect life, His sacrificial death and His victorious resurrection – that all the promises spoken through the prophets are fulfilled.