The Burning Question:
How has God turned a difficult season in your life into one of hope and renewal?
Morning Devotional:
It was one of my favorite days at church yesterday. Baptism day! At the service I attended, eight people stood at the front of the sanctuary, made their public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and were baptized for all to see. After every person got up out of the water, it wasn’t just a quiet little round of applause from the congregation, either. We were on our feet, cheering and praising the Lord for the victories won!
The scene took me back to my own baptism years ago, at a lake outside of Good Thunder, Minnesota. There wasn’t a big congregation cheering for me at the time. I only had a few friends with me standing on the shoreline. Strangely enough, I could almost hear cheering as I was coming out of the water. It made me wonder later on if what I heard was a Luke 15:7 kind of thing.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells a parable about a man who has a hundred sheep. When one goes missing, he leaves the ninety-nine others to find that one which is lost. When he finds it, he calls his friends and encourages them to rejoice with him. After that story, what does Jesus say? Verse seven: “I say to you that likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”
There is great joy to be had when someone comes to know the Lord. It’s worth whooping and hollering about. If you know Jesus as Lord, there was great rejoicing in heaven for you. If you don’t know Him yet, today can be your day. Receive Jesus as your Lord.
– Beth
Bible Quiz:
Question: What city was the site of Jacob’s famous dream?
Answer: Bethel (Genesis 28:10-22)
Storytime: No Way out but Back!