When Does Day Begin?
So how soon is it till dawn? You probably get discouraged about events in the news too. Terrorism. Family violence. Unemployment. Economic uncertainty. Some of the scary news may even be closer to home than the newspaper. Health problems. Damaged personal relationships. Friction among people in your church. It can be discouraging. And just whose responsibility is it to make things better? If your first thought is God, I would not propose to correct your answer. I would only remind you that God acts in this world through human agents. There is an old Hasidic story about a rabbi and his students. As they walked along one day, he asked, “How can we know the hour of dawn – the time at which the night ends and the day begins?” No one ventured an immediate answer, so they continued to walk. Then one of the rabbi’s disciples offered something. “Is it when you can look from some distance and distinguish between a wolf and a sheep?” “No,” said the rabbi. And they continued to walk. “Is it when there is light enough to distinguish between a grapevine and a thorn bush?” ventured another student. “No,” said the rabbi. There was a long silence. “Please tell us the answer to your question,” said one. “How is it possible to know the precise time at which the dawn has broken?” “The dawn comes for each of us,” said the wise old teacher, “when we can look into the face of another human being and – by virtue of the light that comes from within us – recognize that even a stranger is our brother or sister. Until then, it is night. Until then, the night is still with us.” Self-centered lives are cramped, provincial, and sad. It is only those souls large enough to live for others that are expansive with joy and bright with love. Love is, in fact, the only spiritual power great enough to overcome the selfishness that seems to be instinctive to being alive. There is so much darkness. Let’s pray for the dawn to come. Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8 RSV). About the author: Rubel Shelly preached for decades and served as a professor of medical ethics, Bible, and philosophy at multiple universities. He was a former president of Rochester College and Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Lipscomb University. He was the author of more than 30 books and hundreds of inspirational articles. His commitment to a non-sectarian presentation of the gospel touched countless lives.
Today’s Verse – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. —2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What are you living for? What drives your life? What is the compelling motivation for your life? While these are all important questions, the most important question, however, is this: “Who am I living for?” Only one person can ensure that my life will count in meaningful ways after my body quits working (1 Corinthians 15:57-58). Only Jesus enables me to confidently know that I will never die (John 11:25-26). He has already died for me and conquered death! If my body fails, the living part of me will go to be with Jesus, awaiting the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 1:19-24). If he was willing to do all of this for me, then I’m for sure going to live for him as long as we have breath in our lungs! My Prayer… Victorious LORD, thank you for giving me triumph over death through Jesus, my Savior. Thank you for giving me victory over sin through his sacrificial death. Thank you for giving me victory today in my life, as I live for him based on his resurrection. Through the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
I Don’t Want Them to Change Me!
Why keep doing what you’re doing? Elie Wiesel was brought up in a closely knit Jewish community in Sighet, Transylvania (Romania). When he was fifteen years old, his family was herded aboard a train and deported by Nazis to the Auschwitz death camp. Wiesel’s mother and younger sister died at Auschwitz – his two older sisters survived. Wiesel and his father were then taken to Buchenwald, where his father also perished. Wiesel has devoted his life to ensuring that the world does not forget the atrocities of the Nazis, and that they are not repeated. He tells this story: A just man decided he must save humanity. So he chose a city, the most sinful of all cities. Then he studied. He learned all the art of moving people, changing minds, changing hearts. He came to a man and woman and said, “Don’t forget that murder is not good, it is wrong.” In the beginning, people gathered around him. It was so strange, somewhat like a circus. They gathered and they listened. He went on and on and on. Days passed. Weeks passed. After a while, they stopped listening. After many years passed, a child stopped him and said, “What are you doing? Don’t you see nobody is listening? Why do you continue shouting and shouting? Why?” And the man answered the child, “I’ll tell you why. In the beginning, I was convinced that if I were to shout loud enough, they would change. Now I know they won’t change. But if I shout even louder, it’s because I don’t want them to change me.” We live in a world where there is a battle going on. I’m not talking about the conflict in Iraq or Afghanistan or Kenya. You may not even be aware that this battle is taking place, but I assure you that it is. It is a spiritual battle being waged between God and his people and Satan and his people (Ephesians 6:12). It is a battle for the control of the hearts and minds of men and women, including you and the people around you. We sometimes use the word “evangelism” to describe our attempt to influence ungodly people in a way that will draw them to God, the God who created them and loves them. But, we sometimes forget that efforts – sometimes diligent efforts – are being made by ungodly forces to pull us away from God. Be assured of this: One of two things is happening, either you are having an influence on other people or other people are having an influence on you. It’s a constant battle, much like a tug-of-war. And there are times, as in the story above, when we need to speak up or take some action, not so much to change others, but to prevent others from changing us. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV). About the author: Alan Smith ministers with the Church of Christ in White House, Tennessee and publishes the email devotional “Thought for the Day.”
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 1:7
In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. —Ephesians 1:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Forgiveness! What a sweet and precious gift. What we were powerless to fix or pay for, God did for us in Jesus. He gave us the gift of forgiveness. With him, each day is a fresh start and a rebirth of the springtime of our souls. But my, such a terrible cost he paid to give it to us! Jesus paid for what we could not afford so we could find “the riches of God’s grace” in Jesus. Praise God! My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for your anguish and cost to forgive my sins by the blood of your Son. I refuse to take the cost of my sin lightly. I commit to live for your glory in appreciation for your grace. In the name of him who sacrificed all for my salvation and gave me the gift of “the riches of God’s grace,” I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. —Hebrews 12:2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “He drives where he looks, he drives where he looks!” That statement by Nan, a wife disgruntled by her husband’s driving, absolutely spoke the truth. Vail invariably would turn the steering wheel in the direction he was looking, terrifying all of us who rode with him as he looked around. This principle is also true of each of us and our lives: “We live where we look!” What our hearts seek and what our minds focus on steer us toward our goal, like a heat-seeking missile following its target’s exhaust. That’s why we must “fix our eyes on Jesus.” We focus upon Jesus to both know him and become like him (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our lives will follow where we look. So let’s fix our gaze and focus our hearts on Jesus. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Almighty and holy God, without your grace and the gift of your salvation, I could not approach you with the confidence that I have today. Thank you for sending Jesus! Thank you for his life, his death, his resurrection, his exaltation, and his intercession. I pledge this day to keep my eyes on him! Please guard me from distractions. Through his holy name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
A Special Corsage for Easter
Betty was sent by God, whether she realized it or not, to encourage a young mother struggling to be the best she could be. Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:7-8). MO is at Black Rifle Coffee, Beyond Black is in the cup, a BRCC (Black Rifle Coffee Company) mix is on the playlist, and God is in the room helping me write about tender legacies of grace and faith. Dave and Sherri used to go to travel to San Saba for Easter. All the women in that little church wore corsages. It was tradition. Not that long ago, Sherri stood in my living room and shared this powerful story: The first year we didn’t go to San Saba for Easter was when Laurie, our little girl, was seven. Well, that year I didn’t get a corsage, and I didn’t think much about it. When Easter morning came around, little Laurie marched right up to me and stuck out her hand. She had worked and worked on a gift for me, a homemade corsage. It was different: colorful and carefully glued together, all made out of pieces of construction paper, using an old pearl pin as its base. “Here momma,” she said. “Oh, honey, it’s beautiful,” I lied. We hugged, and I got up to leave, but I picked up her little gift and pinned it on! “If my daughter made this,” I thought to myself, “then I am going to wear it, regardless of what it looks like.” Laurie beamed with pride. After the Easter service was over, we were standing in the aisle visiting when one of the older ladies, Betty, was her name, walked up wearing a lovely white orchid. She smiled and said softly, “Sherri, you have the prettiest corsage in this room. The prettiest!” We both smiled, but I beamed with pride, “My daughter made it!” “Well, last week,” Sherri continued, “I was cleaning out my closet and found that old corsage. This time I teared up. ‘My little girl made this…’ And, I remembered… Betty.” Sherri looked me in the eye and said, “Betty was sent by God, whether she realized it or not, to encourage a young mother struggling to be the best she could be.” We shared a teary smile. And Betty’s gift has outlived her. And… this story has outlived Sherri. Thank you, Abba, for surprise encouragers with gifts of lasting value… they make our eyes leak and our faces smile. About the author: Ron Rose was a beloved minister, noted author, and leader of several ministries. Ron made himself available as a listener and friend, spending time with people on the go and in coffee shops, sharing grace and a listening ear, and connecting them with God who is always in the room. Ron went to be with the Lord in November 2024, but his legacy of grace and encouragement lives on.
Today’s Verse – Matthew 20:17-19
Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” —Matthew 20:17-19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… One thing the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) make clear: Jesus’ death on the cross was no accident – it was no tragedy outside the will of God. Jesus knew the challenge that awaited him in Jerusalem, and he walked into his horrific challenge to deliver us from the same fate he suffered. His trust in the Father’s “third day solution” opened the doorway for God to secure victory for Jesus and all of us who build our futures through our faith in him (Colossians 2:12-15, 3:1-4). The question for us is straightforward: Will we face our challenges with a faith that the Father’s “third day solution” assures us of our triumph in the face of our mortality? My Prayer… Holy God and Loving Father, thank you for your plan to cover my sin with your grace by the death of your Son. Thank you, Jesus, for assuring me of my victory over sin, death, hell, and the evil one through your “third day” solution! May I live today aware of Jesus’ sacrifice and confident of his “third day” victory for me. May my life reflect that coming victory in the way I live each day. In the name of Jesus, my sacrificial and conquering Savior, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
02 Apr 2026
Jesus endured scorn, beating and crucifixion to save mankind. He willingly went through the pain and suffering out of love for you and me. How do we respond to this love? Do we understand that the aim of His pain and suffering was to set us free? Matthew 27:45-54.
You Have Always Been Drawn to Wood
What would Mary have thought in such painful times? Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother … (John 19:25). I have often wondered what Mary, the mother of Jesus, thought as she watched her boy – who also happened to be God’s Son – die on the cross. Would she remember the manger of wood? Would she remember the wood shavings in her boy’s hair as Joseph, a true man of honor, stood by her and helped her raise God’s Son? Would she realize in looking back that her boy had always been drawn to wood? The following is a meditation I wrote years ago as I tried to imagine what it was like for Mary at the foot of the Cross. I hope these thoughts are a blessing and a challenge to you as we wait for the light of hope to dawn on Sunday and remind us that death does not have the final word in Jesus’ life, and because of Jesus, it does not have the final word in our own lives! As Mary stood watching, she remembered all of it, but especially that last conversation with her boy. He was not a boy, of course. He was tall and strong and more than thirty birthdays old. But, he still was her boy. “I must go now,” he had said, “I have always been drawn to wood.” She had looked into his dark eyes, her smile full of hurt and a mother’s love. “Such a fine young man,” she thought as she brushed the sawdust and wood shavings from his curly brown hair for the thousandth time. But this time was different. Something about the set of his jaw and the flash of fire in his eyes told her this was the last time. Even in his twenties, Yeshua was respectful and supportive. This was especially so after Joseph died. Yeshua took over the carpenter’s shop and did what the eldest son was expected to do. “You have sawdust and shavings in your hair, Yeshua. Just like when you were a little boy with your father.” She hoped her words might hold him close a moment or two longer. But as she spoke them, it was Mary who paused. She thought of the man who had stood by her when the only explanations were divinely insane. She missed him so. Yeshua’s presence in the shop had always reminded her of Joseph. While they looked nothing alike, he was very much his father’s son. With Joseph’s death had come the resurrection of suspicion and the cruel taunts, “Mary’s boy! Mary’s boy!” Yeshua would shrug and smile his wry grin, as if he heard some faraway song awakening some primal instinct deep within his heart. Mary’s smile and motherliness brought no response this time. “You have always been drawn to wood!” she said nervously. She had kept her feelings hidden, but since the wedding in Cana, she knew the promises from long ago were beginning to unfold. He was no longer her little boy – she knew it as well as she knew the dark eyes, the curls of brown hair, and the tenderness in his voice when he spoke to her. This was his goodbye. More than leaving home, he was leaving her and all she knew as family behind. “You have always been drawn to wood!” she softly repeated. She touched his brown curls and brushed the shavings from his hair one last time. It was true – he had always been drawn to wood. She had said it often, hoping against hope that it would keep him near her, or at least near the carpenter’s shop. Despite the angel’s promise that he would be King and Savior, when he was born, she had placed him in a wooden manger. Now, in the shadow of his cross, the thought now pierced her like a dagger, “You have always been drawn to wood.” “I must go, now, mother!” he had firmly said. “It’s time. James, Joses, and Jude can run the shop. They will take care of you. It is time for me to do what you know I must do. My carpentry is needed elsewhere. As you have so often said, ‘I have always been drawn to wood.’” As she stood shivering from the cold in her soul, she now remembered everything – the manger, the wood shavings, and especially that day he left. And now, just three years later, the rattling sounds of her son’s labored breathing shook her to her marrow. Tears stained her cheeks as she stood looking at the little boy she once swaddled and placed in the manger. Mary softly cried and said for the final time, “My precious son, you have always been drawn to wood.” About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by 500,000 people a day. He works with churches in transition with Interim Ministry Partners and for the past 21+ years, he has been editor and president of HEARTLIGHT Magazine, author of VerseoftheDay.com, God’s Holy Fire (on the Holy Spirit), and aYearwithJesus.com. Phil has also authored four books, daily devotionals on each of the four gospels.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart there is no God. —Psalm 14:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… At one time or another, most of us raised an angry fist to fate and cursed the darkness. Each of these actions is equally ineffective. To deny the existence of God is something else altogether. To rob heaven of God is to rob ourselves of grace, hope, and future. How foolish to forget that behind a Creation of wonder, order, variety, beauty, power, and pattern is the Grand Creator. He is far greater than his handiwork, and we dare not ignore, deny, or dismiss him, for then we become our own gods, left to only worship ourselves and the beauty created for us. How small our world becomes when we do deny there is God (1 Corinthians 1:18-32). My Prayer… O LORD God Almighty, Creator and Sustainer, we thank you for not only being there always as the great “I AM,” (Exodus 3:13-15; Hebrews 13:5-6) but being with each of us this very day. Please use us, your children, to awaken our skeptical world to the wonder, glory, majesty, righteousness, grace, and love that is you! In Jesus name, we pray and praise you, O God. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.