Daily Devotional

Child of God, let us examine our conscience: Do I feel threatened by anyone doing well? In all sincerity, are there certain persons I secretly envy and pray for their downfall because they have become successful or are now far ahead of me? Do I kill through character assassination – bearing false tales about others just to bring them down? Perhaps I am guilty of the fear of the Jews. Repent. Let others shine. Celebrate the greatness in each person. Be humble enough to accept the truth.

Jeremiah and Jesus were provoked in our readings today, and we have much to learn from their reaction. Jeremiah prayed a prayer of surrender. He asks God to fight on his behalf: “O Lord of hosts, who test the righteous, who see the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them for to you have I committed my cause.” (Jeremiah 20:12).

To hope in God is to believe He can bring life out of what is already dead. Our hope is never based on our visible circumstances; instead, it is built solely on what God can do. This hope operates through the eyes of faith. Like Abraham, you may consider your body as good as dead, but let your focus be on what God is capable of doing. Don’t be distracted by your situation; look at God instead. Do not make the mistake of the Jews, who were only focused on Jesus’ humanity without seeing His divinity.