Words of Hope Daily Devotional
START EVERY DAY WITH HOPE
THE DEVOTIONAL IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR EMAIL AND IN PRINT.
The Words of Hope Devotional is a non-profit, donor-supported publication whose goal is to encourage readers to grow in faith through the practice of daily Bible reading and prayer.
THE DEVOTIONAL IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR EMAIL AND IN PRINT.
The Words of Hope Devotional is a non-profit, donor-supported publication whose goal is to encourage readers to grow in faith through the practice of daily Bible reading and prayer.
DINNER WITH JESUS
Breakfast on the Beach
Read: Hebrews 11:8-16
They desire a better country . . . a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (v. 16)
Every human heart longs for a perfect home—a place where one can make a good life. This has been a century of migration—from country areas to cities, across borders and within countries, forced and by choice. Today, most people relocate for school, marriage, job opportunities, or a better life. I have lost count of the places I have lived and visited. Each person who is leaving one place for another has a different perspective, but they all want to find home in the end.
Notice in today’s Bible reading Abraham’s wisdom not to seek something that’s unavailable in the mortal world (v. 10). He looked forward to the kingdom of God. Similarly, Jesus’s first followers were scattered and separated, but they became a blessing as they embraced their place in the family of God dispersed abroad (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1).
You can live with joy in all circumstances only if you have found that higher call. Have you found it? If you’re leaving one home for another, know that your perfect home can be found in Jesus, and you can be a blessing in your new community. If you’re welcoming new people into your community, you have an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love.
As you pray, ask God to reveal himself with his presence and purpose to all people, especially in the midst of suffering. Ask God to guide all people to their perfect home in Jesus.
About the Author
SE Asia Ministry Leader
Words of Hope’s South Asia Ministry field leader is based in India and works with more than 70 team members sharing the hope of the gospel in more than 20 languages. Because of security concerns, we have chosen not to share his name.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. First Last
David Bast is a writer and pastor who served for 23 years as the President and Broadcast Minister for Words of Hope. In his more than 40 years of devotional writing and preaching, he has been encouraging believers around the world to be shaped by God and his Word.
Prior to his ministry and work at Words of Hope, Dave served as a pastor for 18 years in congregations in the Reformed Church in America. A graduate of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, he is the author of nine devotional books and Bible studies, including Why Doesn’t God Act More Like God, Christ in the Psalms, and A Gospel for the World.
Dave and his wife, Betty Jo, have four children and eight grandchildren. Dave enjoys reading, growing tomatoes, and avidly follows the Detroit Tigers.
Dinner with Jesus
Read: Revelation 3:14-22 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (v. 20) Recently we had out-of-state relatives make the long trip to come and
Breakfast on the Beach
Read: John 21:1-14 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” . . . They knew it was the Lord. (v. 12) Can you picture the scene? Sunrise on the beach—the beginning of a beautiful day. There’s breakfast on the
Known to Them
Read: Luke 24:25-35 He was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (v. 35) When my late father-in-law led us in prayer, he would often add this thought: “Forgive us our sins and our shortcomings.” It was a
A Meal in Emmaus
Read: Luke 24:13-27 He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (v. 27) After his resurrection, Jesus met with his disciples, friends, and family on several occasions. Some of these gatherings involved food! In one instance,
The Lord’s Supper
Read: Luke 22:14-23 Do this in remembrance of me. (v. 19) There are some passages which are so familiar that we seem to stop reading them closely or stop listening to them with fresh hearing. This passage, when Jesus instituted
Washing the Disciples’ Feet
Read: John 13:1-15 I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. (v. 15) The disciples had shared many meals and many conversations together during Jesus’s ministry on earth, but those