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: Revelation 21:1-6, 22-26
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. (v. 1)
My wedding day was chaotic. It was marked by torrential rain. When the flowers arrived, they were inexplicably the wrong color. My future grandfather-in-law booked into the wrong hotel and was unaccounted for until minutes before the ceremony. And yet the moment the music started, and my bride made her way down the aisle, the chaos and anxiety of everything that came before were forgotten.
We live in a chaotic world. The political upheaval, extreme weather, economic inequality, and global conflicts that define our time are nothing new. There have been worse times in human history. And yet for many, life feels unbearable, and it is hard to imagine it getting better. As Paul writes in Romans 8, “the whole creation has been groaning together” (v. 22). Heaven and earth groan to be together.
A reunion awaits. At the beginning of the Bible, heaven and earth are forced apart by the mismanagement of its stewards. Instead of abandoning his handiwork and firing his helpers, God chose to redeem it all. God has spent the history of the world painstakingly picking up the pieces. He is, even now, making something new. The Bible ends with a promise: A wedding day is coming. Heaven and earth will be reunited. When that day comes, today’s chaos and anxiety will be forgotten. Our faithful Savior and first love will receive us with open arms. Heaven and earth will embrace, together at last!
As you pray, wait, watch, and hope for the renewal and reunion of all things.
About the Author
Ben Van Arragon
Ben Van Arragon is a preacher and writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He preaches and teaches the Bible in church, online, and anywhere else he has the opportunity.
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 Friends
Read: John 12:1-11 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” (v. 7) Dinner with friends is usually a sweet time of fellowship and special remembrances, but it can be especially
Dinner with a Tax Collector
Read: Luke 19:1-10 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. (v. 6) We have seen Jesus at a dinner where he was scrutinized, tested, and challenged by those who considered themselves to be irreproachable. But what happened
Dinner with a Pharisee—Kingdom Preview
Read: Luke 14:15-24 I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. (v. 24) “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (v. 15). These are the words of one of
Dinner with a Pharisee—Humility
Read: Luke 14:1-14 Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (v. 11) Have you ever been to a dinner where you felt like you were under special scrutiny? Maybe it was at
Jesus Feeds the 5000
Read: Mark 6:30-44 They all ate and were satisfied. (v. 43) One of the revealed names for God in the Old Testament is Jehovah Jireh—“the LORD will provide” (Gen. 22:14). This name is certainly true of the Lord Jesus. So
An Uncomfortable Dinner
Read: Luke 7:36-50 [Jesus] said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (v. 50) Every eye in the place was on her from the moment she entered the house. There were smirks, low chuckles, heads shaking—they