Words of Hope Daily Devotional
START EVERY DAY WITH HOPE
Get the Words of Hope Devotional and get daily encouragement to love God, read His Word, and meet with Him in prayer. Available in print and email.
START EVERY DAY WITH HOPE
Get the Words of Hope Devotional and get daily encouragement to love God, read His Word, and meet with Him in prayer. Available in print and email.
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
Staying the Course
Read: Psalm 18:27-42
You equipped me with strength for the battle. (v. 39)
For me, long distance running didn’t come easy. I started by walking, and I wasn’t fast. Over time, through many months and years of training, I racked up the miles until I was ready for a 5K, and even longer races. Similarly, the faith journey takes perseverance. It can feel difficult, like running a marathon in heat or rain. Sometimes, we might feel pain. We might want to quit. But someone serious about running a marathon keeps on running.
In Psalm 18, David recounts that when the struggles of life may seem to overcome us, God delivers us. God gives us strength (v. 32), makes our feet firm on a safe path (vv. 33, 36), and equips us for the battles of life (vv. 34-35). We all face moments in life when we question God’s faithfulness and his promises. We may doubt his goodness when things don’t go as planned, or when we are in despair. But David found hope and strength in remembering God’s past acts of faithfulness to carry him through the present and the future (vv. 27-30).
God protects and defends everyone who trust him. Psalm 18 is a powerful reminder of this truth. If you need help today, re-read the entire psalm and use it to strengthen your trust in God’s perfect way and faithfulness. If we have faith in God’s promises, that faith will enable us to withstand suffering, which “produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Rom. 5:1-5).
As you pray, ask how you can stay strong through your faith journey.
About the Author
Ariana D. Den Bleyker is a Pittsburgh native currently residing in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is the author of two devotional poetry collections,To Be Held by the LightandWaking in the Light. She is an ordained deacon in the Reformed Church of America.
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.
(Don’t) Hold On
Read: John 20:11-21 Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended. (v. 17) In my final year of swimming lessons, I learned some basic lifeguarding skills. My instructor emphasized the importance of approaching a panicking swimmer with
To Your Advantage
Read: John 16:5-16 If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. (v. 7) In the musical Mary Poppins, the Banks family hires Mary to impose order and discipline upon their children, Michael and Jane. However,
Heaven Breaks Through
Read: Matthew 27:45-54 The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. (vv. 51-52) In the beginning, God made heaven and earth: one creation consisting of two realms, seamlessly, perfectly united. After the beginning, human sin
You Will See the Kingdom
Read: Luke 9:27-36 When they became fully awake they saw his glory. (v. 32) The Disney film Tangled is about a lost princess who embarks on a journey to discover her true identity. Along the way she picks up a
The Feast of Heaven and Earth
Read: Matthew 22:1-14 The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast. (v. 2) Several New Testament passages make little sense until we understand what Jesus means by “heaven.” If we think heaven is
Heaven Is at Hand
Read: Matthew 4:12-17; 11:1-6 Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (4:17) One of my earliest memories was opening my first Christmas gifts. My parents gathered my older sister and me in front