Among the sterling characters of the Old Testament few surpass Joseph for integrity and faith—which shine all the more given the suffering he was called to endure. From one perspective, his life could be summed up as, “how everything went wrong.” But Joseph would insist that “everything went right.” Is Joseph a special case and have a special faith?  Or does he testify to a promise that applies to the people of Christ as well?

Psalm 130 is a microcosm of the ordinary Christian life of guilt, grace, and gratitude.

Peter exhorts Christians to trust in God’s sovereign plan and remain vigilant while we await our blessed hope.

This meditation reflects upon the Apostle Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus, which he planted, knows, and loves. By extension this prayer is for Christ's church and people in this present age as we await the Lord's return. Paul's prayer is bold and audacious. It is confident and comforting, knowing that the Lord is able and willing to do more than we can even ask and think.

We will be looking at God’s promise to restore the fortunes of Zion and the various ways in which he has done and will do that.  

In his 1521 translation of the Greek New Testament into German Luther used the word allein (alone) in his translation of Romans 3:28, which says, “For we reckon that a man is justified through faith apart from the works of the law.” Luther was right. He captured Paul's intent, which was to teach salvation sola fide, by faith alone.  

Genesis 11:1-9

In this devotional we reflect upon Mary's prayer of praise to the Lord for his favor towards her and his mercy toward all of his children. Mary marvels at the word, works, and presence of the Lord, as do all who share the same faith and Lord as Mary.

The Old Covenant was a visible thing —  the priests, the altar, the animals and the blood.  The New Covenant is, in many ways, an invisible reality.  

In the passage Hannah rejoices in the Lord for answering her personal prayer for a son and sees in him the salvation of all of Israel. 

Judges 16:15-31 

Jonah 1:17-2:10

God’s compassion for those outside of Christ is so different from ours.  He focuses our attention on this in one of the most sublime short stories in literature: the little book of Jonah.  

What does it mean to ask for daily bread?

In Romans 5:1-11, the Apostle Paul preached the bad news of our sin and the good news of our free, once-for-all, justification and salvation. The heart of passage is that, in Christ, God loves sinners, justifies them, saves them, and as a consequence, sanctifies them by his love and Spirit. 

This devotional explores Jesus' parable about two people who pray. One is proud and confident of his  alleged avoidance of sin and good works; the other recognizes his sin and cries out to the Lord for mercy. Mercy is what he received.

All human boasting is subverted by the surprising grace of God's calling and election. The Christian's boasting is inverted, redirected away from ourselves toward the cruciform glory of Christ our Mediator.

This devotional examines Jesus' request to avoid the cross, if possible; coupled with his wholehearted resolve to endure the cross for his people. This is not merely an example of radical obedience, but the foundation for the forgiveness, righteousness, and reconciliation of the Christian.

God has robbed the graves of his people

This devotional unpacks Jesus' praying for Peter that his faith would not fail and the implications for us that our faithful High Priest lives to intercede for us.