ODB: Caring for the Oppressed

Aug 8, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

August 8, 2025

Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Jeremiah 22:3

Josephine Butler, a prominent minister’s wife, found herself campaigning for the rights of women accused (often unjustly) of being “ladies of the night,” those seen in society as the “least desirables.” Spurred on by her deep faith in God, she fought for years against the British Contagious Diseases Acts of the 1860s, which subjected women to cruel and invasive “medical” exams.

In 1883, during the parliamentary debate over a bill to repeal the Acts, she joined women in Westminster to pray. She was moved by the sight of the “most ragged and miserable women from the slums” alongside “ladies of high rank,” all weeping and asking God for protection of the vulnerable. To their joy, the bill passed.

Josephine’s call to act justly echoes the words of the prophet Jeremiah, who delivered God’s message to evil kings. Jeremiah said, “Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed.” And “do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow” (Jeremiah 22:3). God wanted to shield those who couldn’t defend themselves against the powerful.

God can spur us to action too, helping us to discern inequalities and to speak and take measures against them. He who hates abuse empowers us to uphold justice and defend the weak.

— Amy Boucher Pye

How does following God affect how you treat the weak and vulnerable? How might God use you to defend someone who's oppressed?

Gracious God, You love and care for the weak and the powerful. Please help me to share Your love and grace. For further study, read Walk with Me: Traveling with Jesus and Others on Life’s Road.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

Difficult

Luke 12:22-33a, 34 – And [Jesus] said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. … For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

It can be really hard to do what Jesus says here, at least at first. We are so conditioned to worry about the future. And why? Because we think we can control and make it come out right—if only we worry enough. But that’s not true, is it?

Jesus urges us to focus on the one thing that really matters—God’s kingdom, God’s wishes. Do that, He says, and God will handle the other stuff for us. We can trust Him.

But this can’t be realistic, can it? Actually, it can, as you find out when you lose all the personal plans you were holding on to, and have nothing left to do but ask God what He wants from you! And you take your first tiny steps in obedience. And you see Him keep His promises, and finally (after maybe 20 years or so!) you start to relax. And it gets to be an adventure. What in the world will God do next?

Why try this? Because the One we love most of all is inviting us to this lifestyle—Jesus Himself, who came down from heaven to give us the real, satisfying life that lasts forever. You know that He gave us this gift at the cost of His own life—when He suffered and died on the cross, and then, three days later, rose from the dead. Now all of us who trust in Him have real life, life that cannot be taken away from us, whatever disaster may strike us. We can take the risk of trusting Him with that life, because He has shown us how much He loves us—and He will never drop us or decide He’s tired of us.

WE PRAY: Dear Jesus, help me learn to trust You, with the everyday worries as well as with the big things like eternal life. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Current Mood: contemplative

sparowe

Never Get Tired of Doing What’s Right!

Amber Dismute, Care Coordinator, Hope WDM
Galatians 6

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:9-10).

Paul wrote this as encouragement to fellow believers, but if you take a moment to truly reflect on these words, they speak to every single person on this planet. No matter your background, title, or status, there’s something sacred in pressing on and continuing to sow goodness even when no one sees, and even when your body and spirit are tired.

What stage of life are you in right now? More importantly, what has God called you to in this season?

Maybe you’re a mom who’s been up since 2:00 am, changing diapers, making bottles, rocking your baby back to sleep while your body aches for rest. God sees you.

Maybe you’re a young adult, fresh out of college, unsure whether the world will welcome your dreams or shut the door in your face. God is with you.

Maybe you’re a husband working long, tiring hours just to keep the lights on and food on the table. God strengthens you.

Maybe you’re caring for aging parents. Maybe you’re single and wondering if anyone truly understands your loneliness. Maybe you’re battling an illness in secret. Whoever you are—God knows, God sees, and God rewards the ones who do not give up.

This Scripture reminds us of three truths:

Weary doesn’t mean weak. It’s OK to feel tired, but don’t let that tiredness convince you to quit.

There is a harvest coming. Every small act of kindness, every prayer, every “yes” in obedience adds up. You may not see the fruit yet, but it’s growing.

We are called to community. “Do good to all people,” Paul writes, “especially to those in the family of believers.” We were never meant to walk this life alone.

Current Mood: determined

sparowe

Trusting God

Genesis 15:1-6 – After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.

It seems weird to me, that God would care that much about whether somebody trusts Him. I mean, He’s not asking for some great deed of daring—God’s not asking Abraham to jump over a cliff, or take on a lion barehanded. No, He’s only saying, “Trust Me. I will give you a family.” How hard is that?

And yet, we all know the answer—it’s very hard. Because when it comes to something that we care about deeply, we really want to have control over that thing in our own hands. Think of the people who quote, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” That’s the true human attitude, ever since the Garden of Eden, where the devil managed to trick us with the line, “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Apparently trusting God to manage the universe wasn’t good enough. And look at the results in our world today!

But this man Abraham trusts God—and God is delighted. God “counts it to him as righteousness.” Abraham is called the friend of God, and for no other reason than because he trusted Him. You really have to ask yourself how rare it is for people to trust God, if God is so overjoyed when one of us finally does!

Jesus shows the same attitude. When Jesus offers to come to a man’s house to heal his servant, the man says, “You don’t need to come, just say the word and my servant will be healed”—and Jesus is delighted. “I tell you,” He says, “not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And of course the servant is healed.

Trust matters to God. In fact, it’s deeply tied up with how He saves us from sin and evil. Jesus did all the work—He became a human being, taught and healed and took care of people, suffered betrayal and torture and even death on a cross—and rose from the dead, three days later, as many witnesses can testify. And then He says to us, “Trust Me.” Trust Me, and you will be saved. Trust Me, and your sins are forgiven, and you will be children of God in heaven. Trust Me, and you will live forever.

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, with such a Savior as You, how can I not trust You? Let Your Holy Spirit build a strong faith in my heart and life. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

ODB: Forever Faithful

Aug 4, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

August 4, 2025

READ: Isaiah 40:6-11

The word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8

The deadliest forest fire disaster in US history was the Peshtigo Fire in Northeast Wisconsin. It occurred on the same night as the better-known Chicago Fire (October 8, 1871) but claimed several hundred more lives. Peshtigo, a fast-growing city of wooden buildings and part of the lumber industry, was consumed within an hour by the inferno fanned by gusting winds.

Besides scorched china and a brick kiln, among the few items the fire left behind was a small, open Bible. Flames had singed its cover and extreme heat had petrified its pages, yet it remained intact. It can be viewed in a museum in the city today.

The little Bible’s preservation calls to mind an assurance God gave His people in another trying time: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Though “firestorms” of invasion and exile threatened, God affirmed that He would be faithful to His promises and would never forsake those who turned to Him—come what may.

The Bible in Peshtigo, still partially legible, was opened to Psalms 106 and 107. Both psalms contain these words in their first verses: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Even in the greatest trials of our lives, His words and love never falter. And we will thank Him forever because of it.

— James Banks

What's your favorite promise from God? What can you do to keep His promises in mind today?

Loving God, I praise You for Your faithfulness! Please help me to trust in You even in difficult seasons.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: hopeful

sparowe

ODB: Peace in the Release

Aug 3, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

August 3, 2025

READ: Philippians 4:4-11

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Kayla’s brow furrowed as she shoved yet another slip of paper into an overstuffed box labeled “Give It to God” on all four sides. Sighing deeply, she sifted through the written prayers she had previously placed in the box. “I read them out loud almost every day,” she said to her friend. “How can I be sure God hears me?” Chantel handed Kayla her Bible. “By trusting that God keeps His word,” she said, “and letting go every time you write or read a prayer you’ve released into His hands.”

The apostle Paul urged believers in Jesus to “rejoice in the Lord” and gave good reason to do so by affirming, “The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5). He encouraged God’s people to trade anxious thoughts for faith-filled prayers, to believe He receives every request, and to praise Him while resting in the unfathomable peace of His never-ending presence (vv. 6-7).

The Prince of Peace—Jesus—guards our emotional and mental well-being when we turn our thoughts toward qualities that point to Him, things that are “true,” “right,” “pure,” and “praiseworthy” (v. 8).

The peace of God protects us when we trust that the God of peace is with us. Liberated from the burden of clinging to concerns, we can experience peace in the release of every prayer into God’s trustworthy hands.

— Xochitl Dixon

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

Babysitters & Heirs

Amanda Neppl, Pastor & Discipleship Team Leader, Hope WDM
Galatians 3

When I was around 12 and 13 years old, I did some babysitting, and as a parent, I’ve also hired my share of babysitters. The problem with being a 13-year-old babysitter is that you have no real authority, and everybody knows it. All you can do is appeal to their 5-year-old sense of decency, and if that doesn’t work, threaten to tell their parents and hope that fear will accomplish what decency couldn’t.

Enter the law of Moses. It is a little different, though, because the law is about letting you know what the standard for decency is, and the punishment of God was supposed to instill enough fear in the Israelites to keep them in line. Did you see what God did to Pharaoh?!

Paul makes his case for why the law was given and what it means to the people of Galatia. And what does this mean for us, seemingly worlds away from the time and circumstances in which Paul wrote this? We need look no further than the Ten Commandments to know how far we miss the mark God established for us. Yet, despite our complete inability to do the right thing, even out of fear or common decency, God gave us Jesus. And because of Jesus, we are united with God for eternity. Nothing else that can be said about us is as relevant as the fact that we are heirs of the promises God made to Abraham, to Moses, to King David, and through all the prophets—the promise of salvation is ours through Jesus.

The law points us to how much we need the real deal, God’s son, to meet us where we are and reunite us with our heavenly Father.

Current Mood: thankful

sparowe

ODB: When Life Is Unfair

Aug 1, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

August 1, 2025

READ: Psalm 37:5-17

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

In Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, the sickly Oliver is born in a workhouse, an institution notorious for exploiting the poor. Orphaned at birth, the boy eventually runs away due to abusive treatment. Through an amazing set of “twists,” he learns he is heir to a sizable fortune. Dickens, who loved happy endings, ensured that everyone who harmed Oliver over the years either received justice or repented. His oppressors got what they deserved while Oliver “inherited the land.” If only life came with tidy endings like those scripted in a Dickens novel.

In the Bible, we read the song lyrics by a man who anticipated such a day—when justice is served and the oppressed “inherit the land” (Psalm 37:9). Though he experienced evil firsthand, the poet David urged patience. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him,” he wrote. “Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (v. 7). He continued, “Those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (v. 9). Despite observing how the “wicked draw the sword” to “bring down the poor and needy” (v. 14), David trusted God to make things right (v. 15).

Life is hard and often unfair. Yet we hear in the words of Jesus an echo from Psalm 37: “Blessed are the meek,” He said, “for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

— Tim Gustafson

When have you been treated badly? How will you trust God in your unfair situations?

Dear God, please help me wait patiently for You to make things right. For further study, read When Pain Won’t Go Away

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

ODB: Looking Like Christ

Jul 31, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

July 31, 2025

READ: Matthew 5:1-10

Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14

As a child of the 1950s and ’60s, I grew up in the era when “America’s pastime” was baseball. I couldn’t wait to go to the park and play ball, and one of my greatest thrills was when I received my baseball jersey emblazoned with our team’s name—GIANTS! Though the number 9 on the back distinguished me from the others, the common uniform identified us as being on the same team.

In Matthew 5:3-10, known as the Beatitudes, Jesus identifies those who belong to the kingdom of heaven as those who “wear the jersey” of Christlikeness. The kingdom of heaven is comprised of those who assume the posture and character of their king. According to Jesus, “blessed” persons aren’t characterized by external appearance, health, or possessions. Rather, it’s the inside or heart of a person that counts. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (v. 3)—the humble—those who are spiritually needy and know it. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6)—those whose soul’s yearning is to please and honor God. “Blessed are the peacemakers” (v. 9)—those who join Jesus in the pursuit of harmony.

As the Spirit helps us, we can put on the garment of Christlikeness, which identifies us as believers in Jesus and members of His team. As such, we’re blessed indeed!

— Arthur Jackson

According to the Beatitudes, how “well-dressed” are you? What aspect of Christlikeness are you praying for?

Heavenly Father, thank You for my status as a citizen in the kingdom of heaven. Please give me grace each day by the Spirit to look like Christ.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

ODB: A Friend at Midnight

Jul 30, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

July 30, 2025

READ: John 15:9-17

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. John 15:15

“Who can you call at midnight when everything has gone wrong?” This question shook me when I first heard it years ago. How many of my friendships were strong enough that I could impose on them in my hour of need? I wasn’t sure.

Scripture has much to say about friendship, describing a friend as someone who keeps confidences (Proverbs 11:13; 16:28), shares advice (27:9), and respects boundaries (25:17). But perhaps no one defined friendship more powerfully than Jesus. While to advertisers we are markets and to employers we are staff, to Him, the Master of all, we are “friends” (John 15:15). Jesus described His kind of friendship as being built on shared love of God and personal sacrifice (vv. 13, 15)—something He Himself modeled and called us to pass on (v. 12).

A couple of years after hearing that question, my wife and I suffered a significant loss. Darren, one of the few who knew what happened, traveled two hours to see me, listen to my anger and pain, and pray for me. Darren is a busy man who had plenty of other things to do with his day. But he followed Jesus’ example of sacrificial friendship. I really did have someone in my hour of need.

The question now is whether others have a “friend at midnight” in me. For there are few better ways to make more friends than to be one.

— Sheridan Voysey

Who can you call at midnight when everything has gone wrong? Why is it important to be there for others in their hour of need?

Dear Jesus, please help me offer to others the kind of friendship You modeled.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

ODB: Sustained by God

Jul 29, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

July 29, 2025

READ: Psalm 55:2-5, 16-23

[The Lord] will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

My family and I brought my dad home from the hospital. He had a degenerative disease, and we were now adjusting to the new twenty-four-hour medical routines of his suddenly becoming bedridden and requiring a feeding tube. I was also planning for my mom’s gastric procedure and dealing with demanding clients at work. Feeling overwhelmed, I sought privacy in the bathroom one day and cried out to God: Help me, Father. Please give me strength to get through the days ahead.

David also felt overwhelmed by troubles (Psalm 55:2-5). Attacked by his son Absalom, betrayed by his close friend, and helpless over the ensuing violence in Jerusalem, David said, “Fear and trembling have beset me” (v. 5).

But David chose to trust God (v. 23). He believed “[God] will never let the righteous be shaken” (v. 22). Years of trusting the Almighty had taught David that although troubles may unsteady us, those who place their faith in God will never be irrevocably lost and hopeless. “They will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (37:24 nlt). David knew God would support him with His strength and wisdom: “I call to God, and the Lord saves me” (55:16).

Fourteen years later, we continue to care for my dad at home. The years have taught me that when we cast our cares on Him, He sustains us (v. 22). God bears our burdens, and He bears us up too.

— Karen Huang

How does God remind you He won’t let you be shaken? How can you entrust your troubles to Him?

Dear God, thank You for helping me walk through the days ahead.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thankful

sparowe

ODB: To See and to Serve

Jul 28, 2025/in Our Daily Bread/by YMI

July 28, 2025

READ: Lamentations 3:31-42, 58-59

You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:58

“Sometimes in life we see things that we can’t unsee,” Alexander McLean told a 60 Minutes interviewer. The South Londoner was eighteen when he went to Uganda to assist in prison and hospice work. That’s where he saw something he couldn’t unsee—an old man lying helpless next to a toilet. For five days McLean cared for him. Then the man died.

The experience ignited a passion in McLean. He earned his law degree and returned to Africa to help the marginalized. Eventually he founded Justice Defenders, an organization that advocates for prisoners.

Many people live in conditions we couldn’t “unsee” if we were to see them. But we don’t see them. In his lament for his devastated homeland, the prophet Jeremiah poured out his heart over his sense of being unseen. “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?” he cried. “Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering?” (Lamentations 1:12).

Jeremiah’s heart ached not only for himself but for all the oppressed as well. “To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land, to deny people their rights . . . would not the Lord see such things?” he asked rhetorically (3:34-36). Yet he saw hope. “No one is cast off by the Lord forever,” he said. “You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life” (vv. 31, 58).

The “unseen” are all around us. God, who has redeemed us, calls us to see and serve them as He enables us.

— Tim Gustafson

Who are the “unseen” near you? How will you see them? What will you do?

Father, please give me eyes to see people in need and help me show them Your love.

Source: Our Daily Bread

Current Mood: thoughtful

sparowe

He Will Get Us Home

Why do you need to know that you are adopted by the Father and sealed by the Spirit? Simple—there is power in assurance.

A young college graduate requested that I pray for her to be accepted into law school. Each time we talked, she seemed increasingly anxious. The unknown future unsettled her. But then came the acceptance letter. She called me with the great news. Her thoughts were positive; her future was secure.

The Holy Spirit provides a far more significant assurance. From him we receive an acceptance letter to heaven. 1 John 4:17 (NLT) says, “So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.” The Holy Spirit will keep his promise. We’ve been sealed. He will get us home

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Javabeans!

Reading

YMI -- ODB: 8 August 2025

ODB: Caring for the Oppressed

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries: 7 August 2025

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Church of Hope: 6 August 2025

Never Get Tired of Doing What’s Right!

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries: 5 August 2025

YMI -- ODB: 4 August 2025

ODB: Forever Faithful

YMI -- ODB: 3 August 2025

ODB: Peace in the Release

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Church of Hope: 2 August 2025

Babysitters & Heirs

YMI -- ODB: 1 August 2025

ODB: When Life Is Unfair

YMI -- ODB: 31 July 2025

ODB: Looking Like Christ

YMI -- ODB: 30 July 2025

ODB: A Friend at Midnight

YMI -- ODB: 29 July 2025

ODB: Sustained by God

YMI -- ODB: 28 July 2025

ODB: To See and to Serve

UpWords - Max Lucado: [From] 24 July 2025

He Will Get Us Home

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June 2012

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