Thursday, April 30, 2026

Opening Scripture

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 1:4-8

Opening Prayer

Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Romans 8:18-30

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Reflection  

Today’s passage begins by offering a concluding comment on yesterday’s final statement: “we share in his suffering in order that we may also share in his glory.” Paul promises that whatever hardship or persecution the Roman Christians must endure now is far outweighed by the glory of the inheritance they will receive when Jesus returns. That future glory is manifestly greater and infinitely longer-lasting than the present suffering.

Paul then launches a section on the relationship between humanity and the rest of creation. In part, he is answering the presumed questions that the Roman Christians might have about maintaining a living hope for eternal life and a glorious inheritance in the face of pain and death. If there’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, why does God let His children suffer?

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the “now and not yet” (inaugurated eschatology) of God’s redemption plan. The Spirit is the “first fruit” – the pledge, the down payment, the first installment – of God’s blessing for His people. The Spirit connects our “now” with our “not yet” and provides the comfort, strength, and guidance we need to carry on. That perspective informs pain.

To provide context, Paul expands the nature of suffering from the Roman Christians being persecuted under Emperor Nero to the general brokenness of this fallen world. Injury, illness, violence, abuse, hunger, poverty, grief, death – all are sad consequences of this present evil age. Both creation andChristians suffer the terrible effects of sin and desperately long for God’s ultimate restoration of all things.

When humanity was judged for its sin, creation was punished as well. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:17-19).

As such, there is a hopeful anticipation that God will soon “make all things new.” “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” When that final revelation (apocalypse) occurs, Jesus will be universally displayed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His disciples will be revealed as “children of God,” and the suffering, groaning, and frustration will be over.

As a further encouragement to support the believer’s patient hope, Paul reminds us that the indwelling Spirit is actively interceding for us in all things. God is well aware of our weakness – we don’t even know what we should pray for – so the Spirit does so on our behalf, in words and ways we can’t understand, all according to God’s will.

Finally, Paul assures his readers that Almighty God can bring divine good out of an awful situation. Verse 28 is a tremendous source of comfort and support! “For those who love God, He works all things together for good.” We trust – though we don’t always understand – that God is entirely in control, that God is completely good, and that God is absolutely able.

God can and will do this because we have been called according to His purpose, and His purpose is the ultimate good. The active voice, present tense of the verb here – (synergei) “He works together” – emphasizes that “working all things together for good” is a continuous occupation of God. It’s what He does, all the time!

God does this because followers of Jesus are those He “foreknew.” God, in His divine transcendence and infinite omniscience, doesn’t just know what, but who. God’s personal knowledge isn’t just about what believers will do, but about them personally. He has established a glorious destiny for followers of Jesus!

It’s easy to get confused about what Paul means by “those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… and those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” This explains what God’s purpose is: for believers to be conformed to the image of Jesus.

God’s foreknowledge in no way minimizes the necessity of an individual’s choosing to receive God’s offer of salvation. Throughout this letter, Paul emphasized that righteousness comes only through faith in Jesus Christ! What God “foreknew,” He “foreordained” (proōrisen) = “pro-horizon,” predestined, predetermined. The “destination” (horizon) He established “before” creation is “becoming like Jesus.”

“Those God foreknew” are also “those he predestined… called… justified… and glorified.” It’s interesting that each of these verbs is stated as if it has already happened. This suggests that, from God’s perspective, our future glorification is so certain – because He has decreed it – that it’s as if it has already occurred!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

In the meantime, the indwelling Spirit brings comfort in sorrow, assurance in doubt, and strength in weakness.

Flourishing Habit

Meaning and Purpose

When it comes to being a follower of Jesus, engaging in spiritual formation, and pursuing a lifestyle of intentional discipleship, devotion is ultimately more powerful than discipline. Grit and willpower are necessary and helpful to a degree, but love has them beat.

Discipline can regulate behavior in the short run, but devotion shapes character and deepens relationships in the long run. While discipline provides initial structure, devotion builds enduring trust. When determination is connected to passion, pain and sacrifice are transformed.

Nir Eyal, a behavior expert and author of “Beyond Belief,” spent years studying why some people transform struggle into meaning while others are crushed by it. His conclusion is that pain itself is neutral. Our beliefs are what give pain meaning. When struggle is reframed as building something worthwhile, stress feels lighter and motivation lasts longer.

Eyal says, “Our beliefs filter our perception of the external world. They sculpt our emotions, alter how our bodies respond, and even change our moment-to-moment experience of being alive. We feel what we believe.”

That helps explain why hardships that we choose feel so different from hardships that are forced on us. When our mind sees a task as a burden, the body follows with tension, resistance, and fatigue. When our mind sees the same task as devotion, the strain still exists, but it has meaning.

For Christians, sacrifice and suffering are informed and motivated by love and devotion to the Lord, and that reality is supported scientifically. In addition to reframing pain, a growing body of literature suggests that having a strong sense of purpose in life leads to improvements in both physical and mental health, and enhances overall quality of life.

People with a clear sense of meaning in their lives tend to live longer, make healthier choices, and keep their minds sharper as they age. In simple terms, meaning and purpose support better physical and mental health over time. For followers of Jesus, that has eternal significance!

As with everything worthwhile in life, spiritual maturity is a choice, but that choice is significantly altered when discipleship changes from “I have to” to “I want to.” That’s where devotion comes in. When a compelling vision of the future is tied to a loving relationship, motivation and effort come more easily.

Whether it’s exercising regularly for the sake of your family, getting up early to provide for a friend, or choosing to read the Bible over watching a show, devotion is often more powerful than discipline.

How are your core relationships tied to your core convictions?

Where do you see “devotion” motivating your decisions more than “discipline”?

How can you reframe a challenging situation based on this perspective?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!