Today Daily Devotional

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” — Exodus 20:16 Courtroom dramas can make for interesting and engaging stories. Why? Because often in a court of law, two of the most basic concerns for living together in society come into sharp focus: truth and justice. These two main concepts are the foundational principles behind the ninth commandment: “You shall not give false testimo...

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands. . . . . — 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Have you noticed that most of the Ten Commandments begin with a negative order, saying, “You shall not . . .”? In commandments six through ten, the negative orders set clear, concrete boundaries for how we are to treat people. Without the command “You shall not ste...

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. — Ephesians 4:28 Can you guess what the most common crime is in any country? If you guess that stealing is the most common crime, that’s right—shoplifting, burglary, identity theft, credit card fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, gra...

“You shall not steal.” — Exodus 20:15 The story of Achan in Joshua 7 is very disturbing. During the battle for Jericho, Achan steals an ornate robe along with a hoard of silver and gold. Knowing he has committed a serious sin, Achan buries the stolen goods under his tent. Achan’s wrongdoing highlights the truth that the cost of breaking the eighth commandment —“You shall not steal”—can be enormous...

This is a profound mystery–but I am talking about Christ and the church. — Ephesians 5:32 On weekday evenings, my wife, Vicki, and I can usually be found in our favorite seats in our living room, with Vicki knitting while I read. Occasionally I’ll glance at her from over my book, and often I am filled with a rush of gratitude and wonder—grateful for over 42 years of marriage and awed by how intima...

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.” — Matthew 5:29 Many years ago, the Christian college I attended did not allow dancing. To skirt this rule, “foot functions” were sometimes held in dormitory basements. Today we may smile at such a quaint restriction, but behind it was concern about a serious challenge to Christian purity: lust. Recognizing the destructive p...

A man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. — Genesis 2:24 If atoms are the so-called “building blocks” of matter, what are atoms made of? Scientists have identified protons, neutrons, and electrons as particles that make up atoms, and even more fundamental particles are quarks and leptons. In some ways similarly, if families are the so-called “building...

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” — Genesis 4:9 Sometimes we recognize that two things are closely related or even the same, although they appear to be different— and we describe them by saying they are like two sides of the same coin. God’s command “You shall not murder” is an example of this. While he orders that we may not harm or kill anyone, God is also calling us to care for and protect our neighb...

“I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” — Matthew 5:22 As we learn from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5, the commandment “You shall not murder” addresses not only our physical actions but also our words and our thoughts. I have never physically murdered anyone, but I’m humbled— even horrified—to realize that I cannot begin to count the number of tim...

“What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” — Genesis 4:10 One of my guilty pleasures is to watch crime shows on Friday evenings while enjoying chocolate and apple slices. Though I like the puzzle effect, drama, and suspense of these TV shows, I sometimes feel uneasy that murder is usually at the heart of this entertainment. God doesn’t find murder amusing a...

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. — Romans 13:1 Throughout history, most cultures around the world have understood the family as the “building block” of human society. And many of these cultures operate with the foundational idea that where the family is strong, the society is strong. This general understanding of...

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. — Proverbs 23:22 Some years ago, as our nearly adult daughter was on the verge of “leaving the nest,” I mentioned something about the fifth commandment’s call for children to obey their parents. She looked me in the eye and asked, “Does the Bible really teach that adult children need to obey their parents?”Th...

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. — Ephesians 6:1 Have you ever noticed that most of the Ten Commandments forbid certain behaviors while only some call for positive action? The fourth commandment, for example, is positive, calling us to keep the Sabbath. And the fifth calls for honoring our parents. What’s more, only the fifth commandment includes a promise. The people of...

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 Often Sunday nights are my least favorite time of the week. Though I enjoy my work, Monday morning means rising early to face a demanding new workweek. At times, however, those feelings of reluctance about the coming week remind me of the promise of the eternal Sabbath. In the context of our Bible reading f...

Early on the first day of the week… — John 20:1 While I was growing up, there were certain things our family did not do on Sundays. We did not eat at restaurants, go shopping, or work in the yard, among other things. Occasionally we would go swimming on a Sunday, but only after sunset. Over the years, that definition of “keeping the Lord’s Day” has changed for many of our friends and family. The u...

God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. — Genesis 2:3 On Friday night, after a long, busy workweek, it’s not unusual for me to fall into bed with a sense of relief. I am so ready for a rest! After creating the heavens and the earth, God gave us the example of taking a rest, and he blessed the seventh day of the week as h...

Abraham said, “I swear it.” — Genesis 21:24 An oath is a solemn promise or declaration of the truth. In Jesus’ day, it was common for people to offer oaths to add weight to their promises or statements. For example, people would claim to solemnly swear by “heaven,” “earth,” or “Jerusalem.” But depending on how their oaths were worded, they might or might not be binding. For instance, swearing by J...

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” — Exodus 3:14 In the third commandment, God teaches his people to revere his holy name, warning that they may not treat his name lightly. Over time, the Israelites took this command so seriously that they refrained from even saying God’s name aloud. As a result, whenever we read the name “...

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. . . .” — Matthew 6:9 Many years ago I climbed a mountain in Colorado to watch the sun rise. As the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, someone in a nearby group of hikers used a vulgar, profane reference to God to describe the breathtaking beauty of that dawning morning. All of these years later, I still shudder when I recall that exclamation of blasp...

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” — John 4:24 Years ago, while visiting in Kolkata, India, I passed through a narrow alley tightly packed with small workshops. These shops were a beehive of skilled artisans noisily hammering metals, carving wood, and pouring plaster casts to make idols. And after they were colorfully decorated, the figures were worshiped...

“All the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” — 1 Chronicles 16:26 Some years ago in Cairo, Egypt, I saw an image of Ra, the Egyptian sun god. Ra is portrayed as a colorful, striking figure with a falcon’s head and a sun disk perched above him. Ra was worshiped as the most important and powerful of the gods of ancient Egypt. But he wasn’t the only one; the Egyptians worsh...

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. — Romans 7:12 When I was a boy, the Ten Commandments were read almost every Sunday at church. The reading seemed long and dour. As I grew older, though, I learned that reading the law in worship is a fitting response of gratitude to God and a guide for spiritual growth. The Ten Commandments have more than one purpose. God’s...

You yourselves are God’s temple and . . . God’s Spirit dwells in your midst. . . . — 1 Corinthians 3:16 A few years ago, a strong wind toppled one of the beehives behind our barn. The hive had been thriving, and it was five boxes tall. The hive had stuck together well. Amazingly, it didn’t break open till it hit the ground. “Bee glue”—propolis— gets the credit for that. But, sadly, the hive was de...

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. — Acts 2:42 Have you heard of “personal space”? It’s described as the amount of space a person feels is needed in order to relate to and live well with others. Personal space can differ by culture, situation, relationship, and personal preference. For an average Westerner, personal space is...

We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. — 1 Corinthians 3:9 Honeybees are great builders. Inside their hive they make honeycombs consisting of hundreds of six-sided cells. These are the basic building blocks of beehives. The amazing geometry of these cells maximizes storage space while minimizing the wax needed for a stable structure. Beeswax is an ingenious blend...