Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Breathing deeply, I ran along a dusty ridge at twilight. This strange planet was rocky and laden with traps. My commanding officer had warned me not to take shortcuts but to think clearly about where each path would lead. He said this trail’s end contained wormholes to other worlds; my training would help me choose wisely. I swerved around a boulder and saw a faint glow. Reaching the precipice, I...

I. am here, Oh, my Maker, surrendered to You. Fill me with Your love in all that I do. I am here, my Defender, You save me from fear. Hold me in Your hand and wipe ev’ry tear. I am here, My dear Father, You hold me so tight. Keep me in Your arms. I’m loved in Your sight. I am here, Saving Stronghold, to praise Your great name. For by Your great grace You keep me from shame. Macy Lee God always lov...

Does the gospel affect how we treat the planet? I began wrestling with this question a couple years ago, and God has shown me so much of His goodness as I’ve sought Him. 1. This planet is good. God created everything with a purpose. He made this wonderful home for us, and we can live in it with joy. 2. We are called by God to be stewards of this good creationto reign over it with love and care. It...

Have you ever wondered why God created us with bodies? Why aren’t we just disembodied spirit creatures floating around everywhere? Why do we need bodies? We may never know the answer. But we do know that our bodies are important to Godotherwise, He wouldn’t have made us this way. He created us as bodies, He loves us, and He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit if we know Jesus. Think about that fo...

Prayer is something Christians are called to do, and a lot of Christians comply without thinking. But what is prayer, and why do we do it? Usually when I think of prayer, I think of long phrases, gracious requests, and powerful missionary stories. If you’re anything like me, it’s hard to live up to that standard. But prayer is not just some chant that we recite, nor is it a formula where we have t...

There are times in my life when I have hard thing after hard thing stacked on top of one another. I have something stressful going on with my work, and then I have a tense relationship with my family. I am sucked into all the bad news about the world, and then I also have a headache or a backache. Everything combines until it feels impossible to keep moving. In moments like these, I remember that...

Do you want to serve God with your life but have questions about what that looks like? If so, you may be encouraged to learn about Susanna Wesley. She never published books or held a formal leadership position, but her daily work inspired and guided those around her, contributed to the growth of two prominent spiritual leaders, and helped spur on an entire revival movement. Susanna lived in Englan...

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 are some of my favorite verses. It’s true that Ecclesiastes can be a complicated book; however, its message has been one of the most helpful truths I have learned in my life. Before we can understand the point of Ecclesiastes, it helps to know a few things about its structure. The author remains anonymous, but the char...

As a test pilot for spacecraft, I was in control. If the beryllium alloy hull became too hot, I knew how to cool it. If the inertial reference came out of alignment, I knew how to calibrate it. If toxic gases infiltrated the air system, I could run a detect and purge them. I studied each craft’s schematic, and I had a plan for every contingency. However, my personal life was crumbling like asteroi...

READ: GALATIANS 6:1-2; EPHESIANS 2:1-10; 5:25B-27; 1 CORINTHIANS 6:11-20 Jada sat on the bathroom floor, sweating and scared, staring at the timer on her phone. She didn’t know how she would explain this after she got the results. How did we let things go so far? she thought. What happened to following God’s plan for sex and marriage? What will Zach say? The timer went off, and she reached up to g...

Not every day of our lives is going to pass by without issue. We all know that. We know to expect trouble and that there are going to be times when life is really hard. Where is God when things start to fall apart? He is there in the drama. Some of us face issues with family members. They are constantly fighting with us, nothing we do pleases them, or they abandon us and we can’t even get in touch...

Clean water is a vital component in keeping our lives functioning and healthy. We use it for so many things: quenching our thirst, cleaning our bodies, washing dirt from surfaces, and nourishing our crops. We travel over the surface of water to explore the earth or search for food. Our fruits and vegetables are mostly water. If you place a drop of clean water under a microscope, you can see it is...

I read this passage and was struck by how many ways Jesus refers to Himself as the bread of life. Take a minute to read John 6:28-58 and count how many times Jesus refers to Himself as bread or says that He should be eaten. How can Jesus be bread? How can we eat His flesh and drink His blood? It sounds cannibalistic. (Actually, one of the earliest criticisms of Christianity was because of a rumor...

What shakes you? Peers? Pandemics? Politics? Perhaps your family has moved. Maybe you’ve lost someone close to you. Your school situation may have changed. When the world around us shakes, how does Jesus make it possible for His followers to be unshakable? In Hebrews 11, this New Testament author describes the stories of many people who put their faith in God. The next chapter, Hebrews 12, begins...

Anxiety is not always cured just by taking a deep breath or going on a nature walk. While these thingsalong with getting enough sleep at night, eating well, and prayingcan help, sometimes they’re not enough. If you are still feeling anxious, know that you’re not alone. There is no reason to be embarrassed about your anxiety. We live in a broken world where things are difficult and confusing. God m...

When I travel away from home, I often still attend church by visiting a church near my destination. It’s always been a good experience of getting a different perspective, but there was one time when I was so distracted that I couldn’t focus on the sermon. It wasn’t because every wall and ceiling of the church building was adorned with art, even though it was. It wasn’t even because the preacher wa...

Do you ever feel like you don’t have the words to say in prayer? Have you ever been overjoyed and just want to sing the Lord’s praises? If you’re looking for something to help you express your emotions to the Lord, check out the book of Psalms. I guarantee there’s at least one chapter out of the 150 that you can relate to. Psalms are songs, poems, and hymns written by various authors in ancient Is...

“God, why can’t you hear my prayers? I shout, storming into nowhere. Why did Mom have to leave us? Clenching my fists, I start to run. The brilliant sun dazzles me, except it isn’t the sun but a man who shines like lightning, standing in front of me. Jordan, the man says my name. His compassion dissolves my anger, and he continues. You think God isn’t listening to your prayers, but it isn’t true....

READ: PSALM 32:8-11; PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18; JAMES 1:2-8 For as long as I could remember, I wanted to be a police officer. During my senior year, I was accepted into one of the best law enforcement programs in the country, but I was experiencing something I had never experienced about my future plans: doubt. I had just finished my first summer working at a camp, and I saw God d...

Have you ever felt like you didn’t have any friends? I moved about two years ago, and I still have a hard time making new friends. I sometimes have dreams of meeting the perfect friend who loves the same things I do, has my same interests, and maybe has experienced some of the same situations I have. But I never seem to find the perfect friend like I dream of. One night, as I was praying to God, I...

The Bible is really repetitive. I don’t mean that it’s boringfar from it! But throughout the Old Testament, God sends people called prophets to speak to the Israelites on His behalf. And, while they did predict future events, the prophets were mostly sent to tell Israel what they already knew: follow God’s good law. The prophets would call on the Israelites to remember the Lord and all He has done...

When I am oppressed Pushed down When I can’t lift my own head When I am controlled Held back When I can’t go my own way When my enemies are winning With cheers When I can’t celebrate When I am destroyed I’m done God, hold me up Fight for me today Push on God, guide me through Emily Acker Do you ever feel like the author of this poem? What makes you feel that way? How might it comfort you to know t...

I felt ugly when I was young. I did not see any beauty in me. I had low self-esteem. I was not confident. And I did not think I was special. I did not feel smart or intelligent. I felt shy and vulnerable. I did not want to be around people. I thought there was nothing likeable in me that would draw people to me. Have you ever felt like I felt? As I grew older, I began to learn what God says about...

Going out to look for one sheep when there are a number of others in need of care seems a little crazy. What if something happened to the other sheep while the shepherd was off looking for the one that was lost? It can be hard to imagine anyone caring enough about me or you to go out and look for us while also taking care of dozens of others like us. In God’s eyes, our value is equal to the value...

One of my all-time favorite group games is capture the flag. The goal, obviously, is to capture the other team’s flag. But, if you get tagged in the other team’s territory, you are captured. You must follow the tagger to jail and wait there until someone from your team comes to rescue you. You have been taken captive! In the city of Colossae during Paul’s day, a fierce battle was taking place. Thi...