Use this devo as you are able, in whole or in part. Don’t feel compelled to read it all. Simply read and meditate upon whatever catches your attention. The goal is enjoying time with God through His Word and in prayer. Questions about the devotional elements?

Call to Prayer

Prayer of Confession

Ascended Savior, pour out your gifts from heaven and equip me to be your presence here and now; remind me that you will defend and keep me safe from all enemies. May that comfort plunge me deeper into caring for creation, pursuing justice, doing evangelism, strengthening human communities, and serving the common good, all to your glory. Amen. (Prayer based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Question 51)

*Prayer borrowed from Philip Reinders’ Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible through the Year

Reading Plan

This reading plan will help you to develop the habit of being in God’s Word each morning and evening. Come to this time with expectation. Expect God to reveal himself to you. Expect that he delights in you being there, even when you’ve wandered away. Growing a spiritual habit is a slow, patient process. So be kind to yourself as you grow! 

Readings are hyperlinked. Simply hover over the passage or click Morning/Evening Reading (email version).

Morning Readings:

Pray Psalm 123 | Read Philippians 2

• Praying the Psalms: Read slowly. Take note of words and phrases. Bring them before the Lord in prayer and personalize the passage as you pray.
• NT Context: “This is Paul’s happiest letter. And the happiness is infectious. Before we’ve read a dozen lines, we begin to feel the joy ourselves—the dance of words and the exclamations of delight have a way of getting inside us. This letter guides Christians on how to honor each other as they endure overwhelming circumstances” Meditate on the passage, noting a few words or a phrase that stood out. Take them to God in prayer.

Evening Readings:

Pray Psalm 124 | Read Esther 6

• OT Context: “Esther was a Jewish orphan in Persia who rose into prominence as she learned of a plot to eradicate the Jews. As the only book in the Bible that has no mention of God, Esther shows us that God is working even when we are not aware of it.” Reflect on the passage. Who was the original audience, and what was their situation? How is that relevant to you today?

Sermon Devo

We are in our Spring series in Romans 8. Each day we will dig into a different aspect of this incomparable chapter and see how it alters the way we live “in Christ!”

Read: Romans 8:31-39

Yesterday we said that Paul asks four unanswerable questions to help us to know the height and breadth and depth of God’s love for us in Christ. Today we turn to his third question “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

In this question, Paul revisits that ever green promise from Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” But perhaps we’ve been wondering this entire time whether there is double jeopardy for sins previously committed?

Can we in fact be re-tried for the sin for which we’ve already received a “no condemnation” verdict?

But the gospel of grace is far better than this! Not only can you not be “retried” for your past sin, but the case is closed on your present and future sin as well. Christ Jesus has died in our place once and for all time. Closing arguments have already been made and our great Advocate and Intercessor has already cleared our case from the docket, and there is nothing that the great accuser of the saints can do about it.

Yet, as Ray Ortlund notes,

“Of course, the devil wants us to feel condemned. For him, a good day is dragging us down into despair over our sins.

Even our own hearts accuse us, whispering to us that people like us have no right to enjoy God, that we deserve to be miserable Christians, the the only right thing is to live forever under the cloud of our sins, that it would be hypocritical to enjoy God’s love, that such grace is cheap grace and that we have to pay our dues and so on. And there is a half-truth in there, we do deserve to be miserable.

But in Christ, God gives us what we do not deserve. What sin does the cross fail to overrule? Our Savior raises his wounded hands over us, and our. Judge confirms that Christ’s merit has indeed compensated fully for all our guilt forever. The case is closed. And we move on, rejoicing!”

REFLECT: The case is closed. Jesus won. Spend time today thanking God for Christ’s roles as Redeemer, Advocate, and Intercessor on your behalf! 

Evening Prayer of Examen

• Where did you move with or feel close to Jesus today?
• Where did you resist or feel far from Jesus today?
• Where is Jesus leading you tomorrow? Ask for joy as you follow him.

Benediction