Entries by YMI

ODB: Pray for Them

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September 27, 2026 

READ: Matthew 18:10-14 

Will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? Matthew 18:12

 

The movie Sully depicts the heroic landing of a stalled passenger plane on New York’s Hudson River. As Captain “Sully” strode off the rescue ferry, he told an official, “I need to know who’s hurt and how badly and I need a count. One hundred fifty-five. That’s my number. That’s passengers and crew.” The man said, “Okay. How about you?” Sully replied, “I’ll answer that question when we’ve counted to one hundred fifty-five.”

Jesus is interested in a count too. He’s the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to search for the one lost sheep. When He finds it, He “is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off” (Matthew 18:13). This doesn’t mean the one lost sheep counts more than the others. But there is the joy of relief when it’s found. As Sully’s passengers rejoiced to escape almost certain death, so heaven celebrates when someone receives salvation.

Do you know any lost sheep? Anyone who seems particularly unreachable? Pray for them. Seek to share the love of Jesus with them. Don’t give up until they’re in the fold.

Sully badgered anyone who would listen, “I need a count. We’ve got to have a count.” At long last, an official entered the hospital room where Sully was being examined. He smiled. “Got a count. One hundred fifty-five.”

— Mike Wittmer

Who are three people who need Jesus you could pray for on a regular basis? How might you share the love of Jesus with them?

Dear Jesus, please help me to see Your “sheep” like You see them.  

ODB: Gifts Repurposed by God

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September 26, 2026 

READ: Exodus 4:1-5, 10-11 

Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. Exodus 4:2 nlt

 

Captain Tim Mullane diligently worked at sinking the SS United States-a massive ocean liner. In fact, he was paid to send it down to the depths. Mullane repurposes ships from sailing the seven seas to serving as instant artificial reefs on the ocean floor. Sunken vessels provide attractive destinations for scuba divers and help protect coastlines as they curb the erosion of beaches. While no longer riding ocean waves, the ships continue to provide value lying far beneath them.

Moses’ shepherd’s staff was repurposed for something that would prove to be invaluable for the Israelites. God asked him, “What is that in your hand?” Moses replied, “A shepherd’s staff” (Exodus 4:2 nlt). Moses cared for sheep for forty years (Acts 7:29-30), but his staff would now be used to shepherd his people out of Egypt. The staff was a symbol of God’s working through Moses, and as he “[performed] the signs with it” (Exodus 4:17), God’s power was revealed. As Moses stretched out his “staff toward the sky” God rained hail on Egypt (9:23) and later allowed the Israelites to pass through “the sea on dry ground” (14:16).

God repurposed Moses’ staff and role to accomplish His purposes. He’ll often use our gifts and talents in fresh ways too. How might He be using your “staff” in a new way during this season of life?

— Tom Felten

Why can it be hard to let go of roles and responsibilities? How might God be using your gifts and talents in new ways?

Loving God, please help me see how You’re using my gifts and talents in fresh ways.  

ODB: Acts of Devotion

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September 25, 2026 

READ: 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 

The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion . . . are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 2 Chronicles 35:26-27

 

Like all early departures from this life, Joe’s death shocked those who knew him. Just before he died, he’d begun making poor decisions. Now this husband, father, coach, and youth leader would no longer be there for those who’d relied on him.

It’s easy to focus on Joe’s recent bad choices. Yet when his daughter spoke at his funeral, she rightly highlighted how her dad, though flawed like all of us, had served Jesus with his life.

We find something similar in the story of Judah’s King Josiah. When Egypt’s King Necho mounted a military offensive against Babylon, Josiah foolishly “marched out to meet him in battle” (2 Chronicles 35:20). Necho had no intention of attacking Judah (v. 21), and Josiah’s intervention ignored “God’s command” (v. 22). It cost him his life (vv. 23-24).

Though Josiah finished unwisely, the prophet Jeremiah “composed laments for Josiah” (v. 25). The story concludes, “The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion . . . are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah” (vv. 26-27). Acts of devotion. A timely epitaph for an untimely death.

It’s good to ponder the apostle Paul’s words: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). As we consider how our heavenly Father sees us in Christ, it’s easy to recall the acts of devotion done by His children who’ve left us.

— Tim Gustafson

Who have you lost to death? What acts of devotion might you recall in memory of them?

Thank You, heavenly Father, that You see Your children in Christ. For further study, read The Oldest Theology: Jesus’s Victory over Adam’s Curse at odbm.org.  

ODB: Words from Friends

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September 24, 2026 

READ: Job 2:7-13 

[None of Job’s friends] said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. Job 2:13

 

As I sat in a Bible class at the age of twenty-six, I was baffled. Some of my classmates’ comments were discouraging. They seemed to have so many problems. I responded by asking, “If we’re Christians, why are we so down? Don’t we know how this thing really ends?” I was referring to the promise of eternal life in Christ but also to the many promises in the Bible of God’s care for His people. The instructor simply smiled and moved on. But my comment has stuck with me for years.

Eventually life hit me. Job loss, bereavement, illness, and more led me to feel discouraged. Yes, God’s promises are comforting and true, but they don’t promise an easy life. Jesus said we “will have trouble” (John 16:33).

Quite naturally, we feel the impact of such troubles, just as a man named Job did. He was tested, and it hit him hard: He lost his children, his property, and his health (Job 1:13-20; 2:7). His friends came to visit him to console him (2:11-13). In the beginning they simply supported their friend quietly, noting “how great his suffering was” (v. 13). But then they began asking unhelpful questions, not too dissimilar to the one I posed in Bible class.

As we encounter others going through trouble, the Holy Spirit can help us respond with love and compassion. And as we experience sorrow, we can remember the comfort of God’s promises.

— Katara Patton

How has a friend helped you during a rough time? How can you help others by using sensitivity and discernment?

Loving God, please teach me to use wisdom when sympathizing with others.  

ODB: Comfort Amidst Tears

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September 23, 2026 

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

 

The call from my mother came around 9 p.m. “It’s about your dad,” she said. “He’s gone.” While I’d been expecting this call for days and was relieved my father was no longer in pain, the news still hit hard. I sobbed deeply as grief took its course over the following days and weeks.

While losing my father was hard on us all, it was particularly hard for some of my unbelieving family members. To their understanding, Dad was gone forever. It was then that I realized how believing in Jesus helps us to grieve.

Paul explained it this way: Since Jesus rose again from death, those who believe in Him will one day rise again too (1 Thessalonians 4:14). This will happen on the day He gathers us up to spend eternity together with Him (vv. 16-17). Paul tells us this “so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (v. 13). Knowing I will see my father again brings comfort amidst the tears.

Scripture never promotes griefless loss. Even Jesus wept for a dead friend he knew would return to life (John 11:34-44). And sometimes we don’t know what a loved one believed before they died. Still, our grief has a safety net. Because of Him, we will see our believing loved ones again, and we can entrust all into His care.

— Sheridan Voysey

When have you realized the power of hope in Christ? How do you think that hope differs from the world’s idea?

Dear Jesus, thank You that my loved ones who believed in You are held safe in Your arms even in death, and one day You’ll bring us together again.  

ODB: The Warmhearted Church

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September 22, 2026 

READ: Acts 2:42-47 

Every day they continued to meet together. Acts 2:46

 

When I was a child, I gladly accompanied my family to church every Sunday morning and evening. Our pastor exuded joy and always included the children in the service-and even encouraged my writing. My Sunday school teachers and pastor instilled in me a love for Scripture. And Sunday nights often meant a guest speaker or missionary who stirred my heart toward missions. Our church truly earned the slogan our pastor created: “The warmhearted church on Coldwater Road.” It wasn’t perfect, but we were a family. Since that day, I’ve continued attending church (even when it was hard to find the right one), and I’ve been encouraged and have grown in my faith as a result.

Just as we do today, believers in Jesus in the early church needed support and encouragement, and they understood the importance of meeting together with fellow believers (Acts 2:46). They were a family. Together they built each other up when doing life and serving God became difficult. They gathered to pray, study Scripture, praise God, enjoy fellowship, and eat meals together (v. 42). As a result, God caused their numbers to grow (v. 47).

Finding a like-minded church may take time, but it’s vital. Life is difficult to face on our own, and that’s why God gave us families and communities. A church is a great place to build community.

— Alyson Kieda

Why do you think it’s important to have a church community? How might participating in church activities encourage you?

Dear God, thank You for giving me Your church, where I can learn more about You and be encouraged. For further study, read Should We Be the Acts 2 Church? at odbm.org.  

ODB: The Heart of the Matter

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September 21, 2026 

READ: 1 Samuel 16:6-12 

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

 

On a teaching trip to Moscow, I decided to take the subway to get lunch. Standing in the subway car, I started whistling simply because I felt good after an enjoyable morning teaching and the day was pleasant. The passengers stared at me like I was insane. When I got back to the school, I told one of the office workers that the people were so discouraged and downhearted they stared when I whistled. She politely informed me, “Yes, their lives are very hard, but that isn’t why they stared. They stared because it’s rude to whistle in public here.”

When we make assumptions, we base them on external factors that may not have any bearing on the moment. It’s helpful to recall the story of David’s selection as future king of Israel. As the prophet Samuel considered Jesse’s eldest son, he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord” (1 Samuel 16:6). But God told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (v. 7).

Basing judgments on appearances will lead to wrong conclusions. We do well to let God do the judging. He sees the heart of the matter.

— Bill Crowder

How do you feel when someone makes wrong assumptions about you? Why is it so easy to make assumptions about others?

Wise Father, please forgive me for judging people’s motives when I don’t know the truth about their hearts. Help me to entrust such judgments to You.  

ODB: Children of God

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September 20, 2026 

READ: 1 John 3:18-24 

If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20

 

One of my favorite books of optical illusions always astounds me as the pictures deceive my eyes-like one with two lines of the same length appearing to be different sizes, or the famous “impossible staircase” in which four flights of stairs seem to link in a continuous loop. It can also be a little disconcerting to realize we don’t always see things as they truly are.

But it’s not only our eyes that deceive us. We can sometimes believe illusions about our identity as God’s children when we’re bombarded daily with the world’s deceptive claims. Author Henri Nouwen wrote, “Jesus came to announce to us that an identity based on success, popularity and power is a false identity-an illusion!”

Our true identity, possible because of God’s lavish love, is that when we receive Jesus as our Savior we become “children of God” (1 John 3:1). As the apostle John recognized, sometimes “our hearts condemn us” (v. 20), and we begin to doubt God’s love or even question if we truly belong to Him. However, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (v. 20). Instead of being deceived by damaging illusions, we can believe the truth that we are God’s beloved children.

Whatever illusions you may encounter about your identity today, hold fast to the truth that you’re God’s beloved child.

— Lisa M. Samra

What illusions about your identity have you encountered? How does the truth that you are God’s child encourage you?

Heavenly Father, even when I can’t see or feel it, please help me remember the truth of Your love for me.  

ODB: God’s Rescue Plan

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September 19, 2026 

READ: Genesis 3:8-15 

He will crush your head and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15

 

When a father learned his five-year-old daughter had fallen overboard from the fourth deck of the cruise ship they were on, he plunged into the ocean forty feet below to rescue her. He held on to his daughter while treading water for more than ten minutes before the ship’s rescue team brought them safely back on board. As soon as the father heard his daughter was in trouble, he risked everything to save her.

All throughout the Bible, we read how our heavenly Father’s love compelled Him to give His all to rescue us from drowning in our sin. God first declared His divine rescue plan in the garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent and sinned, God cursed the serpent and said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This verse refers to the spiritual battle between Satan and God’s children and how at His appointed time God would send His Son, Jesus, to redeem the world through His Son’s sacrificial death and resurrection.

God has been ready to save us long before we realized we needed His help. Whenever we feel like we’re sinking in an ocean of sin, we can be encouraged that Jesus is our divine lifeline. We can cry out to Him. He will rescue and restore us.

— Nancy Gavilanes

When have you experienced God’s forgiveness? How does it feel knowing He loves you?

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and rescuing me.