What if we woke up every morning remembering that God wants to use our everyday actions for significance? I encourage you to pause and consider those God placed in your life to draw you closer to Him. If possible, reach out to express your appreciation. Like Paul, pray for God to bless them. As you give thanks, commit to becoming an instrument of God that can change the life of the next person you meet. - Annie Yorty

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

What if we woke up every morning remembering that God wants to use our everyday actions for significance? I encourage you to pause and consider those God placed in your life to draw you closer to Him. If possible, reach out to express your appreciation. Like Paul, pray for God to bless them. As you give thanks, commit to becoming an instrument of God that can change the life of the next person you meet. - Annie Yorty
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: Your Daily Prayer: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/</a> Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Every Remembrance

Following God doesn’t always mean taking the easiest path. Sometimes faith requires perseverance when you’re tired, uncertain, or unable to see how things will work out. Yet true worship is about more than singing songs or gathering with other believers. It’s a daily choice to honor God, trust His promises, and remain faithful even when the journey feels long and the destination seems far away.

When circumstances test your faith, God invites you to keep drawing near to Him through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and praise. Worship can become an expression of trust when you don’t have all the answers or when following God costs you something. Rather than allowing exhaustion, disappointment, or uncertainty to pull you away from Him, you can learn to recognize His faithfulness along the way. Discover how to persevere in your walk with God, worship Him through challenging seasons, and find renewed strength by keeping your heart focused on His presence.

Highlights


Why worship sometimes requires sacrifice, perseverance, and a willingness to trust God through uncertainty


How following God faithfully can mean choosing the difficult path instead of the easiest one


Ways to worship God when you feel tired, discouraged, or unsure of what lies ahead


Why worship involves daily trust and obedience, not just singing or attending church


How prayer and Scripture can strengthen your faith during a long or challenging season


How to recognize God’s faithfulness even when you haven’t reached your destination


Practical ways to keep your heart focused on God and continue following Him when the journey feels difficult

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

You Don’t Have to Fear What Hides in the Dark 

By Deidre Braley 

Bible Reading:
Since the children have flesh and blood, (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. - Hebrews 2:14-15

Our children have become afraid of the dark. Our daughter sleeps with her door open now, to let in a crack of light, and many nights after bedtime, our son wanders out of his room and calls down the stairs for me. 

“I’m scared,” he will say, bleary-eyed and slumping. In the cocoon of his room, he imagines the beasts he has read about in his books. He hears noises he can’t identify. He looks outward, and all he can see is darkness, and he shudders to think of whatever lies hidden within it. 

Downstairs in the kitchen, all the lights are on, and it still smells like whatever we had for dinner. I am packing lunches, presetting coffee, and wiping down counters. Everything is in order. In this brightly lit space, his fears feel distant, improbable. I am watching over him, and I am certain no beasties will get him tonight. But as I lead him back up the stairs, through the dark hallway, and into his bed once more, it is as though I am seven years old again, too. I see the shadows. I know what it’s like to lie awake, afraid of what hides in the dark. So I lay beside him for a while, then I rub his back and tuck the covers up under his chin, to make sure nothing can get to him there. 

And when I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind racing with existential dread and worries about looming disaster and grief, I am no different than my children: in the darkness of my room and my limited understanding, these threats feel as real as real can be. There is no doubt about it—the human experience can be terribly frightening. 

What I like to remember during these times is myself as a parent, standing in the brightly lit kitchen, knowing that even if my child is feeling afraid in his particular room, I am presiding over the whole house, and that he is safe and that everything is in order. Though he may not sense it when the lights are turned off in his own bedroom, he is actually surrounded on all sides by light and love and security.  

I think it is the same with God and us. 

But we are not just contained within his care and the light of his goodness. Because God did not choose to stay in the brightly lit space, where our fears were distant and removed from his

reality. Jesus—God in the flesh—came to dwell with humanity and was, as it says in Hebrews, the “pioneer of their salvation” (2:10). He engaged with the darkness and wrestled with the power of death—that darkness that haunts us mortals and keeps us lying wide-eyed and terrified in our bedrooms at night—and came out on the other side gripping the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). He entered into our greatest nightmare with us so that we wouldn’t have to leave in fear of what hides in the dark all our lives. In doing so, he showed us that he has the final say, that he holds the ultimate power, and that we are children who are surrounded by his light. 

Intersecting Faith & Life: 

In the book of Revelation, John records what the new creation looked like in the vision he received from God. He writes: 

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” (21:23-25) 

One day we will live in a place where there is no longer any darkness to fear—no beasts hiding in the dark and no dread of the future looming beyond what we can see. Though we long for that place now, we already have a God who is, by his very nature, light and life and love. His glory is already radiant. His power is already all-encompassing. And his presence is already here, through his Spirit dwelling with us. So the next time you wake up in the night and your mind begins to race with worries, try this prayer: 

God, I am so afraid, and everything feels so dark. But I know that you are God of theliving, and that you are also God of the light. Please come into this darkness with me andilluminate it with your presence. Please help me to see my circumstances from yourstandpoint: in a brightly lit place, totally surrounded by light. Amen. 

Further Reading: 
Hebrews 2
Revelation 21

 

Following God doesn&rsquo;t always mean taking the easiest path. Sometimes faith requires perseverance when you&rsquo;re tired, uncertain, or unable to see how things will work out. Yet true worship is about more than singing songs or gathering with other believers. It&rsquo;s a daily choice to honor God, trust His promises, and remain faithful even when the journey feels long and the destination seems far away.
When circumstances test your faith, God invites you to keep drawing near to Him through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and praise. Worship can become an expression of trust when you don&rsquo;t have all the answers or when following God costs you something. Rather than allowing exhaustion, disappointment, or uncertainty to pull you away from Him, you can learn to recognize His faithfulness along the way. Discover how to persevere in your walk with God, worship Him through challenging seasons, and find renewed strength by keeping your heart focused on His presence.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
Why worship sometimes requires sacrifice, perseverance, and a willingness to trust God through uncertainty
</li>
<li>
How following God faithfully can mean choosing the difficult path instead of the easiest one
</li>
<li>
Ways to worship God when you feel tired, discouraged, or unsure of what lies ahead
</li>
<li>
Why worship involves daily trust and obedience, not just singing or attending church
</li>
<li>
How prayer and Scripture can strengthen your faith during a long or challenging season
</li>
<li>
How to recognize God&rsquo;s faithfulness even when you haven&rsquo;t reached your destination
</li>
<li>
Practical ways to keep your heart focused on God and continue following Him when the journey feels difficult
</li>
</ul>
Click to Listen to Signs of Life:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was&mdash;and is&mdash;an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
You Don&rsquo;t Have to Fear What Hides in the Dark&nbsp;
By Deidre Braley&nbsp;
Bible Reading: Since the children have flesh and blood, (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death&mdash;that is, the devil&mdash;and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. - Hebrews 2:14-15
Our children have become afraid of the dark. Our daughter sleeps with her door open now, to let in a crack of light, and many nights after bedtime, our son wanders out of his room and calls down the stairs for me.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m scared,&rdquo; he will say, bleary-eyed and slumping. In the cocoon of his room, he imagines the beasts he has read about in his books. He hears noises he can&rsquo;t identify. He looks outward, and all he can see is darkness, and he shudders to think of whatever lies hidden within it.&nbsp;
Downstairs in the kitchen, all the lights are on, and it still smells like whatever we had for dinner. I am packing lunches, presetting coffee, and wiping down counters. Everything is in order. In this brightly lit space, his fears feel distant, improbable. I am watching over him, and I am certain no beasties will get him tonight. But as I lead him back up the stairs, through the dark hallway, and into his bed once more, it is as though I am seven years old again, too. I see the shadows. I know what it&rsquo;s like to lie awake, afraid of what hides in the dark. So I lay beside him for a while, then I rub his back and tuck the covers up under his chin, to make sure nothing can get to him there.&nbsp;
And when I wake up in the middle of the night, my mind racing with existential dread and worries about looming disaster and grief, I am no different than my children: in the darkness of my room and my limited understanding, these threats feel as real as real can be. There is no doubt about it&mdash;the human experience can be terribly frightening.&nbsp;
What I like to remember during these times is myself as a parent, standing in the brightly lit kitchen, knowing that even if my child is feeling afraid in his particular room, I am presiding over the whole house, and that he is safe and that everything is in order. Though he may not sense it when the lights are turned off in his own bedroom, he is actually surrounded on all sides by light and love and security.&nbsp;&nbsp;
I think it is the same with God and us.&nbsp;
But we are not just contained within his care and the light of his goodness. Because God did not choose to stay in the brightly lit space, where our fears were distant and removed from his
reality. Jesus&mdash;God in the flesh&mdash;came to dwell with humanity and was, as it says in Hebrews, the &ldquo;pioneer of their salvation&rdquo; (2:10). He engaged with the darkness and wrestled with the power of death&mdash;that darkness that haunts us mortals and keeps us lying wide-eyed and terrified in our bedrooms at night&mdash;and came out on the other side gripping the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). He entered into our greatest nightmare with us so that we wouldn&rsquo;t have to leave in fear of what hides in the dark all our lives. In doing so, he showed us that he has the final say, that he holds the ultimate power, and that we are children who are surrounded by his light.&nbsp;
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:&nbsp;
In the book of Revelation, John records what the new creation looked like in the vision he received from God. He writes:&nbsp;
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.&rdquo; (21:23-25)&nbsp;
One day we will live in a place where there is no longer any darkness to fear&mdash;no beasts hiding in the dark and no dread of the future looming beyond what we can see. Though we long for that place now, we already have a God who is, by his very nature, light and life and love. His glory is already radiant. His power is already all-encompassing. And his presence is already here, through his Spirit dwelling with us. So the next time you wake up in the night and your mind begins to race with worries, try this prayer:&nbsp;
God, I am so afraid, and everything feels so dark. But I know that you are God of the living, and that you are also God of the light. Please come into this darkness with me and illuminate it with your presence. Please help me to see my circumstances from your standpoint: in a brightly lit place, totally surrounded by light. Amen.&nbsp;
Further Reading: Hebrews 2 Revelation 21
&nbsp;

You Don’t Have to Fear What Hides in the Dark 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/76d2c65d-1dad-4000-8c8b-b4e800d48fb0/transcript

What do you do when worshiping God requires sacrifice, patience, or a long journey through difficult circumstances? Following God doesn’t always mean taking the easiest path. Sometimes faith requires perseverance when you’re tired, uncertain, or unable to see how things will work out. Yet true worship is about more than singing songs or gathering with other believers. It’s a daily choice to honor God, trust His promises, and remain faithful even when the journey feels long and the destination seems far away.

When circumstances test your faith, God invites you to keep drawing near to Him through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and praise. Worship can become an expression of trust when you don’t have all the answers or when following God costs you something. Rather than allowing exhaustion, disappointment, or uncertainty to pull you away from Him, you can learn to recognize His faithfulness along the way. Discover how to persevere in your walk with God, worship Him through challenging seasons, and find renewed strength by keeping your heart focused on His presence.

Highlights


Why worship sometimes requires sacrifice, perseverance, and a willingness to trust God through uncertainty


How following God faithfully can mean choosing the difficult path instead of the easiest one


Ways to worship God when you feel tired, discouraged, or unsure of what lies ahead


Why worship involves daily trust and obedience, not just singing or attending church


How prayer and Scripture can strengthen your faith during a long or challenging season


How to recognize God’s faithfulness even when you haven’t reached your destination


Practical ways to keep your heart focused on God and continue following Him when the journey feels difficult

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

When Worship Requires a Long Journey

By Hannah L. Benson

Bible Reading:
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him’” (Matthew 2:1-2 ESV).

When we think of Christmas, we often think of Christmas carols, a baby lying in a manger, shepherds in the field, and wise men bearing gifts to the King of the Jews.

But the first Christmas wasn’t as “silent” and “calm” as the carols lead us to believe.

Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph endured what may have been a roughly ninety-mile journey to Bethlehem, according to historical geography. And miles away in the east, another journey began, one that would require months of travel across harsh terrain before these travelers ever laid eyes on the King.

We don’t know how long the Magi traveled before they arrived in Bethlehem. But Scripture offers an interesting clue: when King Herod inquired about the star’s appearance and eventually ordered the execution of male children in the region, he targeted boys two years old and younger (Matthew 2:16). This means Jesus was likely a toddler already living in a house (Matthew 2:11), suggesting the wise men’s search was not an easy, brief journey, but a relentless, long-term pursuit.

The wise men were well-versed in astronomy and had no doubt studied the stars and signs in the sky. It’s also possible they were familiar with Jewish prophecy and the rumblings of the coming Messiah. Either way, the moment they saw the star rise in the east, they knew something amazing had happened and that the long-awaited King of the Jews had been born.

We often think of the end of the Magi’s journey, the moment when they fell on their faces before Jesus, worshiped Him, and presented Him with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

But we rarely consider the months, or perhaps years, spent traversing desert expanses and rocky terrain. While the book of Matthew doesn’t detail their route, we can infer from historians that day after day, they likely would have faced scorching heat, freezing nights, the constant threat of bandits, and the fatigue of an exhausting journey.

Think about it. These wise men traveled across the perilous desert. No doubt they knew one wrong turn could cost them both their lives and the treasures they carried.

But no matter what they encountered, God protected them. By the time they arrived at the house where the young King stayed, their treasures were intact, ready to be offered in worship.

Imagine their immense joy when they finally arrived where Jesus was. When the star went before them and then rested over the place, Scripture records that they “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:9-10 ESV).⁠

What must it have been like to feel that joy course through their veins as the moment they had pursued for so long finally arrived?

It’s likely these were wealthy and influential men who chose to humble themselves by traveling to see a King, at the time still a young child.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

I don’t know what you are going through today. Perhaps you feel like you’re traveling through the proverbial desert or fighting to survive.

I wonder if the wise men ever felt like giving up. Surely, the journey was laborious. Did they ever wonder if they would make it in time, if the trek was worth the difficulty?

While it may have been difficult, the wise men chose to keep moving forward, trusting that what they would find at the end of their journey would make it all worth it.

And once they laid their eyes on Jesus and fell on their knees before the King of the Jews, I’m sure they didn’t think about how hard it was to get there.

While we aren’t traveling across a physical desert, our lives as believers are a journey of their own. Keep moving forward. The road may be long and wearying, but the prize waiting at the end, Jesus Himself, makes every single step worth it.

Pray with me:Dear Father God, I feel like I’m on a long journey today, and I’m struggling to keep going. Please help me to worship You even when it’s hard and to keep pressing onward to see Your face at the end of this race. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

 

What do you do when worshiping God requires sacrifice, patience, or a long journey through difficult circumstances? Following God doesn&rsquo;t always mean taking the easiest path. Sometimes faith requires perseverance when you&rsquo;re tired, uncertain, or unable to see how things will work out. Yet true worship is about more than singing songs or gathering with other believers. It&rsquo;s a daily choice to honor God, trust His promises, and remain faithful even when the journey feels long and the destination seems far away.
When circumstances test your faith, God invites you to keep drawing near to Him through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and praise. Worship can become an expression of trust when you don&rsquo;t have all the answers or when following God costs you something. Rather than allowing exhaustion, disappointment, or uncertainty to pull you away from Him, you can learn to recognize His faithfulness along the way. Discover how to persevere in your walk with God, worship Him through challenging seasons, and find renewed strength by keeping your heart focused on His presence.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
Why worship sometimes requires sacrifice, perseverance, and a willingness to trust God through uncertainty
</li>
<li>
How following God faithfully can mean choosing the difficult path instead of the easiest one
</li>
<li>
Ways to worship God when you feel tired, discouraged, or unsure of what lies ahead
</li>
<li>
Why worship involves daily trust and obedience, not just singing or attending church
</li>
<li>
How prayer and Scripture can strengthen your faith during a long or challenging season
</li>
<li>
How to recognize God&rsquo;s faithfulness even when you haven&rsquo;t reached your destination
</li>
<li>
Practical ways to keep your heart focused on God and continue following Him when the journey feels difficult
</li>
</ul>
Click to Listen to Signs of Life:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was&mdash;and is&mdash;an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
When Worship Requires a Long Journey
By Hannah L. Benson
Bible Reading: &ldquo;Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, &lsquo;Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him&rsquo;&rdquo; (Matthew 2:1-2 ESV).
When we think of Christmas, we often think of Christmas carols, a baby lying in a manger, shepherds in the field, and wise men bearing gifts to the King of the Jews.
But the first Christmas wasn&rsquo;t as &ldquo;silent&rdquo; and &ldquo;calm&rdquo; as the carols lead us to believe.
Before Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph endured what may have been a roughly ninety-mile journey to Bethlehem, according to historical geography. And miles away in the east, another journey began, one that would require months of travel across harsh terrain before these travelers ever laid eyes on the King.
We don&rsquo;t know how long the Magi traveled before they arrived in Bethlehem. But Scripture offers an interesting clue: when King Herod inquired about the star&rsquo;s appearance and eventually ordered the execution of male children in the region, he targeted boys two years old and younger (Matthew 2:16). This means Jesus was likely a toddler already living in a house (Matthew 2:11), suggesting the wise men&rsquo;s search was not an easy, brief journey, but a relentless, long-term pursuit.
The wise men were well-versed in astronomy and had no doubt studied the stars and signs in the sky. It&rsquo;s also possible they were familiar with Jewish prophecy and the rumblings of the coming Messiah. Either way, the moment they saw the star rise in the east, they knew something amazing had happened and that the long-awaited King of the Jews had been born.
We often think of the end of the Magi&rsquo;s journey, the moment when they fell on their faces before Jesus, worshiped Him, and presented Him with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
But we rarely consider the months, or perhaps years, spent traversing desert expanses and rocky terrain. While the book of Matthew doesn&rsquo;t detail their route, we can infer from historians that day after day, they likely would have faced scorching heat, freezing nights, the constant threat of bandits, and the fatigue of an exhausting journey.
Think about it. These wise men traveled across the perilous desert. No doubt they knew one wrong turn could cost them both their lives and the treasures they carried.
But no matter what they encountered, God protected them. By the time they arrived at the house where the young King stayed, their treasures were intact, ready to be offered in worship.
Imagine their immense joy when they finally arrived where Jesus was. When the star went before them and then rested over the place, Scripture records that they &ldquo;rejoiced exceedingly with great joy&rdquo; (Matthew 2:9-10 ESV).⁠
What must it have been like to feel that joy course through their veins as the moment they had pursued for so long finally arrived?
It&rsquo;s likely these were wealthy and influential men who chose to humble themselves by traveling to see a King, at the time still a young child.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
I don&rsquo;t know what you are going through today. Perhaps you feel like you&rsquo;re traveling through the proverbial desert or fighting to survive.
I wonder if the wise men ever felt like giving up. Surely, the journey was laborious. Did they ever wonder if they would make it in time, if the trek was worth the difficulty?
While it may have been difficult, the wise men chose to keep moving forward, trusting that what they would find at the end of their journey would make it all worth it.
And once they laid their eyes on Jesus and fell on their knees before the King of the Jews, I&rsquo;m sure they didn&rsquo;t think about how hard it was to get there.
While we aren&rsquo;t traveling across a physical desert, our lives as believers are a journey of their own. Keep moving forward. The road may be long and wearying, but the prize waiting at the end, Jesus Himself, makes every single step worth it.
Pray with me: Dear Father God, I feel like I&rsquo;m on a long journey today, and I&rsquo;m struggling to keep going. Please help me to worship You even when it&rsquo;s hard and to keep pressing onward to see Your face at the end of this race. In Jesus&rsquo;s Name, Amen.
&nbsp;

When Worship Requires a Long Journey

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/744f5203-a935-42a5-b34d-b4e800d48c3e/transcript

God’s love for you remains secure. Romans 8:38-39 offers one of the Bible’s most powerful promises: nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. No hardship, spiritual power, present struggle, or future uncertainty is greater than His unshakable love.

God’s love isn’t something you have to earn through perfect behavior or constant achievement. Even when you fail, He invites you to come to Him with a repentant heart and receive His grace and forgiveness. When rejection or fear makes you question your worth, remembering God’s faithfulness can help you find renewed hope, peace, and belonging in Christ. Discover how to trust His unchanging love through difficult circumstances, release the fear that you’re not good enough, and rest in the assurance that your future remains in the hands of a loving God.

Highlights


What Romans 8:38-39 reveals about the unbreakable love of God in Christ Jesus


How rejection, loneliness, guilt, and shame can cause you to question whether God still loves you


Why God’s love isn’t something you have to earn through perfection or good works


How to approach God with repentance and receive His grace and forgiveness after making mistakes


Why present struggles and future uncertainties cannot separate believers from God’s loving care


How remembering God’s past faithfulness can strengthen your confidence in His presence today


Practical ways to replace fear and feelings of unworthiness with gratitude for God’s steadfast, eternal love

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

Nothing Can Separate You from God’s Love

By: Lia Girard

Bible Reading:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

– Romans 8:38-39, NIV 

If you’ve ever felt unloved or abandoned by anyone here on earth, it can be quite discouraging how quickly it can have you believing that maybe even God rejects you. When people are mean or hurtful, or broken relationships leave you feeling as though you don’t belong anywhere, you might assume that God is also far removed. 

Or maybe, there’s a general sense of paranoia that the whole world is turning wicked and God will surely abandon it. This worry can tempt you to distance your heart and wallow in dread.

It’s also possible that when you or I have hurt someone else, or hurt ourselves, we can be afraid to bring our mistakes to God for fear of losing his love. 

For times like these, or any time you’re battling loneliness, fear, guilt, or shame, Romans 8:38-39 is a balm of truth.

This compassionate and eye-opening portion of the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome serves as a promise. Paul wants all believers to know that no life event, timing, distance, external force, spiritual powers, or even death can tear you out of God’s loving care. His embrace is unshakable and eternal. 

As an aside, I don’t believe Paul intends these verses as a “pass” to allow evil or sin free rein. He isn’t simply stating, “God stays no matter what you do, so do whatever you want.” He is, however, painting an amazing portrait of an ever-present love, vast enough to send his only son to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). And he says he is “convinced” of it—because he experienced God’s radical and transformative mercy firsthand.

The truth is: God never rejects you. Even when you inevitably sin, he is always inviting you to run to Him with a repentant heart and know that he will receive and forgive you. He offers constant, unchanging love that doesn’t waver. 

This “love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” also doesn’t require impossible perfection, but rather delights in the way you’re made. You don’t have to perform for God or keep earning his love. He knows and sees everything about you, and loves you anyway. 

Paul also includes “neither the present nor the future” in his list of things you may fear will separate you from God. This means you can trust God to be with you today, and every tomorrow. No matter what is happening now, or what transpires in your future financial status, family plans, health, or anything you hold dear, God’s love for you is secure.

You can also take comfort in knowing that absolutely no evil power in this world is greater than God. In fact, 1 John 4:4 reminds you: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” Furthermore, John 16:33 explains that Christ has already overcome the world.

So if you’re ever feeling unlovable, unworthy, or lonely, and are wondering if God still loves you, hold on to Romans 8:38-39. God’s love isn’t based on your fallibility or your accomplishments. It’s a gift of His grace that’s unstoppable because you are in Christ. As a believer, God has grafted you into the vine of Christ, so you can branch out confidently by the power of his unbreakable love.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

The next time you start feeling like God only loves you when you’re perfect, try recalling a time when God pulled you through any disaster. Remember, as you look back, a sign from God that showed you that he was holding and loving you. As you focus on his steady love, you can offer a prayer of thanks and gratitude for a God that’s bigger, more powerful, and more loving than “anything else in all creation.”

Further Reading:

Psalm 136:26

Jeremiah 31:3

Zephaniah 3:17

John 3:16

God&rsquo;s love for you remains secure. Romans 8:38-39 offers one of the Bible&rsquo;s most powerful promises: nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. No hardship, spiritual power, present struggle, or future uncertainty is greater than His unshakable love.
God&rsquo;s love isn&rsquo;t something you have to earn through perfect behavior or constant achievement. Even when you fail, He invites you to come to Him with a repentant heart and receive His grace and forgiveness. When rejection or fear makes you question your worth, remembering God&rsquo;s faithfulness can help you find renewed hope, peace, and belonging in Christ. Discover how to trust His unchanging love through difficult circumstances, release the fear that you&rsquo;re not good enough, and rest in the assurance that your future remains in the hands of a loving God.
Highlights
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>
What Romans 8:38-39 reveals about the unbreakable love of God in Christ Jesus
</li>
<li>
How rejection, loneliness, guilt, and shame can cause you to question whether God still loves you
</li>
<li>
Why God&rsquo;s love isn&rsquo;t something you have to earn through perfection or good works
</li>
<li>
How to approach God with repentance and receive His grace and forgiveness after making mistakes
</li>
<li>
Why present struggles and future uncertainties cannot separate believers from God&rsquo;s loving care
</li>
<li>
How remembering God&rsquo;s past faithfulness can strengthen your confidence in His presence today
</li>
<li>
Practical ways to replace fear and feelings of unworthiness with gratitude for God&rsquo;s steadfast, eternal love
</li>
</ul>
Click to Listen to&nbsp;Signs of Life:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was&mdash;and is&mdash;an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
<a href="https://www.umnews.org/en/news/um-news-podcast-season-one">UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org</a>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Nothing Can Separate You from God&rsquo;s Love
By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
&ndash; Romans 8:38-39, NIV&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt unloved or abandoned by anyone here on earth, it can be quite discouraging how quickly it can have you believing that maybe even God rejects you. When people are mean or hurtful, or broken relationships leave you feeling as though you don&rsquo;t belong anywhere, you might assume that God is also far removed.&nbsp;
Or maybe, there&rsquo;s a general sense of paranoia that the whole world is turning wicked and God will surely abandon it. This worry can tempt you to distance your heart and wallow in dread.
It&rsquo;s also possible that when you or I have hurt someone else, or hurt ourselves, we can be afraid to bring our mistakes to God for fear of losing his love.&nbsp;
For times like these, or any time you&rsquo;re battling loneliness, fear, guilt, or shame, Romans 8:38-39 is a balm of truth.
This compassionate and eye-opening portion of the apostle Paul&rsquo;s letter to the church in Rome serves as a promise. Paul wants all believers to know that no life event, timing, distance, external force, spiritual powers, or even death can tear you out of God&rsquo;s loving care. His embrace is unshakable and eternal.&nbsp;
As an aside, I don&rsquo;t believe Paul intends these verses as a &ldquo;pass&rdquo; to allow evil or sin free rein. He isn&rsquo;t simply stating, &ldquo;God stays no matter what you do, so do whatever you want.&rdquo; He is, however, painting an amazing portrait of an ever-present love, vast enough to send his only son to die for us&nbsp;while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). And he says he is &ldquo;convinced&rdquo; of it&mdash;because he experienced God&rsquo;s radical and transformative mercy firsthand.
The truth is: God never rejects you. Even when you inevitably sin, he is always inviting you to run to Him with a repentant heart and know that he will receive and forgive you. He offers constant, unchanging love that doesn&rsquo;t waver.&nbsp;
This &ldquo;love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord&rdquo; also doesn&rsquo;t require impossible perfection, but rather delights in the way you&rsquo;re made. You don&rsquo;t have to perform for God or keep earning his love. He knows and sees everything about you, and loves you anyway.&nbsp;
Paul also includes &ldquo;neither the present nor the future&rdquo; in his list of things you may fear will separate you from God. This means you can trust God to be with you today, and every tomorrow. No matter what is happening now, or what transpires in your future financial status, family plans, health, or anything you hold dear, God&rsquo;s love for you is secure.
You can also take comfort in knowing that absolutely no evil power in this world is greater than God. In fact, 1 John 4:4 reminds you: &ldquo;Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.&rdquo; Furthermore, John 16:33 explains that Christ has already overcome the world.
So if you&rsquo;re ever feeling unlovable, unworthy, or lonely, and are wondering if God still loves you, hold on to Romans 8:38-39. God&rsquo;s love isn&rsquo;t based on your fallibility or your accomplishments. It&rsquo;s a gift of His grace that&rsquo;s unstoppable because you are in Christ. As a believer, God has grafted you into the vine of Christ, so you can branch out confidently by the power of his unbreakable love.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
The next time you start feeling like God only loves you when you&rsquo;re perfect, try recalling a time when God pulled you through any disaster. Remember, as you look back, a sign from God that showed you that he was holding and loving you. As you focus on his steady love, you can offer a prayer of thanks and gratitude for a God that&rsquo;s bigger, more powerful, and more loving than &ldquo;anything else in all creation.&rdquo;
Further Reading:
Psalm 136:26
Jeremiah 31:3
Zephaniah 3:17
John 3:16

Nothing Can Separate You from God’s Love

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/00b820a6-701c-46e3-a448-b4e100dadbb5/transcript

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