Verse from Psalm

Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Psalm 31:2

The film A Hidden Life tells the true story of Austrian farmer Franz Jägerstätter during World War II. Sickened by Nazi atrocities and believing only Jesus is Lord, Franz refused to swear allegiance to Hitler and was arrested. The rest of the film shows the anguish this brave stand brought him.

Franz’s village treated him with contempt for opposing Hitler’s agenda. Cellmates ridiculed his faith, and even some priests thought he was being foolish. “God doesn’t care what you say, only what’s in your heart,” one person says in the film, tempting Franz to “hail” Hitler without meaning it to save his life. “My rock, my fortress,” Franz prays, feeling pressure to recant, “give me strength to follow You.”

Psalm 31 is the prayer of a person facing evil powers. “Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (v. 2), David pleads in the face of his own tyrants (vv. 4, 11). His life in anguish and suffering the contempt of his neighbors, David longs to stay faithful under pressure (vv. 3, 10-13). “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” he prays (v. 5), words later echoed by Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:46).

Our God never leaves costly faithfulness unrewarded. Franz Jägerstätter stayed faithful to the end. Like Jesus, this faithfulness cost him his life. But just as Jesus was raised from the grave, so Franz will rise one day too.

Verse from Job

But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. (‭Job‬ ‭16‬:‭5‬)

Caleb was sick. Diagnosed with a nervous system disease, the 5-year-old suffered from temporary paralysis. His anxious parents prayed. And waited. Slowly, Caleb began to recover. Months later, when doctors cleared him to attend school, all Caleb could manage was a slow, unsteady walk.

One day his dad visited him at school. He watched his son haltingly descend the steps to the playground. And then he saw Caleb’s young friend Tyler come alongside him. For the entire recess, as the other kids raced and romped and played, Tyler slowly walked the playground with his frail friend.

Job must have ached for a friend like Tyler. Instead, he had three friends who were certain he was guilty. “Who ever perished, being innocent?” asked Eliphaz (Job 4:7). Such accusations prompted Job to bitterly declare, “Miserable comforters are you all!” (16:2).

How unlike Jesus. On the eve of His crucifixion He took time to comfort His disciples. He promised them the Holy Spirit, who would be with them forever (John 14:16), and assured them, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (v. 18). Then, just before He returned to His Father, He said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

The One who died for us also walks with us, step by painstaking step.

Sometimes the best way to be like Jesus is to sit quietly with a hurting friend.

Verse from Mark

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. (‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭10‬)

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬)

British pastor Joseph Parker was asked, “Why did Jesus choose Judas to be one of His disciples?” He thought deeply about the question for a while but could not come up with an answer. He said that he kept running into an even more baffling question: “Why did He choose me?”

That’s a question that has been asked throughout the centuries. When people become painfully aware of their sin and are overcome with guilt, they cry out to Jesus for mercy. In joyous wonder they experience the truth that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, and that they are forgiven of all their sins.

God knows that the dark and sinful deeds of our lives are motivated by a heart even darker, and yet God loves us (Rom. 5:8). We are undeserving, wretched, and helpless, yet He opens His arms and His heart to us. 

God loves us not because of who we are, but because of who He is.

Verse from Judges

Has not the Lord gone ahead of you? Judges 4:14

The book of Judges bridges the times between Joshua and the beginning of the monarchy under Saul (see 1 Samuel 9). It’s characterized by what some scholars call the “cycle of apostasy.” Each cycle begins when Israel falls away from God. Then He sends a neighboring nation to discipline them, followed by God’s provision of a judge to deliver them from that nation, and then a season of spiritual revival. 

Twelve different judges, from Othniel to Samson, are God’s instruments of rescue. Deborah is the fourth of those judges (Judges 4), whose season of leadership over Israel lasted about forty years, second only to Ehud, who judged for eighty years. Through the leadership and example of the judges, the people returned to God, and He enabled them to trust Him and obey His law afresh. Their example can remind us today that He’ll give us the strength to trust and obey Him no matter the circumstance.

Verses from John

Don’t you know me, Philip . . . ? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. John 14:9 John 14:5-11

In John 14, Jesus made it clear how closely He resembled His Father. When an inquisitive Philip requested, “Lord, show us the Father” (v. 8), Jesus responded, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (v. 9). How was it that the Father was revealed through the Son? It was through Jesus’ “words” (v. 10) and “works” (v. 11) that God’s love, mercy, grace, and more were brilliantly displayed.

Empowered by God’s Spirit, believers in Jesus are privileged to share family likeness. The invisible God becomes visible through His children. Regarding Christlike love, John reminds us, “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:12 nlt).

Verse from Hebrews

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14

The writer of the book of Hebrews describes angels as “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). The passage highlights the greatness of Jesus and emphasizes that angels—wonderful and glorious beings that they are—exist to further His purposes in saving us. Jesus sustains “all things by his powerful word” (v. 3).

All around us is an unseen reality in which God sends angels to aid those who have gladly received the good news of Jesus. Sometimes our nights may be long, and we may wonder if we can keep going. But He’ll always give us the help we need—help that will nudge us on in Him.

Verse from Psalm

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Because God is our “light,” “salvation,” and “stronghold” (v. 1), we can trust Him to offer hope amid darkness (v. 3), comfort us during our trials (v. 13), and secure us safely in “his dwelling” (v. 5).

When God seems to delay in answering our prayers, we can still put our complete trust in His unchanging attributes. As we bring our heartaches to Him, let’s also instruct our hearts: “Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (v. 14). He is with us and always working for our good.