Devotionals are short essays written by GSLC members and staff that explore the ways the Holy Spirit works within our every day lives. There are several ways we invite you to use these devotionals:

Make them a part of a prayer practice - read a devotion and consider the ways that Christ has worked similarly in your life or works in unexpected ways.
Make them a part of a journaling practice - read a devotion and journal about what the Holy Spirit is stirring in you as you reflect on the essay.
Use them as a reminder that God works in all things, the bad and the good.

With over 400 available devotions, you can use these daily, weekly, or monthly. It's up to you! We just hope that by reading these inspiring stories provided by Good Shepherd's flock you are able to better see where Jesus is present in all things! Thank you to all of our members that have provided devotionals throughout the past couple of years!

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church / Wednesday, June 30, 2021

/ Categories: Publications, Daily Devotions

Daily Devotion

Do you like surprises? Would you prefer to surprise someone else or to be surprised yourself? When was the last time something surprised you?

The story of David in the Old Testament starts out with a surprise when Samuel anoints David to be king, who happens to be the youngest son out tending to the sheep. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.” – 1 Samuel 16:13. As David matures in years, there are more surprises waiting for him: defeating a giant in battle, playing the harp in the king’s court, becoming a great military leader, becoming a fugitive on the run, becoming king himself! Of course, David makes some surprising decisions of his own along the way too – murder and adultery just to name a couple of his more unexpected decisions.

However, we see God’s faithfulness to David throughout David’s life while at the same time we see David’s faithfulness to God. Before Samuel even anoints David, we read “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” -1 Samuel 16:7. In spite of David’s more unexpected (a.k.a morally questionable) decisions, his heart always turns back to God. David has a heart for God, a faithfulness to God and because God is faithful to us, God was right there waiting for David when David asked for forgiveness.

So often we think that because someone is tall or strong or wealthy that they are somehow better or smarter or more blessed than we ourselves are. David’s story reminds us that God looks at the heart, at our intentions and when we have faithful hearts for God, God works in surprising, unexpected, ways, like linking a shepherd king who united Israel to the genealogical chain that leads to Jesus.

Even when surprising or unexpected things happen, God is faithful, from generation to generation.

Dear God, thank you for surprises in life! Help us to see you in the unexpected and to trust in your faithfulness to us. Amen.

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Daily Devotion