Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread
The audio version of Our Daily Bread is an effective resource for those who desire constant awareness of God's Word and its significance in the life of the believer.
Sun, March 16, 2025
Intervals of Rest
Running coach Jeff Galloway, a former Olympian, teaches a marathon training protocol that has a counterintuitive component to it. New and experienced marathoners are often surprised to learn that he advocates a “run/walk” strategy: alternating running for a set number of minutes with short periods of walking. The premise behind his approach is that the brief interludes of walking enable the body to recuperate briefly, equipping runners to finish their races faster than if they had run all 26.2 miles straight through. The importance of intervals of rest isn’t limited to running. Rest helps us sustain the lengthy effort life requires. It’s something God addresses throughout the Bible, starting in the book of Exodus. In the Old Testament, the rhythms of rest were modeled after God’s work at the time of creation: to labor for six days and then keep “the seventh day [as] a sabbath to the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:10) because God “made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day” (v. 11). As believers in Jesus, there’s no definitive prescription for how often we’re to rest (Romans 14:5–6; Colossians 2:16–17). Rest—whenever and however we enjoy it—is meant to be restorative. Choosing to rest is also an expression of trust in God who’s faithful to supply our needs; we needn’t (and can’t) run forever.
Sat, March 15, 2025
Revered and Read
Our home has a well-stocked, overflowing bookshelf. I have a weakness for beautiful books, especially nice hardcovers, and over the years more and more have been added to the collection. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time and energy to actually read nearly as many of the volumes as I’ve collected. They remain pristine, beautiful, and—sadly—unread. There’s a danger that our Bibles can become a bit like that. Essayist John Updike, speaking of the American classic Walden, commented that it risked being as “revered and unread as the Bible.” The difficulty of understanding ancient Scriptures written in different cultures than our own can tempt us to leave our Bibles on the shelf—beautiful, beloved, but unread. It doesn’t have to be that way. As the psalmist does in Psalm 119, we can turn to God, asking Him to “open [our] eyes” to see Scripture’s riches (v. 18). We can find trustworthy teachers to help us “understand what [we’re] reading” (Acts 8:30-31). And believers have Christ’s Spirit to guide our hearts to see how it all points to Him (Luke 24:27; John 14:26). Through Scripture, God can give us strength in times of sorrow (Psalm 119:28), protect us from deception (v. 29), and broaden our understanding of how to joyfully live (vv. 32, 35). The Bible is a priceless gift. May it be both revered and read.
Fri, March 14, 2025
Made to Do Good for God
At first, I ignored the card fluttering to the ground. The father and his little girl who dropped it were just twenty feet away, and I was late for work. Surely they would have realized it, I told myself. But they kept walking. My conscience got the better of me, and I went over to pick it up. It was a prepaid bus ride pass. When I gave it to them, their effusive thanks left me feeling unexpectedly satisfied. Why do I feel so good about doing such a small thing? I wondered. Turns out, the human body produces chemicals that improve our mood when we’re kind to others. We’re made to feel good when we do good! That’s not surprising, because we were created by a good God who made us to be like Him. Ephesians 2:10 shows us that blessing others is a part of our very purpose: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This verse doesn’t simply give an instruction to do good; in a way, it also reflects a part of our God-made nature. We don’t have to be doing great things all the time. If we do something small to help others in our daily lives, we not only get the reward of satisfaction but we also know that we’re pleasing God—doing exactly what He made us to do.
Thu, March 13, 2025
A New Heart in Christ
Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional
Wed, March 12, 2025
Elephant Helpers
Late one night, a Kenyan elephant sanctuary received a call that an elephant calf had fallen into a well. The rescue team arrived to cries of despair flooding the darkness and discovered that two-thirds of the baby’s trunk had been lost to hyenas. Transporting the calf to their safe haven, they named him Long’uro, which means “something that has been cut.” Though he possessed only one-third of his trunk, Long’uro healed and was embraced by the rest of the herd at the sanctuary. Elephants innately know they need each other, so they help each other. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul underscores our need to help each other within the body of Christ. He uses the metaphor of the human body and its individual parts to describe how God intends His people to welcome all gifts in all people because all are needed for His body to function (vv. 12-26). Then Paul explains how unity in diversity is accomplished. “God has put the body together,” he wrote, “giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other” (vv. 24-25). Whether weak or strong, fancy or common, let’s help each other. Like the elephants, people need each other too.
Tue, March 11, 2025
Heirs of God’s Salvation
When Abigail’s parents died tragically in a car accident, she inherited a large real estate portfolio. She also learned that her parents had arranged to place the portfolio in a trust. For the time being, she could access only enough money for her college tuition. The rest would come when she was older. Abigail was frustrated, but she later realized her parents’ wisdom in planning a measured delivery of the inheritance. In Galatians 4, Paul uses a similar example to illustrate Israel’s situation as promised heirs of God’s covenant with Abraham. God had made a covenant with Abraham to bless him, and circumcision was a sign of that promise (see Genesis 17:1-14). However, the sign wasn’t the promise. Abraham’s descendants would await a future descendant who would fulfill it. Isaac was born and pointed to the future birth of a Son who would redeem God’s people (vv. 4-5). Israel, like Abigail, had to wait until the “time set by his father” (v. 2). Only then could Israel take full possession of the inheritance. What they wanted immediately would arrive in due time with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. All who put their faith in Jesus were no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s child” (v. 7). A new covenant has been established. We have access to God! We can call him “Abba, Father” (v. 6).
Mon, March 10, 2025
Working Together for Jesus
During a trip to Brazil with a short-term missions team, we helped construct a church building in the Amazon jungle. The foundation had already been laid. We needed to assemble the church like a giant LEGO set, which included putting in the supporting columns, sliding in the concrete walls and windows, raising the steel beams for the roof, placing all the tiles on the roof, and painting the walls. Some people were concerned because we were traveling to such a remote area during the monsoon season. They wondered if we could build the church in time. But by God’s grace the intense rain didn’t fall while we worked. We felt His strength and our workforce increased when a few locals helped us build. Despite various obstacles, we got the job done in record time. When Nehemiah and the Israelites rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, they faced many obstacles. When their enemies found out they were repairing the wall, they were furious and insulted them (Nehemiah 4:1-3). But Nehemiah prayed and the people persevered together. “We rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart” (v. 6). When their foes threatened to attack, the Israelites prayed and kept guard as they worked (vv. 7-23). They rebuilt the wall in fifty-two days. Sometimes we’re faced with a daunting task. Obstacles appear in our way, and we and our brothers and sisters in Christ can lose hope. But times like this can be a triumphant moment, with the help of God. Trust Him to hold off the rainstorms and look to Him to overcome.
Sun, March 09, 2025
Resting in Christ
Several years ago, a study analyzed the link between teenage depression and the amount of sleep teens received each night. After reading the study, a young woman commented on the results: “I never seem to know when to stop—I push myself so hard that I end up making myself sick from lack of sleep and stress.” Then she commented that she wanted to know what it really meant to manage her time to honor God. What was the difference between busyness and fruitfulness? Being busy is no guarantee for being productive, faithful, or fruitful. Yet, we might think that being busy is what’s most important. In Luke 10:41, Jesus gently reminded Martha that she was “worried and upset about many things” and that her sister Mary’s choice of sitting “at the Lord’s feet” (v. 39)—a posture of discipleship—was the better choice. In our desire to serve Christ, are we doing too much, thinking that He’ll notice us more if we do more? Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” However, it doesn’t say to burn ourselves out in His name. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “be still, and know that I am God.” Let’s take some time to slow down and spend time with Christ rather than focusing solely on our to-do list. Only then can we we can find true “rest for [our] souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Sat, March 08, 2025
The List Is Life
Hunched over a manual typewriter, Itzhak Stern worked through the night, tapping out names—1,098 in all. The names comprised a list of Jewish workers protected from the Nazis by factory owner Oskar Schindler. Clutching the document, Stern declared, “The list is an absolute good. The list is life.” Those named on its pages would survive the Holocaust. In 2012, it was estimated that the descendants of the survivors numbered 8,500. The Bible contains its share of lists. We tend to skip them. Too many names; too much repetition. We might even say today’s reading is . . . boring. “The descendants of Judah by their clans were: through Shelah, the Shelanite clan; through Perez, the Perezite clan . . .” (Numbers 26:20). Who cares? God cares! “These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt,” says the historical record (v. 4). Soon the people would inhabit the land promised to them. And one day, Messiah would come from this very clan of Judah. The list is life, not only for the Jewish people but for all who trust in Jesus. We know of Oskar Schindler’s list from the powerful film Schindler’s List and historical records. We know of God’s great salvation from the story recorded for us in the Bible. As we read, may His Spirit show us the worth of even the lists. They have something to say to us too.
Fri, March 07, 2025
Give Your Worries to Jesus
Nancy feared the future, seeing only trouble. Her husband Tom had fainted three times during a hiking trip in rural Maine in 2015. But doctors at a small nearby hospital found nothing wrong. At a larger medical center, where doctors conducted additional tests, they also found no problem. “I was very afraid,” Nancy stated. As her husband was released, she questioned the cardiologist one last time, asking, “What do we do now?” He gave her a word of wisdom that forever changed her outlook. “Go live your life,” he said. “It wasn’t in a flippant way,” Nancy recalls. “It was his advice to us.” Such guidance captures Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25). Such guidance doesn’t say to ignore medical or other problems or symptoms. Instead, Christ simply said, “Don’t worry.” He then asked, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (v. 27). The prophet Isaiah offered similar wisdom. “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come’” (Isaiah 35:4). For Nancy and Tom, they’re inspired now to walk more than five miles a day. No longer walking with worry, they step out with joy.
Thu, March 06, 2025
Not Easily Offended
When I entered my church after several months of quarantine, I was excited to see members I hadn't seen in a while. I realized that some members, especially older ones, just wouldn’t be back—some due to safety reasons and others, unfortunately, because they’d passed from this life. So I was quite excited when I spotted an older couple coming into the sanctuary and taking their normal seat behind me. I waved at them both. The man returned my greeting, while his wife stared at me without even smiling. I was hurt and wondered why. It was a few Sundays later that I observed the same woman (who hadn’t returned my greeting) being helped by a friend who was showing her when to stand or sit—acting as her caregiver. My old church friend was apparently very sick and hadn’t recognized me. I'm glad I didn't approach her or even get upset when she didn't return my enthusiastic greeting. Proverbs offers a lot of advice for living wisely, and not being easily offended is one of its gems. In fact, it says “sensible people . . . earn respect by overlooking wrongs” (19:11 nlt ). Choosing not to get offended and learning to “control our temper” (v. 11 nlt ) can bring us honor. It may require patience and “wisdom” (v. 8), but the rewards also are well-worth getting over ourselves and choosing to love others.
Wed, March 05, 2025
Unfathomable God
In February 2023, the James Webb Space Telescope made another remarkable discovery. Beyond where humankind had previously been able to peer into the universe, it discovered six new galaxies. This discovery upended much of what we know about space. One astronomer remarked, “It turns out we found something so unexpected it actually creates problems for science.” An astrophysicist said almost apologetically, “There is nothing wrong with not knowing.” It seems that God continues to surprise us all. The psalmist David, long before the advent of space telescopes, seems to be talking directly to the scientists of today: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is . . . the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28). He goes on, pre-dating that astrophysicist’s words, “[God’s] understanding no one can fathom” (v. 28). But if we stop there, we miss the beauty of this passage. He who is unfathomable is not impersonal. He who created those six galaxies, and all the others, is the same God who “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (v. 29). The God of the universe is also the personal God who helps those who hope in Him to “soar on wings like eagles” (vv. 28, 31). Rest assured, the unfathomable God is the One we do know—the One who speaks into our lives with power and strength.
Tue, March 04, 2025
Reading, Writing, and Jesus
Moses with horns? That’s the way he’s depicted in Michelangelo’s masterpiece sculpture completed in 1515. Two horns protrude from Moses’s hair just above his forehead. Michelangelo wasn’t alone—many Renaissance and medieval artists depict Moses that way. Why? It has to do with the Latin translation of the Hebrew Bible available at the time, which described Moses’s radiant face (after being in God’s presence—see Exodus 34:29). The original language uses a word related to “horns” to describe “beams” of light shining from Moses’s face, and the Latin Vulgate Bible translated it literally. Moses was “misread.” Have you ever misread someone? After a man unable to walk from birth was healed by Peter in Jesus’ name (Acts 3:1–10), the apostle told his fellow Israelites that they had misread Jesus. “You killed the author of life,” he said pointedly, “but God raised him from the dead” (v. 15). He continued, “This is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer” (v. 18). Peter even said Moses had pointed to Jesus (v. 22). It was “by faith in the name of Jesus,” a “faith that comes through him,” that the man’s life was transformed (v. 16). No matter how we’ve misunderstood Him or what our past contains, Jesus welcomes us when we turn to Him. The author of life stands ready to write new beginnings for us!
Mon, March 03, 2025
Extending God’s Love
One winter day in Michigan, a delivery man noticed an elderly woman shoveling snow off her driveway. He stopped and convinced the eighty-one-year-old to let him finish the job. Concerned that he would be late delivering his other packages, she retrieved another shovel. They worked side by side for almost fifteen minutes as her neighbors watched from afar. “I’m thankful you helped me,” she said. “You’re God-sent.” During a conversation with an expert in the law, Jesus redefined the concept of loving our neighbors. When Jesus asked him to interpret the law he knew so well, the expert said, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Luke 10:25-27). Then Jesus shared a story about two religious leaders who ignored a robbery victim, while a Samaritan—a person most Jewish leaders in those days considered inferior—sacrificed to help the man in need (vv. 30-35). When the expert of the law realized that the one who had mercy on the man had loved like a neighbor, Jesus encouraged him to do likewise (vv. 36-37). Loving others isn’t always easy or convenient. But as Jesus overwhelms us with His love for us, He’ll help us love all our neighbors as the Good Samaritan helped the man in need.
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