Daily Devotion for January 31, 2026
Prayers
Scripture
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Our Saturday Oldie goes back over four centuries: An anabaptist hymn of prayer for strength and protection, written by Leonhart Sommer, who died in prison, December 1573, because of his belief. It is performed here exactly as it would have been in the 16th century.
To Keep Christ in Mind During the Day
Oh Lord Christ, it is so, so very difficult sometimes to keep you at the front of my mind and in the center of my heart, to let you guide my thoughts and actions during the pressure and rush of the day. Much of the time I completely forget you; I act from my own mind and heart, living in this world. It is so bad on some days that I will rush through whatever prayers I say, or fail to read your Word with any conviction.
This is not how I want to live. Please, Lord God, so fill me with your Holy Spirit that I have you in mind with my every thought and act. Lead me to take that first step every day to open my Bible, and to fold my hands and close my eyes. Let me put you first, Lord God, and realize that the pressures of the world are illusory: but your Word is forever.
Prayer for Bearing Troubles
O God, our help and assistance, who is just and merciful, and who hears the prayers of your people; look down upon me, a miserable sinner; have mercy upon me, and deliver me from the troubles that torment me, even though I might deserve them. I acknowledge and believe, O Lord, that you give us the trials of this life for our chastisement, when we drift away from you, and disobey your will; deal not with me according to my sins, but according to your endless mercy, for I am the work of your hands, and you know my weakness. In the name of Christ I pray,
Benediction (from Colossians 3)
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within me all this day; and whatever I do in word or deed, may I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
Today’s “Remember the Bible” Question
What did Jesus have to say about lawsuits?
Answer: “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”
~ Matthew 5:40
Job 5:17-20 (ASV)
Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
For He inflicts pain, and gives relief;
He wounds, and His hands also heal.
From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven, evil will not touch you.
In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.
Hebrews 12:5-7,11-14 (ESV)
Life’s Hardships
You have forgotten the exhortation, addressed to you as God's children:
y child, do not regard the Lord's discipline lightly, or lose heart when you are punished; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.”
Endure life's trials for the sake of discipline. God treats you as his child; for what child does a loving father not discipline?
It always seems painful rather than pleasant; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, lift your drooping hands, and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not become crippled, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Notes on the Scripture
One thing that characterizes a responsible adult is the willingness and confidence to discipline others in his charge. Another is the ability to accept discipline. We see the opposite every day.
One prominent public case in our lives was Roman Polanski, a movie director who drugged and raped a 13-year old girl in 1977 and fled the country to escape a prison sentence. He thereafter lived in European countries (rarely leaving France) that refuse to extradite him. At one point, when he was finally arrested in Switzerland, many journalists and people in the entertainment industry loudly protested his extradition!
The damage to the child happened long ago. But what of the damage to Polanski himself? Was he really better off having escaped his rightful punishment for this crime? Was (and is) society better off?
Dodging responsibility has become (and perhaps always was) a profession — literally. Every politician has his spin doctor, every celebrity a Public Relations consultant (not to mention some who need criminal defense attorneys). People have a right to have their side of a story told, to make sure the facts in their favor are told; but they go far beyond that. It’s nothing new, of course. But if “the Lord disciplines those he loves,” these people need a lot of love.
Forgiveness
“Behold,” Job tells us, “how happy is the man whom God reproves.” The best thing that can happen to someone who has done something wrong is to be held accountable, and thus, have a chance to learn from their correction. For God will hold us all accountable; the day will come when no secret will be hid. Forgiveness is the cardinal virtue of Christianity; but forgiveness does not necessarily require the absence of discipline. The hardest lessons are often the ones that change lives.
Accepting responsibility is another matter. Who has not heard the line, “every person in here is innocent,” in a prison movie? People defend their righteousness fiercely; some die rather than admit their wrongdoing.
It is best to take this very hard truth to heart, as early as possible: evil lives within us, each and every one. Do we have a mean streak that we hide from ourselves, perhaps disguising it as humor or rightful indignation? Do we rationalize our greed? Have we cheated on our taxes for so long that we don’t even question it?
We have no control over the lying politician or out-of-control movie star. “Judgment is mine,” sayeth the Lord. But we have control over our own lives. Every person on earth has some painful truth that he does not want to face about himself. It is our job to find out and face the truth about our own faults, because only then can we truly repent and find the beauty of Christ’s forgiveness.
