Daily Devotion for February 1, 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.
The great Fron Choir, in Wales, sings our anthem for our “Virtual Sunday Church.” O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Music (Eventide) by Wm H. Monk, 1861
Lyrics by Henry Lyle, 1847
To Proclaim the Gospel
Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Troubled by Sin
Holy god, Lord most gracious!
Rebuke me not in your anger, nor chasten me in your wrath!
Holy you have called me to come to you.
I feel unworthy, for I have failed you again and again.
I feel like running away, yet you keep calling me.
Have mercy on me, and all of us, O God.
Have mercy!
Holy God, Father most gracious!
Rebuke me not in your anger, nor chasten me in your wrath!
Heal me from my sin, for I am troubled.
Deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
My sins trouble me, O God.
I am troubled by how they have hurt others.
I am troubled by how they have hurt myself.
Your ways are right! O righteous God!
And whenever I have failed to follow them
I have found out how right they are.
Have mercy on me, O God.
Holy God, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me for the sake of your Son,
who died to free us from our sins.
To you be honor and glory!
Glory to God
O Glorious God, I see Your heavens resplendent with stars. How glorious You are, radiant with light! Eternity watches me by the rays of the distant stars. I am small, insignificant, but You are at my side. Your right arm guides me wherever I go.
Glory to You, ceaselessly watching over me;
Glory to You for the encounters You arrange for me;
Glory to You for the love of parents, for the faithfulness of friends;
Glory to You for the humbleness of the animals which serve me;
Glory to You for the unforgettable moments of life;
Glory to You for the heart’s innocent joy;
Glory to You for the joy of living,
Moving and being able to return Your love.
Glory to You, O God, from age to age,
Benediction
May the Passion of Christ be ever in my heart. May your law and your goodness guide my every thought, O Lord. And may the power of your Holy Spirit flow through my words and my actions today, and in the week to come, and always.
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.
Psalm 5:1-7 (NKJV)
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV)
The Prophets, the Angels, and the Christ
ong ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Notes on the Scripture
The Epistle to the Hebrews attempts to reconcile Jews to the new covenant and to explain to them how Christ had changed their relationship to God. These first verses, we have to remember, gave to them information they had never heard or did not clearly understand.
It acknowledges the truth of the prophets as God’s spokesmen; but it then differentiates Christ, who was something more than the greatest of prophets. First, Christ was the heir of all things. He was not simply God’s messenger, but stood in the same position as the Father. Secondly, Christ had been the vehicle by which God had made the universe. This echoes the first verse of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word.”
The Angel Gabriel
The second paragraph is easy enough to read. Notice how, in the final sentence, the epistle reiterates the theme of inheritance. The name of God was a hugely important concept to the Hebrews, so holy and fearsome that it was not spoken aloud. Once written, the word “YHWH” could not be erased; a book with the name written in it was not burned, but buried. For Christ to inherit the name of God was thus a matter of Christ being God.
Notice how it differentiates Christ from the angels; and some Christians today still do not really understand this. Angels are actual beings who act as God’s messengers. Some of them have names; for instance, the angel who appears to Zechariah, announcing that he would have a son (John the Baptist), said: “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”
Angels were an important part of Judaism. Hebrews makes sure that the Jews understand that Christ was not an angel, because angels are not God. They are, like us, creatures of God, although they are different from us and have powers we do not. In fact, during his life, Jesus did not have the powers of an angel. (See Matthew 4:5-6) He voluntarily “emptied” himself of his divine power (Philippians 2:7), except for gifts that were given to him over time by the Father. Yet, his nature was God, and his inheritance was to once again be fully God.
