Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: PSALM 107:8-9; MATTHEW 13:44-46; JOHN 4:1-30 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%20107%3A8-9%3B%20MATTHEW%2013%3A44-46%3B%20JOHN%204%3A1-30&version=NLT] During Christmas, our hearts are full of expectations. Things like, who we will see, what we will eat, and what we will receive. Then, once all the gifts are opened, the food is gone, and the guests are saying goodbye, we may experience an instant breath of fulfillment. Unfortunately, we often find this fulfillment lasts only till December 26th. On the day after Christmas, we may wish we had asked for something else. Our desire for fulfillment is never really satisfied, is it? Ecclesiastes 1:7-8 sums it up this way: “Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” Thankfully, we find hope in John 4:13-14. Jesus is talking with a Samaritan woman who comes to the well every day to draw water, and He gives her the answer to the age-old question: Where does true fulfillment come from? Jesus says, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” Only Jesus will fulfill us. That’s not to say we shouldn’t enjoy and look forward to presents or food or time with friends and family. But we need to look to the Lord to satisfy us, before we look to anything else. Jesus taught us to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33). And Jesus told parables to show us how the kingdom of heaven is worth more than anything else we could ever want. He said God’s kingdom “is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field” (Matthew 13:44). The man was so excited, he sold everything he had so he could buy the field. Then Jesus told a similar parable about a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found a valuable pearl, the merchant sold all he had and bought it (verse 45-46). When we realize how much God loves us, everything else pales in comparison. Knowing God is what we were created for. That’s why we will only ever be satisfied in Him. And Jesus came so we could be with Him forever. So, as we’re in the midst of the holidays, we can ask God to fill us with joy this season, to help us enjoy His good gifts, and to teach us to live with a greater awareness of His presence. The Lord truly is our fulfillment. • Ana Johnson • Can you think of a time something felt really fulfilling in the moment, but then that feeling faded? How is Jesus different? For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9 (NLT)

READ: ISAIAH 53:2; LUKE 2:4-7; JOHN 3:16-17; 10:10-11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20ISAIAH%2053%3A2%3B%20LUKE%202%3A4-7%3B%20JOHN%203%3A16-17%3B%2010%3A10-11&version=NLT] What matters more, the fancy wrapping on a gift or what’s inside? Once the paper and bows are off the present, we rarely think about them again. All we care about is what we’ve just unwrapped. Jesus proved that all the fancy “wrapping” didn’t matter when He was born where the animals were kept. Jesus is God’s Son. He could have been born anywhere. He could have shown the whole world who He was with fancy clothes and a beautiful palace to live in. Instead, He was humble, wrapped in cloths, and laid in a manger. Jesus showed us that the greatest thing about Him coming down to earth was Himself. He was the gift. He was born by the will of God the Father so that He could save the world. Jesus grew up with his parents, Mary and Joseph. Joseph was a carpenter, and Jesus’s life was nothing fancy. But even when He was grown, He never demanded anything fancy. Even though He is God the Son, He didn’t try to look or act like He deserved recognition. He was humble, and He treated people well. In His greatest act of love and humility, Jesus gave up His very life. He died to give us forgiveness. And then He rose again to give us new life. It’s not what’s on the outside that matters, but it’s the gift that counts. Jesus was the greatest gift on that Christmas so many years ago, and His gift of life will last forever. • Bethany Acker • Were you ever excited about a gift because of the wrapping, but disappointed by what was inside? Or maybe the wrapping wasn’t exciting, but the gift was much better than expected? • Especially at Christmas, we have the opportunity to remember how amazing it is that Jesus came in such a humble way, and yet He is the greatest gift of all. Because of Jesus, we can know God, experience His wonderful love for us, be forgiven from all our sin, and live with Him forever. Consider taking some time just to thank Him today. • If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 4:17-22; 19:10; John 14:6; 18:37; Philippians 2:5-11. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger. Luke 2:7 (NLT)

READ: ISAIAH 43:1; LUKE 2:8-20; JOHN 3:16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ISAIAH%2043%3A1%3B%20LUKE%202%3A8-20%3B%20JOHN%203%3A16&version=NLT] When Jesus came into the world, God could’ve invited anyone to welcome Him. God could’ve told the angels to invite priests, soldiers, or kings to visit the newborn King. Instead, He sent the angels to proclaim the news of Jesus’s birth to ordinary, everyday shepherds. It may seem like a strange thing to do. Why not choose some more powerful, rich, important people? But this odd decision only foreshadows what Jesus would do during His ministry—choose ordinary people. He didn’t just come for the famous people, He came for the everyday people like you and me. We don’t need to worry about being significant to Jesus, we’re already priceless in His eyes! We’re worth so much to Him that He came to earth to die on the cross for our sins. Not only that, but He rose again, promising that He’ll also raise us from the dead one day. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He’s preparing a place for us, and He continues to be with us while we wait for the day He’ll renew the world. He loves us that much. We might view ourselves as not worthy of God’s notice, but He has a place for us in His kingdom. We will never be insignificant in God’s eyes. So-called “ordinary” people are important to Him, so much so that He wanted them to be the first to visit His Son. We all have a place in God’s story. • Morgan A. Mitchell • Have you ever been invited to see a newborn baby? Usually a baby’s parents choose people who are very important to them to be the first to meet their new son or daughter. It’s a big honor. What does it say about God that He wanted shepherds—people who did not serve in the temple, who were not rich or powerful, and who were even looked down upon in society—to be the first ones to meet His newborn Son? (Matthew 10:29-31) • God created each of us on purpose, and no one is ordinary in His eyes. Jesus embodied this truth when He called people of all walks of life to follow Him. Can you think of a time you felt like you weren’t significant enough for God’s notice? As you read today’s Scripture, consider taking some time to talk to God about this and ask Him to help you see yourself how He sees you. When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15 (NLT)

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%201%20CORINTHIANS%2012%3A4-13&version=CSB] Do you ever wish you had someone else’s talent? Maybe you have a friend or family member who’s really good at math or basketball or singing. Sometimes, when we look at what others can do, it’s easy to feel like we don’t measure up. In times like these, it can be helpful to think about Christmas presents. While it can be fun to get everyone the same gift—like handing out candy canes to your friends or getting funny hats for your family—there’s something special about choosing unique gifts for the people who are closest to you, finding presents that suit their personalities. Maybe you give a chess set to one person, and a tool belt to another. Everyone has different interests and talents, so it makes sense to give different presents to different people. The same is true with the spiritual gifts and natural abilities God has given us. They’re unique and valuable, and everyone will have different ones. It can be tempting to compare our gifts to other’s and think that what we can do isn’t as good or important, but that’s not how God sees it. God gives His children all sorts of different gifts and abilities. Some people are good at school-related subjects, and others have a knack for fixing and building things. We shouldn’t think less of our talents just because they’re not the same as somebody else’s. God created each of us the way we are, and He loves us regardless of what we can do. So, instead of wishing we had somebody else’s gift, we can thank Him for the gifts He’s given us—and use them to help others. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can do our best at whatever we do, knowing Jesus loves us just the way we are. • A. W. Smith • Jealousy and discontentment are sneaky. They can work their way in to how we view ourselves and our own gifts. But Jesus and His love are stronger than any discontentment or jealousy. How have you noticed these feelings or thought patterns showing up in your heart? Consider taking a moment to honestly talk to Jesus about the things you wish you could do, but also thank Him for the wonderful gifts and abilities He has given you, and ask Him to help you use them well. • Do you struggle to notice your own gifts and abilities? That’s okay, lots of us do! Who is a trusted Christian in your life who can help you discover what you’re good at? Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 (CSB)

READ: ACTS 2:42-47; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27; PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ACTS%202%3A42-47%3B%201%20CORINTHIANS%2012%3A12-27%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%204%3A10-20&version=WEB] One year, our family faced long months of unemployment. Jobs were scarce. So was money. I did everything I could think of to make ends meet, but a Christmas feast would be out of the question this year. It wasn’t the end of the world. It was only food, after all. Then, a few days before Christmas, a woman at our church called and asked if we’d like our name added to the list of those receiving Christmas food boxes. Funny how God humbles us from time to time, isn’t it? Just a few years earlier, I had been on the giving end of Christmas giving, happily delivering fudge and goodies to families in need. And now, behold, our need. I swallowed my pride so that my family could swallow turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, and pie. There was more besides: food for the next several days, and even small gifts, one for each of my children. The heart of the Father, generous and good, displayed through the hands and hearts of His children on earth. This is how He wants His church to be. God’s master plan was never for us to go it alone. We are each equipped with gifts from God to be the hands of Jesus for one another on this earth. In community, one with the other, sometimes we get to be the hand extended, to help someone stand. Other times, we are allowed seasons of want, where we extend our hand upward, humble to receive. What we receive from others is given from the generosity of God’s own hand. He gave Himself, and He did so through people. Birthed by Mary, cared for by Joseph, proclaimed by shepherds, adored by Magi, hailed by Anna and Simeon. Each one played their part in God’s plan of ultimate salvation, to bring humankind unto Himself. God’s hand reaching down. Our hands reaching up. To receive the gift of salvation. • Kristen Merrill • Have you ever been in a low spot, but the people of God delivered something to help—like encouragement, or goods, or a verse, or even a smile or a hug? Are you plugged in to a church or fellowship of believers where you can enjoy this type of community? • Would you like to be that hand extended? You can be God’s agent for good to those around you today. Consider taking a moment to pray and ask God to help you notice opportunities to bless others. Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Psalm 118:7 (WEB)