READ: COLOSSIANS 1:13-14, 21-22; 2:2-8, 16-23; 3:5-17; 4:2-6

We’re all faced with the temptation to try to look godly to those around us. We might go to church, volunteer to pray, pray before every meal, refuse to use certain words, and the list could go on. But does a list of actions truly reflect how close we are to God?

Fairly early on in Christianity, a trend toward something called asceticism arose. Asceticism is the belief that the strict discipline of bodily pleasures is key to growing closer to God: the more you resist earthly comforts or pleasures, the more holy you are considered to be.

During the 400s AD, an ascetic monk by the name of Simeon Stylites believed in asceticism so strongly that he climbed on top of an old pillar and chose to live on its square surface, which would’ve been about a meter wide, for almost forty years. People flocked to ask for his advice or just to see the spectacle. Simeon Stylites kept moving to pillars that were taller and taller, and by the end of his life, the pillar he was living on was fifty feet high! Simeon believed the further he removed himself from the physical comforts of this earth, the closer he would be to God.

According to the book of Colossians, Paul actually teaches the opposite. When referring to ascetic practices, Paul says they “have an appearance of wisdom” but are in fact worthless (Colossians 2:23). Following God isn’t about making ourselves look godly on the outside—it’s about relying on Jesus. He is the only one who can save us and help us grow in relationship with God.

As we rest in Jesus and His work on the cross, we remember that we belong to Him and nothing can take us out of His hands (John 10:27-30). That living on top of a pillar won’t make God love us any more or any less (Matthew 11:28; Ephesians 2:8-10). And that Jesus has already done everything needed to bring us close to God (Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22). • Jonathon Fuller

• Can you think of anything you might do because you believe it will make Jesus love you more?

• Read Romans 8:38-39. In Christ, can anything separate you from God’s love or thwart His promises to save you? (For more about the good news of Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Colossians 2:23 (NIV)

READ: ROMANS 12:9-21; 1 PETER 4:7-11

After a long week of boring classes and demanding homework assignments, I was very excited when the weekend arrived. I was free to enjoy myself, at least for a few hours. I didn’t have any big plans—one of my new college friends was coming over, and we were going to watch an episode of a TV show together.

When we finished the episode, my new friend invited me and my roommate over to her dorm room. This gesture of kindness might seem small, but it meant a lot to me. She made popcorn for us to share, talked with us about life, and even offered to make us hot tea in her microwave.

My friend’s hospitality was simple yet incredibly thoughtful. Everything from the freshly-popped popcorn to her words of encouragement made our evening special. Her example serves as a reminder that hospitality doesn’t need to be complicated or extravagant. In fact, it can be quite simple, as long as it comes from the heart.

Throughout the course of Jesus’s ministry, many people demonstrated hospitality. For example, Martha invited Jesus into her home (Luke 10:38), and an unnamed man hosted Passover in his home for Jesus and His disciples (Mark 14:12-16).

Even thousands of years later, we can have an incredible impact on others by showing hospitality to believers and nonbelievers alike. Our acts of hospitality don’t require four-course meals, countless hours of cleaning, or elaborate decor. Hospitality simply requires a servant’s heart—a heart transformed by Jesus and filled with His hospitable love. • Grace McCready

• What comes to mind when you hear the word hospitality? Do you automatically think of something elaborate, like a fancy dinner party? Hospitality is often much simpler (Luke 10:38-42; John 21:1-14). Can you think of a time someone showed you simple hospitality, perhaps by inviting you into their space, offering you food, or even just making you feel welcome and included?

• Remember, we can show hospitality to others because Jesus has shown the greatest hospitality to us— welcoming us into His family by dying on the cross and rising from the grave for us. Jesus even said that He was going to the Father to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3). What is one thing you could do to show hospitality to somebody this week?

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:8-9 (NIV)

READ: PSALMS 68:5; 145:8-9; LUKE 18:1-8

Have you ever felt like you have lost the heart to pray? It could be for any number of reasons. Jesus knows there are times we may be discouraged from praying, and so He tells a parable in Luke 18 meant to encourage His people to not give up praying.

The first character in this story is a judge. Right away, we learn this is not a God-fearing or people-respecting judge, meaning he’s probably not going to settle your case fairly. Chances are, to get a favorable ruling, you’d probably need to grease this judge’s palm.

Next, we meet the second character in the story: an impoverished widow seeking justice from the unjust judge. This widow doesn’t have the influence, power, or money necessary to sway his opinion. So, what does the widow do? She perseveres.

Eventually the judge gives the widow a just ruling because he becomes so sick and tired of her “pestering” him (verse 5)!

Now, we may read this parable and think the judge is supposed to be God. If that were true, then God would be a grumpy, unfair judge who only listens to us if we bug Him enough.

But this view of God couldn’t be further from the truth!

Notice how Jesus explains the parable in verses 6 and 7: if even the unjust judge in this story answered the widow’s request because of her perseverance, how much more will a perfectly just and loving God answer our requests? With this truth in mind, we can be encouraged to persevere in our prayers, knowing that God hears us with tenderness and compassion. • Jonathon Fuller

• Can you think of a time you lost the heart to pray? Jesus understands. He sees everything you’re going through, and He has so much empathy for you.

• When we’re hurting, it’s easy to imagine that God is coldhearted toward us. But He loves us so ardently that He was willing to die for us! Whenever you pray, you can rest assured that you belong to the God who has chosen you, receives your cry, and promises to work on your behalf. Do you have any favorite Bible passages that remind you what God is really like? How could being reminded of God’s characteristics—like His love, His justice, and His profound care for us—help us come to Him with our needs and longings?

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CSB)

READ: PSALM 139:7-12; JEREMIAH 29:8-14; ROMANS 8:18-39

Even in the darkest nights
When the sun is nowhere to be seen

Even in the hardest fights
When hope feels like a distant dream

When I’m struggling to smile
Because all I want is to scream

O Lord, You are there
And You will comfort me.

Even if my friends and family
And church leaders turn away

And even if I cannot bear
To face another day

Even if my body
Seems to give up on me too

O Lord, You are there
And I will trust in You.

For You know the plans You have for me
I will trust that they are good

And that in the end I will see
Your promises have withstood

Dark times are no walk in the park. You might even laugh at that and add, “Yeah, and they’re no walk either! More like an army marathon that you didn’t train for at all.” I get it. Everyone experiences times when hope seems to be the furthest thing from them. Maybe it’s a scary health issue. Perhaps your family is struggling with their relationships. Sometimes you just feel lost, lonely, and sad. But take heart! You are not alone. God loves us so much that He came to live among us—He was born, lived, died, and rose again, taking our sins on His shoulders so we could live life with Him. We can know that He is always with us. He offers us comfort in the hard times, letting us know He is grieving with us. And He will provide hope, reminding us that no matter what this world throws our way, He is coming back to make all things new—getting rid of sin, death, brokenness, and pain forever. And that promise will never be broken. So, take heart! • Anna Tuckfield

• What kinds of difficulties have you been going through lately? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about your pain, receiving His compassionate comfort and asking Him to show you how He is with you in the midst of your circumstances.

[Jesus said,] “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20; 2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-17

I never liked my name. The meaning of Sourabhi is sweet fragrance. There were innumerable reasons for not liking my name, but the major ones were: (1) No one could ever pronounce it properly. Every time it was called out, I wished I could disappear. And (2) I constantly ran out of space when writing it on forms, especially at school.

My nickname is Mini, and I loved it because it was short, crisp, and didn’t need much explanation. In college, almost everyone knew me as Mini.

My dislike for my name continued through my teenage years and into adulthood. It’s just that, as an adult, I learned to cope with it. Whenever someone asked my name, I would pause, wondering if the person wouldn’t be able to catch it the first time and if I’d have to repeat it. I’m an introvert, so any attention made me uncomfortable, especially when it was about my name.

I recently started blogging, and when I had to write my introduction, I didn’t expect God to meet me there. As I typed out Sourabhi, the Holy Spirit highlighted something I had never truly noticed before, the meaning of my name. It touched me deeply. I sensed that—more than the pronunciation or the struggle to make people understand—what truly stood out was its meaning. Fragrance. A word I’d read and heard countless times in Scripture. And that’s when my love for my name began.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul says that God uses us, His people, to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. So just ponder this: the parts of you that feel awkward or unwanted are also carrying His presence. Would you accept this truth, or would you still dislike those parts of yourself? • Sourabhi Sircar

• Have you ever wished something about you was different—maybe your name or a part of your personality, appearance, or background? What has made it hard for you to accept that part?

• Jesus loves every part of us, and He invites us to share His love, His truth, and His hope with all that we are! What might it look like for you to trust Him with the things about yourself that you usually try to hide? How might He use those areas to reveal His presence to others? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about this, asking Him to help you see yourself as He sees you.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (WEB)

READ: PSALM 139:1-10; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21

Out of habit, her eyes swept the crowded cafeteria, but not one familiar face registered from the blur of morning classes. Starting over was always this way.

Two girls, hovered in a private conversation, ignored Nora as she approached their table.

She dropped her backpack and sighed. She hated moving, but that was military life. She nibbled on a granola bar, not to make it last but because there was nothing else to do.

Groups clumped together, and the room buzzed. Nora shuddered—as if a spotlight had singled her out, the only person in the room sitting alone—and swallowed her last bite. She crumpled the wrapper, thankful for something to do, and walked to the trash can.

Chin up. Change is hard. There’s more ahead. New friends. She blinked back tears. Her positive self-talk couldn’t crack the loneliness. She breathed a prayer—Lord, help me.

She tossed the wrapper and turned back to the table where now only one girl remained with her head bent, shoulders hunched. The girl looked up, her eyes brimmed with water.

“You okay?” Nora slid next to her.

A tear escaped before the girl’s face hardened. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Sorry. Not trying to be nosy.” Nora pulled a tissue from her backpack. “Your mascara.

“Thanks.” The girl dabbed under her eyes. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Yeah. It’s my first day. I’m Nora.”

“I’m Teagan.”

A buzzer blared, lunch ended, and the girls stood. “Hope things go better.” Nora picked up her backpack. Teagan’s eyes filled, and she nodded and left.

As Nora joined the crush of students filing out of the cafeteria, she straightened her shoulders and stepped into the hallway. She wasn’t alone. The hall was jammed with people, each with their own stories and their own struggles. She breathed another prayer: Jesus, please bless Teagan and help her today. Thank You for giving me an opportunity to show Your love to her—and maybe to others too. And thank You for being with me. • Gretchen Carlson

• Can you think of a time you felt alone or out of place? How might it be helpful to remember that, in Jesus, we are never alone—and He calls us to be part of His good work wherever we are?

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:10 (NIV)

READ: EXODUS 16:11-31; JOHN 6:25-40, 58

Have you ever seen worms wriggling around in old food—maybe in a trash can or compost pile? It’s pretty gross! The book of Exodus tells us about a time when people disobeyed God and food grew worms overnight.

Back when the people of Israel were wandering in the wilderness for forty years, they needed food. They had no opportunity to settle down, raise a crop, and live off the fat of the land. So God, ever the loving Provider, sent them food from heaven, which appeared on the ground each morning like dew. It came for forty years, day in, day out. The people called it manna, which means “What is it?”

But God’s directions were clear: Only collect enough manna for each day. Some disobeyed God’s command. Maybe they worried the food might not show up tomorrow. And their extra, hoarded manna? Ruined and filled with worms the next morning.

There was one exception: God told the people they should collect extra manna the day before the weekly Sabbath. That manna could be set aside for the next day so they could rest, as God had commanded. And that food did not grow worms. God thinks of everything.

The manna provided a wonderful picture of God’s faithfulness! The people in the desert learned that they could depend on Him to give them what they needed. He saw them, cared, and provided. And they learned that His commands and promises are true and trustworthy!

Centuries later, in the New Testament, Jesus compared Himself to manna. He called Himself “the bread that came down from heaven,” a picture the people could understand (John 6:41). He came to bring life. He loves us so much that He died and rose again to make the way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to receive that life. Jesus is the sustenance, the daily bread, the life we need each day. • Kristen Merrill

• Can you think of a time God sustained you through a difficult season? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

• In Exodus 16, why do you think God gave the people just what they needed each day instead of a large store of food that would last for months?

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” John 6:35 (CSB)

READ: MATTHEW 1:23; EPHESIANS 2:8-9; COLOSSIANS 1:12-22; HEBREWS 12:2

A few days ago, Keera had been told of the beautiful Golden City where there were no tears. So she had left her home, her family, everything, to seek it out. But when she arrived, she was dismayed to find it was at the top of a huge cliffside. She could just see a bit of light at the peak. Finally, after a long hesitation, she began to climb the Mountain of Sin.

Now, she half clung to the broken handholds, half crawled up the cutting path. But every painful step she took seemed to bring her no closer to the shining light at the top. She made her way along different paths, each one seeming to be a relief to her aching feet at the beginning, but proving to be just as painful later on. She wandered and wandered. One moment she thought she was on the right path, and then she would see a boulder she’d visited minutes or hours before. There were no trees. No plants. No life. The bit of water she found was filthy and not fit to drink.

Cold. Exhausted. Broken. Alone. Keera was pelted with words of misery as she crawled up the sharp rocks. “Can’t…make it!” her aching body told her. Her heart cried out in desperation as she fell to the ground. She began to weep.

Then, through her tears, she saw two bare, bleeding feet stop before her. She looked up to see who the feet belonged to. He seemed to be the kindest, gentlest man she had ever seen. “Hello,” he said in a wonderful voice. “How long have you been wandering here?”

“I’ve lost track,” Keera said, her own voice cracking and dry. “But I thought I was alone. Have you wandered here until you can’t feel anything but pain and cold too?”

“You might say that,” he answered. “There is only one way to the City, but you would need to trust me.” Without hesitation, she said, “I already do.”

Then she felt the man’s arms wrap around her as he lifted her onto his back and began to walk up the steep trail. She heard him gritting his teeth at her weight and felt him wince as each stone pierced his feet. But he kept going. After what seemed like hours, he set her down and said, “We’re here.”

Astonished, she asked, “Why could you find a path and I couldn’t?”

“Because I am the only way to the top. There is no other way, Keera,” he said.

Surprised again, she asked, “How do you know my name?”

He answered, “I know everyone’s name. My name is Immanuel.” Then he smiled the most wonderful smile. “Now, come and enter my kingdom.” • Natalie Crowe

• What stuck out to you in today’s allegorical story? What questions do you have?

• God created us for relationship with Himself, and He longs for us to be with Him in His kingdom of light. Yet our sin separated us from God, like an impossibly steep mountain no one could climb. No one, that is, except Jesus. Matthew 1:23 says Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” God’s love for us is so great that Jesus came to live among us and, ultimately, to save us. Only Jesus could defeat sin and death. Fully God and fully human, He resisted every temptation, and He willingly laid down His life for us—suffering a terrible death on a cross. And then, He rose from the dead, declaring that all who put their trust in Him are citizens of His eternal kingdom! For more about this good news, see our "