Daily Devotional
You Do Not Have to Dread Dying
“For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:7-9
September 15, 2023
Ponder This
A little boy and his sister were with their mother in the garden and a big bumblebee stung the little boy. He cried and jumped up in his mother’s arms. The bee continued to buzz around, and the little girl was frightened to death. The little boy by this time had his tears dried, and the mother said, “Sweetheart, you don’t have to be afraid of that bee.” She said, “But he stung brother.” She said, “Yes, but come over here and look.” And there on brother’s hand was the stinger, still in that flesh, and she pulled it out and said, “See there? He left his stinger in brother. You can’t be stung because that bee has lost his stinger.”
I want to tell you: the Lord Jesus took the sting of sin for me and for you. Death may buzz and frighten you, but friend, the sting is gone because of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Oh, Death, where is your sting? Oh, Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Jesus has taken the pain out of parting, the dread out of dying, and the gloom out of the grave. Because of Him, we have a steadfast and sure hope.
- How afraid are you of the sting of death? Does this change with your circumstances? Why or why not?
- How does Jesus’ victory over death and sin change the way you live today?
Practice This
Spend some time praising God for how He has taken away the sting of death.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
