Week of February 15, 2026
Celebrate the Triumph of God: The Book of Revelation Week 7
“I Saw a New Heaven and a New Earth”: Eternal Celebration
The Book of Revelation provides a vivid overview of “God’s grand plan to defeat evil, rescue his people, and transform his creation.” The final resounding theme of Revelation is that of eternal transformation and celebration. Having swept away evil, God ushers in the fullness of his new creation: a transformed place, a celebrating people, a perfect provision, and a wonderful presence (his presence!).
Monday | Revelation 21
These words have been spoken most frequently by Pastor Mark at the bedside of someone who is dying, on some occasions with tears in his eyes. Often enough, it feels like a “thin place,” where the earthly and the heavenly, the temporary and the eternal seem really close to one another. And he is inviting the person and himself to anticipate that which is too wonderful to really grasp: a transformed universe, the presence of God, and an end to the tears. What aspects of God’s new creation and the heavenly Jerusalem most stand out to you in this chapter? What aspects of your current life do you need God to make new? What are you most looking forward to in heaven?
Tuesday | Revelation 22
The heavenly vision shifts to a river flanked by trees of life. What does this picture remind you of from the beginning of the Scriptures? What do words like life, fruit, leaves, and healing call to your mind? One emphasis is on God giving light. What will the complete experience of divine light mean to the saints? What is the final promise of Jesus? What is the ongoing longing of his people?
Wednesday | Ash Wednesday … Lenten Devotions Begin
Wednesday, February 18
Read: Genesis 2:4-7
Devotion: Several things stand out in the Genesis 2 account of human creation. First, unlike the creation of everything else, God didn’t just say the word; rather, he “formed” us, suggesting a high level of personal care. We matter to God. We’re reminded of the words of the previous chapter that this formation is in “God’s image.” This is not to say that we exactly look like God, who is spirit and not flesh. It is to say that in God’s care-full creation, we are made to live in relationship with Him and that we have creaturely capabilities that reflect His.
Secondly, God formed us out of the dust … loose soil. We are physical, earthy in nature, and obviously, these God-formed bodies matter. Yet after sin comes into the world, these bodies are also fragile, easily coming apart and going back to the earth after death. People who recognize that they are “dusty,” vulnerable, will look for their security not in their bodies but in God’s goodness.
Finally, we are not just “dust.” For God has breathed into us “the breath of life.” We are God-breathed, receiving the gift of physical life and by way of the Holy Spirit (same Hebrew word as “breath’), eternal life. Dust is temporary, but we are not!
Reflect: What does it mean to you that God was personally involved in the creation of humanity, including you?
Pray: Gracious God, thank you that you give our lives a personal touch: forming and fashioning us in your image. Give us wisdom to steward well our bodies and recognize their fragile nature, to turn to you as our eternal security. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thursday, February 19
Read: Genesis 3:17-19
Devotion: To some, it might not seem fair. Here we have the fallout from Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God: the ground was cursed, work became a burden, and death awaits us … a return to the dust. Shouldn’t God’s punishment just have fallen on our first parents and not on us? Yet the Apostle Paul doesn’t let us off the hook. Yes, we are born into the sinful condition of Adam, but we then choose to sin. Paul writes, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, NIV84). So, we are not guiltless; we can’t point the finger at Adam and Eve and say, “You made me do it.” God is fully justified to judge us for our rebellion as well.
This calls to mind a confession of sins found in traditional Lutheran liturgy. In it, the worshipper recognizes that his/her sin is “by my fault, my own fault, my own most grievous fault.” No blaming someone else, no downplaying the wrongdoing, no excuses. We confess to God, and because of Jesus, we are assured of forgiveness and salvation from the dust.
Reflect: We tend to minimize our sins. How does this passage show that our disobedience and rebellion are a big deal to God?
Pray: Lord God, as we begin this season of Lent, we come before you in repentant humility, realizing our great sin and our great need for your mercy. For Jesus’ sake, forgive us and bless our Lenten journey. Amen.
Friday, February 20
Read: Psalm 90:1-6
Devotion: TIME AND PLACE: Time is money (hourly wage earner). Time is on my side (Rolling Stones). Time out! (athletes and toddlers). Time to go home (Minnesota Vikings at the end of the regular season). There will come a time (for all of us).
As humans living on this earth, we cannot escape the element of time. Our lives are made up of it, dictated by it, defined by it. Time can make us wait and make us hurry. The way time passes can make us anxious or give us relief, even healing. When we are young, we can tend to feel immortal. I felt like I was still 27 until somewhere in my early 50’s. But here, the psalm’s author, Moses, seems to be looking at life from an old age perspective and realizing how short it is. And that is probably closer to God’s perspective on our lives.
But whether life seems long or short, God can be our dwelling place (vs.1) both here and in the hereafter. Although we transition from earth to heaven, our finite home can mirror our eternal home. Thus, the immortality we felt in youth becomes a reality in heaven. But while on earth, we can know that the more we dwell in God here, the more valuable and meaningful our lives will be to ourselves and to others. Making God our dwelling place always is the best use of our time.
Reflect: How can making God your dwelling place affect your use of time today?
Pray: Lord, thank you that you welcome me to dwell in you for wisdom, relief, rest, and renewal, for today and all of my tomorrows. As I dwell in you today, may my time be fruitful. May it be a blessing to you and to those you touch through me. Amen.
Saturday, February 21
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:42-49
Devotion: The human body is an incredible machine. Every day, our hearts beat about 105,000 times, and we take 20,000 breaths, all automatically. There are around 30 trillion cells in a human body, each one with a specific job to do. God’s creation of our bodies is awe-inspiring. We can witness the miracle of watching a child grow or an Olympic skier master a slalom course.
But all it takes is for one of those cells to go rogue, and everything else is thrown off. Being ill with anything from the flu to cancer can derail us quickly. Our bodies are exquisite in their creation, but fragile too. Anyone who has dealt with chronic disease, or simply the march of aging, knows our bodies aren’t going to last forever.
Today’s verse is a reminder of the reality of our physical fragility. In it, we learn our human bodies are sown in corruption, dishonor, and weakness. We were made from the dust of the earth and are subject to death. No one likes to hear that, especially on a good day. But the reality is that not one of us stays in this earthly body forever. Our bodies are an incredible gift, bearing God’s image, but for a time.
This verse also describes the heavenly bodies we’re promised if we trust in Jesus as our Savior: incorruptible and glorious. Jesus provides us with immortal bodies, still image bearers, but immortal. As we deal with the decay of our temporal bodies and eventually take our last breath, Jesus’ promise of something far greater gives us hope.
Reflect: What physical struggle in your life has caused you to look forward to your heavenly body? Does knowing you’ll eventually have a new, incorruptible body give you hope?
Pray: Dear Creator, Thank you for our amazing bodies. We marvel at your genius; at their ability to heal, grow, and strengthen. Please help us to be good stewards of our bodies while also accepting that they will not last forever. As stewards, help us to release to you, our Creator, our physical needs and struggles. We look forward to the eternal bodies we will inhabit someday. In the meantime, help us have your perspective on the body we have now. Amen.
