Week of March 22, 2026
I AM MY HISTORY
Monday | March 23
Read: Genesis 45:4-8
Devotion: We are not privy to the story of Joseph and do not know much of what he was thinking through his story as the privileged son, the kidnapped slave, and finally the gifted leader. Yet, by the time of his reunion with his brothers, Joseph had clearly framed the events of his life as his divine destiny. Yes, his brothers were guilty of selling him into slavery. But Joseph saw God orchestrating events to ultimately save many lives from famine, including those of his family. He sums up his perspective in these words, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (v.8)
I am reluctant to blame God for the human-inflicted difficulties and tragedies along the way. But I clearly see in retrospect, time after time, that God has used the struggles to accomplish things in me and others that likely could not have happened any other way. When we are open to seeing it, our personal histories will reveal God making us into people who reflect more of Jesus. We have not yet been made perfect, but we are able to fulfill more of our divinely ordained destinies.
Reflect: What have been one or two key moments in which God revealed a new truth or set you in a new direction that has ever after impacted your life journey? What changed? How has that made a difference?
Pray: Lord God, you direct our steps, you teach us, you change us. We thank you for all the ways you have been at work in us and through us over the course of our lives. Help us to understand the truth you want to teach, to do the work you want us to do, to walk a path of committed faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Tuesday | March 24
Read: Deuteronomy 8:1-18
Devotion: I taught a lesson to the Discovery Club kids about the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land that reminds me of our verses for today. As the children, posing as Israelites, stand at the edge of the cloth “river,” teachers lift up the cloth, emulating the miracle God did that day. The kids see 12 large stones that were hidden in the “river” as they cross. Twelve of the children then collect these stones, just like the Israelites did, and make an altar to God with them. We talk about how the stone altar reminded the Israelites to never forget what God did for them that day and during their wilderness journey to the Promised Land.
Likewise, in Deuteronomy 8, Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s faithfulness and warns them not to forget Him when they enter the Promised Land. He recounts their journey through the wilderness, where God provided manna and water. The chapter stresses that thankfulness and an unwavering faithfulness to God, His commandments, and teaching are essential to experiencing the fullness of life and blessings promised by God.
I think these verses urge us to try to live our lives in obedience, gratitude, and reliance on God. They encourage us to reflect on our own life journeys and to recognize God’s hand in guiding us through life’s challenges. By acknowledging His presence in our past, we can trust Him with our future, knowing that He is faithful and ever-present.
Reflect: What events from your life’s journey, both joyful and/or difficult, show you God’s presence and faithfulness? How might you use a physical reminder of how He has been and is there for you?
Pray: Father, God. Thank you for your constant presence in my life. Let your Word be my guide and help me to walk in your ways with confidence, knowing that you are with me every step of my journey. Amen.
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Wednesday | March 25
Read: 2 Samuel 7:18-22
Devotion: Who am I, O LORD God? I’m just a farm girl from Cole Camp, Missouri. I come from humble origins – parents who worked hard for every dollar but trusted God each day for provision. Lessons learned: Importance of faith, family, and biological family; Give; Serve; Work hard; Play and rest; Worship every Sunday; Be grateful. And yet, there were times of struggle - crop failure, family conflict, and disappointments in life. But overall, there was an underlying belief that God was God and He would provide.
King David was grateful – he didn’t forget his humble beginnings as a shepherd boy and all that God taught him as he spent time on the Judean hillside. He wrestled with broken relationships, life on the run, men not following his leadership, and much more. But overall, he knew that his life was held secure in the hands of his God, Yahweh.
God also speaks to you this day. He reminds you of lessons learned and love expressed in your younger years. He takes these experiences of good and brokenness as well and continues to weave a tapestry of beauty in your life.
This is the God that we love and serve – the God who holds all of history in His hands. He is the God of restoration, hope, and unconditional love.
Reflect: As you reflect on your early years, how can you see God’s hand in shaping you into the person you are today?
Pray: Lord God, thank you that you take all the pieces of our lives and weave them together into a beautiful tapestry that can glorify you. Amen.
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Thursday | March 26
Read: Psalm 136
Devotion: Psalm 136, called the “Great Hallel,” is recited every year by Jewish people during their Passover celebrations. “Hallel” means “praise” in Hebrew, and this Psalm retells the story of the Jewish people and all that they praise God for, including His freeing them from Egypt, as celebrated during Passover. Hallel, of course, is at the root of the word “hallelujah”.
God’s mighty power has been proven throughout history and is recorded in His Word. The repeated stanza “His love endures forever” reminds us of God’s faithfulness throughout the ages, in every circumstance, and for every person. God’s love never ends, no matter how bad things seem. Through every tribulation, trouble, and struggle, it remains constant.
We cannot repeat it enough: God’s love for us is great. When I am brought low, his love endures forever. When I am anxious, depressed, or lonely, his love endures forever. When I am scared, hurting, or rejected, his love endures forever. When I am ____________________ (you fill in the blank), his love endures forever. It was true then, and it is true now, and for that we “give thanks to the God of heaven!”
Reflect: When do you need to be reminded that God’s love endures forever?
Pray: Lord, we give thanks to you, for your love endures forever. Remind me of that in every moment of my life and lead me to live in that truth. Amen.
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Friday | March 27
Read: Acts 26
Devotion: Before he knew and believed in Jesus, Paul lived a very strict religious life. He was a Pharisee, which meant he followed strict religious Jewish law and enforced it. As he stood before the king, he explained how he had persecuted Christians and worked to have them punished. Paul wasn’t just apathetic to Christianity; he was outright an enemy of it.
But when Jesus met Paul on the road through a vision, Jesus didn’t treat him as an enemy. Jesus called him to a higher purpose. Jesus didn’t see Paul as a reflection of his history and all the terrible things he had done. Instead, Jesus saw who Paul could become. He spoke life, hope, and calling into Paul, and Paul’s life was changed. He became one of the greatest influences in the early church and wrote many of the letters we read in the New Testament today.
When you look back at your history, you may be tempted to dwell on all the things that you did wrong. It’s easy to look at your history and see it as the core of who you are. But Jesus sees past that. Jesus sees what you can become, and He wants to speak life, hope, and a sense of calling into you as well. You have not strayed too far for the Lord to shine His light on you and turn you around. In Jesus, you are more than your history.
Reflect: What part of your history is it time to let go of, to make room for the hope and calling that the Lord wants to pour out on you?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You that You see me for more than just my history. Thank You for being a God that can take any broken history and turn it into a beautiful future. Today, I lift before You, my past. I give it to You. I trust You to lead me where You want me to go. Help me to set aside the parts of my history that I’m not proud of and lean into Your grace and calling. Amen.
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Saturday | March 28
Read: Ephesians 2:11-22
Devotion: Thanks to the internet, many memories from our pasts no longer just live in our minds; they live online for everyone to see (and remember). In an instant, our most embarrassing moments can be shared with our 1000+ closest friends - or even our mom’s closest friends. While it was true that my prom date and I were “just friends,” my mom wanted to make sure that everyone else on Facebook knew, too. While we might want to hide from our pasts, our history impacts who we are today.
As Christians, our history doesn’t begin with our dramatic entrance into the world, or even on Ancestry.com. Our history begins with the creation of the world and is woven through Scripture - through the Exodus and crying out to God in the Psalms, to Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, and to the saints who have gone before us.
Paul writes to the Ephesians to encourage them and to remind them that, no matter their individual histories, they are united in Christ. Whether Jew or Gentile, they are of one flesh - the body of Christ. With Christ as our foundation, our history becomes a way for us to connect with others and share His great love and mercy.
Although I do think we do share too much online, there is joy in knowing that every piece of our individual history led us to where we are now, with Christ as our firm foundation.
Reflect: How has your personal history shaped your faith?
Pray: God, please help us see that we are united in You. In times of fighting and turmoil, send your peace that passes all understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
