"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
To Ponder
When thinking about this verse, what stood out to me is no ambiguity here, no complexity to hide behind, no need for deeper study before we can do anything. The instruction is simple and clear. The question, as always, is whether we are willing. Kindness is a choice often made in moments when something less kind would feel far more satisfying. Compassion is an orientation of the heart, the decision to let another person's pain actually matter to us, rather than keeping it at a safe distance. And forgiveness, perhaps the most demanding of the three, is the daily, act of releasing what we have every right to hold on to.
All of this is done because: ‘just as in Christ God forgave you’ This is not a comparison; it is a foundation. We are not asked to forgive because it is good for us, or because the other person deserves it, or because it will make relationships easier. We are asked to forgive because we have been forgiven greatly.
When forgiveness feels impossible, we are not told to look inward to summon the strength. We are pointed to the cross, to the grace already given, to the kindness of a God who did not treat us as our sins deserved. That is both our model and our motivation.
You and I already know what to do. The only question is whether we willing to l let what God has done for you flow freely through you to someone else.
Prayer
Father, you have made it so clear: be kind, be compassionate, forgive. And yet I know how often I have chosen the opposite: sharpness instead of kindness, indifference instead of compassion, the quiet satisfaction of holding a grudge instead of the freedom of letting it go.
Bring to mind today anyone I have been unkind to, anyone whose pain I have dismissed, anyone I have refused to forgive. Give me the grace to respond differently not because it comes naturally, but because your grace in me makes it possible. Let your grace not stop with me today. Let it move through me in the way I speak, the way I respond, and the way I choose to release rather than hold on. Thank you that because of Christ, I have been forgiven everything. May I never forget it — especially in the moments when forgiving someone else feels like the hardest thing in the world.
In Jesus name. Amen
Today's devotion written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
To Ponder
Of all the things we do each day, few are as constant or has serious consequences, as the words we speak. We tend to talk without thinking. We comment, react, respond, and fill silence, often without pausing to consider what our words are actually doing to the people who receive them.
But our reading today gives us a challenge: before you speak, ask yourself is this building someone up, or tearing them down?
The word translated unwholesome literally carries the image of something rotten: fruit that has gone bad, something that once had value but has since become harmful. Think about it, our words can do exactly this. They can spoil the atmosphere of a room, damage the confidence of a person, and linger in a heart long after the moment has gone. We have all carried words spoken carelessly over us for years. And if we are honest, we have all spoken words we wish we could take back.
Our reading doesn't simply tell us what not to say. It tells us what to say instead. Words that are helpful. Words that build up. Words carefully shaped around the needs of the person in front of us. Perhaps asking: “what does this person actually need to hear from me right now?”
Knowing what to do with our words is a clear expression of a life transformed by Jesus. You don't need to wait for a grand opportunity to make a difference. Every conversation is one. Every word is a choice, to rot or to restore, to wound or to build.
Today, let your words be the kind that people carry with them not as a burden, but as a gift.
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I speak far too quickly and listen far too little. Too often my words serve myself , my frustration, my opinion, my need to be heard rather than the person standing in front of me. Forgive me for the careless words, the cutting remarks, the complaints and criticisms that have torn down rather than built up.
Before I speak, help me to pause and ask whether what I am about to say is helpful, needed, and kind. Remind me that the people around me are carrying things I cannot always see, and that my words have the power to either add to their weight or lighten it. May those who listen to me today be better for it and may the words of my mouth always be pleasing to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." — Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
To Ponder
If there is one thing most of us find genuinely difficult, it is this: saying the true thing, to the right person, in the right way. I have noticed that we tend to drift to one of two extremes, either we speak the truth bluntly, without care for the heart that receives it, or we stay silent in the name of kindness, letting love become an excuse for avoidance.
But this reading holds both together. Speaking the truth in love. Not truth instead of love. Not love instead of truth. Both, at once, woven together because as God’s people you cannot fully have one without the other.
Truth without love wounds. It may be accurate, but it leaves people bleeding rather than healed. Love without truth comforts in the moment but fails the person in the long run. Real love the kind that looks like Jesus is willing to say the hard thing because it cares too much to stay quiet.
And notice what this produces: growth. Growth comes when we are honest with one another, gently and courageously, in a way that points each other toward Christ the head of the body, the standard we are all growing toward.
So, if you are wondering what to do in a difficult conversation, with a struggling friend, in a moment that calls for more than kind actions, here is your answer: speak the truth. And wrap it, carefully and genuinely, in love. That is always the way of maturity. That is always the way of Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the perfect union of truth and love. Every word you ever spoke was both completely honest and completely kind never one at the expense of the other. I confess that I fall short of that balance far too often. Sometimes I hide behind love to avoid saying what needs to be said. Other times I wield truth like a weapon, forgetting the person on the other side of my words. Forgive me for both and grow me into something more like you. May my words today build up rather than tear down, clarify rather than confuse, and always point the people around me closer to you.
In your name I pray. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."
To Ponder
One of the hardest questions a follower of Jesus can ask is "What am I supposed to do with my life?" We search for purpose, wait for clarity, and sometimes sit still, convinced that until we know our calling, we can't really begin.
But our reading today encourages us to see that God, in his wisdom, didn't leave his people to figure things out alone. He gave gifts, people shaped and placed within the body to lead, to speak, to share good news, to shepherd, to teach. Not as an end in themselves, but for a very specific purpose: to equip. Every leader, every teacher, every pastor exists not to do the work for us, but to prepare us to do it ourselves.
And what is that work? Works of service. Building up the body of Christ.
You and I are called to serve. You and I are called to contribute. You and I are called to play our part in building something that is bigger than ourselves, the living, breathing community of people who bear the name of Jesus in the world.
We don't need to have it all figured out. We simply need to show up, receive what God has placed in your community to equip us, and then use what we've been given in service of others. The body grows when every part does its work and that including yours!
So, the question is not just "What should I do?" It's also "Am I allowing myself to be equipped? And am I using what I've been given to serve?"
Prayer
Father, thank you for the gift of a body, for the reality that I was never meant to do this alone. Thank you for the men and women you have placed in my life to teach, to lead, and to equip me for the work you have prepared for me. Forgive me for the times I have sat on the sidelines, waiting for a greater clarity that may never come, when you have already placed gifts, people, and opportunities right in front of me. Help me to receive well to be teachable, humble, and open to the equipping you have provided. Open my eyes to the works of service that are already waiting in my home, my church, my community. In Jesus' name, Amen
Today's devotion written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
To Ponder
Sometimes we don't need a vision, a sign, or a word from a prophet. Sometimes God's will is hiding in plain sight, written clearly, asking only one thing of us: effort.
Unity does not come naturally, is not easy, and does not just happen if we simply wait long enough. We are told to make every effort. That's active, and intentional language. Unity isn't accidental. It has to be chosen, often daily, sometimes hourly, in the small frictions of real relationships and real community.
Notice also that we are not called to create unity. The Spirit has already done that. Our job is to keep it, to guard it, protect it, and refuse to let it be lost. The unity already exists between those who belong to Jesus. The question is whether we will treat it as the precious thing it is.
The bond that holds it together? Peace. Not the peace of pretending conflict doesn't exist, but the active, pursuing peace that says: "This relationship, this community, this body of Christ, matters more than being right.”
So today, if you're wondering what to do, in your family, your friendship, your church here is something you already know: pursue peace. Protect unity. Make the effort. That is always the right next step.
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've let unity quietly unravel because it felt easier than the effort required to maintain it and for treating peace as something that happens to me rather than something I am called to pursue. Where there is tension, make me a peacemaker. Where there is division, let me be a bridge. Where I have contributed to fracture, give me the courage to repair it. Remind me that the Spirit has already done the deep work of making us one. All you ask of me is to make every effort, to keep what you have already given. May the peace that holds your people together begin with the peace that guards my own heart. In Jesus' name, Amen
Today's devotion is written by Pr Nich, LifeWay Epping
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
To Ponder
There are moments in life when we genuinely don't know what to do, when the path ahead is unclear, decisions feel heavy, and we wonder which way to turn. Yet if we're honest, there are far more moments when we do know what to do and simply struggle to do it.
Paul wrote these words from a prison cell and yet he had no confusion about his calling. He knew who he belonged to, and that settled how he was to live. His circumstances didn't define his direction; his calling did.
That's the invitation here. God hasn't left us guessing. We have been called — called to humility, to patience, to love, to unity. The question is rarely "What should I do?" but rather "Will I do what I already know?"
Knowing what to do begins with knowing whose you are. When we anchor ourselves in that identity as people who are beloved, chosen, and called our next steps become clearer. Our confusion isn't always in the path. Sometimes it's in forgetting whose we are.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that You have not left me without direction. You have called me, not because of who I am, but because of who you are and that calling is enough to guide each step I take. When the way feels uncertain, remind me that my calling is already clear: to love you, to love others, and to walk worthy of all you have done. Help me not to overcomplicate what you have already made clear. In the name of Jesus. Amen
This devotion is written by Pr Nich, LifeWay Epping
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
TO PONDER
As an ex-semi-professional Australian Rules footballer, under Head Coach Tom Hafey, I distinctly recall his recurring message articulating that "your success will directly reflect the level of effort you put in on the training track", or words to that effect. Set-backs such as injury or even suspension, were part of the journey but these trials only made you stronger through resilience, and when you came through the other side, the tribulations would all be worth the effort, sacrifices and dedication. I only ever played in one senior sport Premiership team and whilst it wasn’t football, (it was cricket) the overall experience was something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Today we hear some very wise words from our scripture coach, the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians.
- We are told to stand firm.
Maintain an unwavering devotion to Christ, even amidst the trials, temptations or opposition we will encounter in this world.
- Let nothing move us.
We are to remain unshakable so that we are not diverted away from our faith. We must maintain our spiritual maturity and resist all distractions.
- We are to always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
Remain steadfast in our continuous enthusiasm and engagement in serving the Lord and others. This is not only in church ministry but extends to general outreach or daily acts of kindness and love. Everything we do must be primarily focused on serving God.
- Our labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Here our coach assures us that all our efforts for God have eternal value, even when they may not be noticed or appreciated in our world today. We will share in the ultimate reward won for us through Christs death and resurrection.
If we can follow the instructions of Paul’s coach’s address to us, we will certainly reap the ultimate reward for our efforts, dedication and commitment to the Christian cause as members of Christ’s team.
PRAYER:Merciful Saviour. I am embarrassed when I look at the ledger to see all that You have done and hence won and promised me, compared to my weak and feeble contributions. Encourage me to keep focused on your message and those of my faith mentors, shepherds and coaches so my faith remains strong, unshakable and I can dedicate my life to You in Your service and reap the ultimate reward that awaits me and all my fellow believers. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
TO PONDER
As a disciple of Jesus, we learn the wonderful assurance that He is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This provides us with certainty that God will do everything He has said He will do and has promised, and He will never forsake us or leave us. This should underpin our faith in following the Lord without any hesitation. This assurance, is in total contrast to the world and human life which is transient, fluctuating and unpredictable in nature.
We also learn and gain full appreciation as our faith matures, that when we commit to following Jesus, we die to sin and our old life, with Him on the cross at Calvary, and that we are born again with Him through Holy Baptism – just like on Easter Sunday morning - to a new life where He dwells (lives) in our hearts.
At our Holy Baptism we become one of God’s family. We are marked with the cross on our forehead as one of God’s children. We belong to the Lord which gives us our ownership and identity. We are His for eternity. That is, for today, tomorrow and in the future. We are His and our life should be centred on service to Him.
This identity continues on even through death and our departure from this world, as it is through our demise, that we will realise the promise that awaits us as believers, when we are welcomed to our eternal Heavenly home to live with Him.
As disciples of Jesus then, when we live, we are living with Him and for Him. We die from our old lives here in Baptism through Christ and when we depart this earth through death, we will continue to live with Him through the redemption that He has won for us.
PRAYER:Eternal Father. Thank you that you are the same yesterday, today and in the future. Continually remind me of this certainty and that I am Your child and that you will never leave or forsake me. Help me to boldly be Your servant knowing that You live in me, and I also pray that You would remind me of the assurance of Your promise that You will continue to live in and with me, even in my death. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
TO PONDER
"I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other Gods." This is the first Commandment as provided to Moses by God (inscribed on the tablets of stone) on Mount Sinai. I often think that the developed Western world that we live in today in relative luxury and comfort, provides a multitude of additional gods that may attract us, and indeed distract us from keeping the first Commandment. As Christians, we know and have learned that a reference to other gods is not just gods that we literally may worship but in fact, anything that comes between us and Christ our Saviour. This might even be one's family if the family is positioned as a higher priority than God. Equally, other gods may be money and financial wealth, reputation, fame or fortune, sport, the arts or earthly possessions.
In this text from Joshua, we are instructed in no uncertain terms to make a choice today of whom we follow. To choose means exactly as the word suggests. That is, God allows the human-race to willfully decide for themselves to follow Him. The other striking point for me from our text is that we are told that the choice we are to make is an immediate one. Today! If we ponder on this a bit further, it goes without saying that if we are 'putting off' following God for something else right now, (even if this is only for a very short duration) we have another god that we are worshipping given it takes priority over Christ.
Another observation for me in Joshua's message today, is the impact that we can have on others by openly demonstrating our faith as Christ's followers. Our choice to proclaim God as our maker and Saviour through our actions of love and care each day, will have an influence on others. Our family, friends, work colleagues and even total strangers that God will bring into our lives as we go about our usual day.
Today's message is clear. Make your choice now, place the Lord at number 1 above all other things and watch the impact that this has on others around you as God works through you.
PRAYER: Lord of all. It is my sinful human nature to want to prioritise things here on earth over submitting my whole-self to You and following You. For this, I ask your forgiveness. Help me to understand the importance of Your missionary work here on earth through me, and the impact my Christian actions will have on others around me daily. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping