Devotion for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year C)

Today we focus on the reading from Revelation 7, specifically the message in verse 17. Our devotion comes from Hope When Your Heart Breaks: Navigating Grief and Loss.

Scripture Readings

Acts 20:17–35
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9–17
John 10:22–30

Devotional Reading

When the thought of tomorrow fills you with dread and makes you weary, you can put tomorrow where it belongs—in God’s caring hands. Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus was letting you know that you do not have to carry the burden of the future; He’s carrying that on His shoulders for you. You can focus on today, knowing God’s great mercy is new every morning and His faithfulness will not fail.

If the dread of another day wells up in your soul, God gives you His promise to sustain you. The ultimate future, God assures, is one where He will wipe every tear from your eyes and where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). That is what tomorrow holds. That’s why you can rest in God’s hope today.

Even Jeremiah said, “I called on Your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; You heard my plea, ‘Do not close Your ear to my cry for help!’ You came near when I called on You; You said, ‘Do not fear!’” (Lamentations 3:55–57).

Today, don’t be afraid. Today is a day when God will walk with you and show you His faithful help, one step, one moment, and one breath at a time. Today you can collapse into God’s strong arms and let Him carry you. Today you can cry out to Him and know He hears you. Today, you don’t have to worry. Just breathe. Jesus will shoulder your heartbreak and bring you new mercies for every tomorrow.

Devotional reading is from Hope When Your Heart Breaks: Navigating Grief and Loss, page 160 © 2017 Michael W. Newman. Published by Concordia Publishing House.

Hymn

Hymn is “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (G)” from Seven Hymn Preludes, Set 7 © 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.