WELS Family Devotion

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WELS Family Devotions

  1. 3 HR AGO

    A Big Mistake – April 20, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260420fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 2:14,32-41 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:14,32-41 (selected verses) A Big Mistake In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lucas was riding in the car with his dad when the car started to shake violently. Warning lights came on all over the dashboard. He looked at the flashing lights and felt worried. His dad quickly pulled over, reached into the glove compartment to check the car’s instruction book. Lucas heard his dad mutter something about how the car’s computer and the engine stopped talking to each other and that he could not drive it anywhere. Now Lucas was scared: “Are we stuck? How will we get home? What would they do without their car?” Lucas watched as his dad called his uncle who lived nearby to come and take a look. It felt like forever, but finally his uncle arrived and opened the hood. As soon as his uncle looked under the hood, he laughed. It was an easy and simple fix—a hose had loosened and become detached. With one small click, the car was as good as new. “Whew!” Lucas sighed with relief. What seemed like a huge problem turned out to be something small. The people in our reading today felt awful when Peter confronted them with what they had done. They had crucified the Son of God. They realized they had made a very big mistake. But Peter wasn’t finished—he continued to tell them that God had made “the Jesus, whom [they] crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” God had taken the horrible thing they had done and made it into something wonderful. Peter tells them of a promise that comes to them because of Jesus’ death. They will receive the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Instead of only guilt, they received forgiveness. The best part of this reading for us, might be when we hear Peter say that this promise isn’t just for the people he is talking to. It’s for us too! It is for all believers of all time. Jesus’ crucifixion was a horrible and sinful event that God used for the good of his people. We have a true hope of forgiveness because of it. Because he lives, I know that I will live too in heaven with him one day. God turned the worst thing into the best news. Prayer: Heavenly Father, you used the death of your Son to give me life and forgiveness. I have a sure hope that I am a child of God and that I will be with you one day. Help me remember that you can bring good even from bad things. In Jesus’ name. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is a mistake you made that someone helped you fix? Was it big or small? How did you feel afterward? Why did the people feel bad during our reading today? What had they done? Questions for Elementary Age Children What is something good that came from Jesus’ death (something bad)? Why is the story from the beginning of the devotion like the true story of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Questions for Middle School and Above What verse from the reading assures us that the promise of forgiveness is for everyone? Can you think of another “bad” thing that God could use for good? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    5 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    I’ll Believe It When I See It! – April 17, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260417fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:19,24-29 I’ll Believe It When I See It! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Have you said that lately? Maybe someone told you something amazing and you weren’t sure it was true. Other people don’t always tell the truth. Sadly, people say things that they don’t mean. Sometimes, people lie to us. You can’t believe everything people say. We learn to say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Here’s the problem: Sometimes, we say those words to God. God isn’t like us people. God doesn’t lie. God doesn’t change his mind. God always tells the truth. Yet we sometimes treat God like he’s just another person. We don’t believe him. We say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” That’s what Jesus’ disciple Thomas said after Jesus rose from the dead. It sounded too good to be true. Even though Jesus had told his disciples many times that he was going to rise from the dead, Thomas didn’t believe it. Even after his friends saw Jesus on Easter evening, Thomas still didn’t believe it. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). In other words, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” So, Jesus did a wonderful thing for Thomas: He let Thomas see him. That next Sunday night, Jesus appeared to his disciples again, and this time he made sure that Thomas was with them. He let Thomas see the nail marks in his hands. He showed Thomas that it was really him. He was really alive! Finally, Thomas believed and said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Thomas wasn’t doubting anymore—he believed! Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Blessed are those who don’t need to see to believe. That includes you! You can trust Jesus. When Jesus says something, it’s always true. Jesus promises that he is with us always. Is that true, even though we can’t see him? Yes! Jesus says that he has prepared special rooms for us in heaven. Is that true, even though we can’t see them? Yes! Jesus says that he has washed away all our sins. Is that true? Yes! Faith is believing in what we can’t see. We trust Jesus because he always keeps his promises. We don’t need to see it to believe it. We trust Jesus’ words! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for gently taking away Thomas’ doubts about your resurrection. When we doubt too, use your Word to convince us that we don’t need to see it to believe it. Help us trust your promises every day. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What didn’t Thomas want to believe? What did Jesus do to take Thomas’ doubts away? Questions for Elementary Age Children Besides the examples in this devotion, what are two other promises God makes to us in the Bible that involve things we can’t see? (Jesus hears our prayers, heaven, angels, forgiveness, etc.) How can we know that those promises are true? Questions for Middle School and Above Reread Thomas’ confession: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). What very important truth did Thomas confess about Jesus? Thomas is often known as “doubting Thomas” because of this one recorded moment. But based on this whole story, why isn’t that a very fair way to describe Thomas? What would be a better way to describe him? (Maybe: believing Thomas, trusting Thomas, or forgiven Thomas.) Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    6 min

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    A Living Hope – April 15, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260415fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 A Living Hope In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hope. Do you know what that word means? When you know your birthday is coming up, you hope for some great presents. If it’s a rainy day, you hope the sun will come out. If your friends or parents have been really busy lately, you hope they’ll have time to play with you soon. Hope is looking forward to something good. Hope is believing that something good is going to come in the future. Sometimes, that’s hard. It’s hard to have hope. Instead, we feel hopeless. Do you know what that’s like? Feeling hopeless is when it seems like everything goes wrong, like nothing ever goes right, like your life is never going to be good or happy. It can feel like nothing will get better. Are you feeling hopeful or hopeless today? (You can answer in your head right now.) There were some Christians in the Bible who were tempted to feel hopeless. Life had been hard for them. The worst part was that people were mistreating them because they were Christians. They wondered if there was any hope at all. Was there? Yes! How? Listen, “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). As hard as their lives were, those Christians had a “living hope,” a hope that kept on going and going and living and living no matter what. It didn’t run out. It didn’t disappear. Where did that hope come from? Jesus! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead meant that they could always have hope. Why? Because Jesus had given them something that could never perish, spoil, or fade. He had planned something really good for them that no one and nothing could ever take away. What was it? Heaven. Jesus’ resurrection gives us the living hope of heaven. Even when life is hard, you have a living hope: Jesus! Even when everyone seems against you, there is someone who is for you: Jesus! Even when this world makes you sad, you have something you can look forward to: Heaven with Jesus! No one can take that away from you. Easter gives us living hope in Jesus. Prayer: Dear Jesus, sometimes we feel hopeless. It can seem like everything is hard and bad and we don’t have anything to look forward to. That’s not true! Use the message of Easter to fill us with a living hope in you and your promise of heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What is something that you hope for? What do you know about heaven? What do you think it will be like? Questions for Elementary Age Children What are two examples of things that can make kids feel hopeless? (bad day at school, fight with a friend, losing a game, feeling left out, etc.) Why does knowing that Jesus rose from the dead give you hope? Questions for Middle School and Above Explain in your own words what the word “hope” means. Can you give an example? What does it mean that the hope that comes from Jesus is a “living” hope? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    4 min

  4. 13 APR

    Confident in Christ – April 13, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260413fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Acts 2:14,22-32 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Acts 2:14,22-24 Confident in Christ In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. On the night before Jesus died, Jesus’ disciple Peter did a bad thing. A really sad thing. Do you remember what he did? After Jesus was arrested and brought to trial at the high priest’s house, Peter followed along. He wanted to see what happened to Jesus. But people recognized Peter. Three different people said, “You’re one of Jesus’ disciples, aren’t you?” Do you remember what Peter said? He was scared. So he cried out, “No!” Peter denied Jesus three times. Isn’t that awful? Actually, we’ve all done that, haven’t we? Maybe there have been times at school when your classmates have done or said something wrong, and you’ve been afraid to let them know that you believe in Jesus. Maybe you stayed quiet when you could have said something kind. Maybe there have been times at your house when you’ve chosen not to go to church or read a Bible story because you think you have something more important to do. Just like Peter, it’s easy to deny Jesus. It’s easy to be quiet about Jesus. It’s easy to shake and shiver in our faith in Jesus. But something changed Peter. Just 50 days later, on the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up in front of thousands of people and boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus. He wasn’t scared anymore. Isn’t that surprising? In just 50 days, Peter went from denying Jesus before a few people to boldly proclaiming his faith in Jesus before thousands of people. What changed? Peter explained: “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” Seeing God raise Jesus to life on Easter changed Peter’s heart and life. Jesus’ resurrection took Peter’s doubts away, and when he received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter was ready to stand up and let everyone know that Jesus is the Savior. Are you? You can be confident too. Seeing how Jesus was willing to die for you and was able to rise for you is meant to change your life. How can you be ashamed of your Savior who gave his life for you? How can you be afraid to follow your Savior who rose from the dead? You have a Savior who has even conquered death. He loves you! He is with you! He helps you be brave. Every day, you can be confident in Christ. Prayer: Dear Jesus, just like Peter when you were arrested, it’s easy for us to be ashamed of you and pretend we’re not followers of you. Forgive us! Instead, just like Peter on the day of Pentecost, use your resurrection and your Holy Spirit to make us confident in you. Help us be brave and talk about you. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What bad thing did Peter do on the night that Jesus was arrested? What good thing did Peter do on the day of Pentecost? (Was Peter talking to a few people or a lot of people?) Questions for Elementary Age Children How did Peter go from denying Jesus to proclaiming Jesus? What changed his heart? If you saw someone rise from the dead, how would that change your life? Questions for Middle School and Above Explain this statement: As you get older, it becomes easier to deny Jesus. Give three examples of situations in your life in which you can be confident in Christ. Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    5 min

  5. 10 APR

    Do Not Be Afraid! – April 10, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260410fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10 Do Not Be Afraid! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What are you afraid of? There are lots of things that can make us scared. Maybe you’re afraid of spiders, snakes, or bugs. Maybe the dark or a big thunderstorm scares you. Or maybe you don’t like being home alone. Everyone has something that makes them afraid! One of the scariest things for people is death. Kids might not think about it much, but adults do. Death can feel very, very scary. Some parents worry the most about losing their kids. Of all the scary things in the world, death seems the scariest. That’s why Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were so sad as they went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning. They remembered how horrible it was to see Jesus die on the cross. They were scared and worried as they carried spices to his tomb. But when they got there, something amazing happened. Jesus wasn’t in the tomb! Instead, they saw an angel. Do you remember what the angel said first? “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5). That must have been surprising! How could they not be afraid? Jesus had died! Then the angel shared the best news ever: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6). Can you imagine how happy the women must have been? They ran from the tomb, still a little afraid but filled with joy, when suddenly they saw someone. Who was it? Jesus! He said exactly what the angel had said, “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10). Do you get the point? Do not be afraid! Not even of death. Jesus has power over death. That means death isn’t the end for everyone who believes in him. Just like Jesus rose from the dead, he will raise us too. For Christians, death is the day we get to be with Jesus forever in heaven. So do not be afraid! Prayer: Dear Jesus, there are a lot of scary things in life, including death. Thank you for rising from the dead and promising to raise everyone who believes in you. Help us not to be afraid, even of death. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some things that make you afraid? Why don’t you ever have to be afraid, even of death? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why do people sometimes think death is scarier than anything else? What hope does Jesus give us when we think about death? Questions for Middle School and Above Look up John 11:25-26. What promise does Jesus give about death? What could you say to your parents to help them not be afraid of death? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    5 min

  6. 8 APR

    I Saw It With My Own Eyes! – April 8, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260408fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 I Saw It With My Own Eyes! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “I saw it with my own eyes!” Have you ever said that to convince someone that you were telling the truth? It’s frustrating when people don’t believe us. Sometimes the best way to show someone the truth is to say, “I saw it with my own eyes! I know it’s true!” Did you know some people don’t believe that Jesus rose from the dead? They think that after Jesus died on the cross, he just stayed dead. They think it’s impossible for someone to come back to life. But God made sure we could be certain that Jesus really rose. Paul wrote in the Bible, “I saw it with my own eyes!” We can be sure Jesus rose from the dead because he appeared to many people to prove he was alive. First, Jesus appeared to Cephas—that’s another name for Peter. Then he appeared to his twelve disciples. Then he appeared to more than 500 people at the same time—wow! Then Jesus appeared to his brother James. And last of all, he appeared to Paul himself. Paul said, “I saw it with my own eyes!” Jesus wants you to be certain he is alive. It might sound impossible for someone to rise from the dead—but Jesus isn’t just anyone. Jesus is true God and true Man at the same time. With God’s power, Jesus can do anything—even rise from the dead! Jesus also wants you to know why his resurrection is so important. When he rose from the dead: He showed that all your sins are forgiven. He showed that there is life after death for everyone who believes in him. You will rise too and live with Jesus in heaven! He proved that God always keeps his promises. So don’t listen to people who say Jesus didn’t rise. He did! Paul says it best: “I saw it with my own eyes!” Prayer: Dear Jesus, it’s amazing to think you have the power to raise yourself from the dead. Help us never to doubt your resurrection, and one day raise our bodies too so that we can live with you in heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What amazing thing did Jesus do on Easter morning? Why is it hard for some people to believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Questions for Elementary Age Children Who were some of the people Jesus appeared to after he rose from the dead? Why do you think Jesus appeared to so many people after he rose? Questions for Middle School and Above Why is Jesus’ resurrection so important to our faith as Christians? Many people like Peter and Paul were later killed for their faith in Jesus. How does that help prove they really did see Jesus alive? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    5 min

  7. 6 APR

    Saved by a Fish? – April 6, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260406fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’” Jonah 2:2-9 Saved by a Fish? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. God uses surprising things to save us. Have you noticed that? When a shepherd boy named David had to fight against a giant named Goliath, God used a stone and a sling to give David the victory. Not a sword. A stone and a sling! God uses surprising things to save us. Like a big fish. The prophet Jonah wasn’t facing a giant. He was facing a huge storm on a big sea. Jonah had been thrown from his ship and was sinking down, down, down into the waves. He was sure he was going to die, until God saved him. With what? A big fish! That fish swallowed Jonah, but he didn’t die. Jonah lived inside that big fish’s belly for three days and three nights. Jonah was saved by a fish! All of that led Jonah to say, “Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). Here’s the most surprising part: Do you know why Jonah was sailing across the sea in the first place? He was running away from God. Is that a good idea? No! God had told Jonah to do something he didn’t want to do. Instead of listening to God, Jonah ran away from God. That’s how Jonah got in trouble. He had sinned against God. He didn’t deserve to be saved. But God still sent that big fish to rescue Jonah. Why? Because God still loved him, even though he didn’t deserve it. God forgave Jonah, even though he didn’t deserve it. God used those three days and three nights in the belly of a fish to save Jonah’s life. Just like God used three days and three nights in something else to save you. Someone else spent three days and three nights in a dark place. Do you know who? Jesus did! After he died on the cross for our sins, Jesus was in the dark tomb for three days and three nights. Just like God used that big fish to save Jonah, God used Jesus’ death and resurrection to save us. God uses surprising things to save us, doesn’t he? Like a fish. Like a tomb. Thank you, Jesus! Prayer: Dear Jesus, just like Jonah spent three days in a fish, you spent three days in the tomb to save us. Help us to never run away from you, but when we do, please save us by your grace. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What surprising creature did God use to save Jonah’s life? How long did Jonah spend inside that creature? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why was Jonah running away from God? Give an example of how you have tried to run away from God in your life too. Questions for Middle School and Above Look up Matthew 12:40. How did Jesus compare himself with Jonah? In addition to Jonah’s fish and Jesus’ tomb, describe another surprising thing that God has used to save his people. Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    5 min

  8. 3 APR

    A Death Like No Other – April 3, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260403fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: John 19:17-30 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30 A Death Like No Other In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. When people are very sick or close to dying, their bodies usually become very weak. They might not be able to talk much or think clearly. But Jesus’ death was different. Even while Jesus was suffering on the cross, he knew exactly what was happening. He spoke clearly. He even made sure his mother would be taken care of. The Bible tells us that Jesus knew God’s promises in the Scriptures were coming true right at that moment. At one point Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” That showed he was truly human and really suffering. But it also happened so that God’s promises in the Bible would be fulfilled. Nothing that happened on Good Friday was an accident. Then something very important happened. After Jesus received a drink, he said three powerful words: “It is finished.” What was finished? Jesus was finishing the job God sent him to do. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live. He never sinned—not even once. And on the cross he was paying for all the sins of the world. When he said, “It is finished,” it meant the work of saving us was complete. The Bible says Jesus then bowed his head and gave up his spirit. That means no one took Jesus’ life from him. Jesus chose to give his life for us. Jesus was not helpless. Even while he was suffering, he was still the powerful Son of God who loved us enough to save us. Why did Jesus do that? Because we could never save ourselves. Our sins separate us from God, and we cannot fix that problem by trying harder. So, Jesus did everything for us. He took our sins, paid the price for them, and finished the work of salvation completely. That means your sins are forgiven. You belong to Jesus. And because he finished the work, you never have to wonder if you are saved. Good Friday is a sad day because Jesus died. But it is also a wonderful day—because Jesus finished the work that saves us. Never before had dying been done with so much life, so much power, and so much love. Sin finished with Jesus—so it will never finish you. Prayer: Dear Jesus, on this day we confess that it was our sins that put you on the cross. We deserve nothing but punishment. Yet in your mercy, you endured hell in our place. We give thanks for the ultimate sacrifice you paid to buy us back and give us salvation. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What three words did Jesus say on the cross? What job was Jesus finishing when he said, “It is finished”? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why is it comforting to know Jesus did everything needed to save us? How was Jesus’ death different from how most people die? Questions for Middle School and Above When you feel guilty about something you did wrong, how can Jesus’ words “It is finished” help you remember you are forgiven? How does “It is finished” change the way we think about our works for God? Download Family Devotions     Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
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    18
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