WELS Family Devotion

WELS
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Semiweekly

WELS Family Devotions

  1. 7h ago

    The World’s Worst Excuse – June 29, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260629fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Exodus 32:15-29 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?” “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Exodus 32:21-26 The World’s Worst Excuse In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever been caught doing something wrong and tried to come up with an excuse really fast? Maybe a broken lamp. A missing cookie. A messy bedroom. Sometimes when we know we did something wrong, we try to think of a reason why it wasn’t really our fault. Back when schoolwork was done in notebooks and worksheets, the excuse frequently made fun of was the silly, sad lie claiming, “My dog ate my homework.” Most people knew that excuse wasn’t true. But excuses aren’t just for homework. We all make excuses when we don’t want to admit we did something wrong. When we are young, we may not realize just how wrong our excuses sound. As we age, maybe we get a little wiser in the ways of this sinful world, but still our excuses all fall flat. Because we have a sinful nature, we face a lifetime of struggle with our natural tendency to excuse or minimize our sins. “It wasn’t me. She started it.” “Everybody else was doing it.” “I didn’t mean to.” How easily these excuses still come to us. Consider what took place in Exodus 32. Moses came down the mountain with two stone tablets engraved by God himself. On them were written the Ten Commandments. God told Moses what the children of Israel had done while he was meeting with God. The children of Israel had made a golden calf and worshipped it as if the idol had led them out of Egypt. That sin, like all our sin, is obvious to our all-knowing God. God had done so much for his people, so they would know he loved them and would protect them: the plagues, the Passover, the parting of the sea, a visible presence in cloud by day and fire by night. But still they built an idol and worshiped it. When caught in this sin, how does Aaron, the brother of Moses respond? He blamed others. He minimized the sin and came up with the sad, silly lie: “I threw it in the fire and out came this calf!” Can you imagine that? Aaron wanted Moses to believe that he tossed some gold into a fire and—poof!—a golden calf just appeared all by itself. It was a pretty ridiculous excuse. Moses knew from his own life how dangerous it is to make excuses and minimize sin. When the people sinned—and when we sin—God didn’t stop being their God. Instead of answering our excuses, God, in love, gave us the only answer for our sin. God used Moses to call them back. God had promised the people the perfect substitute who would shed his blood so God’s people would go free. Jesus came to be the only answer for our sin. He is our sinless sacrifice. We don’t need excuses, but honesty. Confess our sins and hear God’s forgiveness for us in Jesus. Share it and speak it to one another. No excuses, just honesty from our holy and loving God. Prayer: We thank you, dear God, for the gift of forgiveness we need today and every day. Give us the honesty to confess our sins to you who know them and the confidence to trust our forgiveness by your mercy and 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 When is the last time you heard the words, “I forgive you”? When is the last time you said the words, “I forgive you”? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why can it sometimes be hard to say, “I was wrong” or “I’m sorry”? What are some of the ways we are reminded of God’s forgiveness in our worship service? Is the fact that God knows all things about us sometimes scary, sometimes comforting, or both? Why? Questions for Middle School and Above Can you recall and talk about with the whole family when being honest and admitting fault right away would have been far better than making excuses? God had shown his love in vivid ways to the children of Israel. What are some of the ways you know God has shown his love to you that you can be sure of God’s forgiveness? 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

  2. 3d ago

    Safe in God’s Care – June 26, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260626fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 10:5a,21-33 [Jesus said] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:29-33 Safe in God’s Care In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Imagine you saw a job description that read something like this: WANTED: Someone willing to work long hours for little pay. You won’t see your family as much. Some people won’t like you. Some may even be angry with you. You might have to leave your home and travel to new places. Your job will never end. Would you want that job? That doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? It’s not so different from what Jesus told his disciples when he sent them out to tell others about him. Jesus wanted them to know that sharing God’s Word would not always be easy. And Jesus doesn’t just send pastors and missionaries. He sends all of us to tell others about him. Sometimes people don’t want to hear about Jesus. Sometimes they disagree with what God says. Sometimes they may even make fun of Christians. That happened to Jesus’ disciples. All of them suffered. Most of them gave their lives for their faith because they shared the good news about Jesus. But Jesus didn’t tell those things to scare them. He told them something better. Jesus said: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” (verse 29). Sparrows are tiny birds. Most people barely notice them. But God notices every single one. “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (verse 30). God knows everything about you. He knows your name. He knows your thoughts. He knows your joys and your fears. And because he loves you so much, Jesus says: “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (verse 31). What a promise! When Jesus sends us to share our faith, he doesn’t send us alone. He walks beside us. He watches over us. He cares for us every day. So, imagine reading this instead: WANTED: Someone to see God’s love every day. You’ll walk side-by-side with a Savior who never leaves you. There will be challenges, but you never need to be afraid. God will care for you so closely that he even knows how many hairs are on your head. And one day you’ll live with him forever in heaven. You don’t have to imagine it. That’s exactly the life Jesus has given you. Prayer: Jesus, help me see the beautiful, challenging, wonderful, grace-filled life you’ve called me to, and let me speak your Word faithfully here until you bring me faithfully home to 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 Why do you think Jesus talked about sparrows? What does it mean that God knows even how many hairs are on your head? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why can you be brave when you talk about Jesus or share your faith? Who is someone you know that shares Jesus with others? Pray for them together. Questions for Middle School and Above Jesus says that following him can sometimes be hard. If nobody has ever given you a hard time because you’re a Christian, does that mean you aren’t sharing your faith well? Why or why not? What does Jesus promise to do for those who acknowledge him before others? (see verse 32) 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

  3. 5d ago

    Don’t Scratch the Itch! – June 24, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260624fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-8 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:2-4,7-8 Don’t Scratch the Itch! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A man went to the doctor because his ear hurt badly. But the pain wasn’t even the worst part—the itching was! As the doctor examined him, he discovered something awful: there were bugs inside the man’s ear. While the man was sleeping, a fly had laid eggs there. That sounds disgusting, doesn’t it? But what made the problem even worse was this: every time the man scratched his itchy ear, he pushed the bugs farther inside. Scratching the itch only made the problem worse. When something itches, we really want to scratch it. But Paul says the same thing can happen with God’s Word. Paul wrote a letter to a young pastor named Timothy, warning him that people would someday have “itching ears.” Paul didn’t mean people’s ears would actually itch. He meant people would look for teachers and pastors who would tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. Maybe someone wants to hear that their sins are “not a big deal.” Maybe they want to hear that it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe something. Maybe they want someone to tell them they never need to forgive others or help hurting people. Paul says people sometimes look for “itch-scratchers”—teachers who make them feel good instead of telling them God’s truth. But scratching an itch doesn’t heal the problem. It only makes it worse. We all have “itches.” There are parts of God’s Word that are hard for us to hear. Sometimes God tells us to confess sins we don’t want to admit. Sometimes he tells us to forgive someone when we don’t want to. Sometimes he tells us to love people who are difficult to love. But God doesn’t want teachers who simply scratch our itchy ears. He gives us pastors, teachers, parents, and Christian friends who tell us the truth—even when it’s hard to hear. Why? Because God loves us too much to leave us trapped in sin. May God give us preachers, not “itch-scratchers!” May they rebuke us when we need it, so our sins don’t destroy our faith, and may they always point us to the great gift of salvation we have in Jesus. That truth may not scratch our itch—but it heals our hearts, opens our ears to truth, and someday, will place a crown of eternal life on our heads! Prayer: When my ears itch, O Lord, I want someone to scratch them. Instead, bless me with people who will tell me your true Word. Instead of scratching my itch, heal my heart. 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 In today’s devotion, a man’s ear was hurting horribly. Why did scratching make the problem worse? Paul talked about “itching ears.” What do you think that means? Questions for Elementary Age Children God says people won’t “put up with sound doctrine.” That means they don’t want to hear what God really says. Why do people sometimes want teachers to tell them only what they want to hear? Paul said a “crown of righteousness” was waiting for him. What wonderful gift was Paul talking about? Questions for Middle School and Above What are some things God says in the Bible that can be hard for us to hear? When we look for a church, what is the MOST important thing we should look for? 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

  4. Jun 22

    When God’s Word Burns Inside You – June 22, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260622fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Jeremiah 20:7-13 If I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah 20:7-13 (selected verses) When God’s Word Burns Inside You In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever had good news that you wanted to tell, but you weren’t allowed to yet? Maybe you knew about a surprise party or that your mom was going to have another baby, but you were told, “Don’t tell anyone yet!” When you have news that’s so exciting like that, it’s hard to keep it in. You just want to burst out! That’s a little like what happened to the prophet Jeremiah. God gave him a message to share with God’s people. Part of the message warned them about their sins. But it also included the promise of God’s love and forgiveness. Jeremiah said that he tried not to speak God’s Word, it felt like a burning fire inside him. It was hard to keep it in! But there was a problem. People didn’t always like hearing God’s message. When Jeremiah warned people about their sins, they became angry with him. They even hated him and tried to hurt him. Can you imagine how hard that must have been? It hurt Jeremiah when he didn’t speak God’s Word, but it also hurt him when he did. You probably can! Because God shared his Word with you. You know that sins separate us from God, and when you see people you love who don’t believe in God or are living in sinful ways, you care about them and want them to know Jesus. And more than that, you love to tell people about God’s grace and forgiveness. Sometimes it feels hard to keep that good news inside! But maybe you’ve experienced something else too. Maybe you told someone what God says about sin or told them about Jesus—and they didn’t believe you. Maybe they laughed, rolled their eyes, or didn’t want to listen. That hurts too. Jeremiah didn’t find a way to make it stop hurting. Instead, he remembered that his Savior was with him. That gave him courage to speak—and it gave him comfort when speaking God’s Word brought him pain. Jesus is with you, too, and has placed his promises in your heart. He promises to help you speak with courage, kindness, and love. So, don’t hold his promises in! Prayer: Lord, thank you for putting your Word in my heart. Help me also keep your Word on my mouth, so that others can hear what you’ve done. Give me courage to speak your Word truthfully, and grant that other people believe. 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’s a time you had exciting news that was really hard to keep secret? People were mad at Jeremiah for sharing God’s Word. Has someone ever been mad at you for telling them about what God says? Questions for Elementary Age Children Jeremiah said God’s Word felt like a fire burning inside him. Why do you think he described it that way? Pick a pastor, teacher, or other church leader who shares God’s Word—even when it’s hard. Pray for them. Questions for Middle School and Above Jeremiah felt hurt whether he stayed quiet or spoke up. Why do you think he still kept sharing God’s message? What comfort gave Jeremiah courage at the end of the reading? And how does it help you when the truth of God’s Word is hard to hear or to share? 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

  5. Jun 19

    You Matter More Than You Think – June 19, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260619fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 9:35–10:8 [Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Matthew 9:35–10:8 (selected verses) You Matter More Than You Think In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Quick: How many of the twelve apostles can you name? Maybe you remembered Peter, John, or Matthew. But what about Thaddaeus? Or Simon the Zealot? Did you know there were actually two disciples named James and two named Simon? Don’t worry if you can’t remember all their names. Most people can’t! That might seem surprising because the disciples were Jesus’ closest followers. The Bible doesn’t actually tell us much about them. There’s a reason for that. The Bible isn’t about them; it’s about Jesus and the salvation that he was bringing into the world. But that does NOT mean those disciples were unimportant. Jesus taught them, traveled with them, and gave them two incredible jobs to do. First, Jesus told them to PRAY for more workers to share God’s Word. Jesus said there were many people ready to hear about him—like a huge field ready for harvest. So, Jesus told his disciples to “beg” God to send more workers into the field. Then right after Jesus told them to pray for workers, Jesus sent THEM out to be the workers! Those disciples traveled all over the world telling people about Jesus. Some went to faraway countries (Italy, Africa, India). Some faced danger. Some were laughed at or hurt because they believed in Jesus. But they kept sharing the good news anyway. And even though most people today don’t know much about those disciples, billions of people know about Jesus because of them. That teaches us something important: You do not have to be famous to matter. Maybe someday people won’t remember your name hundreds of years from now. That’s okay. God can still use you in wonderful ways right now. Here are your two incredible jobs: First, you can pray for missionaries, pastors, teachers, and Christians who share Jesus with others. And you can also be part of the answer to your own prayer when you tell someone about Jesus yourself. Second, every time you show kindness, invite someone to church, tell a friend about Jesus, or remind someone that God loves them, God is using YOU too. Prayer: Heavenly Father, I believe that you love the world and want all people to believe in Jesus. Please send more people out to share that message. And Father, give me a chance to be the answer to that prayer as you give me opportunities to share my faith, too. 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 Which disciples of Jesus can you remember? What important job did Jesus give his disciples? Questions for Elementary Age Children Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful.” What do you think he meant by that? Who is someone God has used to teach you about Jesus? Questions for Middle School and Above Why is it encouraging to know that you don’t have to be famous to matter to God? Jesus told the disciples to pray for workers and then sent them out to work. What lesson does that teach us? 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. Jun 17

    What Makes a Good Pastor? – June 17, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260617fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: 1 Corinthians 4:1-7 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 What Makes a Good Pastor? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. John the Baptist ate bugs. Real bugs! The Bible says he ate locusts—kind of like giant grasshoppers—and wild honey. Elijah wore strange clothes. Instead of nice soft clothes, he wore a rough coat made from camel’s hair and a big leather belt. Moses stuttered. When God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh, Moses said, “I’m slow of speech and tongue.” That makes us wonder: What kind of person does God use to preach and teach his Word? People in the city of Corinth were wondering the same thing. Some people were starting to pick their “favorite pastors.” Maybe some liked the smartest preacher. Maybe others liked the funniest one. Maybe some liked the preacher who told great stories or spoke really loudly and confidently. People still do that today, don’t they? But Paul said the most important thing to look for in a pastor or teacher is this: Are they faithful to God’s Word? Of course, it’s wonderful when pastors and teachers are kind, interesting, funny, or good speakers. But the most important thing is that they teach what God says faithfully and truthfully. Why? Because God describes his message as a mystery. A mystery is something we could never figure out on our own. We need someone to reveal it to us. So God sends us pastors, preachers, teachers, elders and other leaders to share this message that we could never figure out unless God had told us. No one would ever guess on their own that God loves sinners so much that he sent Jesus to save them. We might think we have to earn God’s love by being good enough. But God reveals the wonderful truth: Jesus already did everything needed to save us. Forgiveness and heaven are gifts from God. And who does God use to share that message? Sometimes surprising people! People who eat bugs. People who aren’t fancy speakers. People who have weaknesses and sins. But when they faithfully teach God’s Word, they are exactly the kind of preachers and teachers God wants his people to have. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for revealing the mystery of your love to me. Bless us with pastors and teachers and help them be faithful in their work. 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 strange things did John the Baptist, Elijah, and Moses each have? Why do you think God sometimes uses surprising people to serve him? Questions for Elementary Age Children What are some things people sometimes care about too much when picking favorite leaders or pastors? According to Paul, what matters most about a preacher or teacher? Questions for Middle School and Above Why is the message of Jesus called a “mystery”? When people criticize us or we are upset at our leaders, why is it important to remember that God works through imperfect 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.

    4 min

  7. Jun 15

    Who Takes Care of God’s People? – June 15, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260615fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Numbers 27:15-23 Moses said to the LORD, “May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses. Numbers 27:15-23 (selected verses) Who Takes Care of God’s People? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. When a family has a new baby, mom and dad start thinking about a really important question: “Who would take care of our child if something happened to us?” That can be a hard thing to think about. Parents might talk about grandparents, aunts, uncles, or close friends. They think carefully about who loves their children, who will protect them, who will help them, and who will keep teaching them about Jesus. Parents spend lots of time praying about it because they love their children so much. Moses thought about something like that too. For 40 years, Moses had helped take care of God’s people, the Israelites. He led them through the hot wilderness, helped settle arguments, prayed for them, warned them when they sinned, and reminded them again and again about God’s promises. In many ways, Moses cared for the people like a shepherd cares for sheep. But now Moses knew he would not be going into the Promised Land with them. Because of a sin from earlier in his life, God told Moses that Joshua would become the new leader instead. Moses would soon go home to heaven. So Moses prayed to God. He didn’t want God’s people to be left all alone without someone to guide them. He asked God to give the Israelites a faithful leader. God chose Joshua. Joshua would lead the people into the Promised Land. But Joshua wasn’t perfect either. Moses wasn’t perfect. None of God’s leaders are perfect. And that’s important for us to remember. God still gives us leaders today—parents, teachers, pastors, principals, coaches, and others. Sometimes those leaders make mistakes because they are sinners too. But God still works through them to care for us, teach us his Word, and point us to Jesus. The best leaders are not the ones who are perfect. The best leaders are the ones who keep leading people back to Jesus. And the greatest leader of all is Jesus, our Good Shepherd, who never sins, never fails us, and promises to lead us safely all the way to our heavenly home. Prayer: Almighty God, you lead us through this life to our true Promised Land—our home in heaven. Our parents, our pastors and teachers, and all of our other leaders aren’t perfect. But as they lead us, help them guide us by your Word and your perfect love. 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 Why do parents carefully think about who would take care of their children? Why did Moses ask God to give the people a new leader? Questions for Elementary Age Children Moses said the people needed a “shepherd.” What does a shepherd do for sheep? How are leaders like shepherds? Who is the only perfect leader we have? What makes Jesus different from every other leader? Questions for Middle School and Above Sometimes we don’t like having leaders over us. But why is the thought of being without a leader a little scary? Moses sinned, but God still used him for many years. What does that teach us about the kinds of people God works through? 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. Jun 12

    Used to Be – June 12, 2026

    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260612fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9 Used to Be In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Have you ever been stuck with a nickname or remembered for something embarrassing? Maybe you were the kid who spilled milk in the lunchroom, forgot your lines in a program, or got in trouble at school. Sometimes people remember our mistakes for a long time. That’s kind of what happened to Matthew. Before Matthew followed Jesus, he was a tax collector. That meant he collected money for the Roman government. Most Jewish people did not like tax collectors at all. They thought tax collectors were greedy, unfair, and friends with the enemy. Some tax collectors even cheated people and kept extra money for themselves. So most people probably stayed away from Matthew. They may have whispered about him or pointed at him when he walked by. But then Jesus did something amazing. Jesus walked right up to Matthew and said, “Follow me.” Can you imagine how shocked the crowd must have been? “Wait . . . Jesus wants HIM to follow?” But Jesus saw more than Matthew’s old job or past mistakes. Jesus saw someone he loved. Jesus forgave Matthew and gave him a new life. Matthew became one of Jesus’ disciples and even wrote one of the books of the Bible! Did you know that Jesus does the same for you? That might sound silly, you’re not a tax collector. But you aren’t always perfect either. We can be selfish, rude, grumpy, lazy, or mean. Maybe there are times when people remember us for bad choices we made. But Jesus doesn’t only see your mistakes. Jesus says to you too, “Follow me.” Because of Jesus, your sins are forgiven. You are not just “the kid who messed up.” That’s what you used to be—You are God’s child. Jesus makes you a new creation and helps you grow to live for him every day. And just like Matthew, you get to tell other people about Jesus too! Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for calling me to follow you and making me your new creation. Give me the strength to live according to this new life you’ve given me. 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 Who did Jesus call to follow him? What job did Matthew have before he followed Jesus? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why didn’t people like tax collectors? Why do you think people were surprised that Jesus talked to Matthew? Questions for Middle School and Above Keep reading the rest of Matthew’s story (verses 10-13). Where did Jesus go next? How does Jesus treat people differently than the world does? 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
See All (18)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

WELS Family Devotions

Information

  • Channel
    WELS
  • Creator
    WELS
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © WELS 2021 Copyright. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    WELS Family Devotion

More From WELS

You Might Also Like