Saturday, 12 July’s devotional
Romans 8:28–30.
The 5:30 a.m. alarm blares. The toddler cries. The inbox is already stacked. The pressure of Monday comes fast and unrelenting. But right there, before the to-do list takes over, you can start with a greater truth. Paul writes that “we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose… those he predestined, he also called… justified… glorified” (Romans 8:28–30, CSB).
Mark began his sermon acknowledging that “we live in a world of uncertainty, a world of pressure, a world of pain.” But he also declared with assurance that “we are confident in suffering because we are confident in God’s plan to conform us to Christ.” Your Monday is not meaningless. Your stress is not wasted. Every thread is being woven by a sovereign hand.
God’s work stretches from eternity past to eternity future. Mark said, “Your salvation from eternity past to eternity future is his sovereign work.” Before you woke up, before you lifted a finger, God had already written your story in love. And today’s plot line, however small or hard, is part of His perfect plan to shape you into the likeness of His Son.
This changes how you start your day. Not scrambling, but praying. Not controlled by chaos, but surrendered to Christ. Mark put it clearly: “Believer, walk into Monday with this confidence. When stress screams, declare, ‘God is sculpting Christ’s endurance in me.’” And now we learn to say, not just to ourselves, but to Him, “Lord, shape Christ in me.”
So before you reach for your phone or open your laptop, stop and pray: “Lord, I don’t know what today holds, but I trust that You are using it to make me more like Jesus.”
Start today not with your to-do list, but in prayer: “Lord, I don’t know what today holds, but I trust that You are using it to make me more like Jesus.”
At breakfast or the dinner table, pray together: “Father, use today—every part of it—to shape us to be more like Jesus.”
What’s one way you can turn today’s chaos into a prayer of trust in God’s purpose?
Father, I don’t need to know what’s ahead today. I only need to know that You are with me and You are at work. Shape Christ in me, through every task and every trial. Amen.
This week’s series of blog posts have been created from Mark’s notes. Read them for additional insight into the passage.
Watch the sermon here.
This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon notes. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.