Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

• Treasure in Clay Jars

  READ: ISAIAH 9:2; 42:6, 16; 2 CORINTHIANS 4 In Israel in 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd was bored while tending his goats. To amuse himself he picked up a stone and threw it into a cave. To his amazement the sound of something breaking echoed about him. He investigated and stumbled upon clay jars with scrolls in them. He had discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most ancient copies of most of the Old Testament texts. These scrolls are over 2,000 years old, and they hold unimaginable value for biblical scholars—and all other Christians too. They are a great treasure. This discovery illustrates an important facet of our Christian life. When we accept Jesus, we’re given a great treasure: the message of the gospel. His light is now in our lives! We might consider ourselves unworthy or unable to spread the message of salvation to others. We might think we’re unworthy or unable to live the life God calls us to live. And the truth is, by ourselves, we aren’t worthy. We are like fragile clay jars. But it’s what’s in us that’s important. We are now children of the light, and we have the Holy Spirit in us (1 Thessalonians 5:5)! Because of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to tell others about a Savior who loves us so much that He came to earth as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead to make the way for us to be with Him forever. God knows that we’re frail and we can’t do anything on our own, like clay jars. And yet, He gave us a treasure He wants us to share with others, and He gave us His Holy Spirit to help us carry out that mission and live the life He calls us to live. •Morgan A. Mitchell • Have you ever tried to follow God’s good ways and share the gospel through your own power? How did that go? We all fall into this from time to time, but that’s not how God calls us to live. He invites us to rely on Him every day, trusting Him to work through us to do things we couldn’t do by ourselves—like understanding Scripture, turning away from sin, being patient with others, loving our enemies, etc. Consider spending some time in prayer, asking God to show you any places you’ve been relying on your own power instead of His Holy Spirit. • Isn’t it amazing that, once we know Jesus, we get to carry the treasure of the gospel and God’s presence with us all the time? How could this truth affect the way you live your life? We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) 

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• Sword and Song

  READ: 2 CHRONICLES 20:1-30; PSALM 149 Sweat stung my eyes as I practiced the intricate steps of my deadly dance. For the final step, I had always had trouble remembering not to hold my breath, so I imagined myself blowing a dandelion and scattering the seeds as I leapt into the air, swinging my sword in a wide arch. “You are ready,” Uyanga bowed her head in approval before turning to go. What if I don’t feel ready? Gazing up at the starry heavens, I resolved to trust and whispered the prayer I was taught as a young child: May the praise of Gerel be in my mouth and a double-edged sword in my hand. That night, I was awakened out of a deep slumber by the sound of the horn, a signal of alarm. The Children of Gerel gathered close to listen to Uyanga. “A vast army is coming against us; we must seek Gerel.” One after another, people recounted Gerel’s power and might. I listened as those around me prayed: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Then Commander Batu climbed on a boulder and raised his hands high. “Do not be afraid, Children of Gerel! The battle is not ours; it belongs to Him! Stand firm and see how He will deliver us!” The following morning as we journeyed to the desert to meet our adversaries, we were not silent. As one, the Children of Gerel sang: “May the praise of Gerel be in our mouths and a double-edged sword in our hands! We praise Your Name, Gerel! Your love endures forever!” All around us, as the enemy closed in, we continued to sing and praise. Suddenly, a brilliant light flowed from our mouths and reflected off our swords. To the left, a portion of the army marching toward us fell down, dead. To the right, the advancing enemy seemed to be dissolved by the light surrounding them. Ahead, their weapons were rendered useless. And behind, Gerel set an ambush. The Children of Gerel turned in every direction, joyfully shouting, for our enemies had been defeated. I threw back my head and laughed with abandon. All my training, all the grueling hours of building muscle and wielding my sword…to find the ultimate weapon was praise. • Savannah Coleman • Today’s allegorical story is inspired by 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, when a vast army was coming against Judah. Instead of allowing panic to set in, Jehoshaphat “resolved to inquire of the LORD,” and all the people of Judah gathered to seek God (verse 3-4). Jehoshaphat reminded the people that the God of their ancestors, whose power and might had been displayed time and time again, was able to save them. Jehoshaphat knew that he and his people were not able to save themselves, and he encouraged them to fix their eyes on the one who was able (verse 12). While the people of Judah sang and praised God, He delivered them by sending ambushes against the army invading them (verse 22). So, when the army of Judah arrived at the battlefield, their enemies were already fallen. Consider taking some time to read 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 slowly. How is this Old Testament story similar to today’s fictional story? How is it different? • Centuries after Jehoshaphat led the people in praise, Jesus came to fight the greatest battle of all. When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, He defeated sin, death, and the devil so that we could become God’s children. Though we were not able to save ourselves, He chose to deliver us because He loves us. Now, if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is with us through every struggle, fighting on our behalf. And when Jesus returns, all suffering and sorrow will be gone for good. If you want to know more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page. • When you or someone you love is going through a difficult situation, it’s...

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• Night and Day

  READ: PSALMS 3:5; 4:8; 127:2; ISAIAH 26:3-9 The darkness of night is a reminder to be still and quiet. When I am in bed, there is nothing I can do to change my life or situation. When worries come up, I cannot fix them. That is not the time to consider all that is bothering me or all that I need to do. When night comes, it is time to ask God to take my worries and fears and help me to get the rest I need for the next day. I am only human. There is only so much I can do. I can’t keep going all day and into the night. I can’t fix everything that is broken in my life on my own. I need God’s help. I need strength that comes from Him. In the darkness of night, I ask for peace. When morning comes, I ask God to lead me. I don’t always know where to go, but He can help me. I might not always feel like I am doing enough, but when I trust my life and my time to God, I don’t have to worry. Night and day, He will sustain me. • Bethany Acker • Because Jesus endured the violence of death on a cross and then rose from the dead, we can have peace and rest. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that He is always with us, and His peace is always available to us. How could remembering Jesus’s presence with us give us comfort when we go to bed, whether we struggle to sleep or not? • The Bible says we can rely on God to take care of us while we sleep, even when we’re in dangerous situations or we have a lot to get done. Yet, the Bible also talks about times when godly people didn’t feel peaceful at night and struggled to sleep (Psalm 6:6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:27). Thankfully, Jesus promises to be with us all the time, both when we feel peaceful, and when we feel anxious. He knows that sometimes it’s hard for us to trust Him with all the things in our lives, and He gently reminds us that He is trustworthy (Matthew 6:25-34; 11:28-30). Consider choosing one of today’s verses to read every night this week before you go to sleep. • Sleep is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Sometimes we need help to give our bodies the sleep we need, and that’s okay. If you have difficulty sleeping, who is a trusted adult you can talk to, such as a parent, counselor, or doctor? The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. Psalm 74:16 (NIV) 

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• Your Talent, God's Kingdom

  READ: EXODUS 35:30–36:3; ROMANS 12:4-8; EPHESIANS 2:10 Do you ever feel unimportant, maybe a little invisible? Like you can’t make a difference? These feelings come from our enemy, Satan. If we feel small, he is doing his job well. But God encourages us to be led by what He says about us, not by how we feel. Our feelings aren’t always based on the truth, but His Word is truth. And, like good food, His Word gives us nourishment (Matthew 4:4; 1 Timothy 4:6). Here’s one thing the Bible says about you: You are infinitely important to God. He loves you so much that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave for you—all so that you could be part of God’s kingdom. And, if you know Jesus, you can make a difference in the world because He has given you gifts and talents to use to glorify God and bless others. Do you have any hobbies, interests, or activities you take part in? Maybe sports, music, or art. Those are perfect examples, but there’s so much more! In Exodus 35, the Holy Spirit filled a man named Bezalel with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts “to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts” (verse 32-33). The Bible goes on to say that God gave Bezalel and another craftsman named Oholiab the ability to teach others. There were also embroiderers and weavers and designers! God filled many with these amazing talents. And for what purpose? At this point in time, it was for the construction of the sanctuary. The Bible goes on to say that these crafters built the tabernacle (the house of worship) and the Ark of the Covenant, and they also made curtains, priestly garments, and many other items used for worship. So, what about you? Do you love to read, crochet, shoot archery, or build or fix things? How about cook? Whatever you are good at, that is a blessing from your heavenly Father. And if you know Jesus, His Holy Spirit helps you use all your talents to glorify God. • Carrie Cwynar • Take another look at Exodus 35:30–36:3. Because God equipped these people, they were able to craft many important parts of the sanctuary—creating a visible and central place for the people to worship God together. How might God be inviting you to use the interests and abilities He has given you to bless your community and glorify God? I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12 (NIV) 

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• Double the Love

  READ: ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:9-10; 1 JOHN 3:16; 4:19 For my birthday one year, I expressed a desire for a chia pet. I’m not sure what appealed to me about these plant “pets.” They consisted of a clay flowerpot, usually shaped like an animal, that you filled with water. The water soaked through to the exterior of the flowerpot where it would nourish chia seeds spread into thin grooves in the clay. Ideally, the seeds would sprout and flourish, and the owner would end up with a lush miniature garden in the shape of a kitten, a llama, or maybe a hedgehog. Though I didn’t expect to open one of these on my birthday, it turned out I received two. First, my cousin Geneva mailed me one. Then, my friend Brenner shipped me one. Two chia pets, both in the shape of a hippo! Even though I tried, I never could grow the hippo-shaped greenery. But I certainly did feel loved by Geneva and Brenner. They loved me well. God knows we need each other. At the time of Creation, He formed Adam and then—declaring that it wasn’t good for this man to be alone—God fashioned Eve (Genesis 2:18). He created human beings to know Him and experience His love. And even after we rejected God, He sent His Son to die in our place so we could enter a relationship with Him. So now, as His forgiven children, we can revel in His love for us. And because He loves us, He provides others to love us too. Jesus laid down His life for us. That’s how we know what love is (1 John 3:16). When brothers and sisters in Christ bless us with affection and tenderness— especially in ways they know will connect with us—we get glimpses of Christ’s generous love. I hope to overflow the love of Christ to others, as Brenner and Geneva did for me, because I have experienced that love for myself. • Allison Wilson Lee • Have you ever received a thoughtful gift, a kind word, or some other gesture of love that spoke to you in a personal way? • Who is one person in your life who shows you God’s love? If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to connect you with someone in the future or help you notice people He has already placed in your life. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22 (NIV) 

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