Kingdom Incarnate Part 9 Devotionals
Day 1: The God Who Weeps
Devotional Have you ever felt that your pain was too much for others to handle? That your grief was too heavy to share? Many of us carry our sorrows alone, believing that no one could truly understand. But there’s something profound we learn from Jesus at Lazarus’s tomb. Despite knowing He would soon perform a miracle, Jesus wept. The Creator of the universe, the One who holds all power, chose to enter into human grief and share in it. This wasn’t just a display of emotion – it was a demonstration of His deep love and compassion for us. When we hurt, He hurts. When we grieve, He grieves. This intimate portrait of Jesus shows us that we never walk through our valleys alone.
Bible Verse
‘Jesus wept.’ – John 11:35
Reflection Question
What areas of pain or grief have you been hesitant to bring to Jesus, thinking they might be too much for Him to handle?
Quote Jesus cares deeply for us and what we go through. Jesus loved his friends. You’re his friend, he loves you.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for being a God who enters into our pain rather than standing distant from it. Help me to trust you with my deepest hurts, knowing that you understand and care. Give me the courage to bring my whole heart to you. Amen.
Day 2: Unafraid of Our Mess
Devotional We often try to clean ourselves up before approaching God. Like hiding a messy room when guests are coming over, we attempt to conceal our brokenness, thinking it might repel Him. But Jesus demonstrates a different reality. At Lazarus’s tomb, despite the warnings about the stench of death, Jesus commanded the stone to be rolled away. He wasn’t repelled by the decay; He moved toward it with purpose. This same Jesus moves toward our mess today. He’s not waiting for us to get our act together. He’s not standing at a distance until we figure everything out. He steps right into our chaos, our brokenness, our ‘stench’ – because that’s exactly where His transformative power works best.
Bible Verse
But Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ – John 11:39
Reflection Question
What areas of your life have you been trying to clean up before bringing them to God?
Quote Jesus isn’t afraid of the mess and the brokenness in our lives. He’s not afraid of the stench of humanity. It’s exactly why he came.
Prayer
Father, thank you that you’re not afraid of my mess. Help me to stop hiding and start trusting you with every broken piece of my life. Thank you for your transforming power that works even in my darkest places. Amen.
Day 3: From Death to Life
Devotional Life change doesn’t happen in isolation. Just as Lazarus needed others to remove his grave clothes after Jesus called him forth, we too need community in our journey from death to life. When Jesus performed this miracle, He involved others in the process. Some rolled away the stone, others unwrapped Lazarus from his grave clothes. This pattern continues today. While Jesus alone has the power to bring spiritual life, He often uses His people to help each other walk in that new life. We need fellow believers to encourage us, speak truth to us, and sometimes help us unwrap from old patterns and beliefs that no longer fit our new life in Christ.
Bible Verse
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ – John 11:25-26
Reflection Question
Who has God placed in your life to help you walk in your new identity, and how can you be that person for someone else?
Quote We help each other move from death to life. Iron sharpens iron.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of community. Help me to be both humble enough to receive help and available to help others. Show me how to live out my new life in Christ alongside fellow believers. Amen.
Day 4: Living as a Fragrant Offering
Devotional When Jesus transforms a life, He doesn’t just remove the old – He creates something new and beautiful. The same power that raised Lazarus from death transforms us from bearing the stench of death to becoming a sweet fragrance of life. This transformation isn’t just for our benefit; it’s meant to draw others to Christ. When we live in the freedom and joy of our new life in Christ, it becomes noticeable to others. Our lives become living testimonies of God’s transforming power, attracting others to the hope we’ve found in Jesus.
Bible Verse
Then Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ – John 11:39
Reflection Question
How has your life become a testimony of God’s transforming power, and how can you let that light shine more brightly?
Quote See, when you live that life that you’re called to, it’s attractive. It is a fragrant offering to the Lord and it attracts others to the Lord.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for making me new. Help me to live in such a way that others see Your transforming power in my life. Use me to draw others to You. Amen.
Day 5: Stepping Into Freedom
Devotional Freedom in Christ isn’t just a future promise – it’s a present reality. Just as Jesus called Lazarus out of his tomb, He calls us to step out of whatever has been holding us captive. Whether it’s past regrets, current struggles, or fears about the future, Jesus’s resurrection power is available now. But like Lazarus, we must respond to His call. We must choose to step out of our tomb, allow others to help remove our grave clothes, and walk in the new life He provides. This journey begins with a simple ‘yes’ to Jesus, but it continues as we daily choose to walk in the freedom He provides.
Bible Verse
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ – John 11:44
Reflection Question
What ‘grave clothes’ is Jesus asking you to leave behind as you step into the freedom He offers?
Quote Let Jesus rob that grave in your life.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for the freedom you offer. Give me courage to step out of my tomb and leave behind whatever has been holding me captive. Help me to fully embrace the new life you provide. Amen.
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