READ: PSALM 119:97-104; JEREMIAH 15:15-17; MATTHEW 4:4

What is your favorite food? Think about how good it feels to eat that food, especially when you’re hungry! Now, listen to what the prophet Jeremiah says: “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty” (Jeremiah 15:16). Have you ever wanted to eat the Bible? Probably not. But Jeremiah did! In this verse, Jeremiah probably didn’t literally eat God’s words, but he used this metaphor to express how God’s words sustained him and filled him with joy, especially at a time when he was worn out from trying to speak God’s truth to people who continually oppressed and mocked him.

Have you ever been hungry for God’s Word like that? Has reading the Bible ever filled you with joy and delight? Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” The Bible is so good, we should want to consume it like a good meal.

Just as we need to eat food every day to give our bodies the strength and energy we need, “eating the Bible” is vital to our spiritual life. That doesn’t necessarily mean we have to read it constantly or think about it every minute of the day. But it does mean we read it regularly so the Holy Spirit can use what the Bible says to transform us from the inside out.

Much like eating food sustains us, hearing about Jesus’s love and promises in His Word gives us the strength we need for each day. When we’re reminded of how Jesus suffered and died to save us from sin, and then rose from the grave to give us new life, it helps us give our burdens to Him and trust Him to lead us. And as we meditate on His love for us, and for the world, it fuels us to extend His love to others through what we say and what we do. • A. W. Smith

• Can you think of a time when something in the Bible encouraged and sustained you? What was that like?

• It can be tempting to read or listen to a devotional (like Unlocked) and count that as our regular Bible reading time. But the truth is that devotionals, helpful as they are, can’t sustain us. Wise words from other Christians can’t sustain us. Only God’s Word can sustain us, and nothing can replace it. If you struggle to spend regular time in the Bible, why not start with the “Read” passages from each day’s Unlocked devotion? If you’re already doing this, great! Consider starting another Bible reading plan to do alongside your devotional, either by yourself or with other Christians.

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Psalm 119:97 (NIV)

READ: PSALMS 23:4; 37:1-9; 139:1-18; ROMANS 8:28-29

Somewhere along in my life, I realized I loved taking photos. To me, it was the most amazing thing to be able to capture a moment forever. A camera is one of the best tools for rendering an image we want to remember. It takes the light and shadows and makes them into a two-dimensional picture we can enjoy. When we look at a photo, we see how the mix of light and shadows creates a beautiful image that we can revisit again and again.

Life can be a lot like a photo. There is light, the good times in our lives. And shadows, the hard times. But unlike with a photo, in life we can’t see the whole picture—only the one small detail we’re in at the moment. And if it’s a hard time in our lives, it’s normal to wonder if God is still in control. But He is. And, unlike us, He sees the big picture. He knows how everything will work out, and He knows the person He’s growing us into.

No matter what we go through, He is using the good times, the hard times, and everything in between to transform us into the people He wants us to be. And He’s crafting a big picture that we get to be part of. He is always working for our good, and He is spreading the hope of Jesus to every corner of creation. We can trust that He knows the outcome of it all, and He is with us, loving us in every moment. • Haley Walts

• Sometimes we really wish we could see the big picture. How does it make you feel to know that God does see the big picture, and He is at work in every part of it for our good?

• While it can be so hard not to know the outcome of situations we’re facing, it can be comforting to remember that we do know the final outcome. Jesus has promised to return one day and restore the world—then there will be no more dark places, no more hard times (Revelation 21:1-5; 22:5). In the meantime, Jesus has also promised to be with us no matter what (Matthew 28:20). Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about what your life is like right now, telling Him about the good things, and the hard and frustrating things, and asking Him to help you notice His presence with you.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

READ: JOHN 13:3-17; 15:7-17; ROMANS 10:9-13; EPHESIANS 2:1-10

The knight Yavain was on the verge of tears as he pulled off his dying comrade’s helmet. “Why on earth would you do that—my life is not any more valuable than yours, Rosalind.”

As he cradled her head, Yavain noticed she wore the royal crest around her neck. He stared in disbelief—he hadn’t known that his friend was also the princess of Carissia. He stumbled over his words and bowed his head awkwardly. “My lady, I am, I—”

“You may dismiss with formalities, Yavain, just speak to me as you would Rosalind. We are friends,” said the princess calmly. “Our lives are both equally valuable and treasured by our God.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” interrupted Yavain. “You’re the princess, your life is perhaps the kingdom’s most valuable life. It should not have been taken in an instant of stupid bravery.”

“Not bravery, tender Yavain.” Here Rosalind used a royal voice to speak to her trembling friend, quelling his nerves. “My Lord’s greatest command is to lay down my life for others, just as He did for me. His love is why I did this.” She paused, tears beginning to stream down her paling face. “He sacrificed Himself for both of us. He has already set you free.” Rosalind’s breath started to waver. “By grace you are saved, Yavain. Believe in Him.”

A moment later she closed her eyes, and was gone. Yavain wept bitterly.

“Why would anyone sacrifice their life like that?” Yavain yelled into the forest. He sat there for a long time, pondering Rosalind’s words, still confused by her final moments. What did she mean I’m set free? Does this God really give a grace that saves me? Yavain felt angry. But something else was beginning to grow deep within his heart, whispering that he was loved. And then, all at once, Yavain knew he wanted to live like Rosalind lived, with a love for God and for others. The Holy Spirit had taken root. • Peter J. McDonough

• In this allegorical story, Rosalind had been transformed by her relationship with God—Jesus’s sacrifice compelled her to love others as He loved her. Yavain wrestled with questions and viewed himself as unworthy of such a sacrifice. Have you ever felt like Yavain? As sinners, we could never deserve God’s love for us, but that is the beauty of Jesus. Even while we questioned and doubted, Jesus left His heavenly throne and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross—all so that we could experience His love and live in restored relationship with Him (Philippians 2:5-11). Consider taking a moment to thank God for His wonderful gift, and ask Him to help you begin to see yourself the way He sees you, as someone loved beyond measure.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NLT)