Max Lucado Daily: UPWARD, NOT INWARD - October 21, 2026
We’d rather be spared the storm. Or if the storm comes, let it be mild and our deliverance be quick. Let the job dismissal come with a severance package and an offer of a better position. Let the marital strife turn quickly to romance. Sometimes it does.
But when it doesn’t, when we are thorax-deep in turbulence, Jesus wants us to know his name and hear him saying, “I am coming.” Such was the experience of the disciples. The moment they invited Christ into their boat was the moment they reached their destination. “So they gladly took Him aboard. And at once the boat reached the shore that they were making for” (John 6:21 Phillips).
Follow the example of the disciples. Welcome Jesus into the midst of this turbulent time. Don’t let this storm turn you inward. Let it turn you upward. Remember my friend, you are never alone.
You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence & Power
Song of Solomon 4
The Man
1–54You’re so beautiful, my darling,
so beautiful, and your dove eyes are veiled
By your hair as it flows and shimmers,
like a flock of goats in the distance
streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.
Your smile is generous and full—
expressive and strong and clean.
Your lips are jewel red,
your mouth elegant and inviting,
your veiled cheeks soft and radiant.
The smooth, lithe lines of your neck
command notice—all heads turn in awe and admiration!
Your breasts are like fawns,
twins of a gazelle, grazing among the first spring flowers.
6–7The sweet, fragrant curves of your body,
the soft, spiced contours of your flesh
Invite me, and I come. I stay
until dawn breathes its light and night slips away.
You’re beautiful from head to toe, my dear love,
beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless.
8–15Come with me from Lebanon, my bride.
Leave Lebanon behind, and come.
Leave your high mountain hideaway.
Abandon your wilderness seclusion,
Where you keep company with lions
and panthers guard your safety.
You’ve captured my heart, dear friend.
You looked at me, and I fell in love.
One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!
How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend—
far more pleasing than a fine, rare wine,
your fragrance more exotic than select spices.
The kisses of your lips are honey, my love,
every syllable you speak a delicacy to savor.
Your clothes smell like the wild outdoors,
the ozone scent of high mountains.
Dear lover and friend, you’re a secret garden,
a private and pure fountain.
Body and soul, you are paradise,
a whole orchard of succulent fruits—
Ripe apricots and peaches,
oranges and pears;
Nut trees and cinnamon,
and all scented woods;
Mint and lavender,
and all herbs aromatic;
A garden fountain, sparkling and splashing,
fed by spring waters from the Lebanon mountains.
The Woman
16Wake up, North Wind,
get moving, South Wind!
Breathe on my garden,
fill the air with spice fragrance.
Oh, let my lover enter his garden!
Yes, let him eat the fine, ripe fruits.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
by
Nancy Gavilanes
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
Job 1:13-22
Sometime later, while Job’s children were having one of their parties at the home of the oldest son, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing in the field next to us when Sabeans attacked. They stole the animals and killed the field hands. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”
16While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”
17While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Chaldeans coming from three directions raided the camels and massacred the camel drivers. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”
18–19While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they died. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.”
20Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped:
21Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth.
God gives, God takes.
God’s name be ever blessed.
22Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.
Today's Insights
Amid Job’s extreme pain, his words reflected a worshipful understanding of the sovereignty of God (Job 1:21). The psalmist also recognized God’s power and authority and said, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). Believers in Jesus find the same comfort knowing that God controls all things, and nothing happens apart from His eternal gaze. The apostle Paul celebrated God’s sovereignty with these words: “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever!” (Romans 11:35). Today, when we experience trials, we can take our pain to God knowing that our lives are under His watchful care.
For further study, read: Grieving with Those Who Grieve
Grace in Grief
[Job said,] “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21
The world watched the news in horror as the sightseeing helicopter flying over the river tore into pieces. As the main rotor and tail broke off, the cabin plunged into the waters below, with the pilot and a family of five trapped inside. Just days after the tragedy that had taken the lives of his sister, brother-in-law, niece, and two nephews, the brother was at the site honoring his loved ones. “They left together,” he said.
Life can change in a moment, leaving us reeling from loss we can’t explain. Job also suffered unspeakable loss and sorrow. One tragic day, messengers told Job that his servants had been killed and his livestock were stolen or dead (Job 1:13-17). Then Job received even more devastating news. While his seven sons and three daughters were together, a mighty wind caused the house they were in to collapse, killing them (vv. 18-19). “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship” (v. 20). In anguish, Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (v. 21).
Job didn’t know why he had to suffer, but even in his darkest hour he worshiped God. Breaking His silence, God reminded Job of His great wisdom and power, and he was able to trust God’s sovereign plan (chs. 38-42).
We may never understand why tragedies strike, but we can take our pain to God, who comforts us.
Reflect & Pray
When has God comforted you during a tragedy? How can you trust Him in your grief?
Dear God, please help me trust You even when I’m suffering.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Impulse
Building yourselves up in your most holy faith . . . — Jude 1:20
There was nothing impulsive and nothing cold-blooded about our Lord, just a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the line of our own impulses rather than along the line of God. Impulsiveness is a natural human trait, but our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple.
Watch how the Spirit of God checks our impulses. His checks bring a rush of self-consciousness that instantly makes us want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is fine in a child but disastrous in a man or a woman; an impulsive adult is always a petulant adult. Impulsiveness has to be trained into intuition by discipline.
Discipleship has no impulsiveness in it; it is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy in an impulsive burst of courage, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is a different thing. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matthew 14:29)—but he also walked far with Jesus on the land. We don’t need the supernatural grace of God in order to weather crises; human nature and pride are sufficient for that. But we do need his grace in order to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, to go through drudgery as a child of God, to live an ordinary, unobserved, ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We think that we have to do exceptional things for God, but this isn’t true. We have to be exceptional in ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, and this isn’t learned in five minutes.
Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Survivors To The Rescue - #10378
Scripture: Jude 1:23
Each season in the U.S. seems to bring its beauty and its unique dangers. In the spring, think tornado, for example. In the summer and fall, some of us know what the word hurricane is all about. In the mountains in winter, it’s important to be aware that that season’s snowy beauty may also bring with it the danger of deadly avalanches. Every winter, we hear about some people who lose their lives as these massive chunks of snow suddenly break loose. But every once in a while, we hear about lives being saved. I remember a few years ago, the rescuers were there not long after an avalanche, and they immediately started digging for survivors. In minutes, they pulled out one skier who was not only grateful to be saved, but in remarkably good shape for what he had been through. And the news reported that after that man was rescued, he didn’t just head for a warm place to recover. He actually joined the rescuers, working side by side with them to save other lives. And they did!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Survivors To The Rescue.”
A person is saved from a deadly situation and they instinctively go back to help save someone else. That’s exactly how lives are saved eternally. The rescued are supposed to turn around and be the rescuers. When they’re not, they make it out, but they leave others to perish. It’s not supposed to be that way.
If someone rescued you spiritually by telling you about Jesus Christ, then the eight words in our word for today from the Word of God are personal orders from God to you. Jude, verse 23, simply says, “Snatch others from the fire and save them.” The implication is that you got snatched from the fire, now go back and get someone else.
That was instinctive for Andrew the day he met Christ. The Bible says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ … and he brought him to Jesus.”(John 1:41-42) And Simon, of course, became the great leader of the apostles, Simon Peter.
My guess is that when you first discovered the love of Jesus for yourself, you had that Andrew instinct. You may not have done the best job of explaining Jesus at that point, but you just knew that people you cared about had to have the same chance you had. That’s how the rescue work of Jesus has gone on for 2,000 years – rescued people become rescuers of others.
But as time has gone by, have you become content to just find a warm spiritual spot among other people who are already headed for heaven; you believe the beliefs and you live as if the reason you were rescued is to enjoy the fellowship of the others who’ve been rescued? No, you were rescued to rescue.
Oh, we have our excuses for our silence about our Savior. “I’m afraid, I’m inadequate, I’m imperfect, I don’t know enough, I might mess it up.” Well, look at who Jesus used to bring an entire Samaritan village to Him – a woman with the worst reputation in town, a woman who had just met Jesus, but she knew enough to say, “Come see a Man” (John 4:29). “Come on, check out Jesus.” If Christ could use her to be His ambassador to her tribe, He can surely use you to be His ambassador to yours. They’ll listen to you because you walk the same trail they do – much more than they might listen to some “professional rescuer” who comes from outside their world. You’re in their world with them.
Hundreds of people were rescued from the sinking Titanic by being in lifeboats. But those same people refused to turn those lifeboats around to rescue the people who were in the lifejackets in the water, even though a lot of lifeboats were half empty. And 328 people died because the people who had been rescued did nothing about the people who were dying all around them.
You’re in the lifeboat “Jesus.” Please, turn your lifeboat around and help pull some others to life.
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