Max Lucado Daily: FINISH THE RACE - May 28, 2026
The Christian race is demanding, grueling, and sometimes agonizing. It takes a massive effort to finish strong. But many don’t. They may come to church and warm a pew, but their hearts aren’t in the race.
Jesus is the classic example of one who endured, in spite of temptation, accusations, and shame. The devil tempted Jesus nonstop for forty days. Jesus’ own family called him a lunatic. And, on the cross, he bore the collective shame of all humanity. How did he endure? By focusing on “the joy that God put before him”—that was the prize of heaven. And what he saw gave him strength to finish—and finish strong.
Someday we will be seated, and Christ will christen the meal with these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And in that moment, the race will have been worth it.
Just Like Jesus
2 Samuel 13
Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David’s son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David’s son, was in love with her. Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn’t see how he could get his hands on her. Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Amnon, “Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what’s eating at you.”
“In a word, Tamar,” said Amnon. “My brother Absalom’s sister. I’m in love with her.”
5 “Here’s what you do,” said Jonadab. “Go to bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, ‘Have my sister Tamar come and prepare some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.’ ”
6 So Amnon took to his bed and acted sick. When the king came to visit, Amnon said, “Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Tamar come and make some nourishing dumplings here where I can watch her and be fed by her.”
7 David sent word to Tamar who was home at the time: “Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him.”
8–9 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house. She took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when she took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn’t eat.
9–11 Amnon said, “Clear everyone out of the house,” and they all cleared out. Then he said to Tamar, “Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy.” She took the nourishing dumplings she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, sister!”
12–13 “No, brother!” she said, “Don’t hurt me! This kind of thing isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this terrible thing! Where could I ever show my face? And you—you’ll be out on the street in disgrace. Oh, please! Speak to the king—he’ll let you marry me.”
14 But he wouldn’t listen. Being much stronger than she, he raped her.
15 No sooner had Amnon raped her than he hated her—an immense hatred. The hatred that he felt for her was greater than the love he’d had for her. “Get up,” he said, “and get out!”
16–18 “Oh no, brother,” she said. “Please! This is an even worse evil than what you just did to me!”
But he wouldn’t listen to her. He called for his valet. “Get rid of this woman. Get her out of my sight! And lock the door after her.” The valet threw her out and locked the door behind her.
18–19 She was wearing a long-sleeved gown. (That’s how virgin princesses used to dress from early adolescence on.) Tamar poured ashes on her head, then she ripped the long-sleeved gown, held her head in her hands, and walked away, sobbing as she went.
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon had his way with you? Now, my dear sister, let’s keep it quiet—a family matter. He is, after all, your brother. Don’t take this so hard.” Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s home, bitter and desolate.
21–22 King David heard the whole story and was enraged, but he didn’t discipline Amnon. David doted on him because he was his firstborn. Absalom quit speaking to Amnon—not a word, whether good or bad—because he hated him for violating his sister Tamar.
23–24 Two years went by. One day Absalom threw a sheep-shearing party in Baal Hazor in the vicinity of Ephraim and invited all the king’s sons. He also went to the king and invited him. “Look, I’m throwing a sheep-shearing party. Come, and bring your servants.”
25 But the king said, “No, son—not this time, and not the whole household. We’d just be a burden to you.” Absalom pushed, but David wouldn’t budge. But he did give him his blessing.
26–27 Then Absalom said, “Well, if you won’t come, at least let my brother Amnon come.”
“And why,” said the king, “should he go with you?” But Absalom was so insistent that he gave in and let Amnon and all the rest of the king’s sons go.
28 Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. Then he instructed his servants, “Look sharp, now. When Amnon is well into the sauce and feeling no pain, and I give the order ‘Strike Amnon,’ kill him. And don’t be afraid—I’m the one giving the command. Courage! You can do it!”
29–31 Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what their master ordered. All the king’s sons got out as fast as they could, jumped on their mules, and rode off. While they were still on the road, a rumor came to the king: “Absalom just killed all the king’s sons—not one is left!” The king stood up, ripped his clothes to shreds, and threw himself on the floor. All his servants who were standing around at the time did the same.
32–33 Just then, Jonadab, his brother Shimeah’s son, stepped up. “My master must not think that all the young men, the king’s sons, are dead. Only Amnon is dead. This happened because of Absalom’s outrage since the day that Amnon violated his sister Tamar. So my master, the king, mustn’t make things worse than they are, thinking that all your sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”
34 Absalom fled.
Just then the sentry on duty looked up and saw a cloud of dust on the road from Horonaim alongside the mountain. He came and told the king, “I’ve just seen a bunch of men on the Horonaim road, coming around the mountain.”
35–37 Then Jonadab exclaimed to the king, “See! It’s the king’s sons coming, just as I said!” He had no sooner said the words than the king’s sons burst in—loud laments and weeping! The king joined in, along with all the servants—loud weeping, many tears. David mourned the death of his son a long time.
37–39 When Absalom fled, he went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. He was there three years. The king finally gave up trying to get back at Absalom. He had come to terms with Amnon’s death.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Thursday, May 28, 2026
by Tim Gustafson
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
Leviticus 26:40-45
“On the Other Hand, If They Confess …”
40–42 “On the other hand, if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors, their treacherous betrayal, the defiance that set off my defiance that sent them off into enemy lands; if by some chance they soften their hard hearts and make amends for their sin, I’ll remember my covenant with Jacob, I’ll remember my covenant with Isaac, and, yes, I’ll remember my covenant with Abraham. And I’ll remember the land.
43–45 “The land will be empty of them and enjoy its Sabbaths while they’re gone. They’ll pay for their sins because they refused my laws and treated my decrees with contempt. But in spite of their behavior, while they are among their enemies I won’t reject or abhor or destroy them completely. I won’t break my covenant with them: I am God, their God. For their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I, with all the nations watching, brought out of Egypt in order to be their God. I am God.”
Today's Insights
The word translated “confess” (yadah) in Leviticus 26:40 can also be translated “praise” (Genesis 29:35; Psalm 18:49) or “give thanks” (Psalm 7:17). The first time in the Bible, however, this word carries the idea of “confession” is in Leviticus 5:5: “When anyone becomes aware that they are guilty . . . they must confess in what way they have sinned.” Here we find a guiding principle: When sin is exposed, it should be acknowledged and confessed. Sometimes, the Scriptures and the Spirit bring conviction from within. At other times, God uses people and circumstances to help us see what we can’t or are unwilling to see. Regardless of how the discovery comes, the prescription remains the same: Our relationship with God is restored when we confess and take responsibility for our sin. As John writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Learn more about the gift of confession.
It Was Me
If [Israel] will confess their sins . . . I will remember my covenant with Jacob. Leviticus 26:40-42
In an old movie comedy, a bumbling but brilliant programmer is chosen for the first manned mission to Mars. Constantly making foolish mistakes, the programmer has a habit of blurting out, “It wasn’t me!” When the crew lands on Mars, the programmer slips from the top of the ladder and falls to the planet’s surface—just before his partner sets foot on it. The first words spoken on Mars are, “It wasn’t me!”
It’s a farcical story, but that programmer’s phrase is hauntingly realistic. Whenever there’s blame to go around, our response can sound a lot like, “It wasn’t me!”
God desires our obedience. But He also knows we’re prone to disobey Him. In Leviticus 26:1-13, God outlined His plan for Israel. If they obeyed His commands, He said, “I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers” (v. 9). But habitual disobedience would bring curses and afflictions designed to bring the people to repentance. Then God said that if disobedient Israel would “confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors” (v. 40), He would remember His covenant with them.
The key to restoring relationship with God is our admission of what we’ve done wrong. Blaming others keeps us trapped in the guilt cycle, powerless to vindicate ourselves.
Feeling far from God? A good place to start is by saying, “It was me.”
Reflect & Pray
What is your reflexive reaction when you might be to blame for something? Think of a time when you’ve been truly honest with God. What did it look like?
Loving God, I want to be honest with You about _______.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Unquestioned Revelation
In that day you will no longer ask me anything.— John 16:23
When is “that day”? It is when the resurrection life of Jesus manifests itself inside you, and the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. Then, says Jesus, “you will no longer ask me anything.”
Until the resurrection life of Jesus is manifested inside you, you may often find yourself confused and wanting to ask questions. After his life has been established in you, the questions begin to fade, until finally none remain. At this point, you know that you have come to the place of complete reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, a place of perfect contact with God’s purposes. Are you living that life now?
In this place of perfect contact, you find that many things are still dark to your understanding—yet none have the ability to come between your heart and God. That is why Jesus says that, in that day, “you will no longer ask me anything.” You will not ask because you will not need to ask. The command given in John 14:1—“Do not let your hearts be troubled”—will describe the real state of your heart, and you will know, beyond a doubt, that God is working everything out according to his purpose.
If something is a mystery to you and it is coming between you and God, don’t look for the explanation in your intellect; look for it in your disposition. Your disposition is what is wrong. When you have submitted yourself entirely to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear. You will have come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and his child, because the Lord has made you one.
2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
For the past three hundred years men have been pointing out how similar Jesus Christ’s teachings are to other good teachings. We have to remember that Christianity, if it is not a supernatural miracle, is a sham.
The Highest Good, 548 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Lost In Our Language - #10273
May 27, 2026
Scripture: Colossians 4:3-4
I was teaching at a national seminar on how to communicate an unchanging Christ in our rapidly changing culture. Well, at the end of a session, a pastor from Kentucky came up to tell me his story he thought really illustrated some of what I had been saying. He said, "When I was a young man, we used to have some big tent revivals in my community. Each night an invitation was given for folks to come forward if they wanted to be, well as this country preacher would always say, 'borned again.'" The pastor went on to describe how some of the deacons would actually go out into the audience and go row-to-row, and shall we say they were "encouraging" folks to make that choice. Near the back, one of the deacons came to a young man who gave him an honest and memorable response. The deacon said, "Son, do you want to be borned again?" To which the boy said, "No." The deacon pressed the point, "Why don't you want to be borned again?" The young man answered in all seriousness, "Cause I'm afraid this time I'd come out as a girl!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Lost In Our Language."
Okay, first we can laugh at what that boy said. Then, when we're done laughing, let's think about what we can learn from a response like that. The preacher used words that the preacher understood, but apparently not everyone who was listening understood. It's a classic example of the problem with a language called "Christianese." It's the language we church folks speak without even thinking, and the language that folks who desperately need our message don't begin to understand.
Many of our "Christianese" words are good Bible words, but words that a lot of lost people around us just don't know. For just a moment, try to "think lost." Think to think like a lost person. Think what a person without the context of a Christian environment hears when we say words like "accept" or "receive Christ as your personal Savior." We receive packages today, not people, and when we accept someone, we treat them right. When you try to hear what a lost person hears, words like "salvation" and "saved" and "become a Christian" are either not understood or they're vastly misunderstood. Oh, and "born again."
In a world without absolutes, the word "sin" has become a word without meaning to many people, as much as the word "believe." Most people would probably say "yes" if you asked them if they believe in Jesus. And you'll know that they don't mean what the Bible means when it says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Even the word "Savior" is not one that people use much today. They're great words, but the people who need Jesus the most have no idea what they mean or have the wrong idea. That's what makes our word for today from the Word of God such a mission critical prayer for any of us who know people that we want to take to heaven with us. In Colossians 4:3-4, listen to Paul, "Pray for us that God may open a door for our message...Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should."
It's not enough to just transmit the Good News about Jesus. No, like good missionaries, we need to ask God to help us translate it into non-religious words that lost people can understand. If a man came running into the room you're in, shouting in say Swahili, "The room is on fire! Evacuate immediately!" you'd probably go, "Well, he sounds sincere; I think he has something important to say." But you'd have no idea what he was saying, because it wasn't in words you could understand. It's not in your language, and you might die as a result. And that's no matter how important the message and no matter how sincere the messenger.
The spiritually dying people around us hear us Christians announcing our all-important life-or-death message, often in words they don't understand. Yes, the gospel's life-or-death information that literally eternities depend on. So, we can't afford for them to get lost in our language, or they might be lost forever.
