Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: DEUTERONOMY 31:6; PSALM 46:1; ISAIAH 41:10

When I was little, I was terrified of dogs. Going to family or friends’ homes was always a nightmare when I knew they had a dog. However, one thing that comforted me was knowing that my parents or older siblings would be there with me. I wasn’t alone. I had experienced that if I went to them for protection, they would pick me up, away from the “danger,” or stand in front of me and shield me from my fear, or ask the owners to put the dog outside. No matter what, I was confident in their protection, and I knew they didn’t mind doing it! Their love and care always made being in those situations less stressful.

I realize God is just like that. Just as my family was there for me when I was afraid, He is there for us in intimidating and uncertain situations. He lovingly waits for us to come and ask Him for help, and He loves when we have the confidence to trust Him to protect us.

He doesn’t get tired of us or get annoyed when we keep coming to Him. He opens His loving arms and becomes our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble. • Ellie Stephens

• Can you think of a time someone protected you—maybe when you were a little kid, or maybe more recently? What happened?

• Can you think of a time you experienced God’s protection? What was that like?

• God loves us so much that when we were helpless to save ourselves from sin and death, He rescued us through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Once we put our trust in Jesus, we can look forward to the day He will return and put an end to all the evil and brokenness in our world—then there will be nothing left to fear (Revelation 21:1-5). As we wait for that day, we can rest knowing that we are held safely in God’s arms (Romans 8:35-39). Whenever we’re afraid, God wants us to call to Him. It doesn’t even matter if the danger is real or perceived—He is always happy to reassure us of His love and care (Psalm 34:4). Does it feel like you can count on God’s protection? Why or why not? Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about this.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

READ: EXODUS 20:1-6; 32:1-8; PSALMS 86:12; 135:5-7, 15-18

Over and over again in the Bible, God condemns the worship of idols. The Israelites, God’s chosen people, struggled with idolatry. Even though they repeatedly witnessed God’s power and saw Him work mightily on their behalf, they still turned to human-made images and worshiped them. They turned to statues and other false gods for protection, provision, or sometimes just a little extra “insurance” while they pretended to fully trust in God. It can sometimes seem silly to us as we read through the Bible. How could they put their trust in an object that has nothing to offer them? No personal relationship. No power. Nothing.

The truth is, God created us for worship. We have a yearning, a hunger, a deep desire within us to worship. And if we don’t give our full worship to Him, we will find ourselves worshiping something else. The idols we bow down to are the things we cling to or value more than Jesus. They can set up shop in our hearts and distract us from our need for Him and the life He gives us (John 10:10-11).

While we might think bowing before a golden calf or a wood-carved statue seems silly, what might the Israelites say about how much time and affection we give our phones? Or the time and energy we spend trying to attain popularity, a prominent position on the team, or a starring role in the play? While it’s not necessarily bad to spend time playing sports or rehearsing lines, the problem occurs when we give something our total devotion and turn to it first for our worth and comfort—when we put our identity in anything other than our relationship with Jesus.

Thankfully, we can ask God to show us the idols of our hearts. Where is our attention and affection going? What is the central reason behind the decisions we make? Who or what do we turn to when life feels uncertain or hard? Remember, Jesus delights in us, and He wants us to experience the freedom of finding our identity in Him. He is worthy of all our worship. • Cara Campbell

• God extends forgiveness and help to us every time we stray into idolatry. Consider taking a moment to ask Him to reveal any idols in your life that you’re turning to instead of Him. What kind of trust are you putting in that idol? What are you hoping it will do for you?

• God loves us more than any idol ever could. How does Jesus provide all the things we think our idols will give us? Why is He the only one worthy of our total trust and devotion?

• Who are trusted Christians in your life you can be honest with about the idols you struggle with?

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. Psalm 86:12 (NLT)

READ: HABAKKUK 1:1-11; 2:3, 14; 3:11-19; REVELATION 21:1-5

Ever heard of Habakkuk? This book of the Bible isn’t preached on or discussed very often, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic gem in Scripture. Like the other eleven minor prophet books, Habakkuk provides a snapshot of Israel’s history, one that reveals not only God’s plan but also relates to us today.

The prophet Habakkuk prays a prayer I think many of us have uttered at some point: “How long, LORD, must I call for help?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Simple. Direct. Clear.

Lord, we’re in trouble here. When are You going to step in and help us?

God answers, but not how Habakkuk wanted. God raises up the Chaldean army, the ultimate fighting machine, to invade Judah and imprison the Israelites living there.

Huh? How is that an answer to Habakkuk’s prayer? He wanted an end to the pain, and yet it looked like God was going to make the situation worse. Enslavement by the mighty Chaldeans seemed the unlikeliest solution of all. What Habakkuk didn’t know was that the Chaldeans were merely an object in God’s plan to save His people.

Fast forward 600 years. Israel is awaiting a Messiah, one who would deliver them from their suffering. At that time, it was no longer the Chaldeans who oppressed them but the Romans. So the Israelites wanted a mighty warrior, the ultimate fighting machine who would propel them to victory. Instead, they received Jesus, a wandering rabbi and His ragtag group of followers. Their hopes ended at Calvary, where Jesus hung on a cross and died.

What they didn’t know is that the only means of deliverance—which is what they had been waiting for—was the Messiah’s death, not His army. Jesus’s work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead give us hope now and forever. He was and is our answer to the question, “How long?” • Mike Hurley

• Have you had a situation that made you ask, “How long?” God invites us to be totally honest with Him about how badly suffering hurts us and what we want Him to do about it. He sees, and He cares—so much so that Jesus came to conquer sin and death to save us. So now, we can look forward to the day Jesus will return. Then there will be no more sin or suffering or death (Revelation 21:1-5). In the meantime, we can rest knowing that He loves us and promises to be with us, strengthening us even in hard times. How does knowing Jesus give us hope in suffering?

How long, LORD, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? Habakkuk 1:2 (CSB)

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; JOHN 14:26-27; 15:10-13; 1 JOHN 4:7-19

I was already asleep when my grandpa called, asking for help with Grandma’s diaper. I don’t feel especially loving when sleep-deprived, but the quiet stirring of God’s Spirit within me assured me what the next step was. I slipped on a sweater and puddle boots and stumbled down the darkened dirt road between our house and their snug log home.

With barely open eyes, I pushed open the door into Grammy’s room. She only weighed ninety pounds at that time, but it’s hard to lift someone when they don’t have strength to help.

My cousin and I got Grammy cleaned up and settled in bed. Her osteoporosis was so bad we had to prop the pillows and blankets around her twisted form to make her comfy. There was no way for her to lie straight.

The next night they didn’t need me. Grammy didn’t wake from her deep and quiet slumber. She didn’t wake the next day either. Only once after that late night did she stir, when I stopped by and brushed her white hair off her forehead to give her a kiss and say, “I love you.” She blinked weary eyes at me and said, “I love you too, Honey Girl.” She died the next morning.

Waking to go and help my grandma when she was in need made me so grumpy at the time. Yet, the still small voice of God’s Spirit urged me on, and so I went. As I walk by her house today and miss her—miss having tea from real china cups at her one-hundred-year-old oak table and hearing her urge me to take just one more cookie—what brings me the most joy is knowing our last exchange was one of love.

That late night, it was the Holy Spirit who urged and sustained my reluctant spirit onward. While it was tempting to ignore His call to show love to Grammy, I followed His gentle leading. When we obey—walking in the love of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit—we find true joy. Grammy taught me that. • Kristen Joy Wilks

• How does the truth of the good news of Jesus help us show love? How can loving others show Christ’s love for all of us?

• Have you ever felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit to show God’s love to someone? How can we know when a prompting is from the Holy Spirit? Who are trusted Christians you can talk to about this?

We love each other because he [Jesus] loved us first. 1 John 4:19 (NLT)

READ: LUKE 15:11-32; COLOSSIANS 1:11-14; 2:13-15; 1 JOHN 1:9–2:1

There was no going back. Talia took a step forward, reached out, and grabbed the berry. It was as black as night, blacker than any berry in her home realm, and plump with juice.

“What are you waiting for?” the mage asked.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “Was my life really all that bad?”

“Your father was keeping you from being happy, right?”

Talia shrugged and looked away. “I don’t know. I’ve lived in this dark realm for too long. All I can remember is how much he loved me.” A tear trailed down her cheek, and she wondered where it came from.

“Take a bite. You’ll forget all that once more.”

She lowered the hand holding the berry and looked behind her, down the path from which she had come.

“It’s too late for that,” the mage said. “You knew the deal. Once you accepted my offer, you abandoned that life. There is no way back.”

Another tear fell, and she took a shuddering breath. “I want to go home. I made a mistake.”

He laughed. “You are home, girl. Enough of this. Eat the berry. I’ve other things to do, you know.”

She glared at him. “You tricked me. You promised I would be happy here.”

“Tricked you? You knew exactly what you were doing when you followed me.”

She closed her eyes. It was true. Her father had warned her to stay away from the dark mage. “I was wrong, Father,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Then, as though carried on the breeze, she heard His voice.

Return to me.

Even here, in this dark realm, the power of her father’s love called to her. It wasn’t too late.

Facing the mage once more, she released the berry. It fell on the path and burst, its poisonous juices burning the ground like acid.

He stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “You can’t defy me. You belong to me.”

“Not anymore.” Wrenching her arm free, she turned and ran down the path, the power of her father’s love protecting her and guiding her steps.

She was going home. • Jessica McFarland

• Have you ever felt like Talia in today’s allegorical story—that you had gone too far for God’s love to reach you? Bad decisions can lead us to dangerous places. But Jesus always comes for us, always offers us a way home. He died and rose again to forgive us and set us free from sin. Because of His powerful love, we can choose to reject the sins we thought we wanted, and we can listen to His voice instead (Psalm 119:32). Are there any sins you want to give up, but you feel stuck in? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about these, asking Him to show you how He is providing a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:14-16). In addition to talking to Jesus, who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to about this—people who will listen with compassion, encourage you in your walk with Jesus, and pray with you and for you?

• Sin is very powerful, but God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice are even stronger. What does Colossians 2:13-15 reveal about our sin and God’s power?

• If you want to know more about how Jesus rescues us from sin and death, and what it means to put your trust in Him, see our "Know Jesus" page.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (WEB)