Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: GENESIS 27:41-45; 32:3-6; 33:1-11; ROMANS 5:6-11

The story of Jacob and Esau is a roller coaster. These twin brothers started fighting before they were even born (Genesis 25:21-23). Jacob’s name can be translated “trickster,” and he lived up to it. Jacob stole Esau’s birthright (the unique privileges Esau had as the firstborn) and later tricked their dying father into giving him Esau’s special blessing (Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-45).

No wonder Esau wanted to kill his brother! Jacob had stolen Esau’s inherited property, power, and prestige. Because of Jacob’s wrongdoing and Esau’s anger, their relationship was broken, and Jacob feared it would never be fixed.

But, twenty years after Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, God did something amazing: He brought Jacob and Esau back together—and He reconciled them. Upon hearing Esau was on his way, Jacob was terrified to meet with his brother, thinking he might kill him. But on the night before the brothers met, God appeared to Jacob. Jacob wrestled with God all night. Later, Jacob said, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared” (Genesis 32:30).

Then, when the brothers saw each other the next day, Esau ran to Jacob, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. They even wept together. Jacob told Esau, “To see your face is like seeing the face of God” (Genesis 33:10). This doesn’t mean Esau looked like God. It means Jacob recognized how deeply he had wronged his brother and how little he deserved Esau’s forgiveness. So, when Esau forgave Jacob, it was a reminder of God’s undeserved forgiveness.

Our God is a reconciler. We, like Jacob, have committed wrongs against God that we can never hope to make right. But God loves us, and He wants to be with us. So, from the time Adam and Eve first sinned, God has been reconciling His people to Himself, first through the law, priests, and prophets—and ultimately through Jesus’s death and resurrection. And one day, Jesus will return, resurrecting us from the dead so we can enjoy being with Him for all eternity!

Every time we reconcile with someone, we get a glimpse of that ultimate reconciliation. And if God reconciled Jacob and Esau, He can reconcile anyone. • Taylor Eising

• Why does God care about our broken relationships with other people?

• Reconciliation doesn’t always happen overnight. It took twenty years for Jacob and Esau! When we’re waiting on reconciliation, how can the hope we have in Jesus give us comfort?

And through him [Jesus] to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 (NIV)

READ: PSALM 119:97-104

I used to read my Bible because I felt like it was something I was supposed to do. I thought I had to read a chapter a day, minimum, and that’s usually what I did. I read one chapter at the end of the day and left it at that.

In recent years, though, I’ve completed a number of different Bible reading plans using an app on my phone. These plans always require multiple chapters each day. And somewhere along the way, I went from feeling like I have to read my Bible every day to wanting to read it. Now, I look forward to reading both at the start of my day and at the end of it—and sometimes in between too, if I have free time or I simply want to spend some extra time with God. What once would have made me tired—and maybe even bored—is something I now love!

Sometimes we have to sort of force a habit in order to get used to doing something regularly. But, when we do, we often find we start to love what we’re doing. The Bible offers so much—it’s the amazing story of God’s relentless love for us, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (John 20:31). And the more we read it and meditate on its truth, the more we come to love what’s inside its pages. The Holy Spirit uses the truth of Scripture to transform us from the inside out, helping us know God more deeply. In fact, we often find that the more time we spend in Scripture, the closer He feels. What a tremendous gift from God! • Emily Acker

• Have you ever had a strong desire to read and understand the Bible? There is so much richness in God’s Word, and we have a whole lifetime to dig into it. It’s normal to go through seasons when we’re hungry for the Bible, as well as seasons when reading the Bible feels boring, difficult, or annoying. Thankfully, in every season Jesus is with us. He never gives up on us, and He always invites us to spend time with Him in His Word, both by ourselves and with other believers. This could look like reading long passages, or listening to just a few verses and meditating on them, etc. How could you spend time in the Word this week?

I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:48 (NIV)

READ: PROVERBS 3:1-8; MATTHEW 11:28-30; JAMES 1:5

When I try to figure my life out, that’s when it tends to feel the most overwhelming and confusing. When I entrust it to God, that’s when I have peace.

When I try to think too far into the future, I feel uncertain. When I look to God to lead me step by step, I feel much better.

God is a great planner. He is a great leader. In fact, He’s the best. And He invites us to seek Him and rely on Him through every situation and decision. We don’t have to be worried or afraid.

When I have decisions to make in life, I like to carefully weigh my options. I like to take my time and consider every possible scenario. But even when I do all that, I can still be left feeling stressed.

It’s easy to forget that I can trust God with the situation. I don’t have to be obsessed with it. Sure, I still need to make decisions and work toward things, but I can do this more peacefully when I remember that He loves me, He wants to guide me, and He will help with all the details. There’s no need to worry because Jesus is there with me through it all.

God cares about us and where our lives are going. Whenever we’re overwhelmed or confused, He has compassion on us. He invites us to entrust all our worries to Him and seek His wisdom and guidance. He will make the next step clear to us in His good timing. • Bethany Acker

• Can you think of a time God helped you feel peace about a future situation or decision? Or a time something turned out better than expected? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

• Especially when we’re overwhelmed, it’s easy to forget that God wants to help us! Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you discern His guidance—people who love spending time in God’s Word and in prayer, and whose lives display the godly wisdom described in James 3:13-18?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (CSB)

READ: ISAIAH 55:9; ROMANS 8:28-39; 11:33-36

“I’m not going to make you take out any stinky potatoes this time.” My grandma laughed as my sisters and I entered her house to help with some chores. I smiled. I was okay with the smelly task we’d done before—and all the jokes that had come from it.

Growing up, I would join my siblings in helping my grandparents care for their home. One time, that required me and my sister to take some potatoes that had gone bad out to the garbage. Those potatoes smelled, and my grandma was pretty embarrassed about it. The task wasn’t a fun one, but we got it done. For weeks afterward, my grandma would joke when we arrived— she knew nothing we did after that would be quite as disgusting.

The potatoes might have been stinky, and they might have gone bad, but they gave me many good memories. The task of taking them out and cleaning up after them wasn’t fun, but some of my best memories of my grandma have to do with her laughing over them.

As I was thinking about this the other day, I realized that sometimes God gives us gifts that don’t seem like gifts at first. Sometimes we face something difficult—or have to deal with something gross—and it isn’t until later that we see how God blessed us as He brought us through it.

The potatoes might be a silly example, but I know that God works in ways we don’t always understand. Sometimes we end up on a funny path, and that’s how He shapes us. Remember, we never walk those paths alone. Jesus is always with us, even when we deal with difficult or gross things. And in the end, we might be surprised when we end up being blessed with good memories. • Emily Acker

• Can you think of a time you went through something difficult or gross, and then in hindsight you saw how God brought blessing out of it—maybe even through community or humor? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this!

• What are some of the rotten potatoes in your life right now? Are there any ways you’ve seen God bring good out of these situations, or are you still waiting? (Remember, sometimes we won’t see the good until Jesus returns, but we can know that God is always at work.)

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: PSALM 27:1; JOHN 1:1-5; 8:12; 16:33; COLOSSIANS 1:11-22

How do you detect a fake? The best way to spot counterfeits is to be intimately familiar with the real thing. Based on this idea, the United States government offers an online currency education program so the public can study the security features of various bills. The better acquainted a person is with the real currency, the less likely they will be deceived by fakes.

Studying original currency allows us to detect counterfeits. In the same way, when we grow in our relationship with Jesus by studying the truth of the Bible, God’s Word, we learn to detect Satan’s lies. In a world rife with terror, oppression, deception, and injustice, it can be so easy to fall into believing lies—counterfeit truths that say darkness and evil have overcome.

Yet, the opening verses of the book of John remind us that Jesus, the Word, was present at the beginning of the world, and He is with us still: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). The better acquainted we are with Jesus, the Light, the more we understand His power over sin and evil. As we pray and read the Bible—both individually and with other believers—the Holy Spirit deepens our understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ.

With this understanding, we are less likely to be deceived by the appearance of evil’s dominance. Jesus has already defeated sin, death, and the devil through His own death and resurrection! Whatever darkness we encounter, the Light of the world shines through. He will always overcome it. • Remi Oyedele

• Have you ever spotted a counterfeit? The devil is the father of lies, and he uses counterfeits all the time (John 8:44). He tries to trick us into believing that darkness is winning because he wants us to fall into despair. And these lies can be so sneaky, often we don’t even realize we’re believing them. Thankfully, God has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people to help us. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can remind you of the gospel (the good news of Jesus) and help you identify lies you might be believing? (For more about the gospel, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

• The best way to guard ourselves against the enemy’s counterfeits isn’t by studying the lies—it’s by spending time with Jesus and resting in His love. How could you set aside time for this today?

The light [Jesus] shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (NIV)