Daily Devotional for Today
Today’s five-minute devotional is Lamentations 3:21–23, which says God’s mercies “are new every morning.” Read the passage slowly, spend two minutes with the reflection below, pray the short prayer, and choose one step to take before the day ends. It works on any day, whatever yesterday held, and you can repeat the pattern tomorrow with a new passage.
Today’s passage: Lamentations 3:21–23
About one minute. Read these verses slowly, twice. The first time, just take in what they say. The second time, notice which word or phrase stays with you.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21–23
Reflection: where do you need new mercy today?
About two minutes. The words of Lamentations 3:21–23 weren’t written on a good day. The book is a set of laments over Jerusalem after it was destroyed and its people were carried into exile. Just a few verses earlier the writer says, “My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD” (Lamentations 3:18). Then he turns. “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”
Notice where the writer’s hope comes from. His circumstances haven’t changed, and he doesn’t claim to feel better. He deliberately calls something to mind: God’s mercy has not run out. The word “consumed” in verse 22 means wiped out completely, and the reason he and his people still stand is that God’s “compassions fail not.” Yesterday didn’t use up today’s supply. Each morning brings mercy enough for that day.
Jesus taught something similar: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34). “Take no thought” means don’t be anxious. You only have to live this day, and God meets you in it.
Take a moment with these questions:
- What from yesterday am I still carrying that God has already met with mercy?
- What in the next 24 hours worries me most?
- What do I need to “recall to my mind” about God’s faithfulness today?
A prayer for today
About one minute. Pray these words slowly, or use them as a starting point for your own.
Lord, thank you that your mercies are new this morning. I bring you what I’m still carrying from yesterday: [name it]. I bring you what worries me about today: [name it].
Remind me that your compassions do not fail and that your faithfulness is great. Give me what I need for this day, and help me leave tomorrow in your hands. Show me one way to love you and the people around me today, and give me the grace to do it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
One step for today
About one minute. James wrote, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). Choose one small thing and do it before bed:
- Return to the verse once. At a stressful moment, say quietly, “great is thy faithfulness.”
- Let go of one thing from yesterday. If you need to apologize or make something right, do it today.
- Write down one mercy. Tonight, note one specific way God was kind to you today.
- Show mercy to someone else. Give someone the fresh start God has given you: patience, a kind word, a debt forgiven.
What should I read tomorrow?
Keep the same four parts: one passage, a short reflection, a prayer, and one step. If you want a week of passages to start with, try these, one a day:
- Psalm 23 — the Lord as your shepherd in every valley.
- Matthew 6:25–34 — Jesus on worry and daily provision.
- Psalm 139:1–12 — known and never out of God’s reach.
- John 15:1–11 — abiding in Christ like a branch in the vine.
- Philippians 4:4–9 — prayer, peace, and what to think about.
- Romans 8:31–39 — nothing can separate you from God’s love.
- Matthew 11:28–30 — Jesus’ invitation to the weary.
The Today with God card in the Jesus Says app follows this same shape each day: one verse, one reflection, one prayer, one step. If you are new to faith, the 7-day devotional for new faith walks through the basics, and how to pray according to the Bible can help when prayer feels unfamiliar.
For help choosing a passage and making room to read, reflect, and pray, the quiet-time guide offers a simple practice you can adapt to the time you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a daily devotional take?
Five to fifteen minutes is enough for most people, and five honest minutes kept every day will shape you more than an hour you only manage now and then. Read one short passage, think about it, pray, and choose one way to act on it. On busy or hard days, one verse and a one-line prayer still count.
What is the best time of day for a devotional?
Many people choose the morning, following Psalm 5:3, “in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee,” and Jesus’ habit of praying early (Mark 1:35). But Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10), and evening works well too. The best time is one you can keep. Tie it to something you already do, like coffee, a commute, or bedtime.
What if I miss a day?
Start again today. A devotional is time with God, not a streak to protect, and missing a day doesn’t put you behind with him. Skip the catch-up reading and don’t punish yourself. If you miss often, make the practice smaller, perhaps one verse and one sentence of prayer, until it fits your real life.
Is a devotional the same as Bible study?
Not quite. A devotional is short and personal: you read a few verses to meet God and respond to him today. Bible study goes deeper into context, history, and meaning, often over a whole book. Both are good, and they feed each other. If a devotional passage grabs you, read the whole chapter or ask your pastor about it.
Can I use the same passage more than once?
Yes. Staying with one passage for several days can let it sink in. Many Christians return to the same psalm or Gospel story for a week, noticing something new each time. Lamentations 3:22–23 is a good one to come back to on hard mornings, and Psalm 23 or the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 can carry you through a difficult season.
