WELS Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s Devotions

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260601ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:14-17 Say it Out Loud: God Loves Sinners “Why is the sky blue? How do planes fly? Why is the ocean salty?” These are just a few questions that you may have heard a child ask, and they may have made your head spin a bit when thinking how you might offer up a response. Some adults respond to a child's question with a simple, “I don't know.” That answer never satisfies a curious child, of course. Similarly, that answer does not usually satisfy the adult brain either. What if someone asked you this question: “Why did Jesus save mankind?” I do hope that your answer would not be the same as the one you might have given to a child's questions about the color of the sky or the saltiness of the ocean. Paul gives us the answer to this profound question in his letter to Timothy. Why did Jesus save mankind? Jesus saved mankind because he is gracious! “Undeserved love.” That is a common definition for the word grace. As Paul writes to Timothy, Paul recalled how he himself was a persecutor of Christians, saying he was the “worst of sinners.” Paul did not deserve God's love, but “the grace of our Lord was poured out on [Paul] abundantly” (v. 14). Can't we all place ourselves in the category of sinners? What sin has been plaguing you lately? Have you cut corners in your job, had an outburst at your children, or gossiped behind a friend's back? We all have sins that plague our consciences. We have failed to live up to God's standard of perfection. From a purely human perspective, we don't know why God would save sinners like us. But God knows. God knows that he does not desire the death and damnation of any sinner. God knows that he is slow to anger and that his patience covers every time you've been impatient with your coworkers or family. God knows that his mercy is unlike any mercy or love we've been shown on this earth. In his grace—his undeserved love—God sent his only Son Jesus to be what we could not be: perfect. Jesus lived the life we could not and died the death of a sinner so that we didn't have to. Finally, he completed the resurrection that we never could. And all of this gives God honor and glory for ever and ever. Now, we do the same. Martin Luther summarizes this truth so nicely in the Small Catechism, “All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.” You never have to answer the question, “Why did Jesus save mankind?” with a frivolous, “I don't know.” Jesus died to save us because of his love for us, because of his mercy, and because of his grace. Just as Paul knew the effects of God's love, so do you. Now go and share that wonderful news with anyone who needs to hear it this week. God's grace and love ever be with you as you do! Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, friend of sinners, we thank you for showing us undeserved love. We are plagued by our sins daily, but you have washed our sins away by the blood of your Son, Jesus. Strengthen us to live in that grace everyday as redeemed children of God. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator Devotions will return in August. To view archived devotions visit wels.net/ecme-devotions. Have a blessed summer! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260525ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39 What's the Difference? The Living Water If you spend your days around toddlers or preschoolers, you know a very specific kind of “thirst.” It's that mid-afternoon feeling when the naptime transition was rough, the snack crumbs are everywhere, and your emotional reservoir is running on empty. We pour ourselves out for these little ones, wiping tears, tying shoes, and patiently repeating directions. When we hit that wall, we often ask ourselves: “What difference does it make?” Does it matter that we are Christians if we still feel this exhausted? We try to “fill our cups” with a few minutes of silence or sheer willpower, yet that restless, spiritual dry-rot remains. In John 7:37-39, Jesus stood among a crowd of people who were also looking for satisfaction in rituals. During the Feast of Tabernacles, they celebrated God providing water during the years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, yet they were still spiritually parched. Jesus cried out: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Our “thirst” often reveals our sinful nature: the moments we lose our temper, the times we seek our own glory instead of God's, and our failure to trust him. We cannot manufacture our own “living water” or “try harder” to be joyful. We are, by nature, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. So, what difference does it make? It makes every difference because Jesus lives to pour out his Holy Spirit. Jesus is not a dead historical figure we simply try to imitate. He is the risen, reigning Savior who ascended for the purpose of drenching you in his grace. The “living water” isn’t a reward for being a perfect teacher; it is a gift for the empty. Jesus took the agonizing thirst of the cross to pay for every moment of your impatience. Because he rose from the dead, he now pours his Spirit into you through the Word and Sacraments. As you serve this week, you aren’t just a caregiver, you are a redeemed child of God. The difference is that you don’t have to rely on your own dwindling reservoir. When you feel you have nothing left to give, look to the living Christ. He refreshes you with the promise that your sins are gone. Because he lives, his love can flow through your tired hands to those little ones, even on the days when you feel most empty. He is the well that never runs dry. May the Lord, who lives and reigns, pour out his Spirit upon your heart and give you peace as you serve his little lambs. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being the source of living water for my weary soul. Forgive me for trying to find satisfaction in my own strength, and remind me that because you live, I am never alone. Refresh me today with your Spirit and your full forgiveness. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260518ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:6,10 The One in Our Place I was in 2nd grade. I had just won the monthly class spelling bee. It was my shining moment. As a 7-year-old girl, this feat made me feel on top of the world, so much so that when my teacher told everyone to line up for recess I felt as though I deserved to be first in line. The problem was, I didn't make it to the door first. As any 7-year-old girl who is struggling with pride would do, I “butt in front” of my classmate and took the first spot in line. Then came the words I feared would come, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first. Back of the line with you!” Unfortunately for my ego that day, my teacher did in fact have eyes in the back of her head. That “back of the line” feeling doesn’t disappear when we grow up. Our sinful nature still craves the top spot, convinced that our hard work, perfect lesson plans, or “better” parenting deserves a reward. We try to lift ourselves up by comparing our success to others. We harbor a quiet sense of superiority when we do things “the right way.” But the Law shows us that pride is a dead end. When we try to stand on our own merits, we eventually find ourselves spiritually empty and sent to the “back of the line” by our own failures and guilt. On our own, we have no right to stand before a holy God. But look at the “God of all grace.” Jesus, the only one who actually deserved to be first in line, chose to go to the very back. He humbled Himself completely, taking the place of a servant and dying the death of a sinner on the cross for every time we've pushed our way to the front. He was lowered into the grave so that you could be lifted into eternal glory. Because he lives, your status isn’t a prize you win; it is a gift he bought with his own life. You don't have to “butt in” or prove your worth because Jesus has already given you his perfect record. God doesn’t wait for you to become good enough before he loves you. He called you to his eternal glory in Christ while you were still a sinner. Peter promises that the God of all grace will “himself restore you.” He doesn’t just give you a second chance to try harder; he gives you a new identity as his redeemed child. When you feel small or overlooked this week, remember that your Savior has already moved you to the front of the line through his blood. He is the one who makes you “strong, firm, and steadfast.” You can rest under his mighty hand today, knowing that your place in heaven is secure, not because you won first place in anything, but because Jesus lived perfectly in your place. Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for the pride that makes me want to be first. Thank you for the humility of Jesus, who took my place on the cross so that I could be your child forever. Strengthen and restore me as I serve you this week. Amen. A Question to Consider: How does knowing that Jesus has already secured your “spot in line” change the way you handle moments when you feel unappreciated or overlooked? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260511ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:14-15 The Greatest Treasure My five-year-old daughter recently started a treasure chest, and to her it is everything. I'm always a little shocked at the “treasures” I find in there: a broken seashell, a bead, a piece of paper she drew on months ago, the cap from her favorite glitter pen that recently dried up. To us it all looks more like… junk. But a friend comes over and what's the first thing she does? She shows them her treasures. She picks each one up and tells them exactly where she found it and why she loves it, and she could go on forever. She doesn't need a script or a public speaking course; she's simply so full of excitement that the news has to come out. She's not worried about being judged or saying the wrong thing; she just wants everyone to see what she sees. You and I are called to live with that same kind of readiness and excitement, but the stakes often feel much higher. We live in a world that can be critical and sometimes even hostile toward our faith. We face the daily suffering of exhaustion, the pressure to conform to the world's standards, and the internal battle of our own pride. We often stay quiet because we're afraid we don’t have the “right” words, or we think our lives aren’t good enough to be a witness for Christ. The truth is, on our own, we are often unprepared. Our sinful nature makes us want to hide the treasure of our faith to avoid awkward moments or makes us respond to others with harshness instead of the “gentleness and respect” Peter writes about. When we try to live for God by our own willpower, we quickly run out of steam. But Peter gives us a reason to live differently. He reminds us that our lives aren’t built on our own shifting moods, but on the living Christ. Jesus lives! That is the “reason for the hope” that we have. He lived the perfect life of courage that we often lack. He stood before His accusers with perfect gentleness so that we could be forgiven for our moments of cowardice and anger. Because Jesus lives, you have a treasure far greater than anything a child could hide in their treasure chest. You have the peace of knowing your sins are gone and your future is secure with God. This reality changes the way we live. We don’t live for him to earn a treasure; we live for him because he is our treasure. He is our Lord who has already won the victory. When people see your hope in the middle of a stressful day or your gentleness when you're being criticized, they might ask “why?” You don’t need a theological degree to answer. Like my daughter with her broken seashell, you get to speak with certainty and excitement of the treasure you have in your Savior. He lives to call you his own, and he lives through you to reach others. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for the hope that only you can provide. Forgive me for the times I am silent or harsh, and help me to revere you as Lord in my heart so that I am always ready to share your love with gentleness. Amen. A Question to Consider: Who is one person in your life, perhaps a parent of a student or a neighbor, who needs to see the “reason for your hope” this week? How can you show them Christ’s gentleness? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260504ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 The Only Foundation Don't you love watching a child build with blocks? There is such focus as they stack one wooden square upon another. They believe that with enough concentration, they can build a tower that reaches the ceiling! But we know how the story ends. A shaky hand, a heavy footstep, or a simple lapse in focus brings the whole thing crashing down in a heap. Think about that “builder.” In their little world, they are doing their best to create something perfect. But no matter how hard they try, they cannot overcome the laws of gravity or their own physical limitations. The tower always falls. You and I think that we are builders, too. Every morning, we wake up and try to stack layers of “goodness.” We try to build a day full of perfect patience with our children, tireless energy for our chores, and a heart free from pride. We want to be the “super-teacher” or the “perfect parent.” But by the end of the day, our sin causes the tower to topple. We snap at a toddler, we harbor resentment toward a spouse, or we think we are better than the parent who seems to be struggling. We realize that our own efforts are a shaky foundation that cannot support the weight of our lives, much less our eternity. Of all the challenges we face, the most terrifying is our inability to save ourselves. Our sin creates a debt we cannot pay and a mess we cannot clean up. On our own, we are builders left standing among the rubble of our own failures. While you might feel like a failing builder today, you have a reason for even greater confidence than a child with a brand-new set of blocks. You don't have to rely on your own shaky hands. You have a Cornerstone. Jesus is the one essential stone that God set to hold everything together. He is the only name under heaven that saves. Jesus didn’t just come to give you a “how-to” manual on building a better life. He came to be your substitute. He lived the life of perfect, quiet patience that you and I fail to live. He took every one of our “toppled” moments and selfish mistakes to the cross and buried them forever. Because he lives, your salvation is a finished fact, not a “work in progress.” You aren’t a child of God because you built a high enough tower; you are a child of God because Jesus is your foundation. He has already secured heaven for you! Now, we don’t serve to get his love; we serve because we have it. We can walk into our classrooms and homes with joy, knowing that even when we stumble, our foundation in Christ never moves. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for being the only Name that saves. Forgive me for the times I try to build my own way to heaven or rely on my own strength. Help me to rest in your finished work and to share your love with the little ones in my care today. Amen. A Question to Consider: Who do you know that is currently exhausted by trying to “do it all” on their own? How could you share the relief of the Gospel with them today? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260330ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9-10 To See Your King Long ago, English children who accompanied their parents to see their king were required to wear formal attire, often mimicking their parent's dress. Long before cheaply-made factory reproductions, parents communicated their family's wealth and status by dressing even their children in fine clothes. Yet, amongst all this splendor, no one would have a hard time identifying which adult in the assembly held the status of the king. In addition to the king's royal clothes being made from the finest cloths and furs, everyone and everything in the king's orbit would showcase prestige and honor toward the one person holding the royal office. Our King Jesus, the Savior of the world, is so different, isn't he? Not too long ago, we celebrated his birth in a manger stall to poor parents from a small town where no one could claim status to the outside world. Can you see the King of Creation in swaddling clothes? Jesus was brought to the Temple to worship as a young boy. After they left Jerusalem without him, Mary and Joseph had to look for young Jesus. That's because he did not stand out in the crowd as a king or even a prince. Can you see the Prince of Peace, alone in the city with not even one person able to identify him to his parents? On Palm Sunday, we see Jesus riding into Jerusalem. Yes, he was received as a king, but a king riding on a colt? Can you see our King of Kings riding that low-class beast? Our King Jesus was different, alright! He was a king that would also be our substitute on the cross for us. His perfection for our sin. Can you see our King with his royal crown… of thorns? Yet, our King's sacrifice was accepted. After three days in the grave, Jesus rose. Our King did what no one else could. He defeated death itself. There is no confusing who is the King. He is the who is alive again and undefeated by sin. He is the one who is a champion over the devil and the one who is victorious over death. Can you see Jesus, our King? The Bible gives an account of King Jesus welcoming little children into his presence. Picture it! Mothers brought their children to be blessed by their King, Jesus. They sat in the King's lap, had their faces near his, and looked into their King's eyes. No king has ever loved his people more or wanted to be with them more. That is why King Jesus died for his people—for you and for me. Our King wants to be with us forever, in heaven. This is our king, Jesus! Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for being my King and my Savior! Keep me close to you, in your word as I look forward to being close to you in heaven someday! Amen! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260323ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27 Life is Rough The little boy falls on the sidewalk and gashes his chin open… the day before family pictures. Life is rough! A preschool classmate tells a friend that she had to say good-bye to their family dog yesterday. Life is rough! Packing away the family nativity set, one careless move causes a piece to slip out of the daughter's hand and crash to the floor. Broken memories. Sometimes life is rough. Life was rough for Martha and Mary as well. Normal day to day activities (like getting water, making meals, doing chores) were always difficult. Life could be grueling. Then their dear brother, Lazarus, became sick. Now life became troubling. Recovering from illness in that day was complicated. They sent for Jesus, their friend and miracle worker. But Jesus did not come. Life became distressing as they waited and waited and finally watched Lazarus die. The sisters' hearts shattered at the loss. Life just took a hard left turn from rough into devastating. Our own life might mirror the downhill slide of these sisters. We know full well that being a believer in Jesus does not mean daily life will look like a Pinterest board with everything in place, always sunny and constantly delightful. Life is rough this side of heaven. Jesus does not promise a life that is free of suffering and temptation. Jesus actually says that life will be full of trouble and hardship, conflict and persecution. Yet, Jesus also promises that he will work all of that for our good. He uses the sin-caused hardships and the groaning of creation to shape his people into even more trusting children of God. He uses the rough parts of life to help eyes of faith look to God for daily bread, daily wisdom, and daily strength. There is an ultimate devastation in this life. It is death. Think about Mary and Martha again. Even with Jesus right there, they experienced death. How sad! Yes, unless Jesus returns before we die, our lives absolutely will end in the same way; they will end in death. There is nothing we can do to “handle” death. However, we know the same friend, Jesus. Mary and Martha called on Jesus. With eyes of faith, they looked to Jesus as their Savior from their sin—and that means he's also the Savior from death. Jesus is the only one who can handle death, and he did handle death by living his perfect life, by dying on the cross, and by rising on the third day. The first Easter day, Jesus defeated our eternal death. So, Jesus says to you and me, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He is our resurrection and life. The life he gives may get rough. But it also has pure joy and has no end. Thanks be to Jesus that our true life will be in heaven with him. Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for being my resurrection and my life. Please help me look to you for my daily strength until you bring me safely home to heaven with you. Amen! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260316ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 A Light in the Darkness Several months ago, our city experienced a regional power outage. About 90,000 customers in parts of three states were without electricity for the second half of the workday. Our little preschool had to manage our pre-nap routines with only the dimness of the afternoon sun shining through our main windows. Using flashlights, we helped each child navigate the dark bathroom. Normally, a familiar situation, some children were spooked by the unexpected shadows on the walls and the eerie silence with the absence of our vent fan. The staff talked calmly to the children to lead them through their distress. The teacher was here. Nothing was going to jump out to get them in the strange darkness. Isaiah illustrates a picture of spiritual darkness with images akin to a Grimm's fairytale. A blind person struggling on an unfamiliar path. Darkness overshadowing rough places. It's the kind of setting that makes one feel unsettled and distressed, like the children on that dark afternoon at our preschool. And that is where I once was. I was once struggling on a dark path, afraid the shadows of things I could not see would jump out to get me. But this was no fairytale; I was truly on my way to hell. My sins snatched at my feet. My own arrogance blinded me. Death, the kind that lasts forever, darkened my path. To be sure, my soul was lost in the greatest sense of the word—lost in my sin and in my unbelief. Only, that is where I once was. Had I remained in those circumstances, my pitiful body would be cast to hell with my soul. Then came Jesus. A light. Or, better said, the true light. His light enables me to see spiritually. The light of Jesus' grace and truth reveals the way to life eternal is through him and only through him. Jesus is the way to life—to true life. Life that is inconceivably full and forever. Daily, he takes my sins that trip me and with his own nail-pierced hands, he beats them to nothing so that my path is smooth. In Jesus, there is no strange darkness, no unfamiliar shadows, no rough places, and no fear. In Jesus, there is only light and comfort. By faith in him, I live in peace, confident that he is with me each day. By faith in Jesus, this is also true for you! Prayer: Dear Jesus, May your word ever be in my heart so that your truth shines in my life. Thank you for being my light and my comfort! Amen! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260309ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:13-15 Drink From the Well Beet-red cheeks. Forehead hair stuck to a damp brow. Children coming in from a summer afternoon of hard play. Thirsty! Water! Water is on their minds, wet and refreshing. Water can cool the body temperature and fill every organ and cell in their little bodies. Water is a necessary element for life. Water was necessary for the woman at the well. She was there on that hot afternoon to get water for her survival. Red cheeks. Sweaty head. Little did she know, she was going to receive living water necessary for her eternal life. “Living water” is what Jesus offered her. At first, it sounded like a time saver. She would not have to strategically plan her day to be at the well when her nosy neighbors were not. She would not have to heave or huff as she balanced her water jug on the walk home. In fact, she would not have to go at all! One drink and she would be done with this relentless errand! Of course, Jesus was not offering her actual wet water from the well in her town. Jesus was offering himself as her Savior. Her embarrassing string of bad decisions were sins that separated her from God. Jesus was telling her to draw water from him, her Savior from her sin. The picture Jesus created for her told her to, “Listen to me! Be forgiven in me! I am the only one who can quench your thirst for peace in your heart. I constantly provide peace between you and God because when I am in your heart, God will look at you and see what I have done for you! He will see that you are one of my very own, a precious and forgiven spiritual sibling who is no longer thirsty for mercy from any other well because you have mercy in me!” We need Jesus, the living water, too! During Lent, we ponder our sin. We look at Jesus, on his way to the cross, willing to be nailed to that cross for our sins. Those are the sins that would separate us from God. Yet, by faith, we have Jesus, our living water. He satisfies our thirst for mercy by taking those sins into his own hands. When God looks upon believing hearts, he sees Jesus' perfect life and his innocent death on the cross. He sees Jesus' empty grave. There is no more separation. He calls us his own, a precious and forgiven child. Weary sinner, drink from the well of living water that Jesus offers to you. Find mercy and peace in Jesus, your forgiving Savior from sin! Prayer: Thank you for being my Savior from sin. Help me share your word with all around me so that they, too, may drink from the well of living water. Amen! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260302ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Genesis 12:4,8 Faith in God’s Faithfulness It is the first week of school, and you have a new flock of preschoolers. These children have been enrolled, and you have visited with their parents. But the children know next to nothing about you. Neither do they know where all the doors or halls lead in your school. They do not recognize any faces. Everything is new and different. They have no familiarity because they have no history. They move around and function, relying completely on their trust in you, the teacher. I wonder if that is how Abraham felt in a new land. He had no idea where a valley led or what he would see from a mountain top. Were any of those new faces trustworthy? He had no history or experience to rely on for guidance. Abraham was like a lost child. He did not know where he was going, and no human being could tell him. Abraham had to trust – to put his faith in his God, the one true God. Abraham's faith was not in faith itself. Instead of looking inside himself, Abraham's faith was rooted in God's faithfulness. Only God was worthy of Abraham's faith and trust because only God keeps all of his promises. God promised to send his Son, the Savior, through Abraham's family line. By faith, Abraham believed God's promise and so he followed where God directed. Yet, Abraham did not just follow God's direction to be blessed with a patch of dirt and material possessions. Because of Abraham's faith in Jesus, Abraham looked forward to his ultimate inheritance, the promised land of heaven. God is also worthy of our faith because he keeps his promises to us. Just as he walked with Abraham and directed Abraham's steps in the strange land, God walks with us. We are strangers here. We walk through unknown valleys and trudge up endless mountains. Disease takes over. Accidents occur. Sin hurts. Death comes. Through it all, the One who promised his Son, Jesus, is with us. Jesus, the promised heir of Abraham, the Savior of all people, the true Son of God – he is the One who went to the cross to be crushed because of Abraham's sin, because of your sin, and because of my sin. He is the One who promised that he would rise from the dead. And he did! He is worthy of our faith because He keeps His promises. He is with us always, even in death. When our last day comes, our faith follows the faithful Savior through the door of death and into heaven, just as easily as stepping over a crack in the sidewalk. Dear one, keep your eyes on Jesus. He is worthy of your faith and he is with you always. Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for being my Savior. Please help me keep my eyes on you as I follow you to my heavenly home. Amen! Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260223ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17 A Champion Do you have a particular song that takes you back to days when you played a sport? If so, the instant you hear that song, it takes you back to a sports locker room—pacing on game day, ready to slap the top of the door as you run out on to the court. At that time, there seemed like nothing else was more important than that game. It seemed like your whole life depended upon the game. And sometimes, when the game is on the line, you need a miracle. In the bottom of the ninth inning or late in the fourth quarter, it helps to have a champion on your team. It helps to have a player who never comes out of the game, who seamlessly transitions into the right position at the right time, and who barely breaks a sweat as he wins the game for his team. That's how we picture a champion. What about when we picture Jesus? Christ came into this world to be on our team. He came to substitute himself into our place and sin. He came to be our champion. But he first came as a lowly baby, born in a stable. Then we see him on the cross. He has a crown of thorns on his head, gashes all over his body, and holes in his hands and feet. Is that the picture of a champion? On the cross, Jesus does not look like a champion. And yet, Saint Paul tells us that Christ has won. He died— and rose again. When we needed it most, Jesus earned a miraculous victory. By his death and resurrection, he brought home the best victory—heaven for us! Because Christ lives, we have life in heaven—a place of perfection, joy, and peace. The joy of heaven will surpass the celebrations in the locker room after the Super Bowl or any other championship. So, yes, Jesus is the champion! When everything was on the line, Jesus entered the game and told us, “Don't worry. I've got this.” Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for being our champion. Sometimes we forget how much we need you. Help us continue to remember that we have received your abundant grace and the gift of your righteousness. Help us trust that you will lead us to life and victory in heaven. A Question to Consider: Do you remember a time where Jesus was the champion for something that happened at work? Do you remember a time where Jesus was the champion for something that happened at home? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260216ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 59:12, 20 Please Forgive Me “Sorry.” “I forgive you.” Especially as teachers of young children, those are words we say and teach frequently throughout our days. It can seem mundane at times, can't it? It can seem like children are saying it out of habit instead of meaning it. However, as we get older, have you noticed how much harder it has gotten to say, “I'm sorry,” and, “I forgive you.”? There was a teacher I worked with who changed this phrasing to sound something like this. Child 1: “I was wrong when I ______; please forgive me.” Child 2: “I forgive you.” We adopted this phrasing for our school children because it acknowledged the specific sin. It taught the children to be conscious of what the action was, and it allows the other child to address specific guilt. As a parent, my family uses that phrasing, but we also add, “Next time I will _____.” This is a way to acknowledge what can be done better next time. This is what the Bible calls “fruits of repentance.” On this Ash Wednesday, we reflect on repentance. As we do, we acknowledge that when we confess and when we forgive others, it can seem shallow. But when we repent to Jesus, his forgiveness is anything but shallow. On this Ash Wednesday, we look up to Jesus on the cross. There, we see Jesus hanging and suffering. We are sinful and we need a Savior. And so, Jesus became our Savior! He defeated sin and the devil. He gave the ultimate sacrifice of his life for us, and he says, “I finished your salvation. I forgive you.” When we consider how Jesus lived a perfect life for us and has given credit for his perfection, his forgiveness is anything but shallow. When we consider how Jesus suffered on the cross in place of us, his forgiveness is anything but mundane. Instead, his forgiveness gives us the promise and hope of heaven. Now that we know what Jesus did for us, it makes us want to be better for others too. It makes us want to confess our specific sins. It also makes us want to sincerely say, “I forgive you.” Even better, Jesus gives us the power and authority to do that very thing. Just as he has forgiven us, we truly can forgive others. And when we do, Jesus uses us to give others the promise and hope of heaven. Prayer: Dear Jesus, We need your forgiveness. Thank you for dying on the cross for us to take us to heaven with you one day. We are thankful for your perfect life. Help us cherish your forgiveness. It is anything but mundane; instead, it is the most beautiful blessing about being your child! Amen. A Question to Consider: Have you been holding on to any feelings of resentment that have allowed you not to be able to move forward in forgiveness with others? How can this line from the Lord's Prayer help you: “Forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us.”? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260209ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said:] “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 4:13,14 Hide It Under a Bushel, NO! Many may remember the song from childhood Sunday School and VBS. It goes like this, “This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, NO!, I'm gonna let it shine. Don't let Satan *blow* it out, I'm gonna let it shine.” Be honest. Did a Sunday School memory come roaring back and make you sing along? A couple years ago, there was a video version of the song “This Little Light of Mine” which was circulating the early childhood world for a while. This version was by Listener Kids, and the video starts with a very catchy tune and one lightbulb walking down the road singing, “This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!” Next, two other light bulbs come in, and now three light bulbs are walking down the road singing, “This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!” Finally, more light bulbs are walking down their street, singing their song and letting their light shine for the whole neighborhood to see: “All around the world, I'll jump off the ground and shout. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.” I love the concrete illustration of that video for kids. If we let our light shine and share our faith, other people's faith is also strengthened, and others also want to tell the world about the light of Jesus! We share the best news with the world: Jesus loves you, and Jesus saves you. This is the best news we want to proclaim to all the ends of the earth because it enlightens a world darkened by sin. Have you heard the term, “childlike faith”? “Childlike faith” refers to how children believe and live their faith. Children hear the gospel, believe it, and tell everyone. They don't try to make it make sense, and they don't need it proved to them. They simply believe because they trust the person who told them. For this reason, kids can be the best evangelists. The Christian songs that you lead with your children at school become the songs the kids automatically sing at home. The prayers that you lead before snack time and lunch become their dinner prayers at home, too. Kids will tell anyone and everyone the Jesus loves them. What a blessing that they let their light shine! The world can look dark and daunting. Kids remind us to go back to the basics and to be the light Christ has called us to be. Jesus loves me; this I know. I am a light, and I'm going to let it shine. Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for allowing us to be your messengers. Thank you for the little lives we get to share your amazing news with every day. It's a blessing to be able to grow your kingdom, and we are thankful for the opportunity to do so. Amen. A Question to Consider: Has there been a moment this week that you have seen a child have “childlike faith”? Can you think of a way in the next week that you can let your light shine? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260202ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 You Are Equipped Imagine you're meeting a friend for coffee. You both stand in line and catch up as the barista makes your drink. After the barista hands you your beverages, you find a table ready to continue chatting. But then your friend says to you, “You know; you're not smart, influential or important.” Wait, what?! Our natural reaction would be to try to prove that we are smart, influential, or important. How quickly we would list the accolades that make us exactly those things. How quickly we would come to our own defense. Tearing you down—that's not what friends are supposed to be for. Then, we get quiet. We remember what it was like to be handed our firstborn baby, walk out of the hospital, and think, “What am I supposed to do now?!” We think about the to do list – the groceries, the school signups, and the dinner that needs to be made. We think about the classroom that will never be prepped in time and the materials that just never seem to be where they are supposed to be. And why are we always out of blue paint? We remember the camping trips where inevitably something is always forgotten. (That's okay; I guess I didn't really need a pillow.) It may feel like our family is falling apart and we never have enough time together. Then there's the loss of a loved one that we still think about daily. We think of all the ways that Jesus reminds us, “You have nothing without me.” Yet, we keep trying to do it ourselves. We continue to get frustrated when that doesn't work. We continue to be frustrated that we keep falling short and that we keep spinning in circles after trying everything. Finally, we're brought back to reality. Then we have to say, “You're right. I'm not smart, influential or important!” Then comes God. God's power and wisdom are not dependent on human status and what we can do on our own. As God always does, he doesn't leave us alone and unequipped. He remains constant. He reminds us that he has equipped us. He stands still for us. He says, “I've got you. You have nothing without me, but you have everything with me. When you feel alone, I'm right beside you. When you walk through the dark valleys, I am with you. Those big hard things that seem impossible, I will equip you for all that comes your way. Remember? I have overcome the world. You are blessed through me and because of me.” It all may be too big on our own. By ourselves, we can't handle the to-do list and serving one hundred school kids and their families. By ourselves, we don't have the strength when a family feels like it is falling apart or we are grieving the loss of a loved one. But the beautiful thing is that we don't have to do those things alone. God stands strong, he stands tall, and he says, “I. AM. HERE. I've got you. With me, you are wise. With me, you are influential. With me, you can do everything. With me, you are blessed. You are never alone. You are equipped for whatever I put in your life.” May Jesus continue to remind you, today and always, that you are equipped, you are exactly where God called you to be, and you are blessed. Prayer: Dear Jesus, Please remind us today and always, that I am equipped and exactly where your Father needs me to be. Thank you for always reminding me that I am blessed by you and through you. In your name I pray. Amen. A Question to Consider: What is a way that God has blessed you in the last week? What is a way that God may use you to bless others in the next week? Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260126ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” … “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:16-17,19 A Light has Dawned “I've seen the light!” You have probably heard someone say that when they suddenly understand something that they didn't before. Or, sometimes people say it when they change an old habit or adopt a new behavior. Sometimes it is a change in health or philosophy. Other times we discard an old tradition and bring in something different that can serve us or our family better. It can be refreshing to learn something new and adapt your lifestyle to the idea. Jesus is the light of the world, and he came to share that light with all people. Those who are stuck in unbelief are “in the dark,” so to speak. Their sinful thoughts and imperfect actions leave them in the darkness of their own evil desires. They cannot see God and cannot find their way to him. How, then, did you come to “see the light” of Jesus? Many think that we have a role to play in coming to faith. Many think that in order to see the light we are the ones who first have to make a choice, a decision, or an action. This is dangerous thinking because it puts the focus on ourselves, not on God. God's word shows us something better. God's word says that he shines his light on us and that God gives us the ability to “see the light” of Jesus! Martin Luther explained, “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing, believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” The Holy Spirit gave us the faith to see that in Jesus, the light of salvation has dawned. Now, the Holy Spirit has changed our behavior and way of thinking. Now, we want to live in the light and live for Jesus. We have a new zeal to do what our Savior asks of us. And what better way to live in the light of salvation than to “fish for people”? We bring the good news of Jesus to others, so that the Holy Spirit can cut through the darkness of their unbelief and see the light of Jesus' forgiveness. May we share this light with everyone that we meet! Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank you for coming to be the light of the world. Help me to share that light with others, spreading your message of repentance and forgiveness to the people you have placed in my life. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260119ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:12-14 Buried with Christ The butterfly has served as a Christian symbol for many years. Why? Because the caterpillar goes into the cocoon and seems dead to the world. But later, something seemingly new appears—a butterfly that has a new way of living. Whereas the caterpillar crawls, the butterfly flies. Christians have seen this as a metaphor for what happens to us because of Christ's death and resurrection, and this transformation happens in baptism. When Jesus died on the cross and was buried for three days, he took all the sins of all people with him. In other words, our sins were “buried with Christ.” Then, when Jesus was raised from the dead, he left our sins in the grave and gave us the victory that he had earned. Christ has “canceled the charge” that Satan might bring against us. Jesus has credited us with his perfection. So, if Jesus has forgiven us, what charge can Satan bring against us? Baptism is what connects you to the power of Christ's death and resurrection. You went into baptism as a dead sinner, but you came out of baptism as something new. Not a butterfly, but a forgiven, living child of God. And now that you have been raised to life, what kind of life are you going to live? Do you want to crawl back to sinful habits and desires? Of course not! We want to live the new life that God has given us. We study his word to soar above temptation and sin. We surround ourselves with those that share our faith. We serve others with the energy, zeal, and compassion that our Savior has given to us. We can live that new life because we know that not even death and the devil have power over us. We have already been raised to life through baptism. So, even if our bodies are buried in the ground, just as butterflies come out of the cocoon and Jesus came out of the grave, we, too, will be raised glorious and live with Christ. Prayer: Jesus, all our ransom paid, All your Father's will obeyed, By your suff'rings perfect made; Hear us, holy Jesus! Jesus, all your labor vast, All your woe and conflict past, Yielding up your soul at last: Hear us, holy Jesus! Christian Worship 435:6,7 Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260112ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17 Ready to Work Have you noticed that the dove appears frequently in the Bible? The dove is a symbol of peace and purity. After the rains stopped, Noah sent a dove out of the ark, and that dove came back with another sign of peace, the olive branch. Doves were also used in the Old Testament when God's people made sacrifices. So, we see the dove pictured in our church banners, Christian art, and at baptisms. When God the Holy Spirit descended to Jesus as a dove after his baptism, we are reminded of peace and innocence. Jesus did not sin. He did not ever do anything wrong and therefore did not need forgiveness. So, it seems strange that Jesus would need to be baptized. We need to be baptized because we're born sinners. We cannot possibly live without sinful thoughts. We cannot possibly go a single day without doing something that hurts others. But Jesus was perfect! He never sinned! And yet, this was how God wanted Jesus to begin his public ministry. Jesus took our sins upon himself. He became a sinner for us. In part, Jesus' baptism shows us that he was the one who came to do the job of taking our sins away. This would not be an easy mission. So, at Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit gave Jesus gifts to fulfill his work. And God the Father assured his Son that even though he would be judged for our sin, the Father was still pleased with his Son. Sound familiar? When we think of Jesus' baptism, let us think of our own. Let us remember that we are God's children, who are loved, saved, and wrapped in the Father's arms. Because of Christ and our baptism, God the Father is well-pleased with us! Let us rejoice that the Holy Spirit equips us to carry out the work that God has laid before us. Just as he gave Jesus' power at Jesus' baptism, so God the Holy Spirit gives us special gifts, too, through our baptism! God knows all of our weaknesses and gives us the strength to carry out his work. Let us step into each day remembering that through Jesus' innocence, we can live a new life until we enjoy the feast of heaven, praising the one who lived a pure life in our place. Prayer: Dear Jesus, When we remember your baptism, we remember that you are the only person that never sinned. Thank you for coming down to our sinful world and taking on our sins, so that we can experience the joy of heaven. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251229ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. Matthew 2:14-15 Jesus, the King “Nooooooo!” screamed my three-year-old on an early December day. “You can't put King Herod there!” Our Little People Nativity Scene has an extra piece. I purchased a king with a scepter that probably once belonged with a princess set. This king represents King Herod and helps us retell the Christmas and Epiphany stories, but my one-year-old had placed him right next to the manger instead of farther away in Jerusalem, and it got a strong reaction from her older sibling. That's because my three-year-old knew that King Herod attempted to do an awful thing. Jesus, the Savior of the world, had been born! But not only did King Herod want to kill the Savior; he was willing to murder many other babies in order to make sure that Jesus was killed. But King Herod could not win against God. God instructed the wise men not to return to Herod so that he could not discover Jesus' location. God sent an angel who instructed Joseph to flee down to Egypt. In the middle of the night, Joseph ushered his family out of the area. King Herod could not carry out his plan to kill the Son of God. This reminds us that the evil of this world cannot win against God. We are aware that evil does happen, including to vulnerable and defenseless children. We do not minimize the tragedy and heartache it brings. But Jesus' escape to Egypt reminds us how God is in control. Jesus' resurrection from the dead proves that nothing can separate us from God. So, we can trust that the same God that kept Jesus safe from King Herod will one day take us—his children—to be with him in eternity. Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for keeping baby Jesus safe from King Herod. We are so grateful that Herod and the devil could not stop your plan for our salvation. Help us to keep Jesus and your word at the center of our life until we one day run to our Savior's arms in heaven. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251222ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 A Light in the Dark We made it! We just made it through the shortest day of the year! From this day until mid-June, the amount of daylight will be increasing. Even still, this time of year can be hard for some people because the darkness seems to cover the earth for much of the day. Add in the extreme cold in some areas, and it can be downright gloomy! And that's just the weather. It is gloomy in society, too. When we turn on the news or scroll through social media, we are reminded of the dark days that we live in. Everywhere we look and everywhere we click, around the corner or over the next hill—we see a dark, sinful world. We see the news about another murder, an attack on a person or group of people, and people in power serving unjustly. But we don't even have to go that far to see the darkness. We can see it in our own thoughts, in the words that come out of our mouth, and in the things that our hands do. This is a dark, sinful world, and we contribute to that darkness. Jesus entered our dark, sinful world to be a light for the world. Jesus was fully human; he had human needs. Yet he was completely perfect; he had no sin. True God became truly human in order to be the light of the world, and his glory was revealed when he carried out God's plan for our salvation. Through faith, we have seen the light, and the light of Jesus helps us see God's grace and truth. Jesus shows us the grace of God. Even though we betray our heavenly Father, yet God loves us because of Jesus. Jesus shows us the truth of God. Many people are searching for truth, but only come up with an empty, worldly view. Jesus' words give us the truth we need to live our faith in this dark world and the truth we need to witness to others. We celebrate Christmas during one of the darkest weeks of the year. But when you look at the dark sky this week see lights on homes, trees, and wreaths breaking through the dark, you can be reminded of the light that Jesus brings to the world. Jesus is the light of the world. When you hear about the glorious angels appearing that first Christmas, remember the glory of the Lord came to us in that perfect human born in the stable. Jesus, full of grace and truth, has been born for us! He is Christ the Lord! Prayer: O Savior, child of Mary, who felt our human woes, O Savior, King of glory, who conquered all our foes. Bring us at last, we pray, to the bright courts of heaven and to the endless day. Christian Worship 360 st. 4 Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251215ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2-3 Without a Doubt When I was five years old, I remember whispering to my brother, “What if they are making it all up? What if they just want us to behave? How can we be sure this is true?” It had occurred to me that the adults in my world could be tricking me into believing in Jesus, just to get me to act a certain way. Even as a young child, doubt was creeping in. Left untreated, doubt can take over a person's mind and lead to dangerous thoughts. Doubts take us farther from the truth and farther from the safety that God's promises give. That's why the devil tried to plant doubt within Eve when he asked, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). That small phrase creates big doubts, and those doubts can turn into fears, and can eventually lead to the ultimate sin—unbelief. Sometimes, the biggest doubt we can have is whether God could love us sinners who so boldly defy him. We wonder if we really are forgiven. When we do have doubts, the very first thing we should do is run to Jesus. He died and rose for us. Now, he invites us to cast all our cares on him. Jesus wants us to come to him with our doubts and fears! When we have doubts, we should also find someone who can share the promises of God with us. Your pastor can do that. Your friend can do that. God crushes our doubts with the power of the promises in his word because he assures us of all that he has done for us and all that he will do for us. And we can be confident in his promises because everything that God said would happen came true. Every promise was kept. When we read the account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we can be sure that all of God's promises will come to be. Without a doubt, Jesus lived, died, and rose for us. Without a doubt, we can believe that Jesus will come again and take us to our home in heaven! Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I sometimes have doubts and fears about the hardships of this world. I know that worry is a sin. Help me to remember to run to you when I have these feelings of doubt and concern, knowing that you will bring me comfort in your Word. Amen. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251208ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near. I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.” Matthew 3:1-2, 11 Our Judge and Savior When do you put your Christmas tree up? When does Christmas music start to be heard through your house and in your car? Do you wait until after Thanksgiving, or do you pull out the red and green décor as soon as the trick-or-treaters stop ringing your doorbell? Sometimes we start seeing “countdown to Christmas” signs in mid-summer, and the excitement for the holidays begins. When John the Baptist began his ministry, he knew that Jesus was going to begin the work that started on the first Christmas. John knew that Jesus was near, and so John wanted people to live a life of repentance. In other words, John wanted people to turn from sin in sorrow and turn to God in the confidence of forgiveness. As a result, John the Baptist's entire ministry was pointing people to Jesus, the Savior and Lamb of God. Many people that John the Baptist met already knew that a Savior was coming at some point. For generations, families had been passing down the words of Moses and the prophets that told about God's plan to send the Messiah to save his people. Although God gave them several clues about how Jesus would enter the world and what he would do on earth, no one knew exactly when that would be. But then John entered the picture! God used John to point people to Jesus, the Savior promised long ago. Do you point people to Jesus? God calls us to point others to Jesus, especially since Jesus is coming again. But the thought of Jesus' return can make people uncomfortable. They remember that Jesus will come as a judge and that he knows every sin. But Jesus is also the one who was judged on the cross to clear the record of every sinner. Jesus is the one who washes sinners in baptism so that they can be members of God's kingdom. So, when we point people to Jesus, we help children and their families know about God's undeserved love in Jesus. We remind coworkers that they are forgiven because of Jesus. We point people to Jesus so that they can be confident in life because they have the joy of forgiveness and the assurance that they are members of the kingdom of God. Jesus is coming! He is coming as one more powerful than John the Baptist. But he will not use his power to judge your sin. He will use his power to bring you into the full joys of his eternal kingdom. Prayer: We hail you as our Savior, Lord, our refuge and our great reward; Without your grace we waste away like flowers that wither and decay. Stretch forth your hand, our health restore, and lift us up to fall no more; O make your face on us to shine, and fill the world with love divine. Christian Worship 316:3-4 Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251201ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7 Peace and Joy How often do you pray? Do you pray before meals and before bed? When you have an unexpected challenge and need help? Do you pray for friends and enemies? God wants us to pray for all of these things and much more! God wants us to come to him in prayer, thanking him for blessings and humbly asking him for things that we need. We have this gift of prayer because we are made God's children through faith in Jesus, and God wants to hear from his children. Being a believer does not mean we never have trials. We will still have fears, temptations, and times of sorrow. The “to-do list” for both work and home may seem infinite, and the calendar may seem full with no rest in sight. Perhaps there is a personal or professional relationship that is fragile or broken, and you wonder if the connection can ever be repaired. Or maybe you are weighed down with concern about financial instability, a family member with an illness, or regret about a choice made. How broken our world feels sometimes! The approach and perspective of a Christian, however, will be very different from an unbeliever. A child of God will have joy, even during times of trouble. We can still have this joy inside, even when troubled by sins and happenings of the past. This joy comes from knowing that Jesus has rescued us, forgiven us, and that he will come again. God tells his children to let their gentleness be evident to all. But we cannot do this by ourselves! We lack the humility and patience God requests. So, we pray that the Holy Spirit helps us live a life of joy and gentleness because we know that Christ has been humble and patient to us. A child of God will have joy and peace—and also a peaceful heart. This peace is so powerful and pure, that it doesn't make sense to the world. It doesn't fit in with the chaos of the daily life of mankind. Those that do not share our faith might laugh at us or show confusion because of our peaceful heart. That's because this peace comes from God. He has given us knowledge and trust that he saved us from sin and death and has promised to come again to take us home. This peace guards us from the sins of worry and doubt. What joy and peace we have, even when we have struggles! We know that we are saved by God, that he is near, and that he wants to hear everything that is on our hearts and minds. May we continue to bring our thanksgiving, requests and prayers to our heavenly Father! Prayer: Before you, Lord, we bow, our God who reigns above And rules the world below in boundless pow'r and love Our thanks we bring in joy and praise, our hearts we raise to you, our King! Christian Worship 775:1 Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251124ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Luke 12:40 Are You Ready Are you ready? Company is coming for dinner. You're excited but you'd like just a bit more time to make sure everything is set. The children will start arriving soon, and you could use another few minutes to make sure you are ready to give them your full attention. Are you ready? You and I like the comfort of knowing what's coming and how much time until a given event, an appointment, a diagnosis, an answer. How often do we wish that God would let us have even a glimpse of when a situation might be resolved? The challenge of waiting is seldom easy. Being prepared can give us patience as we wait. Are you ready? Not for the test or an appointment, but for Jesus. Are you ready for his return on Judgment Day? He certainly is coming. He told his disciples in John 14:3, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” He is indeed coming back. But there's one detail that we don't have—when Jesus is coming. All Jesus tells us is, “You also must be ready” (Luke 12:40). The greatest event for which we wait is Christ's return on Judgment Day. This will be an event beyond our imagination and expectations. We can slip into thinking that if we knew when this would all be over, we could endure whatever challenge or crisis we're facing. In his wisdom, God chose not to let us in on this detail. The Bible is clear that no one knows the day or the hour. Jesus told his disciples, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). So, what are we to do? God is clear: be ready! Expect that Jesus could return at any time. It could be today, next week, in 20 years, or in 1000 years. We don't know. So, how can we be ready? Our dear Savior points us to the Word. As we continue to be in the Word, we learn about our God. When we are faithful in prayer and worship, we focus our hearts on what is to come, even if we do not know when. A colleague of mine once said, “If you knew that Judgment Day was next week or even next month, what might you do differently? How would the urgency of sharing the Gospel increase? How might your time in God's Word be richer and more focused?” As we focus on God's Word, we can look forward to Judgment Day with eager anticipation. That's because Scripture makes us confident in what that day will bring. We can pray, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Prayer: Dear Jesus, I want to be ready for your return. Life on earth can be such a distraction from you. Help me to focus on you and to be excited and eager to be in the Word you have given us. Help me to pray with confidence, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen. Christian Worship 850: 1, 4 It Is Well with My Soul and 868 By Faith are both wonderful hymns to add to your devotions this week. Consider: If you are looking for extra context for today’s verse of Luke 12:40, read the preceding verses of Luke 12:35-39 Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20251117ECME.mp3 Listen to Devotion All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 Judgement, Forgiveness, Peace “But she hit me first!” Do you ever feel like you should wear a judge's black robe or a referee's striped shirt when conflicts between children (and sometimes adults) make their way into a day? It was many years into teaching before I discovered the benefit of modeling and teaching the children to resolve their conflicts rather than announcing a judgment on a given situation. Each time I made the decision for them, it was almost guaranteed that the conflict would come back. It's in our human nature to strike back and to try to make things just or equal in our eyes. Victims of abuse and violence weigh on our hearts, and we want the peace of knowing that those who caused pain are handed judgments that align with the results of their actions. Without the hope that justice will be served, we might despair or focus on revenge. So, it is important to read how God “will pay back trouble to those who trouble” us. However, we cannot focus only how God will judge others. We must recognize that we ourselves fall short of God's expectation. As you and I reflect on our day or even the past hour, it's easy to recognize our failures. We often do the opposite of what we intended to do. Sin is relentless, and our weaknesses continue to override our best efforts. Discouragement and despair can come creeping (or roaring) in. Where can we go with our guilt and our frustration about our sin? Dear Christian friend, relief is ours in the Lord Jesus! Our comfort, hope, and peace come from knowing that God's judgment is not based on us but on Jesus. The faith that God has given us makes us righteous. Because of Christ, we have been made right in God's eyes. God looks at us through Jesus and sees you and me as his perfect children. And now, Jesus' suffering and forgiveness help us deal with others. When we consider the forgiveness we have received, we can look at others knowing that Jesus went to the cross for them as well. We can give them kindness and grace, just as we received from God. No black robe, no striped shirt for you and me. There is only God's loving forgiveness and peace through what Jesus did for us. Thank you, Lord! and this, we can fully count on God's promise and his remarkable gift of Jesus for us: while we were still sinners, he died for us so that all things can be right between God and us. Prayer: Dear Jesus, it is so easy for me to see the faults of others and try to ignore my own sin. Forgive me for my own sin and give me a heart of forgiveness for those around me. Thank you for the peace that I have knowing that you have pronounced through your death and resurrection, your judgment of me is this: “not guilty!” In your name I pray. Amen A question to consider: As you spend time pondering today's verses, is there someone you can reach out to with a word of encouragement or forgiveness? Starting by sharing your gratitude for God's forgiveness for you can be a blessing to that conversation. Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

We can fully count on God's promise and his remarkable gift . . .

We all have days or times in our lives where it is just plain hard to keep our head up and our worry down. . .

How many days until . . .

When we feel overwhelmed, trust that message of reconciliation.

Hold onto this truth: Christ for us.

So, let's pray for each other. . .

It might almost feel annoying to be grateful...

To find contentment in what we have already produced can be tricky...

Let us be humbled and do our work faithfully...

Our cross, alone, is too heavy to bear, but we are not alone.

Praise God for what the world thought was defeat, was actually a victory that we can joyfully call our own.

God measures you solely by what Christ has done in your place.

God's Word doesn't just leave us wounded. It heals.

Those treasures don't last...

lesson plans, story Bibles, puppets, snacks, songs, and stickers...

God wants to hear from you...

In a world that glorifies “busy,” let's encourage each other to rest...

The bean seed becomes a sprout...