TOKONAKI ME 30, 2026

SIOPE 14-16; PALOVEPI 3:5-6

It is spiritually healthy to always remember that God, in his infinite wisdom, has set limits for us.

‘Oku kau lelei ki he’etau mo’ui fakalaumalie, ke tau manatu’i, ko e ‘Otuaa, ‘i he taumama’o ‘o ‘ene poto, ‘oku ne fokotu’u ha ngaahi fakangatangata ki he tangataa.

Working beyond God-ordained limits is always spiritually debilitating and destructive. We will never be able to go two weeks without sleep. We will never be able to work eighty hours a week and not see a negative impact on our family. We will never have so much wisdom that we will be free of God's. We will never be so righteous that we will no longer need God's grace. We will never grow so strong that we will no longer require God's power. We will never have so much control that we will no longer need to rest in God's sovereignty. If you deny the limits God has set for you, you then begin to live with a self-sufficiency and independence that never go anywhere good.

Job in his suffering-over which he has no voice or control-is powerfully confronted with his limits. Note Job's words:

Since his days are determined,

and the number of his months is with you,

and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass... (Job 14:5)

Job is faced with the reality that not only does he have limits and not only do those limits set boundaries for him that he cannot pass, but those limits have been preordained and predetermined by God. If you think back to Genesis 1 and 2, you realize that the only being in the entire creation account that is without limits is God himself.

The limits God has set for us are not unloving or unkind. He does not intend them to handicap or incapacitate us. God's boundaries are not meant to stifle us, to make life hard and frustrating. No, the wise God who made us knew what was best for us. He specially designed us, knowing exactly what we needed. In his wisdom, he did not create us to be limitless, self-sufficient, independent beings. The limits he set for us drive us, in humility, to surrender to and depend on him and to find in him our wisdom, strength, righteousness, and power. We push against our limits when we forget the meaning and purpose for which we were created: to know God and to rest in and enjoy him forever.

Nothing confronts us with our limits more than the cross of Jesus Christ. We cannot bridge the gap between ourselves and God on our own. Because of our limits, we needed the Redeemer, Jesus, to come as our substitute, to do what we could never do, and by grace to unite us to God forever. The limitless one took on limits, so that we would someday know the glory of a limitless eternity with God. Accept your limits and rest in the wisdom and grace of the one who put those boundaries in place for his glory and your eternal good.

 FALAITE ME 29, 2026

SIOPE 11-13; SAAME 73:1-28

What do you do when it seems as though the bad guys are prospering and the good guys are suffering?

Ko e ha ho’o me’a ‘e fai ‘i he taimi ‘oku ke vakai ai ‘oku tu’umalie ‘a e kau fai kovi, kae mo’ui faingata’a’ia ‘a e kau fai lelei?

We look around, and it doesn't seem that justice and righteousness are prevailing. Often it looks as though the bad guys are winning and the good guys are losing. Evil seems to be on the rise and good seems to be waning. Those who stand for biblical morality are characterized as hateful and unloving, while those who pridefully blow through all of God's boundaries are looked upon with respect and esteem. In our discouragement, we can wonder what God is doing or whether he is in control. Why do the righteous suffer? Why do the unrighteous prosper? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad people seem to be blessed? You can't live between the "already" and the "not yet" of this broken world without being haunted by these questions at some point. Job, a righteous man, feels the weight of these questions deeply:

I am a laughingstock to my friends;

I, who called to God and he answered me,

a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.

In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;

it is ready for those whose feet slip.

The tents of robbers are at peace,

and those who provoke God are secure,

who bring their god in their hand. (Job 12:4-6)

Job is saying, "I have trusted God, yet look at my life. I have lived a blameless life, but my suffering has turned me into a laughingstock. Robbers are better off than I am. Those who provoke God seem to be more secure than I am. Idolaters have more peace than I have." It is the age-old dilemma: Why does the world seem upside down? Why do the bad guys seem to have it so easy? 

Now, if there were no God and the world were on a mechanical moral scale, where right living would balance you toward a good life and bad living would balance you toward a bad life, these questions would make sense. But we do not live in a mechanical world. We live in a world ruled by one who is holy in every way, wise beyond our knowing, and faithful to every covenant promise he has ever made. He is ruling not for our comfort and ease, but for his glory and our eternal good. The one who rules over our suffering gave us his Son who, in his life, death, and resurrection, eternally connected us to God and assured an end to all suffering and to the questions that haunt us. God has not lost control. In those moments when it looks as though evil is winning, God is working his wise redemptive plan. Even in your confusion, you can still trust him, for he is worthy of your trust. And he gives you the grace to do so.

 TU’APULELULU ME 28, 2026

JOB 8-10; Isaiah 55:6-9

Few things are more spiritually dangerous than allowing yourself to think you're smarter than God, even for a moment.

‘Oku si’isi’i ke ‘i ai ha me’a ‘e fakatu’utamaki ange ka ko ho’o fakangofua ho’o fakakaukau ke ke pehee ‘oku ke poto ange ‘i he ‘Otua, neongo ko ha ki’i fo’i kemo pe.

It might be hard for you to admit, but sometimes you are tempted to think you are smarter than God. Anytime you step over God's moral boundaries, you are acting as though you're smarter than God. Anytime you question his revealed wisdom, you are telling yourself you're smarter than God. Anytime you get mad at him for what he has brought into your life, you are acting as though you know more and know better. Anytime you try to take your life into your own hands and do what pleases yourself rather than what he says is best, you are acting as though you have greater wisdom than he. It is important to always remember that God, in his infinite glory, is the ultimate source of everything that is wise, good, and true. He may confuse you, he may confound you, and he may disturb you, but he is never in error, and what he says and does is never wrong. God knows everything. It is the height of spiritual delusion to think that we could ever mount wise arguments against him and what he has done.

Job, dealing with the confounding nature of his suffering, understands these truths about God.

Truly I know that it is so:

But how can a man be in the right before God?

If one wished to contend with him, 

one could not answer him once in a thousand times.

He is wise in heart and mighty in strength

-who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?-

he who removes mountains, and they know it not,

when he overturns them in his anger,

who shakes the earth out of its place,

and its pillars tremble;

who commands the sun, and it does not rise;

who seals up the stars;

who alone stretched out the heavens

and trampled the waves of the sea;

who made the Bear and Orion,

the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;

who does great things beyond searching out,

and marvelous things beyond number.

Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;

he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?

Who will say to him, "What are you doing?" (Job 9:2-12)

As Job stands before the glorious glory of the wisdom and power of God, he is deeply aware that, although his suffering is confusing and confounding, he cannot call God into question. Like Job, we all must rest in God's wisdom, goodness, and power, even though we can't always understand what God is doing or why he is doing it. It is wonderful that he is a God of wisdom and power as well as grace. When your understanding fails, cry out for grace not just to endure but to rest in God's rule, knowing that he is wise in ways you and I never will be.

 PULELULU ME 27, 2026

SIOPE 4-7; SAAME 1:1-6

Not all counsel is wise counsel. Be careful of whose "wisdom" you open your heart and mind to.

‘Oku ‘ikai ko e fale’i kotoa pe ko e fale’i fakapotopoto. Tokanga ki he “poto” ‘oku ke faka’atā ho loto mo ho ‘atamai ki ai.

I've worked with countless people whose troubles have been magnified by unwise and unbiblical counsel. Most foolish advice is dispensed by caring and well-meaning friends. And the people receiving the unwise counsel aren't aware that they are being counseled because they receive the advice in a casual setting, not in a therapist's office. We all need to be aware that friendships are counseling relationships. In a friendship you share yourself and your life, and your friends are always interacting with your story, giving their perspective on how you're feeling and doing. You can't have a close friendship without the giving and taking of advice. This is why it is important to realize that not all counsel is good counsel. A well-meaning friend may not be offering you wise advice.

When Job went from having everything to having nothing, his friends gathered around him to comfort him and to sit with him in mourning. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite had good intentions. They did what true friends do. And as good friends do, they had a lot to say about Job and what he was going through. Their counsel was based on a significant question: Is Job right with God? The friends answered this question inaccurately, which meant their counsel was unwise and unbiblical and therefore terribly unhelpful for Job in his time of severe suffering.

The counsel of these three friends is summarized by Eliphaz in Job 4:8-9:

As I have seen, those who plow iniquity

and sow trouble reap the same.

By the breath of God they perish,

and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

Eliphaz is saying to Job, "You do right - you get blessed. You do wrong, you get cursed. Since you have been cursed, you must have committed iniquity before God." There are two problems with this counsel. First, we know from the first chapters of Job that this trial was brought upon Job because he was a righteous man. The question of the trial was, Will a righteous man continue to follow God if he loses everything? Second, this counsel does not come from a valid understanding of the character and purposes of God. It is based on a legalistic worldview that is absolutely devoid of grace, one that believes we must earn God's favor by living a righteous life. It's about performing one's way out of judgment.

If it were possible to gain God's favor by independent righteousness, then the whole redemptive narrative in the Bible, culminating with the death and resurrection of Jesus, would not have been necessary. If sinners are always cursed and never the recipients of God's grace, then there is no hope for any of us. Jesus came to bear our curse, so that we would bear it no more.

May the counsel you receive into your heart and mind be in tune with God's character and his glorious narrative of grace for sinners. That grace is our only hope, just as it was Job's ultimate hope.

 TUSITE ME 26, 2026

SIOPE 1-3; SENESI 22:1-14

There is but one God, who is without an equal and rules over all.

‘Oku taha mātē pe ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku ‘ikai ha no tatau pea ‘oku ne pule fakaleveleva.

My friend had endured a tough life. From childhood her life had been marked by disappointment, difficulty, and suffering. Her closest loved ones had failed her, and she was a disappointment to herself. Her marriage was marred by hurt and distrust. When I sat with her and her husband, I observed little warmth between them; in fact, it seemed as though they really didn't like each other very much. Their marriage was more of an attempt at civility than a story of love. She wanted to talk to me because she was severely depressed, to the point of being almost paralyzed spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. Her depression was not just the result of the physical and relational woes she had suffered. No, she was haunted by something much deeper, which made her world seem inescapably dark and dangerous. She was haunted by a particular question: Can the one who sits on the throne of the universe be trusted? You could argue that no question is more theologically profound or morally practical than this. Where the rubber meets the road in daily life, can I trust God? My friend's answer was, "I just don't know."

As I talked with her week after week, I realized she couldn't answer the question with a hardy yes because her theology was defective. She described the world as being inhabited by two awesome and powerful deities (although she never used that word). The good deity is named Jehovah and the bad deity is named Satan, and they battle for control of the universe. If this were true, then of course you couldn't be sure that God could deliver what he planned and promised. But in the very beginning of the book of Job, God rescues us from this false view of the power and authority of Satan.

Job was a rich and God-fearing man. So Satan came to God and essentially said, "Look, the only reason this guy fears and serves you is because he has everything. But if you allow me to remove it all from him, he will forsake you." It is incredible that we are invited to eavesdrop on this conversation. And one of the reasons it has been recorded and preserved for us is so that we can be sure that Satan is not, and never has been, God's equal. In order to trouble Job, Satan has to go to God for permission, because God alone is the ruler of the universe (see Job 1:6-12).

Even in this fallen world, we can rest assured that God can be trusted, because he rules with absolute authority over every situation, location, and relationship in order to execute his plan and deliver on his promises. He has no equal. The throne is his, unchallenged. And for every believer everywhere, that is the best news.

 MONITE ME 25, 2026

‘ESETA 6-10; ‘AISEA 64:1-5

The Bible never presents the sovereignty of God in a way that erases human responsibility.

‘Oku ‘ikai ke tau ma’u ‘i he Folofola ha fakamatala ki he tu’unga pule aoniu ‘o e ‘Otua, pea to’o ai ‘a e fatongia kuo tuku ki he fa’ahinga ‘o e tangata.

If someone told you, "I am just trusting God to reconcile my broken relationship with my brother," how would you respond? The person's statement reveals flawed and unbiblical thinking. God's absolute sovereignty over everything and everyone all of the time never excuses me from doing the things he has called me to do. If I am in an unreconciled relationship with my brother, I am to go to him with the hope of reconciliation. The Bible presents the truth of the interrelationship between the sovereignty of God and his people's responsibility. God often exercises his sovereign will through the means of the true validity of the choices and actions of secondary agents (people). Our actions and choices are means by which God works out his sovereignty. He is in control not only of the final end of things, but also of the means to the end. This means that our choices and actions matter. God's absolute rule in every situation and location never lets us off the hook. He is sovereign and we are responsible; these truths work in cooperation and never in opposition.

The crucial importance of human responsibility is the second great theme of the book of Esther. In the last devotional I wrote that Esther presents to us a God who works not only in the light but also in the shadows. He always works to ensure that what he has ordained - for his glory and the good of his people - will come to pass. He is never distant or uninvolved. He never takes a vacation or sleeps on the job. The hope of the universe rests in the fact that God's rule is universal and unstoppable.

But Esther presents us with another theme. The way God often works his will, assuring that what he has ordained actually comes to fruition, is through the choices and actions of real people, who have actual power to choose, decide, and act. This is illustrated clearly and powerfully in the faith, courage, and actions of Mordecai and Esther. Through their brave and wise choices, God's plan - to preserve his people so that out of them would come the Savior of the world - continues undeterred. God's people are preserved and God's plan marches on. This is exactly what God has ordained, but everything comes to pass because of the crucial decisions and actions of Mordecai and Esther.

So today you can rest in the fact that God's will will be done. His perfect plan will march on to completion. But you must also understand that resting in his rule is not an excuse to be passive or inactive. The one who rules everything calls you to believe, obey, fight, proclaim, repent, love, and follow. He works his rule through your work. So rest and work; this is the lifestyle of the redeemed. 

 SAPATE ME 24, 2026

‘ESETA 1-5; ‘EKISOTO 3:7-9

The God who works in the light also works in the shadows. If you do not see his hand, don't conclude that he isn't working.

Ko e ‘Otua ‘oku ngaue ‘i he maamaa, ‘oku ne toe ngaue pe ‘i he malumaluu. Kapau ‘oku ‘ikai te ke sio ki hono nimaa, ‘oua te ke pehee ‘oku ‘ikai te ne ngaue.

When I counseled people, they would tell me their stories. Often they would recount their lives and express no sense of God's presence or influence. I found this jarring. So I would act as a tour guide, walking them back through their stories and pointing out evidence of God's presence, care, provision, and grace. Sometimes God works in the bright light. His hand is obvious, and his care is clear. But sometimes it is hard to "see" God. In these moments, it's tempting to wonder whether he is near and whether he is doing anything. So it is important to understand that the God who works in the light also works in the shadows. His sovereign power and redeeming care are not always clear, but we ought not think he is absent, distant, inactive, or uncaring. God never forsakes his own, and he never fails to deliver what he has promised. The assumption that we can't see evidence of his presence or care does not mean he is not present and at work.

I think one of the reasons the book of Esther is in the Bible is to teach us this lesson. Esther is one book of the Bible that does not mention God's name. This has troubled many people, but it shouldn't because there are evidences of God's power, presence, and care for his people throughout this little Old Testament book. God works in the shadows to cause Esther to rise to prominence in order to preserve his people. In so doing, God gives hope to the world, because out of those people the Savior would come and ultimately make new again everything broken by sin. Without Esther, the Jewish people would have been destroyed, and there would have been no birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, no righteous life of Jesus, no substitutionary death, no victorious resurrection, and no ascension to the Father to intercede for his own. The world would have been trapped in sin and doomed with no hope.

The amazing outcome of the story of Esther cannot and should not be attributed to human initiative, wisdom, and ingenuity alone. Behind everything, God is controlling circumstances, working in people's hearts, and determining outcomes. We should be thankful for Mordecai and Esther, but God is the ultimate hero of this portion of Scripture. His providential care guarantees that his people and his work of redemption will have an eternal and glorious Future.

You may not always see God's hand, but you can rest assured that your Lord never ceases working for your good and his glory. Remember that the God who is active in the light is just as active in the shadows. Even though his name might not appear to be plastered all over your story, he is with you, in you, and for you - and that is reason to rest in his care and give yourself to his work.