Daily Devotional for Thursday, January 1

Jesus Preached in Nazareth

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read,” Luke 4:16.

Today is the first day of the new year. I am sure some of you are saying to yourself, “I cannot believe it is already 2026!” Think of the different things that you do on New Year’s Day. Perhaps you make resolutions. You might kiss your spouse at midnight. In the United States, many people eat a dish that includes black eyed peas for good luck. In Spain, celebrants eat twelve grapes—one at each stroke of midnight—to usher in the New Year. People are faithful to their traditions, are they not? I have friends that camp at the same time each year or vacation at the same destination. I have relatives that take their kids hunting on the first day of deer season because that was how they were raised, and they want to pass that custom down to their children. My wife will only drink eggnog out of a glass cup. Every day, I watch the same channel for my news, and you likely do as well. I even have friends who on every December 31 will say, “See you next year!”

Customs are important to us. There are things that we are comfortable doing, and we do not change those things. We get out of our comfort zone pretty easily with even the slightest change, like someone sitting in our seat at church. We do not like change. We get up at the same time each morning. We drink the same brand of coffee and take the same route to work.

Jesus’ custom was to go to the synagogue and teach. Paul did something similar (Acts 17:2). These men were accustomed to serving God first, and their manner reflected that commitment.  How about you?

JUST A THOUGHT

Are you accustomed to serving God first? Are you as faithful to serve God as you are to your other customs?

Chris Floyd