OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL READING MAY 18, 2025, SUNDAY ODB MESSAGE
Our Daily Bread Sunday 18th May 2025 Devotional TOPIC: God’s Gracious Abundance
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 4-6; John 6:1-21
KEY VERSE: Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.- Genesis 1:11
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Genesis 1:1-13
INSIGHT FOR TODAY
Genesis 1 describes the activity of God the Father (v. 1) and the Holy Spirit (v. 2) in the creation event. The New Testament makes it clear, however, that the second person of the Godhead—Jesus Christ—was also actively involved in creation. John 1:3 tells us, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Colossians 1:16 adds, “In him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . ; all things have been created through him and for him.” And Jesus even now sustains the universe He created (v. 17) as a demonstration of His grace!
Our Daily Bread Sunday 18th May 2025 Devotional MESSAGE
At the age of fifty-one, Ynes Mexia (1870-1938) decided to study botany, enrolling as a college freshman. Over her thirteen-year career, she traveled across Central and South America, discovering five hundred new species of plants. She’s not alone in her quest. Scientists discover nearly two thousand new plants each year.
In Genesis 1, God took a formless, empty, and dark earth (v. 2) and created a place full of abundance. On the third day, God separated the waters to create dry land and began making it hospitable for humans by having “the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit” (v. 11). These were seed-bearing plants and fruit trees from which we could eat. God didn’t create just one type of fruit tree but an abundance.
God isn’t only the Creator (v. 1); He’s also creative. He enjoys making different types of plants and animals and stars. If God cared only about giving us food, He could have made just one kind of seed-bearing plant. But God is extravagant and never does things in half measures.
God’s abundance isn’t limited to His creation. He’s also generous with His grace. As Paul said, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:14). As with God’s creation, His grace is more than we need and offered with us in mind.
REFLECT: How is creation a demonstration of God’s good and abundant grace? What stories of His grace can you share?
PRAY: Father, thank You for creating a beautiful world.
Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet. (Our Daily Bread 18th May 2025 Devotional)