Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
WELS Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s Devotions
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Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
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2/26/2024
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Recent Episodes
June 1, 2026
Say it Out Loud: God Loves Sinners – Week of June 1, 2026
<img loading="lazy" width="842" height="347" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg" class="wp-image-57165 avia-img-lazy-loading-57165 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg 842w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-300x124.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-768x317.jpg 768w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-705x291.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px" /><p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-58728-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260601ECME.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260601ECME.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260601ECME.mp3</a></audio><br /> <a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260601ECME.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <blockquote><p>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.</p> <p><strong>1 Timothy 1:14-17 </strong></p></blockquote> <h3>Say it Out Loud: God Loves Sinners</h3> <p>“Why is the sky blue? How do planes fly? Why is the ocean salty?”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>What if someone asked you this question: “Why did Jesus save mankind?”</p> <p>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!</p> <p>“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).</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.”</p> <p>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!</p> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>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.</p></blockquote> <p>Early Childhood Ministry Educator Devotions will return in August. To view archived devotions visit <a href="https://wels.net/serving-you/devotions/ecme-devotions/">wels.net/ecme-devotions</a>. Have a blessed summer!</p> <div class="avia_textblock avia_textblock_style" data-update_with="content"> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> </div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/ecme-dev/ec20260601/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
May 25, 2026
What’s the Difference? The Living Water – Week of May 25, 2026
<img loading="lazy" width="842" height="347" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg" class="wp-image-57165 avia-img-lazy-loading-57165 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg 842w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-300x124.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-768x317.jpg 768w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-705x291.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px" /><p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-58291-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260525ECME.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260525ECME.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260525ECME.mp3</a></audio><br /> <a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260525ECME.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <blockquote><p>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.<br /> <strong>John 7:37-39</strong></p></blockquote> <h3>What’s the Difference? The Living Water</h3> <p>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.</p> <p>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.”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>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.</p></blockquote> <p> </p> <div class="avia_textblock avia_textblock_style" data-update_with="content"> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> </div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/ecme-dev/ec20260518-2/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
May 18, 2026
The One in Our Place – Week of May 18, 2026
<img loading="lazy" width="842" height="347" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg" class="wp-image-57165 avia-img-lazy-loading-57165 webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 16px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" srcset="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg 842w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-300x124.jpg 300w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-768x317.jpg 768w, https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header-705x291.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px" /><p><audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-58288-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260518ECME.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260518ECME.mp3">https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260518ECME.mp3</a></audio><br /> <a href="https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20260518ECME.mp3">Listen to Devotion</a></p> <blockquote><p>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.</p> <p><strong>1 Peter 5:6,10</strong></p></blockquote> <h3>The Greatest Treasure</h3> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <blockquote> <h4>Prayer:</h4> <p>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.</p> <h4><strong>A Question to Consider: </strong></h4> <p>How does knowing that Jesus has already secured your “spot in line” change the way you handle moments when you feel unappreciated or overlooked?</p></blockquote> <p> </p> <div class="avia_textblock avia_textblock_style" data-update_with="content"> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.</div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><a title="Creative Commons" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.</a></div> <div style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">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.</div> </div> <div class="printfriendly pf-button pf-alignright"> <a href="https://wels.net/ecme-dev/ec20260518/?pfstyle=wp" rel="nofollow" onclick="" title="Printer Friendly, PDF & Email"> <img decoding="async" src="https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/iconsPrinterFriendly400x60.png" alt="Print Friendly, PDF & Email" class="pf-button-img" style="width: 400px;height: 60px;" /><span id="printfriendly-text2" class="pf-button-text"> </span> </a> </div>
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