Latest Devotion
But God
By: Traci Dean
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:4-5 (RSV)
The words “But God” are a powerful turning point for many people, including me. Whenever I read those words, they remind me that God pursued me, His grace restored me, and how He welcomed me into His eternal family.
But God...forgave our sins, raised us to new life, and gave us an eternal inheritance in Christ—not because we earned it, but because of His mercy and grace.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7
We all go through seasons in life, and some of them are harder than others. When we're in the midst of a difficult trial, we might find ourselves wondering if we’ll come out of it. There was a long season in my life when I felt like that. Why? Because I was trying to get through it in my own strength instead of relying on God.
But God...opened my eyes and my heart, and He reminded me that my faith must be in Him, not myself. Praise the Lord! Someone recently shared their testimony with me, and I realized that my favorite part of anyone's story is when they say "But God" because that is the moment where everything changed.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
We must always remember that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. When we turn to Him, His mercy is greater than our guilt, His grace is greater than our sin, and His power is made perfect in our weakness! In Him is where we find our hope.
But God...Let these two words become a steady reminder of the hope you have in HIM!
Additional reading: Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Titus 3:4-7