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I Am Because You Are September 16, 2025 Devotional

by David Joynt on September 16, 2025


JOHN 8:56 | 56 Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.

 

GENESIS 22:18 | 18 And by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.

 

Jesus also claims Abraham as a fan and supporter! When we think of the communion of saints, including the patriarchs, prophets, disciples, martyrs, and heroes, we should imagine a vast company cheering us on. The author of Hebrews calls this group a “great cloud of witnesses.” Previous figures in the biblical narrative are excited to see the arrival of the Messiah, to see the hopes of the prophets fulfilled, the promises to the patriarchs realized, and the worldwide purpose of God come to fruition.

 

By following Jesus, we become part of that great story and we too are cheered on.

 

Who is your favorite biblical figure? Imagine her or him cheering you on.

 

Gracious God,

Grow my sense of the communion of saints. Help me appreciate the great tradition I belong to.

Amen.

 

About the Author
David Joynt

Dave Joynt began his service as a pastor at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona in September 2014. This meant a move away from the Northeast, where he has a long history, growing up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and then serving congregations in Delaware and New Jersey for a total of 23 years.

Dave was nurtured in a great church in Bethlehem where his parents, Anne and Carey, served as elders. He graduated in classics from Lehigh University where his Father taught, and then from Oxford, where he met his wife Julia. Ordained in 1988, he completed a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1993.

He and Julia have a son, Tristan, and a daughter, Madeleine.

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