January 9, 2026 Devo

Through the years, I’ve done a good bit of consulting with churches that have plateaued or are declining. Almost always, there are broken systems that aren’t working, dysfunctional people who need to be dealt with, and programming that stopped being effective long ago. But one of the things I discovered with these churches is that there were usually Bright Spots that existed as well. Places where life was evident. Places where there was energy and excitement. Places where it was evident that God was still working and moving. When I pointed out these “Bright Spots” to church leaders, it gave them hope and something they could hold onto while they were rebuilding the rest.
The “branch” is that Bright Spot for Israel. Commentators pretty much all agree that the branch is a messianic reference to Jesus. Out of the ragged remnants of a broken nation, God would raise up a Savior and Redeemer who would be the hope of the world. But that branch was also a reference to the faithful few of Israel who were still there. Many in the nation had rebelled, but not all. Many had sought out other gods, but not everyone. Many of the religious leaders had become corrupt, but there were still some holy people who remained. This “remnant,” this “branch,” would be the Bright Spot that God would use to rebuild the land. Jesus was the Bright Spot that would eventually fulfill the promise, but even in their time of darkness, some smaller Bright Spots remained.
I give this thought to you as a hope and a promise to hang onto. In every struggling relationship, there are some Bright Spots you can build on. In every difficult situation, there are places of hope and light and life. In every dark time of life, God has firm promises upon which you can stand, handles of truth that you can hold onto, and the knowledge that Jesus is on His way. You may feel desperate today, but God is near. You may feel hopeless and alone today, but you are not. Look for the Bright Spots that God has provided and build on those.
One final word. BE one of those Bright Spots. Be an island of optimism in your home of negativity. Be the warmth of God in those places that are cold and unwelcoming. Let the light of God’s Love and Hope shine through you when you find yourself surrounded by darkness and people who are giving up. Don’t just look for Bright Spots. Be one. You may be the Branch God has planted for such a time as this. That’s God’s Word for you today.