Jesus Calling: But Is That Really What Jesus Would Say?

Jesus Calling: But Is That Really What Jesus Would Say?

Examining Sarah Young's bestselling devotional through Scripture, spiritual discernment, and the authority of Jesus' own words.

Millions of Christians have found encouragement in Jesus Calling, the bestselling devotional by Sarah Young. Its daily readings emphasize God's presence, peace, trust, and intimacy with Christ. Many readers credit the book with helping them through difficult seasons or developing a more consistent devotional life.

Those are worthwhile outcomes. Scripture repeatedly encourages believers to draw near to God, trust His promises, and find rest in Him. But Jesus Calling raises a question that deserves more attention than its popularity or the comfort it provides: When reading its daily messages, have we ever stopped to ask, “Does that actually sound like something Jesus would say?”

The concern is not simply that Sarah Young offers her understanding of Jesus' teachings. Christian authors have done that for centuries. The concern is that Jesus Calling is written in the first person, as though Jesus Himself is speaking directly to the reader.

And there is an important difference between writing about Jesus and speaking for Him.

When Human Words Become Jesus' Words

Consider the difference between two statements. A devotional might explain that Jesus taught His disciples not to worry about tomorrow because their heavenly Father knows their needs (Matthew 6:25–34). That is a biblical reflection on something Jesus actually taught.

But imagine the same devotional declaring, “My child, I am telling you today to release your worries and rest in My presence,” presenting those words as though Jesus personally communicated them.

The underlying sentiment may be biblical, but the words are not Scripture. They are a human composition written in Jesus' voice.

This distinction becomes especially important when readers understand such statements as actual communications from Christ rather than literary paraphrases.

Jesus certainly said and did more than the Gospels record (John 21:25). Therefore, the argument cannot simply be that Jesus never spoke an unrecorded sentence. Rather, the question is whether someone has sufficient grounds to attribute particular words to Him.

A statement can be encouraging, spiritually meaningful, and even consistent with Scripture without being something Jesus actually said.

Where Did Sarah Young Get These Messages?

Sarah Young described the development of Jesus Calling as an extension of her personal prayer life. In the original introduction, she acknowledged being influenced by God Calling, a 1930s devotional attributed to two anonymous women who believed they received messages from Jesus.

Young began practicing what she described as listening prayer, recording words she believed Jesus was communicating to her. She explained that her prayer journaling developed from writing to God into recording what she sensed God was saying to her.

This background matters because the book was not presented merely as an imaginative exercise in writing biblical encouragement from Jesus' perspective.

Nevertheless, fairness requires acknowledging that Young explicitly affirmed the Bible as the only inspired, inerrant Word of God. She did not claim her devotional was equivalent to Scripture, and she encouraged readers to examine the accompanying biblical passages.

Those qualifications are important. Yet they also expose the central tension: If these messages are fallible human impressions rather than inspired revelation, why present them as direct speech from Jesus?

When Jesus Supposedly Gets His Own Words Wrong

One of the clearest problems appears in earlier editions of Jesus Calling.

The January 28 and October 15 entries described Jesus' promise, “I am with you always,” as His final words before ascending into heaven.

The promise itself is biblical. Matthew 28:20 records Jesus making it to His disciples. However, Matthew does not narrate the ascension, and Acts records a subsequent conversation immediately before Jesus was taken up.

In Acts 1:6–9, the disciples ask Jesus about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Jesus responds that the timing belongs to the Father's authority and promises that the Holy Spirit will empower them to become His witnesses throughout the world. Only afterward does Acts describe His ascension.

Therefore, Matthew 28:20 cannot properly be identified as Jesus' final recorded words before ascending.

Later editions of Jesus Calling revised the wording.

This is not merely a minor publishing issue. If Sarah Young had written an ordinary commentary, the error could simply be acknowledged as a mistaken interpretation. But when the message is written as though Jesus Himself is speaking, the problem becomes considerably more serious.

Jesus would not mistakenly identify His own final words.

The correction illustrates why personal impressions, however sincere, should not be confused with divine speech.

When Interpretation Is Presented as Revelation

Another example appeared in the original August 23 entry, which used Abraham's relationship with Isaac to illustrate the danger of making a loved one into an idol.

The general warning against idolatry is biblical. Jesus taught that allegiance to Him must take precedence over even our closest family relationships (Matthew 10:37).

But does Scripture actually accuse Abraham of idolizing Isaac?

Genesis 22 describes God testing Abraham's faith and obedience. Hebrews 11:17–19 explains that Abraham trusted God's promise so completely that he believed God could even raise Isaac from the dead.

Neither passage explicitly identifies Abraham's love for Isaac as idolatry.

A teacher might suggest that Abraham's attachment to Isaac formed part of the test. That interpretation could be discussed and evaluated. But it remains an interpretation, not a conclusion established by the biblical text.

The original devotional's treatment of Abraham was subsequently revised.

This example is not necessarily a direct contradiction of Scripture. It demonstrates a different problem: A debatable human interpretation can acquire the appearance of divine authority when placed in Jesus' mouth.

Readers should be free to question an author's interpretation without feeling they are questioning Jesus Himself.

Doesn't the Holy Spirit Still Speak Today?

Some Christians might respond that God continues to guide believers through the Holy Spirit. That is a legitimate theological consideration, but it does not resolve the problem.

The New Testament repeatedly describes the Spirit's work among believers. Christians disagree about whether contemporary prophetic gifts continue, but Scripture does not encourage believers to accept every claimed spiritual communication without examination.

Paul instructs the Thessalonians:

“Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21, ESV)

John similarly warns:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1, ESV)

Even in the Corinthian church, where prophetic gifts were actively practiced, Paul instructed believers to evaluate prophetic messages (1 Corinthians 14:29).

These passages establish an essential principle: A person's sincere belief that God has communicated something does not automatically establish that the message came from God.

Christians who affirm contemporary spiritual gifts should be especially attentive to this distinction. Personal impressions must be tested, not simply accepted because someone attributes them to Jesus.

And even when an impression is consistent with Scripture, consistency alone does not prove divine authorship.

What About Adding to God's Word?

Scripture repeatedly warns against misrepresenting divine revelation. Deuteronomy 4:2 prohibits adding to or taking away from God's commandments. Proverbs 30:6 warns against adding to His words, and Revelation 22:18–19 specifically warns against altering the prophecy contained in Revelation.

These passages have distinct contexts and should not be used carelessly to suggest that every devotional reflection constitutes an addition to the biblical canon.

Nevertheless, they reveal a consistent biblical concern: God's words must not be confused with human inventions.

Jeremiah 23 is particularly relevant. The prophet condemns those who present messages originating in their own minds as though they came from the Lord. In Jeremiah 23:28, God distinguishes between a prophet's dream and His actual word.

This does not automatically place Sarah Young among the false prophets Jeremiah condemned. Her affirmation of Scripture's authority and rejection of inerrancy for her own writings must be acknowledged.

But the underlying principle remains: Human thoughts, spiritual impressions, and divine revelation are not interchangeable.

The problem with Jesus Calling is not that it contains personal reflections. The problem is the authority suggested by presenting those reflections in Jesus' voice.

But What If the Book Has Helped Someone?

Many Christians sincerely testify that Jesus Calling has encouraged their faith. Those experiences should not be dismissed.

God can use imperfect sermons, flawed teachers, and theologically incomplete books to encourage His people. Identifying problems in a devotional does not require denying every benefit someone has received from it.

However, spiritual encouragement is not the same as theological accuracy.

A statement may make someone feel closer to God while still misrepresenting something Scripture teaches. This is precisely why biblical discernment matters.

We should also remember that Jesus' actual teachings include considerably more than reassurance and comfort. He calls people to repentance (Mark 1:15), self-denial (Luke 9:23), obedience (John 14:15), and costly discipleship (Luke 14:25–33).

Jesus certainly comforts His people. But the Jesus of Scripture also confronts, corrects, challenges, and commands.

A devotional emphasizing comfort is not inherently wrong. Nevertheless, when a book consistently speaks in Jesus' voice, readers must be careful not to allow that devotional portrayal to replace the fuller picture revealed in Scripture.

A Simple Question Worth Asking

Perhaps the best way to approach someone who enjoys Jesus Calling is not by demanding they stop reading it or attacking the author's intentions.

Instead, begin with a question:

“When you read Jesus Calling, do you ever come across something and think, ‘Wait a minute, does that actually sound like something Jesus would say?’”

That question invites readers to examine the devotional against the Gospels rather than accepting or rejecting it based on personal preference.

It also encourages a second, equally important question: If Jesus did not actually say these words in Scripture, how do we know He communicated them to the author?

The Bereans provide an excellent example. Acts 17:11 commends them for examining the Scriptures daily to determine whether Paul's preaching was true.

Even an apostle's message was examined against Scripture. Surely the writings of a modern devotional author deserve the same scrutiny.

We Already Have the Words of Jesus

The Gospel of John explains that its account was written so readers might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in His name (John 20:30–31).

Paul likewise explains that Scripture equips God's people for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Neither passage prohibits Christian devotionals, commentaries, or other helpful resources. Such writings can deepen our understanding of Scripture when they faithfully explain and apply its teachings.

But their authority is always subordinate to God's Word.

Ultimately, the concern with Jesus Calling is not that Sarah Young wanted people to experience the presence of Christ. Nor is it that every message in her devotional is unbiblical.

The concern is that the book's method blurs the distinction between what Jesus actually said and what a human author believes He might be saying.

And when those messages contain errors or unsupported interpretations, the importance of that distinction becomes unmistakable.

Christians do not need to abandon devotional literature. They need to remember that its purpose is to lead us toward Scripture, not provide additional words attributed to Jesus.

So the next time a devotional speaks in Jesus' voice, ask the question:

Does that really sound like something Jesus would say?

Then open the Bible and find out.

Sources and Further Reading

• Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence (Thomas Nelson, 2004), original and revised editions, particularly the introduction and entries for January 28, August 23, and October 15.

• Sarah Young, interviews with the Christian Broadcasting Network concerning listening prayer and the origins of Jesus Calling.

• Christianity Today, October 2013 coverage of Sarah Young and Jesus Calling.

• Biblical references: Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Jeremiah 23; Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:6–9; Acts 17:11; 1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 1 John 4:1.