Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
September 28, 2024
Job 19:23-27
23 Oh, that my words were written down, inscribed on a scroll 24 with an iron instrument and lead, forever engraved on stone. 25 But I know that my redeemer is alive and afterward he’ll rise upon the dust. 26 After my skin has been torn apart this way then from my flesh I’ll see God, 27 whom I’ll see myself my eyes see, and not a stranger’s. I am utterly dejected.
Good Morning! I am grateful for God’s presence as we start our day, and I thank God for watering our parched land.
The story of Job allows us to examine our lives from top to bottom, from within and outwardly looking in.
I pray that none of us are ever called to live through the extremes of Job’s experience, but we will certainly encounter smaller snippets of despair. As I consider where my times of adversity come from, I realize that some are the result of our own decisions and actions, while others are beyond anything we have done.
Lowell often said, “Times of adversity and crisis are a poor time to develop your theology.” God calls us into a relationship through which those who answer develop practices that strengthen the relationship. These include prayer, meditation, reading scripture, worshiping with the community of believers, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Each prayer, hymn of praise, and time with God build the foundation upon which our lives are built. If we wake up and pray every morning when all is well, then we will wake up and pray every morning when things go south. We remember to pray first because we have established praying as a routine.
On the other hand, if we are not in the habit of praying, praying will not be our first action. Instead, we will most likely fret over our problems, which will fester and grow to epic proportions in our minds. God will be by our sides, patiently waiting for our call.
On this day and every day, pray and spend time with God. When all is well, thank God! When things are challenging, thank God! In all things, thank God.
Faithful God, Thank you for creating us. Nudge us when we forget to spend time with you! Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us three areas where we can know God's will: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! Pastor Liz
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