The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States ““HOW DOES JESUS DO IT?” for Sunday, 3 July 2016 with Scripture: Isaiah 41:8-10, 17-20

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States ““HOW DOES JESUS DO IT?” for Sunday, 3 July 2016 with Scripture: Isaiah 41:8 “But you, Isra’el, my servant;
Ya‘akov, whom I have chosen,
descendants of Avraham my friend,
9 I have taken you from the ends of the earth,
summoned you from its most distant parts
and said to you, ‘You are my servant’ —
I have chosen you, not rejected you.
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you;
don’t be distressed, for I am your God.
I give you strength, I give you help,
I support you with my victorious right hand.
17 “The poor and needy look for water in vain;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, Adonai, will answer them.
I, the God of Isra’el, will not leave them.
18 I will open up rivers on the barren hills
and wells down in the broad valleys.
I will turn the desert into a lake
and dry ground into springs.
19 I will plant the desert with cedars,
acacias, myrtles and olive trees;
In the ‘Aravah I will put cypresses
together with elm trees and larches.”
20 Then the people will see and know,
together observe and understand
that the hand of Adonai has done this,
that the Holy One of Isra’el created it.
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Do not fear, for I am with you, . . . I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”[Isaiah 41:10 (NRSV)]
About ten years ago, my beloved grandmother, Nan, was dying of cancer. We were grateful that her suffering was brief and that she died at home surrounded by her family. Nan had spent most of her life caring for others, and her children and grandchildren were her greatest joys. We were honored to be there for her in her final moments.
I learned after Nan died that my dad had been praying for Christ to wrap his arms around Nan. He wanted her to be comforted, freed from her pain. He later told me that he knew the Lord had answered his prayer very clearly when Nan said to him, “I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know how Jesus keeps me so warm!” My dad knew then that the Lord was telling him, “I heard your prayer.”
As faithful followers of Christ, in times of despair we sometimes need consoling and a reminder that God’s promise to care for us is still real. God does hear us and respond to us. I think back to my dad’s prayer and to the Lord’s answer through Nan. This experience is a reminder for me to listen and look for the messages that remind us that God’s love and care for us never end.
The Author: Lisa Gridley (Pennsylvania, USA)
Thought for the Day: God sends love and care when I need it most.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help us to look and listen for you in our lives. Help us to remember that you love us and care for us, especially in times of despair. Amen.
Prayer focus: GRATITUDE FOR GOD’S CARE

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