Daily Devotional
The Daily Devotional from The Upper Room in Nashville Tennessee United States for Tuesday, 16 January 2018 "The Missing Piece" by Gale A. Richards (Iowa) - James 4:1-10***
I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because
you alone, Lord, let me live in safety. (Psalm 4:8 (CEB))
My mother enjoys jigsaw puzzles. She starts with the edges and works inward — slowly bringing order to the chaos of small pieces. The process is challenging but satisfying. One puzzle that she worked on didn’t go together properly because each time she got close to finishing a certain part of the picture, a necessary piece was missing.
Life can feel like that incomplete puzzle when we forget to rely on God. We try to build our lives out of the pieces we have: education, money, material goods. Just when things seem to be coming together properly, frustrations creep in. The problem is that we are missing the piece that holds all the other pieces together — God. By coming to God in humble repentance, we receive the grace of our Lord’s forgiveness and love.
Following God in service is seldom easy, but it comes with peaceful assurance. God will guide our steps and can cause good to come out of the worst situation. God brings order and peace out of the chaos of life’s small pieces.
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TODAY'S PRAYER:
God of grace, thank you for your promise to deliver us from evil. May your love and mercy guide our actions so we may know your peace each day. Amen.
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TODAY'S READING: James 4:1-10
My mother enjoys jigsaw puzzles. She starts with the edges and works inward — slowly bringing order to the chaos of small pieces. The process is challenging but satisfying. One puzzle that she worked on didn’t go together properly because each time she got close to finishing a certain part of the picture, a necessary piece was missing.
Life can feel like that incomplete puzzle when we forget to rely on God. We try to build our lives out of the pieces we have: education, money, material goods. Just when things seem to be coming together properly, frustrations creep in. The problem is that we are missing the piece that holds all the other pieces together — God. By coming to God in humble repentance, we receive the grace of our Lord’s forgiveness and love.
Following God in service is seldom easy, but it comes with peaceful assurance. God will guide our steps and can cause good to come out of the worst situation. God brings order and peace out of the chaos of life’s small pieces.
***
TODAY'S PRAYER:
God of grace, thank you for your promise to deliver us from evil. May your love and mercy guide our actions so we may know your peace each day. Amen.
***
TODAY'S READING: James 4:1-10
James 4:1 What is causing all the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it your desires battling inside you? 2 You desire things and don’t have them. You kill, and you are jealous, and you still can’t get them. So you fight and quarrel. The reason you don’t have is that you don’t pray! 3 Or you pray and don’t receive, because you pray with the wrong motive, that of wanting to indulge your own desires.
4 You unfaithful wives! Don’t you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! 5 Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy? 6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says,
“God opposes the arrogant,
but to the humble he gives grace.”[James 4:6 Proverbs 3:34]
7 Therefore, submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded people! 9 Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom! 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
4 You unfaithful wives! Don’t you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! 5 Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy? 6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says,
“God opposes the arrogant,
but to the humble he gives grace.”[James 4:6 Proverbs 3:34]
7 Therefore, submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded people! 9 Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom! 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God wants me to have true peace.
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PRAYER FOCUS:
To receive God’s peace
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READ MORE:
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God wants me to have true peace.
***
PRAYER FOCUS:
To receive God’s peace
***
READ MORE:
***
The Upper Room
1908 Grand Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States
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