Daily Devotional
The Daily Devotional from The Upper Room in Nashville Tennessee United States for Thursday, 18 January 2018 "Always with Us" by Samuel Hunt (Florida) - Romans 8:31-39
[The Lord your God] will never leave
you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV))
As a 20-year-old Bible school graduate, I kissed my parents goodbye and went to teach the Bible in Southeast Asia. I had planned the whole adventure on my own and was traveling by myself for the entire summer. I was thrilled — that is, until my first day in-country when I found myself sitting cross-legged on a cold tile floor with my back against a wall. Far from anything familiar and with no one around to talk to, I felt deeply and utterly alone.
Sometimes we force our own backs against a wall; other times life pushes us there. We may be anxious, depressed, afraid for the future, or lonely. We know we can’t backtrack, but the way ahead looks murky.
I imagine David feeling this way when he wrote, “I walk through the darkest valley” (Ps. 23:4). Yet he was careful to add, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” When our backs are against the wall, we can look to our heavenly Father for peace. Like David, when we focus not on the darkness but on God’s goodness, we can find comfort. That day, I sang in worship to God. Someone else might have quoted scripture or prayed. However we respond, we can trust that God is always with us, leading us through the darkness.
***
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear Father God, thank you for comforting us with your words in scripture that remind us of your faithful presence. Amen.
***
TODAY'S READING: Romans 8:31-39
As a 20-year-old Bible school graduate, I kissed my parents goodbye and went to teach the Bible in Southeast Asia. I had planned the whole adventure on my own and was traveling by myself for the entire summer. I was thrilled — that is, until my first day in-country when I found myself sitting cross-legged on a cold tile floor with my back against a wall. Far from anything familiar and with no one around to talk to, I felt deeply and utterly alone.
Sometimes we force our own backs against a wall; other times life pushes us there. We may be anxious, depressed, afraid for the future, or lonely. We know we can’t backtrack, but the way ahead looks murky.
I imagine David feeling this way when he wrote, “I walk through the darkest valley” (Ps. 23:4). Yet he was careful to add, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” When our backs are against the wall, we can look to our heavenly Father for peace. Like David, when we focus not on the darkness but on God’s goodness, we can find comfort. That day, I sang in worship to God. Someone else might have quoted scripture or prayed. However we respond, we can trust that God is always with us, leading us through the darkness.
***
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear Father God, thank you for comforting us with your words in scripture that remind us of your faithful presence. Amen.
***
TODAY'S READING: Romans 8:31-39
Romans 8:31 What, then, are we to say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare even his own Son, but gave him up on behalf of us all — is it possible that, having given us his Son, he would not give us everything else too? 33 So who will bring a charge against God’s chosen people? Certainly not God — he is the one who causes them to be considered righteous! 34 Who punishes them? Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and — more than that — has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf! 35 Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah? Trouble? Hardship? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War? 36 As the Tanakh puts it,
“For your sake we are being put to death all day long,
we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.”[Romans 8:36 Psalm 44:23(22)]
37 No, in all these things we are superconquerors, through the one who has loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
“For your sake we are being put to death all day long,
we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.”[Romans 8:36 Psalm 44:23(22)]
37 No, in all these things we are superconquerors, through the one who has loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
***
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
I am never alone because God is with me.
***
PRAYER FOCUS:
Young people far from home
***
READ MORE:
Link2Life - January 18
Sam with his parents
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
I am never alone because God is with me.
***
PRAYER FOCUS:
Young people far from home
***
READ MORE:
Link2Life - January 18
Sam with his parents
***
The Upper Room
1908 Grand Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States
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