The Upper Room Daily Devotional in Nashville Tennessee United States for Monday, 18 June 2018 "Endurance" by Jewel Deane Suddath (North Carolina) Exodus 13:3-5

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The Upper Room Daily Devotional in Nashville Tennessee United States for Monday, 18 June  2018 "Endurance" by Jewel Deane Suddath (North Carolina) Exodus 13:3-5 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1 (NRSV))
One July day at a plant nursery near my home, I noticed some bedraggled Lenten rose plants with no blooms and browning leaves on sale for half price. Unable to resist a bargain, I bought two and planted them under a dogwood tree. Each week I watered them but saw little improvement. When winter brought snow and ice, I feared they would not survive.
Months passed, and on a rainy March morning I was preparing a Bible lesson about the Israelites’ escape from Egypt. As I pondered their wilderness hardships, my dog began barking at the back door. I opened it, and she leapt past me to chase a squirrel up my dogwood tree. I hurried to the tree to get her out of the rain. Nestled among the dead leaves on the ground, something lavender caught my eye. The unpromising roses had endured winter’s harsh weather and were blooming.
The plants’ endurance brought me back to the Exodus story. The Israelites experienced many hardships during their journey, but God’s grace, love, and forgiveness supported them through bitter days, and they survived to thrive in a new land. Like the Israelites, we experience difficult times. My roses remind me that endurance and survival are not always easy, but that the God who traveled with the Israelites also travels with us.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Gracious God, help us remember that during difficult times you are still walking beside us. Amen.
TODAY'S READING: Exodus 13:3 Moshe said to the people, “Remember this day, on which you left Egypt, the abode of slavery; because Adonai, by the strength of his hand, has brought you out of this place. Do not eat hametz.4 You are leaving today, in the month of Aviv. 5 When Adonaibrings you into the land of the Kena‘ani, Hitti, Emori, Hivi and Y’vusi, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you are to observe this ceremony in this. (Complete Jewish Bible).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God does not expect me to face hardships alone.
PRAYER FOCUS: Those who feel forgotten by God
READ MORE: Link2Life - June 18
Link2Life - June 18, 2018 BY JEWEL DEANE SUDDATH (NORTH CAROLINA)
RELATED DEVOTIONALS: ENDURANCE

Jewel's Lenten rose

Jewel's Lenten roses

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RELATED DEVOTIONALS: ENDURANCE

After experiencing such unexpected success with my first Lenten rose plant, I bought several more varieties. Now, each March brings me Lenten roses that last throughout the season of Lent and for a month or two after Easter. I thank God for these small blessings and for the countless large ones too. © Copyright 2018 The Upper Room

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