The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Sirens" for Saturday, 7 February 2015 - Scripture: Psalm 18: For the music leader. Of David the Lord’s servant, who spoke the words of this song to the Lord after the Lord delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from Saul.
1 He said: I love you, Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my solid rock,
my fortress, my rescuer.
My God is my rock—
I take refuge in him!—
he’s my shield,
my salvation’s strength,
my place of safety.
3 Because he is praiseworthy,[b]
I cried out to the Lord,
and I was saved from my enemies.
4 Death’s cords were wrapped around me;
rivers of wickedness terrified me.
5 The cords of the grave[c] surrounded me;
death’s traps held me tight.
6 In my distress I cried out to the Lord;
I called to my God for help.
God heard my voice from his temple;
I called to him for help,
and my call reached his ears.[Footnotes:
Psalm 18:1 This poem also occurs in 2 Sam 22 with some variations.
Psalm 18:3 Heb uncertain
Psalm 18:5 Heb Sheol]
I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.”[Isaiah 41:13 (NRSV)]
As a boy, I was always excited when I heard the sound of a siren. But later in my life, when I began driving, I often became aggravated by the delay of a few seconds because of an untimely stop or having to wait at an intersection for an emergency vehicle to pass. Either way, most of the time as soon as the sound was gone, I forgot the incident completely.
Nowadays, I try to think about the way Jesus might view the sound of a siren. Someone is in trouble, possibly in a struggle between life and death. At the very least, someone has been shaken up and is facing expensive car-repair bills. Nearly every time we hear a siren, something bad is happening to someone somewhere.
Today whenever I hear a siren, I pray for those who may be injured. Then I add to my “siren prayer” a request for the safety of everyone involved, including emergency responders and bystanders. The split-second decisions they make are difficult when the lives or health of others is at stake.
Finally, we can pray for ourselves, that if we encounter an accident or threatening situation before the professionals arrive, we can offer assistance to the victims and pray with them.
The Author: Larry Crockett (Tennessee, USA)
Thought for the Day: Next time I hear a siren, I will pray.
Prayer:Dear Lord, be with those in trouble and needing emergency help at this moment. Help the safety personnel who respond to make the right decisions. Amen.
Prayer focus: Emergency responders
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The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Nothing Is Impossible!" for Friday, 6 February 2015 - Scripture: Luke 1:30 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. 31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. 33 He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. 36 Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. 37 Nothing is impossible for God.”
Jesus . . . said, “It’s impossible for human beings. But all things are possible for God.”[Matthew 19:26 (CEB)]
One of my childhood dreams was to graduate from the University of Nigeria and become a doctor. In 2002, I completed high school but couldn’t secure admission into the university. I applied again each of the next three years but to no avail. It seemed as if my dreams were shattered.
As I prepared for the fourth time, something in me remembered prayer, so I decided to cast all my cares on God. As I turned over my problem to God, I had less time to worry about the outcome of my exams. That year, I was admitted, and six years later, I graduated from the University of Nigeria as a veterinary doctor. With God’s help, something that had seemed impossible had become a reality.
When the angel told Mary about the birth of the Messiah, Mary asked, “How will this happen?” The angel told her how, then added, “Nothing is impossible for God” (Luke 1:34, 37). At times, each of us asks how something will be possible: How can I pay my bills? How can I prevent the foreclosure of my home? How can my son overcome addiction? The angel — and Jesus — reply to us: With God all things are possible, as we cast our cares on him. (See 1 Peter 5:7.)
Read more from the author, here.
"Greetings from Nigeria"
My name is Nwakuche Emeka, the second child of my parents five children. I am a veterinarian by profession having graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria in Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria. Incidentally, I was born in Maidugri, the capital city of Borno State- a state presently overrun by Boko Haram terrorists in Northeastern Nigeria. I presently reside in the South. I'm single and a devoted Christian in my local church. Being a Christian is one of the biggest graces I have received from God and it has helped me find deep meaning to the perplexing events of life.
I will like you to remember Nigeria in your prayers and all those who are afflicted by the menace of terrorism around the globe. Blessings![Nwakuche Emeka]
The Author: Nwakuche Emeka (Imo, Nigeria)
Thought for the Day: God can do anything!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, increase our faith as we learn to trust you more and more with our concerns and our needs. In your son’s name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: Students taking entrance exams
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