The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Springing Back" for Sunday, 17 April 2016 with Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3 Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who, in keeping with his great mercy, has caused us, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah from the dead, to be born again to a living hope, 4 to an inheritance that cannot decay, spoil or fade, kept safe for you in heaven. 5 Meanwhile, through trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the Last Time. 6 Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials. 7 Even gold is tested for genuineness by fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust’s genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah.
8 Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words. 9 And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance.
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My job at a nursery involves propagating trees. Taking a small bud from one variety of tree, we graft it onto the root stock of another variety. In time, the two develop as one — growing tall and seemingly strong — but the process does not end there. When the tree has matured, we check it by using the simple test of pushing against the trunk. If the graft has properly healed, the tree will bend with the pressure and spring back when released. If the graft has not healed, the tree may still look healthy; but when force is applied, hidden weakness is exposed and the trunk will snap off at the graft.
So it is when the pressures of life push in on us and our faith is tested. If our spiritual life has little depth, all may look well; but like the tree, we may easily break under stress. Spending time in God’s presence through prayer and daily reading of scripture prepares and strengthens us for times of trouble. In the midst of trial, we can call on what we have learned about the Lord in those quiet moments. In Jesus — the strong vine from which we as branches grow (see John 15:5) — we may bend, but we won’t break.
The Author: Steven C. Beebe (Washington, USA)
Thought for the Day: My strength comes from my relationship with Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Lord, strengthen us through your grace in order that we may face our trials with the confidence that you are with us every step of the way. Amen.
Prayer focus: Nursery workers
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