Upper Room Daily Devotionals...

Equal to Us

Sunday's Devotional

"These men who were hired last worked only one hour," [the workers] said, "and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day."
-Matthew 20:12 (NIV)

IN Jesus' parable of the workers in the vineyard, laborers are employed at various times throughout the day, some even at the eleventh hour. When it is time for wages to be disbursed, they all get paid the same amount. This causes the longer-serving workers to complain.

Often my attention in this story is drawn to the last sentence spoken by Jesus: "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." However, what strikes me today are the words of the complaining workers: "You have made them equal to us."

We are all equal in God's sight. Yet there may well be times when we feel God has favored others over us. Others seem to prosper while we suffer. God appears to answer their prayers but keeps us waiting; or, worse, God gives us an answer we don't want. But at these times we can look beyond the immediate and see the bigger picture of what God wants - and in that big picture there are no losers. All who believe will receive the same reward, and all will get full measure. This excites me. There is no short measure with God. No one will miss out who sincerely receives Christ as Savior and follows him.

Prayer for the Day...

Lord God, we pray for any who think they have been short-changed by you. Show them this is not so. May they reconnect with you in joyful response. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

With God, there are no losers.

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RECLAIMED FAITH

Monday's Devotional

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
- Psalm 51:12 (NRSV)

RECENTLY I experienced a lack of faith. Having been an active Christian for over 47 years, this was new territory for me. But I quickly realized that being a Christian did not shield me from doubt.

As I spent time in earnest prayer, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the disciple Thomas and his unwillingness to believe that Jesus had risen until he could see Jesus' wounds with his own eyes. After Thomas saw the hands and feet of Jesus, he believed, crying out to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"

The scripture reading for this meditation helped ease the fear my doubting had created, specifically these words that Jesus said to Thomas: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." My walk with Jesus Christ has been made new again.

Prayer for the Day...

Lord Jesus, stand by us as we struggle with our weaknesses and lack of faith. By your grace, renew us as we pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."* Amen.

Thought for the Day...

God is as present with us in our doubting as in our believing.

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Through Eyes of Love

Tuesday's Devotional

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
-1 John 4:11 (RSV)

WHEN my little grandson, Aidan, visits, I find joy in doing the things he enjoys. However, on one visit, I was not feeling well. Pain kept me from our usual activities, and my face was weary and worn. As Aidan and I sat reading books, he suddenly looked up at me. He put a tiny hand on each side of my face and said, "Grammie, I like your face." What a blessing! My little grandson was seeing me through eyes of love.

How wonderful it is to receive unconditional love! We are wise to pause and ask ourselves if we extend the same love to others. When interacting with people who are disagreeable or unkind, seeing them through eyes of love becomes more challenging. Yet we know that Jesus commanded God's children to "love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12, KJV).

Having received God's unconditional love, we can surely forgive and love one another. We have the example of Jesus on the cross saying, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34). We are able to forgive those who hurt us as we allow God to transform our hearts so that we see one another as God does - through eyes of love.

Prayer for the Day...

Thank you, God, for seeing us through eyes of love. Help us to see all people with your grace in our hearts. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

We see most clearly when we see through the eyes of love.

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Busy without God?

Wednesday's Devotional

As [the two followers of Jesus] talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him.
-Luke 24:15-16 (TEV)

THE two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus were so busy in their thoughts and in their discussion that they did not recognize Jesus when he began to walk with them. How this story reminds me of my walk with Jesus!

As a Christian leader and trainer, I often find myself extremely busy in ministry, training ministers in spiritual formation and Christian leadership. Recently, though, I have realized that in doing so much work "in the name of God," I have neglected a basic element in my own life of faith: intimacy with God and growth in my personal spiritual formation.

When we become busy in our "doing" for God and forget to spend time in God's presence with scripture and prayer, we will find ourselves becoming tired and frustrated with our work. In our ministry for Christ, we miss Christ's ministry to us.

I have learned that I need to have intimate times with God constantly, even as I go about doing things for God. My Christian service has changed for the better as I have prayed, "Lord, help me and lead me as I daily serve you."

Prayer for the Day...

Faithful God, help us to be constantly aware of your presence. We seek your love and your wisdom as we spend our days serving you and those you call us to love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Thought For the Day...

Am I too busy for God?

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TRUSTWORTHY WORDS

Thursday's Devotional

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:23 (NRSV)

APPEARING forlorn, the little girl crouched in the corner of the ward near a woman with bandaged limbs. She was there to spend her school vacation with her mom. But her mother was no ordinary patient, and this was no ordinary ward. This was a mission to treat those with Hansen's Disease. It was not exactly a place you'd expect a little girl to spend her vacation.

During my visit there, I witnessed the impact of leprosy on people and their loved ones. I thought about the passage in 2 Kings 5, and I could imagine how desperate Naaman must have been to be cured. When he heard about Elisha, Naaman went to the prophet's door, only to have a messenger tell him to wash in the Jordan River. Despite his anger and mis-givings, Naaman acted on God's direction that came through the prophet and was rewarded with a miracle.

Like Naaman, I've found that God's directions don't always make sense to me. They may challenge my understanding of how to deal with my circumstances. But when I act in faith on what the Bible says, its promises prove true. What God has promised will surely come to pass because God is trustworthy.

Prayer for the Day...

Savior of the world, help us to place our trust in your wisdom and promises for every situation we may face. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

God is worth trusting.

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A SECOND CHANCE

Friday's Devotional

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 3:23 (NIV)

THE aircraft carrier on which I serve recently crossed the International Date Line, which is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Traveling east across the date line, we moved the clocks ahead one hour and stepped back one day. In effect, we got to live an entire day over again. For those of us six months into a military deployment, it can feel exasperating to wake up and see that it's Tuesday - again! But I chose to look on the bright side: at least I could use this "second" Tuesday to avoid the mistakes I had made on the previous one.

How many of us wish we had the chance to go back in time and live some portion of our life over again, to be given a second chance? While we may not get to travel through time, we do have a second chance, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was willing to lay down his life, we are now able to find forgiveness, to put our sins behind us, and to move ahead, knowing that God will not hold our past mistakes against us. Because of this, we have the ability to wake up each day unburdened, striving anew to live our lives according to God's purpose.

Prayer for the Day...

Heavenly Father, help us remember that it's never too late to turn away from sin and toward you. We humbly ask for your forgiveness so that we may embrace the future with its opportunities to grow closer to you. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

Live tomorrow as you would re-live today.

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LOVE WITHOUT WORDS

Saturday's Devotional

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
- Luke 17:11 (NIV)

I have lived away from my home country and in unfamiliar cultures for several years. In my present situation, not knowing the language well I cannot share my faith in words. So I am tempted to isolate myself, especially when traveling in the subway. Recently I saw an old woman carrying a huge suitcase. I had the impulse to help her, but I was afraid that she might misunderstand my intentions. I did not know enough of her language to politely offer. If she should think me a thief and start to scream, I would not be able to explain. So I did nothing.

I think of Jesus, traveling to Jerusalem through foreign places. He had many reasons to be occupied with what lay ahead of him. But he was sensitive to the needs of the people he met and stopped to serve them.

Jesus' example encourages me not to isolate myself. It is possible to communicate with very limited language skills. Words may not be needed at all. In fact, people I meet may need my actions of faith more than my words about faith. They may need my actions of love more than my words about love.

Prayer for the Day...

Lord Jesus, help us today to share and serve wherever we are. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

Look for ways to make obstacles into opportunities.

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CELEBRATING THE SAINTS

Sunday's Devotional

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
- Hebrews 13:7 (NRSV)

I was raised in a denomination that didn't celebrate All Saints' Day. Later, I was introduced to what has become a celebration I look forward to each year.

The pastor at our church said he loved All Saints' Day because it is a good time to reflect on all the saints who have gone before us and those who have made an everlasting impact on our lives. Instead of preaching, he held one of the most memorable services I have ever experienced. He put unlit candles on the altar and invited the congregation to come forward and light a candle in honor of the "saints" in their lives.

I loved hearing my friends one by one gratefully share the names of their saints with the rest of us. Even though I might not know the people they name, I appreciate them and love them for being a part of my friends' lives. And I realize that no matter what beliefs we have, we can each point to specific people in our lives who have nurtured us in our faith, stood by us, and helped us navigate through life. In the same way that my own saints helped to guide me, I hope that I have been and will be a guide to someone else.

Prayer for the Day...

God, thank you for those who teach us well and help us learn to follow you. Help us to support, encourage, and guide others in this same way. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

Who are the "saints" in my life?

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SEASONS OF LIFE

Monday's Devotional

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NRSV)

A beautiful maple tree grows in our front yard. During the spring and summer, it provides much-needed shade. In the autumn, its beauty springs forth in bright colors. However, as the leaves change into beautiful colors, they also fall to the ground. On fall mornings I rake the leaves, but by afternoon the yard is covered in leaves again. Then during the winter, the tree endures the harsh weather. In spring, new growth emerges and the cycle starts all over.

Our lives follow cycles like the tree. God's Spirit helps us grow and mature. God uses the trials of life to make us wiser and complete. In our "autumns," God picks up the pieces of our shattered lives and makes something beautiful. In our "winters," God gives us the strength to endure even the harshest circumstances of life. And, in our "springs," God breathes new life into us.

God is with us during all the cycles of our life - to provide a refuge from life's trials and to equip us to do our best. And time after time when we stumble, God is there to gather us up, redirect our lives, and provide us with strength to meet life's challenges.

Prayer for the Day...

O Lord, fill us with your Spirit so that we feel your presence during all the seasons of our life. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

God strengthens us in all the seasons of our lives.

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HUMBLING OURSELVES

Tuesday's Devotional

[Christ Jesus] emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death.
- Philippians 2:7-8 (NRSV)

WE were on our way to church when we saw the brand new ambulance in the distance. Two neatly dressed paramedics stepped out of the ambulance with a stretcher. As we got closer to the scene, we observed the paramedics placing a disheveled, very dirty, drunk man on the clean stretcher.

My immediate comment was, "What a waste! All that medical training and experience, and for what - to give aid to such a disgraceful character!"

No sooner had the words left my mouth than I heard inwardly: And who are you? Do you believe you are better than this poor soul, even as you come before the One who descended from heaven to rescue you from your wicked ways?

Deep shame and hurt filled my soul, and I asked forgiveness for my insensitivity and haughtiness. When I arrived at church, it did not come as much of a surprise for me to learn that the sermon was based on the scripture found in Philippians 2. That day, every word in the passage took on profound, new meaning for me.

Prayer for the Day...

Merciful God, forgive us when we look down on others. Thank you for opening our eyes to see our brothers and sisters and ourselves as you do. Amen.

Thought for the Day...

In God's eyes, we all are of equal value.

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