Sarah Wilke Publisher

Transcription

1 EDITIONS ARMENIAN BULGARIAN BURMESE (Myanmar) CHINESE (2) DUTCH ENGLISH Africa Australia (2) Chinese/English (2) India Indonesia Japan Korean/English (2) Korean/English/ Japanese Myanmar Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka United Kingdom United States (6) ESTONIAN (3) FRENCH (3) GREEK GUJARATI HINDI HUNGARIAN (2) IBAN/ENGLISH ILOKANO INDONESIAN (2) ITALIAN JAPANESE (2) KANNADA/ENGLISH KISWAHILI (2) KOREAN MALAYALAM NEPALI NORWEGIAN ORIYA POLISH (2) PORTUGUESE Africa Brazil (3) Portugal RUSSIAN (2) SINHALA SPANISH Caribbean Mexico (2) South America United States (2) SWEDISH TAMIL TELUGU THAI (2) URDU ZULU (radio) Where the world meets to pray Sarah Wilke Publisher INTERDENOMINATIONAL INTERNATIONAL INTERRACIAL 77 EDITIONS 35 LANGUAGES

2 The Upper Room January April 2014 Edited by Susan Hibbins The Upper Room BRF 2014 The Bible Reading Fellowship 15 The Chambers, Vineyard, Abingdon OX14 3FE Tel: ; Fax: Website: BRF is a Registered Charity ISBN Acknowledgments The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Anglicised edition, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Holy Bible, New International Version (Anglicised edition), copyright 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. NIV is a registered trademark of Biblica (formerly International Bible Society). UK trademark number Extracts from the Authorised Version of the Bible (The King James Bible), the rights in which are vested in the Crown, are reproduced by permission of the Crown s Patentee, Cambridge University Press. Extracts from CEB copyright 2011 by Common English Bible. Printed by Gutenberg Press, Tarxien, Malta.

3 The Upper Room: how to use this book The Upper Room is ideal in helping us spend a quiet time with God each day. Each daily entry is based on a passage of scripture, and is followed by a meditation and prayer. Each person who contributes a meditation to the magazine seeks to relate their experience of God in a way that will help those who use The Upper Room every day. Here are some guidelines to help you make best use of The Upper Room: 1. Read the passage of Scripture. It is a good idea to read it more than once, in order to have a fuller understanding of what it is about and what you can learn from it. 2. Read the meditation. How does it relate to your own experience? Can you identify with what the writer has outlined from their own experience or understanding? 3. Pray the written prayer. Think about how you can use it to relate to people you know, or situations that need your prayers today. 4. Think about the contributor who has written the meditation. Some Upper Room users include this person in their prayers for the day. 5. Meditate on the Thought for the Day, the Link2Life and the Prayer Focus, perhaps using them again as the focus for prayer or direction for action. Why is it important to have a daily quiet time? Many people will agree that it is the best way of keeping in touch every day with the God who sustains us, and who sends us out to do his will and show his love to the people we encounter each day. Meeting with God in this way reassures us of his presence with us, helps us to discern his will for us and makes us part of his worldwide family of Christian people through our prayers. I hope that you will be encouraged as you use the magazine regularly as part of your daily devotions, and that God will richly bless you as you read his word and seek to learn more about him. Susan Hibbins UK Editor 3

4 In Times of/for Help with... Below is a list of entries in this copy of The Upper Room relating to situations or emotions with which we may need help: Addiction: Mar 13 Anger: Apr 4 Anxiety: Jan 1, 21; Feb 9, 27; Mar 3 Assurance: Jan 16, 19; Feb 24; Mar 10 Bible reading: Jan 26; Feb 16, 18; Mar 17, 26; Apr 11, 13 Celebration: Apr 20 Change: Mar 23; Apr 8, 15 Christian community: Jan 15, 20; Feb 3, 13, 23; Mar 6; Apr 21, 27 Creation/nature: Feb 18; Mar 26 Death/grief: Jan 31; Feb 24; Mar 7, 21, 29; Apr 10 Discouragement: Jan 11 Doubt: Jan 23; Mar 31; Apr 12 Encouragement: Jan 6; Mar 1, 10, 19 Evangelism: Jan 9, 22, 26, 28; Mar 29 Failure: Apr 23 Family: Jan 25 Fear: Feb 6, 17; Mar 28; Apr 4, 8, 15, 23 Financial Concerns: Apr 30 Forgiveness: Feb 21; Mar 2; Apr 6, 7 Friendship: Jan 16; Mar 29 Freedom: Mar 15; Apr 4, 22 Generosity/giving: Jan 5, 7, 17; Feb 14 God s goodness/love: Jan 4; Feb 2, 6, 27; Mar 10, 27; Apr 9, 28 God s presence: Jan 23, 31; Feb 7, 28; Mar 14, 26; Apr 20, 24 God s provision: Jan 11; Feb 9, 11; Mar 11, 31; Apr 12, 14 Gratitude: Apr 30 Growth: Jan 27 Guidance: Jan 12, 15; Feb 1; Mar 8, 17; Apr 5, 25 Healing/illness: Jan 10, 31; Feb 12; Mar 13; Apr 2, 24 Hope: Jan 6, 31; Mar 30; Apr 10, 19 Hospitality: Jan 17, 22; Feb 13 Job issues: Apr 15, 16 Judging: Jan 17; Apr 4 Lent/Easter: Mar 5, 7, 9, 30; Apr 1, 8, 10, 16, 17, 21 Living our faith: Jan 3, 7, 30; Feb 5, 26; Mar 4, 24, 27; Apr 16, 29 Loss: Mar 14; Apr 10 Materialism: Feb 15; Mar 5; Apr 29 Mental illness: Jan 1; Feb 24; Apr 13 Mission/outreach: Jan 7, 28; Feb 23; Mar 12, 20, 25, 31 New beginnings: Feb 5; Mar 23, 28, 30; Apr 20, 26 Obedience: Jan 24; Feb 1; Mar 8, 12, 20, 24 Parenting: Mar 16, 22 Patience: Feb 19; Apr 11 Prayer: Jan 2, 8, 29; Feb 4, 27; Mar 3, 11, 23; Apr 1, 7, 22 Renewal: Jan 5, 29; Feb 8, 28; Mar 13; Apr 3, 10, 25 Repentance: Jan 8, 27; Mar 2; Apr 6, 23 Salvation: Mar 7, 21; Apr 9, 18, 26 Security: Feb 25; Mar 15 Serving: Feb 10, 23; Mar 1, 20; Apr 17 Speaking about faith: Jan 9; Feb 20; Mar 19; Apr 15 Social issues: Jan 22; Mar 27 Spiritual gifts: Jan 20; Mar 4; Apr 13 Spiritual practices: Jan 1, 2, 10; Feb 8, 14; Mar 2, 17; Apr 5, 9, 30 Stewardship: Feb 14 Strength: Jan 10; Apr 10, 27 Stress: Jan 4, 21; Feb 21 Tolerance: Jan 17, 28 Trust: Jan 13, 18, 25; Feb 1, 11, 17; Mar 28; Apr 14, 15, 19 4

5 Live Your Light Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. (Matthew 25:1 4, NRSV). January is the time of year when we often evaluate our lives and consider ways in which we can change. When we look for someone to model our life on, our eyes inevitably turn toward Christ, the light of the world, as our example and hope. In Jesus telling of the parable of the bridesmaids, we can easily recognise two familiar patterns. Like the women who gathered oil and sustained the light in their lamps, we understand the importance of daily discipline, to study, to pray, to gather in community. This is how we keep our lamps burning. But at other times we may drift and fall short, and we find our lamps burning out. This parable reminds us not only of the need to remain vigilant in our daily spiritual practices, but that by doing so we also come into the fullness of the presence of Jesus Christ. Last year during a visit to Brazil, I was blessed to meet a living testament to the importance of a daily spiritual discipline. At the age of 92, Ahiman de Paula Ribeiro has faithfully used the daily Upper Room meditation to begin his prayers ever since the magazine was first published in his native Portuguese in As I spent time with Ahiman, I saw the light that radiated from his gentle presence. It was evident that his vigilance has touched every aspect of his family, his work and his church life. By keeping his lamp full, he has spent his life drawing near to the source of light in Christ. As I challenge myself this year, I m blessed to have Ahiman s witness to the power of daily time with God. Sarah Wilke Publisher 5

6 Where the World Meets to Pray I first had a meditation published in The Upper Room when I was 14 years old. That same year, I started learning Russian. I had no idea at that time that one day I would be the editor for the Russian edition of The Upper Room. Some years later, The Methodist Bishop of Eurasia and I were invited to an Upper Room writers workshop in Estonia. Immediately following that workshop, we began making plans to establish a Russian language edition of The Upper Room. In 2008, our first issue was distributed at a church one Sunday morning. That afternoon, a reader phoned me to ask when the next issue would be coming because she had already finished the first issue and could not wait for the next one! Delivering magazines to our 700 readers continues to be one of our biggest challenges. The Russian postal service is not very reliable, and we have a third of the world s landmass to cover. This makes it difficult to distribute the magazine to our readers on time. Mesto Vstrechi, the Russian edition of The Upper Room, recently celebrated its five-year anniversary. This is a joyful achievement, and we still work hard to continue this edition. Another cause for celebration is the recent election of Eduard Khegay who has been involved with Mesto Vstrechi from the very beginning to the office of Bishop of Eurasia. We look forward to his leadership and support in the coming years. By the time this is published, I will have stepped down from my role as editor of this edition. Please pray for the continuation of this ministry, for the editors, volunteer translators, proofreaders and production team who make the Russian edition of The Upper Room possible. Nicola Vidamour Editor, Mesto Vstrechi ( ) Russian edition of The Upper Room 6

7 The Editor writes Last year, my husband planted some mesembryanthemum seeds in various places in our garden. I don t know if you have ever planted these brightly coloured, daisy-like flowers, which open when the sun comes out, but their seeds are so minute you can hardly tell how many you have planted or where. Some went directly into the soil of our borders and the edges of the rockery, while most were sown into new compost in pots, so that later the seedlings could be thinned out and potted on. The result of all his labour was like watching the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3 8) unfolding before our eyes. Some of those sown directly into soil of varying depths survived, but many didn t. Clearly the soil was too dry or too shallow for the seeds to develop much of a root. Some seedlings were scratched up and tossed aside by a persistent blackbird in his search for worms. The seeds that thrived best were, of course, those potted in compost they grew steadily into healthy plants. Watching all this set me thinking about Jesus other parables, how timeless and enduring they are. Two thousand years after Jesus told them with such colourful detail to the listening crowds and to his disciples, we can still identify with them. Jesus spoke of such everyday things: of baking bread, of harvesting crops, of people making money and building houses, of losing a precious coin and turning the house upside down until it is found. He spoke too of a man being mugged and robbed and an unlikely stranger who cared for him, of workers and their boss in the vineyard, and of difficult family relationships between a father and his two sons. We may not experience all these situations in our own lives, but we know people who have, even if we only read or hear about them. Jesus genius as a storyteller means that, hearing and seeing and remembering in our own lives, we will turn our thoughts to him and to the kingdom of heaven. Susan Hibbins Editor of the UK edition The Bible readings are selected with great care, and we urge you to include the suggested reading in your devotional time. 7

8 WEDNESDAY 1 JANUARY Do Not Worry Read Philippians 4:4 7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 7 (NIV) Last summer, after a lengthy hospital stay, I struggled through a deep depression. After listening to a recording about eliminating fear, I got out an index card and wrote out Philippians 4:6 7. I stuck it up on my bathroom mirror and soon had it memorised. Straight away, I noticed a difference in my thinking. When I began to worry, the words of scripture came into my mind at once, as if God were speaking to me: Do not be anxious about anything, followed by the admonition to pray. Then and there, I d pray about my worry, and almost immediately, it would vanish. Over and over again, my prayers were answered. I was amazed! It was all true, just as the scripture said. God s peace has helped me to keep my mind and heart focused on Christ Jesus. My depression finally lifted in the autumn. I used many methods to work through it, including counselling, medication and exercise. It all helped, but nothing was more effective in lifting me out of the darkness than God s clear words in Philippians 4:6 7. Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for words that bring life and light into our darkness. Amen Thought for the day: It takes less time and energy to pray than it does to worry. Link2Life: Memorise scripture so that it will come to mind during difficult times. Christina Friberg (Colorado, US) 8 PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION

9 A New Old Song THURSDAY 2 JANUARY Read Psalm 96:1 6 [The Lord] put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40:3 (NIV) Recently I began studying the psalms and found that all human emotions are there sorrow, praise, anger, bewilderment, thanksgiving, to name just a few. The psalmist s mood often changes in just a few verses. One phrase is repeated in several psalms, and it struck me afresh recently: Sing to the Lord a new song. Like the psalmists, I ve often felt weary or ultra-critical of myself or others. But unlike them, rather than moving on I tend to cling to those feelings. In doing so, I have blocked my vision of a great God who is always doing new things, who loves and sustains me and all creation. Now when I feel negative emotion, I consciously try to sing to the Lord a new song, by remembering and speaking of the positives in my life. In my prayer time, I slowly repeat the word blessing on each inhalation. As I breathe in, I m reminded that God wants to bless me and all creation. As I breathe out, I repeat the word sing. In this way I worship God by singing his praises. In whatever mood I find myself, I try always to remember to sing to the Lord a new song with the words and actions of my life. Prayer: O God, help us to make our lives a song of praise to you. Amen Thought for the day: In what ways is my life a song of God s love? Sue McCoulough (London, England) PRAYER FOCUS: CHURCH CHOIRS 9

10 FRIDAY 3 JANUARY Back in the Loft Read Matthew 5:14 16 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (NIV) All the colourful Christmas decorations are back in their boxes and crammed into a section of the loft. For the next eleven months, darkness will mark their days. Christmas is extraordinary, but it makes me lose my sanity for a few days. My family strives to bake the perfect cake, prepare the perfect Christmas dinner and find the perfect gift. This pursuit of perfection worries me. I become so distracted by and entangled in all of the Christmas trimmings that the real joy and meaning of Christmas don t seem to stick with me for long. When Christmas is over, I shove it back into the attic with the decorations until next December. But God wants us to remember that the light that Christ s birth brought into this world wasn t created to stay in the darkness of the loft. The light found in the manger is for us to carry in our hearts and to share with those we encounter each day of the year. Prayer: Dear God, as we start the New Year, help us to keep the light of Christmas in our hearts. As Jesus taught us, 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: The light of Christ can shine through me all year long. Bill Pike (Virginia, US) 10 PRAYER FOCUS: PERFECTIONISTS * Luke 11:2 4 (KJV)

11 The Surprise of Grace SATURDAY 4 JANUARY Read Ephesians 1:3 14 Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ s gift. Ephesians 4:7 (NRSV) We were experiencing the lowest temperatures of the year. I wanted to get inside quickly, but that wasn t happening. My freezing fingers fumbled with the house keys. Suddenly I was surprised by warmth as the sun emerged from the clouds. It was as if a blanket had been thrown across my back, a kind gesture that I wasn t expecting. The word that came into my mind was grace. God s grace is much like the sun. It is always with us, but we don t always notice it. We can be easily distracted by the stresses in our lives, our vision clouded by uncertainty or pain. When this happens, we can miss God s presence with us. But God doesn t wait for our heads to clear. Grace can appear unexpectedly in a call from a friend, in a warm hug, in the right word at the right time or in rest at the end of a long day. In small ways, we are reminded how much God loves us and provides for us. The more we look for grace, the more we will find it. Prayer: Loving God, we thank you for the grace that sometimes surprises us. Help us to trust that your grace is a gift you give us continually. Amen Thought for the day: God s grace is always at work, whether we see it or not. Nancy Johnson (Georgia, US) PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE WHO NEED TO EXPERIENCE GOD S GRACE 11

12 SUNDAY 5 JANUARY The Unlikely King Read 1 Peter 2:4 10 You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God s own people. 1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV) Eric is an unlikely king, I thought as I helped him put on the robe he would wear in our church s Christmas nativity play. My sons were to be the other two kings. Eric (not his real name) and my boys were good friends, and Eric was at our house every day. He was always cheerful, but his clothes were dirty and he obviously didn t bathe often. A teacher at the boys school had told me that his family didn t have running water in their home. When the local newspaper published children s letters to Santa, Eric s list included such items as a heater, a blanket, a phone, a bed, pots, pans, clothes and shoes. One cold December day, Eric came down the street carrying a big box. It was full of gifts he had bought at a flea market, and he proudly gave each member of our family a present. I still cherish the vase Eric gave me. It is a reminder of a child who gave joyously and generously. Eric, the unlikely king, reminds me that Jesus, too, was an unlikely king, born in a smelly stable. Yet through Jesus we are all made members of a royal family and a royal priesthood. Prayer: Holy God, may we help all children to know that, in your family, they are indeed kings and queens. As we seek to share your love, help us be open to receiving the gifts each child brings. Amen Thought for the day: In every person the Holy Child is revealed. Mary Brooke Casad (Texas, US) 12 PRAYER FOCUS: TEACHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN

13 Prophet of the Impossible Read Ezekiel 37:1 14 You shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act. Ezekiel 37:14 (NRSV) MONDAY 6 JANUARY The bumblebee s wingspan seems far too small to lift its body off the ground. But the bumblebee flies anyway, and the impossible becomes possible. Many said it was impossible to get an incandescent light bulb to work, but Thomas Edison proved them wrong. Still others said a vaccine for polio would never be found, but Dr Jonas Salk again accomplished what seemed impossible. Seemingly impossible feats are also described in the Bible. The Hebrew prophet, Ezekiel, began his ministry among the exiled Jews in Babylon in the seventh century bc. He had to face a captured people cruelly buoyed up by false hopes of a quick return to their homeland. The people had not responded to calls for repentance from previous prophets like Amos and Hosea, and now it was too late. But those ancient people, like us, did not live without hope. They dared to believe in the seemingly impossible. Ezekiel encouraged such hope with his dramatic portrayal of a valley of dry bones miraculously taking on life. With God nothing is impossible, whether it happens in ancient Israel, our modern-day communities or our personal lives. Like a valley of dry bones when it seems there is no hope, we recover from a serious illness, accomplish a task in school, meet an ideal partner or find a desperately needed job. In each case, God shows us that new life is possible. Prayer: O God, remind us that even though a situation may seem hopeless, you are the God of eternal possibilities. Amen Thought for the day: God accomplishes what seems impossible. Charles Dickson (North Carolina, US) Prayer Focus: SOMEONE WHO FEELS HOPELESS 13

14 TUESDAY 7 JANUARY Mum, Where Are Your Shoes? Read Isaiah 58:6 12 If a person has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need and that person doesn t care how can the love of God remain in him? 1 John 3:17 (CEB) My parents left us children to finish our homework while they went to a local laundrette. While safe enough at our house, we were still glad to hear the family car pulling into the driveway. Putting on my jacket, I rushed out into the brisk, wintry weather to help unload the laundry. I saw that mum was walking rather gingerly barefoot, in fact toward the house. Where are your shoes, Mum? I asked. I gave them to a lady who didn t have any, she answered. Mum came home barefoot, but another woman went home with warm feet. My parents soon led this woman s family to Jesus. Attending our church, they were accepted and loved by a caring and generous congregation. Mum knew about pure religion (see James 1:27). She was a wonderful example of living the balance between faith and works (see James 2:26). Prayer: O Lord, give us pure religion, the faith that best expresses your love to your people. Amen Thought for the day: How do I show my faith in tangible ways? Link2Life: Clean out your wardrobe and donate unwanted clothes and shoes to those who need them. Thomas Buice (Tennessee, US) 14 PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE WITHOUT SHOES

15 Dead Zones WEDNESDAY 8 JANUARY Read Psalm 32:1 7 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away Then I acknowledged my sin to you and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:3, 5 (NIV) Some years ago, I planned to visit friends in a rural area. I estimated my arrival time and told them I would call on my mobile phone as I neared their house. Fine, they agreed. But don t try to call when you are crossing the bridge over the Mississippi River. You can t make connections there; it s a real dead zone. Recently, I ve been doing a study on prayer. As I meditated on the truth of God s word, I realised that I have dead zones in my prayer life. These are areas that I don t want to bring before God because I don t really want him to change me. Perhaps it is a minor bad habit I rather enjoy; or maybe I m afraid the struggle to overcome a particular sin, even with God s strength, would be too much of a challenge for me at the time. I then become content to live with the sin, telling myself I ll ask God to deal with it later. Because I m unwilling to turn these parts of my life over to God s healing power, my communication with him is hindered not only in that area but also throughout my prayer life. As I prayerfully turn these dead zones over to God I am cleansed and renewed. Prayer: Dear Father, give us the courage to turn every aspect of our lives over to you. Amen Thought for the day: What parts of my life have I not brought to God? Lisa Stackpole (Wisconsin, US) PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE WITH UNCONFESSED SIN 15

16 THURSDAY 9 JANUARY Ashamed? Read Luke 22:54 62 If anyone is ashamed of me the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father s glory with the holy angels. Mark 8:38 (NIV) Recently I discovered that it is possible to love Jesus deeply and to be his follower, and yet to be ashamed of Jesus when faced with an awkward choice. I routinely receive help and advice from a skilled nurse. On my last appointment, she suggested that I fill in an activity diary for a week. Afterwards, she would study and discuss my entries with me. A problem arose when I came to filling in the Tuesday section. On that day each week a friend comes for coffee and a time of prayer. But I just put for coffee in the diary, not wanting to reveal more. A few days later a neighbour told me of an operation she was facing. I ll be thinking of you, I assured her as we parted. What I meant was, I ll be praying for you, but I didn t want to use those religioussounding words. Later, I read the words of Mark 8:38 during my devotional time. Those words stung me. I was guilty on two counts, and there were many other such times in the past. Could I, who love Jesus deeply, be ashamed of him? I had to face the stark truth that I could, and then tell Jesus how sorry I was. Most of all I asked for his words and courage next time. Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, give us courage so that you will never have cause to be ashamed of us. Amen Thought for the day: Christ s love compels us to share that love with others. Elaine M. Brown (Perthshire, Scotland) 16 Prayer Focus: FOR A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE MY FAITH

17 Maintaining Strength FRIDAY 10 JANUARY Read Ephesians 6:10 18 Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (NIV) The pain in my chest was so intense I could hardly breathe as my husband rushed me to the hospital. That emergency led to surgery and a five-day hospital stay. The surgery was a success, but the forced inactivity took a toll on my body. I was weak when I left the hospital, and the struggle to recover my strength surprised me. Actions that used to be easy took great effort. I have noticed also that the same type of deterioration can occur in my spiritual health. When I take a prolonged rest from Bible reading and prayer, I grow spiritually weak. Then, when confronted by temptation, I have little power to resist. While bodily exercise helps me stay fit so I can fight the battle against the physical demands of life, daily exercises of prayer and Bible reading help me fight the spiritual battles of life like gossip and greed. To stay healthy, my goal is to exercise both body and spirit. I do this by walking a couple of miles each day and by walking daily with Jesus in prayer and in the pages of scripture. These practices that God provides give me the strength I need to face all the struggles of life. Prayer: O God, thank you for providing practices that help us overcome life s battles. Help us to use these tools to stand our ground. Amen Thought for the day: Walking with God builds and sustains our spiritual strength. Lynn Karidis (Michigan, US) PRAYER FOCUS: CARDIAC PATIENTS 17

18 SATURDAY 11 JANUARY To Compare Is to Despair Read Romans 12:6 8 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) I left my Bible study group feeling very small. During our discussion, my companions had talked about their marriages and careers and how well things were going. I thought about being single and still looking for a stable career and I became discouraged. Will I ever have what my friends have? I asked God. I heard no answer. Days later I mentioned to my counsellor how bad I feel when I compare myself to others. She told me that to compare is to despair. I latched on to that truth and started thinking about how I could replace this destructive pattern of comparisons with a deeper trust that God has a plan for me and my life. As children of God, we can abandon comparison and hold on to the truth that each of us has been blessed with individual talents and divine opportunities which God has given us. Whenever we compare ourselves to others, we can become disheartened and feel as if we are missing out on good things or that we are failing to measure up to others successes. But if we focus on Jesus teachings, we will be amazed at the part God has created for us to play. Prayer: Dear God, thank you for giving us parts to play in your service. Open our eyes to opportunities each day to be a blessing for others. Amen Thought for the day: God s gifts and purposes for me are good. Joy E. Miller (Virginia, US) 18 PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE STRUGGLING WITH INSECURITY

19 The Quickest Road SUNDAY 12 JANUARY Read John 14:1 7 Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (CEB) For some time I had heard people speak of a group of elephant seals that live off the coast near my home. Worldwide, these seals are few in number, so I decided to take a trip to see them. I left home and soon began to follow the signs for the route I should take. However, after a while I felt I was going the wrong way. Continuing on a bit more, I saw another sign, showing a different route. Moving along that road, I saw a service station and stopped to fill the tank with petrol. While I was there, the owner told me of another, shorter route. It was a dirt road, the owner said, but he promised I would arrive at my destination more quickly. It turned out to be true. That excursion made me think about the many routes we choose to get closer to the Lord. I have found that the surest and quickest route to God is through Bible study and a commitment to obeying the truths we find there. Such faith in God s guidance allows us to see the path we need to take. Then at the end of our spiritual journey, the Lord will joyfully welcome us with open arms. Prayer: Dear Lord, direct our steps on the path that leads to you. Amen Thought for the day: If God is our destination, the Bible is our road map. Luis Alberto Jones (Chubut, Argentina) PRAYER FOCUS: ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS 19

20 MONDAY 13 JANUARY Below the Surface Read Lamentations 3:22 26 It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:26 (NIV) One icy January night I accidentally left my porch door ajar. In the morning I awoke to find all my houseplants wilted and frozen even my prized prayer plant, a gift from my late grandmother. I quickly threw away the sad remains, except for the prayer plant. I cleaned away its dead leaves then placed the container beside a sunny window where I watered it, fertilised it and even prayed for it. Week after discouraging week, I saw no results until finally, I looked into the container to find not one but three green nubs pushing through the soil. So many of my trials in this life are like the story of that plant. Sometimes I pray and pray over a situation and mine eyes fail while I wait for my God (Psalm 69:3, KJV) because I am unable to see any improvement. Yet later I realise that God was always there, beneath the surface, working. I think of that plant whenever I face a particularly stubborn trial and remember that even though it may not be apparent to my human eyes, God is at work. Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to remain hopeful and encouraged during tough times, knowing that you are still with us. Amen Thought for the day: God is at work in ways that I cannot always see. Monica A. Andermann (New York, US) 20 PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE FACING CHRONIC ILLNESS

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