The Upper Room Devotional for 6th December 2022
Welcome!!! The word of God is food to the spirit man. As you read The Upper Room Devotional Today, may the word of the Lord powerfully impact on you.
Topic: Resurrection Hope
Rosalind Smith (Cluj, Romania)
TODAY’S READING
Isaiah 61:1-4
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
What hope does the Resurrection offer me today?
The Upper Room Devotional For 6th December 2022
[The Lord] has sent me . . . to give . . . oil of joy in place of mourning, a mantle of praise in place of discouragement. – Isaiah 61:1, 3 (CEB)On a particularly beautiful Easter Sunday afternoon, I was lying on a grassy hillside not far from where I lived. The sun was warm, and fluffy white clouds floated in a bright blue sky.
It had been an extraordinarily hard 18 months, and I was feeling battered in body, mind, and spirit. In particular, it had been many months since I had been able to walk more than a few yards without becoming exhausted. I was weary and discouraged. I longed for resurrection — for the same power that raised Jesus from the dead to fill me so that I could walk, run, and explore God’s creation more fully. But that felt like a far-off dream.
Then in the warm April sunshine, I sensed God telling me that this dream could become reality. At first I dismissed it as wishful thinking. However, as joy in the day’s beauty welled up inside me, so did hope. I couldn’t resist getting up on my feet to see how far I could go.
Thus began a healing process that continues to this day. Mourning turned to joy, and discouragement turned to praise. Weakness slowly turned to strength. My hope and faith were renewed as I began to experience God’s resurrecting power in a new way.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Resurrecting God, you are the source of all life and goodness. Thank you for bringing us new joy and hope through your resurrecting love. Amen.
PRAYER FOCUS
Those who have lost hope
