THE UPPER ROOM ROOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 22nd February 2023, Wednesday Message. As you study today’s devotional, remember this; “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)
Ash Wednesday
Linda Chandra (Banten, Indonesia)
TODAY’S READING
John 10:11-18
Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:28-30 (NIV)
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 22nd February 2023 MESSAGE
A friend of mine moved to another city, and I had not seen him in a long time. I learned from another friend that he was sick. So I sent him a Bible with John 10:28-30 written on the bookmark I slid inside.
Two weeks after I sent him the Bible, I received a reply: “The Bible verses you sent made me cry. I have been living far from God for a long time, and my life has become a mess. But it turns out that God’s hand was always open to me. I am the one who removed my hand. I want to go back to holding God’s hand.”
I trust that God never leaves us even though we often turn away from God. Our world is uncertain. Riots, chaos, gun violence, natural disasters, failure, bankruptcy, and illness mean we have no guarantee of safety. But God’s loving presence remains steadfast, and God’s promise of salvation is unshakable. No matter how far we feel we are from God, we can trust that God is always ready to take our hand and offer us new life.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for always extending your hand to us. Give us courage to return to you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The world may change, but God’s love never does.
PRAYER FOCUS
Friends who live far away
The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More