THE UPPER ROOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL 20 JUNE 2024, THURSDAY MESSAGE
TOPIC: Wait for the Lord
TODAY’S READING
Isaiah 40:25-31
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31 (NRSVUE)
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Sitting in the urgent care facility with my knee wrapped in ice was not how I had planned to spend my day. Nevertheless, I was hopeful for a quick solution. Instead, I was told I needed major surgery followed by months of recuperation and healing. After four years of recovery, I am still learning my limitations.
Healing from illnesses and injuries takes time, and some have a lifelong impact. God, the great healer, has given me strength, patience, and wisdom throughout my recovery period. But it has required me to alter my routine and responsibilities to allow my body to rest and recover. Many days it requires me to wait.
What does it mean to wait for the Lord, to seek God during my time of need? Instead of allowing my ailment to distract me from God, it can point me to God. As I focus on God in my waiting, I receive God’s promise of strength and hope.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, when we feel discouraged by the limitations of our physical bodies, help us to wait on you. Through you, we have the hope of renewal and restoration. We pray as Jesus taught us, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:2-4, NIV). Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
While I wait, I will focus on God.
PRAYER FOCUS
Those dealing with chronic pain
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 20 June 2024 Message. 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. The meditations are stories of real people working to live faithfully with the Bible as their touchstone. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together. Read More