THE UPPER ROOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL 12 AUGUST 2024, MONDAY MESSAGE
TOPIC: The Swimming Lesson
Today’s Reading
Proverbs 3:1-6
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 (NIV)
Today’s Message
My wife and I were at the pool when a young family arrived. The father took his daughter into the water and was teaching her to swim. She was calm and tried to swim as long as her dad was holding her. But when he let go, she squealed, flailed about, and yelled for him. Her dad tried to soothe her, saying, “I’m right here; you won’t sink.” When she was connected to her dad, she felt safe. But when that connection was broken, she became anxious and fearful.
Watching that father and daughter made me think about my relationship with God. As long as I stay connected to God through study and prayer, I do fine. When I begin to lose trust that God is working in my life or simply neglect to turn things over to God, I start to flail about and sink. My failure to trust increases my doubt, and doubt causes anxiety. But those feelings diminish when I lean in and trust God’s strong touch that lets me know God is always within reach.
Today’s Prayer
O Lord, stay with us. When we fail to trust, help us remember your promise that you will be with us always. 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” (Luke 11:2-4, KJV). Amen
Thought for the Day
I will trust God with all my heart.
Prayer Focus
Someone learning to swim
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The Upper Room Daily Devotional 12 August 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