THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 20TH JULY 2025, SUNDAY MESSAGE
Read The Upper Room Devotional 20th July 2025 written by Melissa Dameron-Vines (Alabama, USA)
TOPIC: Embracing the Unexpected
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Today’s Reading
Job 5:8-16
8 “But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.
9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
10 He provides rain for the earth;
he sends water on the countryside.
11 The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.
15 He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)
When I first started leading the children’s message at my church, it felt like an obligation and made me a little nervous. But I have found a formula that works well for me. First I think of something important or interesting that happened during the week. Then I relate the experience to a child’s or teenager’s perspective, and I choose a Bible verse to support the lesson. I now look forward to the weekly ritual of transforming an ordinary moment from my life into a shared experience of God. These messages are not just for the children; I believe they are God’s messages to me personally.
I remember working on a particular message in which I reflected on a week my family had experienced that was full of good and bad surprises. I planned to talk about how God is always with us in times of trial, but the message God revealed to me was that unexpected situations offer us opportunities to celebrate with or to support one another. Surprises jolt us out of our routines so that we can be God’s hands and feet in the world, offering and receiving praise and support.
Now I relish the time I spend with God each week to prepare a message for the children, and I take great comfort and joy in each surprise that God brings my way.
Today’s Prayer
Dear God, when we experience the unexpected, help us to be at peace, trusting in your grace and blessings for us. Amen.
Thought for the Day
Today I will embrace God’s message for me in the unexpected.
Prayer Focus
Christian-education teachers
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More from Melissa Dameron-Vines
The Upper Room Devotional 20th July 2025, 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
