The Upper Room Devotional 10 May 2026, Sunday Message
A Child of God
Elizabeth Marshall (Washington, USA)
Today’s Reading
1 John 3:1-3
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! – 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
I have fond memories of how my mother would light up when she recited this verse from 1 John. I could tell it spoke to her and touched her on a deep level. When my mother passed away a decade ago, my sister asked if there were any Bible verses she liked a lot, and I referred her to this one. At my mother’s funeral, the pastor shared this passage, proclaiming God’s immense love for us all.
As Mother’s Day comes and goes each year, I think of my mother. We had a strained relationship, but we both tried to love one another the best way we knew how. When I recall her favorite verse, I am reminded that our Father in heaven loves us as his children and desires to be close to us.
God loves us in ways that humans aren’t able to — with a pure, lavish, and unconditional affection that endures forever. May God’s example of love, through Jesus, inspire us to love one another more fully and abundantly.
Thought for the Day
I am a child of God, and I am lavishly loved.
Prayer Focus
Mother-daughter relationships
Today’s Prayer
Dear God, thank you that your love knows no bounds. Teach us to accept the love others extend to us, and reveal to us how we can love others more fully. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 10 May 2026 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