The Upper Room | 21 January 2022 | Daily Devotional | Friday Message
January 21st, 2022 – The Upper Room Daily Devotional
To Love and to Laugh
Elizabeth Erlandson (Nebraska, USA)
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TODAY’S READING
John 4:4-26
KEY VERSE: Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10 (NIV)
The Upper Room | 21 January 2022 MESSAGE
When I was in my early twenties, a neighbor invited me to a church service. The pastor talked about the birth of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and how God wants a relationship with us. As part of the service, the ushers distributed slips of paper for the congregation to write down their prayer requests. I clearly remember mine: to love and to laugh.
Loneliness and guilt had filled me with a crushing sense of unworthiness. Like the Samaritan woman in today’s reading, I had made choices that isolated me from my family and friends. And like her, I couldn’t imagine why Jesus would want to have anything to do with me.
Also Read, Max Lucado Devotional 21st January 2022 | Undeserved
Yet much to the surprise of the Samaritan woman, Jesus talked to her. Though they were strangers, he displayed intimate knowledge of her life and didn’t reject her. He offered her a most amazing gift — living water. Bursting with joy, she left her water jar at the well and hurried into town to share her good news. Her testimony was compelling because her spirit had been completely transformed.
In time, God transformed my life as well and led me to faith in Jesus Christ. And then, because God hears and answers prayer, God filled my life with love and laughter.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for the good gifts you give us. Thank you especially for the gift of salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God can transform my life.
PRAYER FOCUS
Lonely young people
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More From Elizabeth Erlandson
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
