THE UPPER ROOM 28 APRIL 2024 DEVOTIONAL, SUNDAY MESSAGE
TOPIC: Antidote for Anger
TODAY’S READING
Romans 2:1-11
Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? – Romans 2:4 (NRSVUE)
I recently experienced an incident that led me to think of and appreciate God’s kindness and patience with me. I was angry with a young woman who is under my guardianship. I was even thinking of withdrawing my assistance from her. Yet I knew that if I did, my decision would cut short her education because her parents cannot afford to pay her school fees.
Then one day as I was reading the Bible, I came across words that spoke of God’s kindness toward us. I thought of the many times that I have failed God. Yet God has never given up on me. I saw then that I needed to treat this young woman the way God treats me — with kindness and patience.
When we feel provoked by others, we can begin to lose patience with them, even speaking and acting unkindly. But if we remember how the Lord has been kind and patient with us, we can act to bring about reconciliation and peace.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, help us to exercise the same kindness and patience with others as you so lovingly demonstrated as you walked among us. Give us the courage to follow you faithfully every day. We pray the prayer you 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
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1).
PRAYER FOCUS
Those who lose their temper easily
The Upper Room 28 April 2024 Devotional 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