The Upper Room 9th January 2022 Daily Devotional | Sunday Message
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Continued Growth
Cameron Kempson (North Carolina, USA)
TODAY’S READING
Ephesians 4:25-32
KEY VERSE: Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ. – Ephesians 4:32 (CEB)
The Upper Room 9th January 2022 Daily Devotional Message
My little farming homestead is nestled in a suburban, woodsy neighborhood. In the late afternoon, I love to walk through the trees behind the house as the light dances among the leaves. Sometimes, I lie down on the ground and look up in awe at the formidable old oaks and tulip poplars. If I catch the light just right, however, I can also see scars or bumps on the outside of a tree — a place where the bark is clearly not unified with the rest of the trunk. Yet the tree continues to grow past the scars and live a healthy life.
In our scripture today, we learn that the same can be said about the process of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not just about letting go; it’s also about moving forward — not holding someone else or ourselves captive to the hurts of the past. It’s about being actively compassionate and offering words and acts of grace, just as God has done for us through Jesus Christ.
Like the trees, we have wounds; but we do not have to become stunted by them. Through lives of prayer and acts of forgiveness, we allow God to heal our scars, create new life, and guide us in our continued growth.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Gracious Creator, despite our sadness and pain, help us dare to live with compassion. Heal our wounds so that we may embrace new life. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Compassionate forgiveness is a part of my journey toward wholeness.
PRAYER FOCUS
People trying to forgive themselves