The Upper Room Daily Devotional 18 July 2022 for Monday Message || Keep Looking Up
Read The Upper Room Daily Devotional 18 July 2022 Message by Michelle T. Johnson (North Carolina, USA)
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TOPIC: Keep Looking Up
TODAY’S READING
Psalm 121:1-8
KEY VERSE: Come, my heart says, seek God’s face. Lord, I do seek your face! – Psalm 27:8 (CEB)
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 18 July 2022 MESSAGE
While walking my dog, I could not help but notice all the things he was missing. With his nose to the ground he was missing an entire world happening around him. Birds were flying closely, and squirrels chattered nervously as he walked by completely unaware of their presence. (The Upper Room Daily Devotional 18 July 2022)
Then it occurred to me that my dog is not the only one with his head down. God began to show me how often I literally have my head down looking at my phone. Often I am trying to be efficient and return messages or reply to emails, but I still have my head down and am not paying attention to what is around me. During our walk home, I challenged myself to look up and around me more.
It was amazing what I noticed. I noticed children playing in the pond nearby, geese flying in the pristine blue sky, and new buds forming on the trees. Through this practice God reminded me of one of my favorite scripture passages: “I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2, NRSV).
I cannot possibly notice all of God’s creations if I have my head down all the time. Each and every day I need to keep looking up so that I can see all the wonderful things that God is doing in the world.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you so much for your reminder to keep looking up so that we can notice all that you have created and all that you are doing. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Today I will keep looking up for signs of God’s presence.
PRAYER FOCUS
To notice something new around me
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 18 July 2022 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. Read More