The Upper Room Devotional 11 June 2026, Thursday Message
Today’s Reading
Isaiah 32:14-20
The Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. – Isaiah 32:15 (NIV)
Two months ago I caught COVID-19, and I am still dealing with lingering symptoms. Yesterday I could only get a deep breath every few minutes, and my chest hurt from the effort. I had to rest a lot and walk slowly. This was still an improvement from the first weeks of illness when my chest was tight all the time and I struggled to breathe. I am grateful that I can breathe deeply today.
In the original languages of the Bible, the word for air or breath also means spirit: ruah in Hebrew and pneuma in Greek. I find that just as I need to breathe air to live, I also need God’s Spirit. Sometimes I struggle to live as God would want, and I don’t see the fruit of the spirit such as joy, patience, and generosity manifesting in my life (see Gal. 5:22). When I am out of breath or feel pain from breathing hard, I have to stop and rest. Likewise, when I start to get irritable, lonely, or self-centered, I need to take a break from the busyness of daily life and rejuvenate my spirit by spending time with God who sustains me.
Thought for the Day
God’s Spirit gives me life.
Prayer Focus
People with difficulty breathing
Today’s Prayer
God of abundant life, we thank you for making us whole through the gifts of breath and of your Spirit. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 11 June 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