The Upper Room Devotional 12th December 2023
The Upper Room Devotional 12th December 2023, Tuesday Message by Mike C. Bertoglio (Georgia, USA)
TOPIC: No Shortage
TODAY’S READING
John 2:1-11
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)
For some time there had been shortages in the grocery stores due to supply-chain issues. I joked about how my favorite cookies were missing in action. One day I heard someone complain to the produce manager, “Where are the cantaloupes? Why aren’t there any cantaloupes this week?” The manager replied, “It’s kind of crazy now. Yesterday we did not get any carrots in, and the day before that no lettuce arrived. We don’t know from one day to the next what might or might not come in.”
When the wedding party ran out of wine at Cana, it signaled an abrupt break in the supply chain. To run out of wine at a public celebration was the height of embarrassment for the host. At this point Jesus’ mother, Mary, asked Jesus to get some additional wine. We know the rest of the story: Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine.
While in the material world supply chains may limit the presence of certain items, in the spiritual realm God’s gifts are endless and readily available. Our Lord continues to provide all we need for abundant living.
TODAY’S PRAYER
O God, our great provider, we are thankful that your provisions never fail. Fill us with your ever-present love and forgiving grace. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God’s forgiveness and love are available all day, every day.
PRAYER FOCUS
Those facing food shortages
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More From Mike C. Bertoglio
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 TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY