THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 16TH NOVEMBER 2025, SUNDAY MESSAGE
God Is Close
Ruthie Solitario (Bulacan, Philippines)
Today’s Reading
Mark 4:35-41
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[Jesus] arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. – Mark 4:39 (KJV)
First I heard a thud and then a cry. My three-year-old son had slipped on our wet balcony floor. When I checked on him, I saw a gaping wound beside his right eye. In the emergency room, the doctor said he would need two stitches. My son began to cry. He reached for me and tried to get up. As his mother, I knew what to do. While the nurses held his head still, I softly sang “Jesus Loves Me,” his favorite song, into his left ear. He relaxed and the doctor was able to complete the procedure.
This experience made me recall how Jesus calmed the storm in Mark 4 by speaking to the waves. When all seemed hopeless, Jesus’ words pacified not only the troubled waters but also the disciples’ fearful hearts. Just as Jesus was with the disciples in the storm, God is close to us during the storms of our lives. When the waves are high, God’s voice can be our soothing song. We can find rest in God’s arms.
Just as my son needed my comforting words and presence so that the doctor could work, we can rely on God’s word and presence to still us as God works in our lives to stitch together the broken pieces, enabling us to heal, grow, and glorify God.
Thought for the Day
During life’s storms, I will focus on God’s word.
Prayer Focus
Emergency-room nurses and doctors
Today’s Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for being with us during the hardships we face. Help us to trust in your presence. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 16th November 2025 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
