The Upper Room Devotional 17 April 2026, Friday Message
God of All
Jacob P. Stump (Texas, USA)
Today’s Reading
Matthew 22:23-33
Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? – Matthew 22:31-32 (KJV)
Recently, I read Matthew 22 where Jesus quoted Exodus to the Sadducees who were questioning him. In Exodus, many people gain new names. For example, Abram becomes Abraham and Jacob becomes Israel. In the quote in Matthew 22:32, we have Abraham’s new name, Isaac (whose name never changed), and Jacob’s old name. With that in mind, another way I read the scripture is like this: I am the God of who you will be (Abraham), the God of who you are (Isaac), and the God of who you used to be (Jacob).
Have you ever thought of your life’s timeline in terms of your faith — before Christ and after Christ? We try to give grace for today and have faith for tomorrow, but sometimes we allow regret to reign over yesterday. We look back and see only our mistakes and failures. It was the heartache in Jacob’s life that led him to wrestle with the angel and receive his new name. But even after his name changed, God called him Jacob when God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush (see Ex. 3:1-6, 13-16), which is what Jesus quotes in Matthew 22. It’s as if God were saying, “I’m not just God of the new you; I’m God of the old you too!”
I’m thankful God is the God of who we are and who we’re becoming — and also the God of who we were.
Thought for the Day
God’s love for me is timeless.
Prayer Focus
Those struggling with regret
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, you are the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Help us to see your grace in every stage of our lives. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 17 April 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