The Upper Room Devotional 1st December 2023
The Upper Room Devotional 1st December 2023, Friday Message by Johana Htwe (Yangon, Myanmar)
TOPIC: Courage to Act
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TODAY’S READING
Mark 8:31-33
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
My mother adjusted to her blindness so well that her sight-loss support group asked her to visit new members who needed help. Eventually, we wrote a pamphlet with information for those with low vision. The trouble was that no one wanted to publish it. An editor suggested that I write a blog instead because the information changes so fast.
No. I can’t do that, I thought. Forget it. How could those with low vision even find a blog? I repeated those negative words and believed them for two years. I did not have the courage to step out of my comfort zone.
When I read the words in 1 Peter, I wondered, Is this the way the devil works? Is the devil blocking me from serving God and helping those with vision problems?
Negative thoughts can determine our actions or, in my case, inaction. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, we can repeat God’s words of affirmation and love: “Peace be still.” “I am with you.” “I will help you.” “Come unto me.”
Six years and 64 blogs later, I’m glad I listened to these positive words. God’s promises can strengthen our faith and give us courage to act.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Guiding Father, help us to be attentive to your voice. Give us courage to act when we hear your call. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
With God’s help, I can step out of my comfort zone.
PRAYER FOCUS
Those with vision loss
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.
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