THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 26TH AUGUST 2025, TUESDAY MESSAGE
Finish Today.
Sandra Sullivan (West Virginia, USA)
Today’s Reading
Psalm 118:19-24
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
20 This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the Lord‘s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
KEY VERSE: I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand. – Psalm 31:14-15 (KJV)
The Upper Room Devotional – 26th August 2025 MESSAGE:
Recently I was reading through journals I kept when our grandsons were young. I wrote down something my grandson Seth said when he was six years old. I had asked him what he would be doing in the next few days, and he replied, “Actually, Grammie, I’m just going to finish today, and then I’ll do tomorrow.” I smiled as I recalled this conversation, and I was struck by the wisdom in this young boy’s words. He wasn’t looking back at yesterday or making a definite plan for tomorrow. He was simply finishing today.
As an adult it is necessary to schedule my time, and I strive to make wise plans for the future. And yet, Seth’s words reminded me of the importance of appreciating the present moment. The present is “the day which the Lord hath made,” and each day is an opportunity to rejoice and be glad in God’s provision (see Ps. 118:24).
Sometimes I can run too far ahead in my planning. In doing so, I run the risk of missing today’s blessings and experiencing unnecessary anxiety. Instead, I want to balance wise planning with a focus on finishing each day in a way that will please God. How comforting it is to trust in the One who provides my daily bread and to know that my time is in God’s hands!
Today’s Prayer
Dear Father, help us to have childlike faith, entrusting our days to you. Amen.
Thought for the Day
Today I will focus on the present and look to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith (see Heb. 12:2).
Prayer Focus
Grandparents and grandchildren
The Upper Room Devotional 26th August 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