The Upper Room Devotional – 27th January 2026, Tuesday Message
Second Chances
Ken M. (New Hampshire, USA)
Today’s Reading
Psalm 18:1-5
In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. – Psalm 18:6 (NRSVUE)
When I was younger, my brother and I loved playing video games. Often the games had the option to restart after we expended the “lives” we started out with. We had a second chance to move forward and to apply the knowledge we had gained about the obstacles we would face.
I never realized that there could be second chances in life until God showed me a way to escape the entangling grasp of alcoholism. Those who suffer from or know someone suffering from this affliction of mind and body may understand the feeling of hopelessness and peril I had felt. But the grace of God showed me a second chance. Psalm 18:1-6 reminds me of the love God has for me and of how God’s strength helped me to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of addiction.
Scriptures like Psalm 18 and Numbers 6:24-26 remind me of the second chances we have through Jesus. Now I happily seize every second chance that I have in this new life to be a vessel of love, peace, hope, and joy — step by step, one day at a time.
Thought for the Day
I will embrace every new opportunity to be a vessel of God’s love and hope.
Prayer Focus
Those suffering from alcoholism
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More from Ken M.
Today’s Prayer
Faithful God, thank you for opportunities to use the blessings of knowledge that you have provided through our past experiences. In your Son’s name we humbly pray. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 27th January 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
