THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 6TH JANUARY 2026, TUESDAY MESSAGE
In God’s Hands
Lory Widmer Hess (Bern, Switzerland)
Today’s Reading
Isaiah 42:5-9
I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I have taken you by the hand and kept you. – Isaiah 42:6 (NRSVUE)
In my work with adults with developmental disabilities, I spend part of my time in the wood workshop. Often I sit next to Luca, who loves to sand wooden spoons. Sometimes he starts to rub across the grain of the wood, rather than with it. Then I reach out my hand and gently redirect him. Sometimes he becomes preoccupied with rubbing one spot over and over, missing the edges and corners. Again, I take his hand and hold it in the place that still needs attention. If Luca didn’t trust me, our collaboration would turn into a struggle. But with trust and respect for each other, we are able to make something beautiful.
Isaiah’s words about the divine call to righteousness remind me of my work with Luca. God wants to take us by the hand, not because we can’t do anything ourselves but because sometimes we need a bit of guidance or redirection to make our efforts more effective. God wants to teach us, giving us helpful limits while we are still finding our way. Trusting in God who takes us by the hand is what turns our activity into righteousness, producing fruits that are beautiful, true, and good.
Thought for the Day
I will trust God’s hand to guide me in the way I should go.
Prayer Focus
To Trust God’s guidance
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to walk in your ways. May your hand guide, redirect, and focus us as we participate in your work of love. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 6th 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