THE UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL 8TH JANUARY 2026, THURSDAY MESSAGE
God Is with Us
Nathaniel Lawrence (Oregon, USA)
Today’s Reading
Hebrews 11:1-16
Come near to God and he will come near to you. – James 4:8 (NIV)
I was at a loss and feeling depressed as I finished a difficult freshman year of college. I had dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I had failed a class and lost my scholarship. Then at the end-of-semester gathering of my choir, we selected slips of paper with Bible verses on them from a basket. I got James 4:8, and I took it to heart.
That summer I volunteered at a camp ministry, where I was more than assured that God was still with me. In the forests, fields, and creek, while working to make a difference in kids’ lives, God met me. I knew that God was still very real and attentive to my situation.
Hebrews 11:6 emphasizes the importance of faith: “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” And the whole of Hebrews 11 offers the encouragement of those who have gone before us, responding in faith to God. Times of closeness with God encourage us to look ahead in hope, knowing that there is a God “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20).
Thought for the Day
Even when I feel lost, God knows where I am.
Prayer Focus
College students
Today’s Prayer
Dear God, give us hope and faith so that we may reach out and embrace what you call us to, knowing that you are always with us. Amen.
The Upper Room Devotional 8th 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