The Upper Room Devotional 8th November 2023 Message
The Upper Room Devotional 8th November 2023 , Wednesday Message by Linawati Santoso (East Java, Indonesia)
TOPIC:Â A Special Recipe
TODAY’S READING
Habakkuk 3:16-19
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines . . . yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. – Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)
My birthday was coming up, and I really wanted to celebrate it with cake. The problem was that we did not have enough money to buy one. My sister knew I wanted cake, so she made one. Instead of using flour, butter, and milk, she used sweet potatoes and coconut. First my sister steamed the sweet potatoes, and then she mashed them. Then she shaped them into a cake and sprinkled it with grated coconut.
My sister did not spend much money making that cake. Sweet potatoes and coconut were inexpensive, but the cake was beautiful and delicious. I was so happy! I thanked God for my special birthday cake.
From this experience I realized that happiness is not dependent on money or wealth. This is why Habakkuk could rejoice despite having no crops or livestock or other material wealth.
Today we may not have much money or wealth. We cannot buy everything we like. But we still can be happy. Because we have God, we have everything we need in life. Like Habakkuk, we can rejoice in the Lord.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, help us not to rely on money or wealth for our happiness. Remind us that true joy comes only from you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Because I have God, I have all I need.
PRAYER FOCUS
Bakers
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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.
READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY