The Upper Room devotional reflection for Saturday, April 23, 2022 comes to us from Abigail Gary of Pennsylvania
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. 108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. Psalm 119:105-112 NIV
“My Rainbow Bible”
About 10 years ago I casually picked up a copy of The Upper Room at my church. I enjoyed the daily meditations written by real people around the world who share honestly about faith, forgiveness, challenge, and many other facets of their relationship with God. In an old Bible, I began to mark each daily scripture reading with a different color so that I could locate it again easily.
A decade into this process, I am still doing the daily readings, transforming my old Bible into a rainbow of yellow, pink, orange, and blue. To my surprise, there are few chapters that are not filled with evidence of the verses I’ve read, and I can find relevant passages quickly and easily. I am amazed at how much I’ve read without even trying! Best of all, reading these devotionals and color-coding my Bible have helped my faith. The daily testimonials about Christ’s workings encourage me to think about how he might be moving in my life. They also encourage me to faithfully pursue Christ’s call to help the poor, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, love my neighbor, and worship with others. I am learning that God is alive and at work – in other people’s lives and in my own.
Friends –
As I have grown into the practice of preparing these devotional reflections, I have learned a lot about how the practice of studying daily devotionals can help us to focus our thoughts and actions on God’s presence in our lives. With that focus, we are empowered to consider how we can become better followers and disciples of God through Christ. We can improve our witness and service as we study and pray.
I invite you to consider how this devotional blog, as well as other routine resources you might use empower you to do the work of God in the world where you are.
--Pastor bea
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help us to learn from the writers who share their faith in these pages. Reveal to us how you are active in our lives. Amen.
--Abigail Gary
Prayer Focus:
Writers and Readers of The Upper Room
Thought for the Day:
Daily spiritual practices yield abundant results.