The Upper Room Devotion for Wednesday, May 29, 2024, was written by Laurie Allred Boyd of Washington.
Scripture
1 Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments. 2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. 4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. 7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. 8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor. 10 The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.
Psalm 112:1-10 NRSV
Author's Thoughts
It was a simple checkup with the doctor - a quick test, and I was on my way home. The phone call the next day requestiong I come back for more tests had me concerned but not distressed. I prayed that there were no physical problems. There were more tests, then came the call with confrimed cancer diagnosis.
When the news is not what we want or expect, overwhelming questions may flood our mind: Why me? What did I do to deserve this? What did I do wrong? As these fillings of grief run their course, we can change our question from Why me? to Lord, where are you in this? then we can watch for God's presence in all we are going through and speak of it to others.
Only God knows how long we have on this earth to offer praise with our thoughts, our actions, and our words. Whether the news we receive is good or bad, choosing God's will for our lives frees us to live each day with peace in our hearts as we share the message God gives us with those we encounter.
Thought for the Day
Today I will look for God's presence in my circumstances.
Author's Prayer
Dear Father, when bad news comes, give us a heart that is steadfast and trusting so that our faith in you will not be shaken. Amen.
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