The Upper Room Devotion for Thursday, August 17, 2023, was written by Mifiri de Silva of Sri Lanka.
Scripture
35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
John 1:35-42 NRSV
Author's Thoughts
My job requires me to interact with many people, and that demands a lot of patience. I constantly have to keep in mind that the Lord has called me for this purpose, and therefore it is my responsibility. Because a project I was working on was nearing completion, the workload on a particular day was heavy. I was unable to cope because I was continually faced with questions from others. I felt no peace within me, and I was agitated.
During that week, I was reading John 1 where Andrew was looking for the place where Jesus was staying. Jesus' reply to Andrew in John 1:39 challenged me. At the end of my reading time, I paused and asked myself, What am I searching for? During this time, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I should stop and rest at the feet of Jesus, so I spent some time in meditation. This quality time I spent with Christ blessed me with calm and renewed my faith. The peace in my mind enabled me to think clearly, and I saw how to address the issues at work. This experience reminded me that when I spend time meditating on God's word, I can find peace that surpasses understanding.
Pastor Anthony's Thoughts
Friends,
Patience is, indeed, a virtue that many people of faith struggle to practice. We want to see instant transformation and immediate results from our minimal efforts. Yet, God calls us to a process of transformation that requires us to be patient with ourselves and with God. As we practice patience, God offers us opportunities to be a blessing to others, keeping our attention focused on being the answer to the prayers of others. In partnering with God to be the answer to others prayers, we gain a deeper appreciation for the patience we need to practice while God is preparing to anwser our prayers.
Author's Prayer
Dear Jesus, amid all our responsibilities, guide us to spend quiet time at your feet and listen to your voice. Amen.