[Membersandfriends] Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Mon Nov 15 22:01:44 PST 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Tuesday, November 16, 2004

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The Upper Room Living Prayer Center

The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by Christian volunteers. Submit prayer requests online or call and speak to one of our volunteers at 1-800-251-2468 (U.S. and Canada) or 615-327-4673 (International).
http://www.upperroom.org/prayer_center
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WHAT MATTERS
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Psalm 73:23-26 (NRSV)

Nevertheless I am continually with you; 
   you hold my right hand. 
You guide me with your counsel, 
   and afterward you will receive me with honor. 
Whom have I in heaven but you? 
   And there is nothing on earth that I desire 
   other than you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail, 
   but God is the strength of my heart and my 
   portion forever.

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"But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."  The LORD answered, "I will be with you."
- Judges 6:15-16 (NIV)
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IT was my first week in a new job.  Being new to the area and new to the type of work I was doing, I expected to spend the day in the office.  Then the day changed.  I was given an assignment across the city.  I did not feel prepared for such an assignment.  Overcome with panic, I went to the parking lot to locate a company car.  I was just starting to drive away when someone tapped on the window.  It was the president of the company.  To my surprise he got in the car and sat down.  "I'm going with you," he said.  In that moment my sense of fear was gone.

Often we are confronted by assignments, problems, and heartaches that are bigger than we can handle.  I'm not up to this, we think.  I can never face this!  What makes the difference is that God is with us.  Again and again in the Bible we hear God reassuring the Israelites, "I will be with you."  That was all they needed.  They didn't need to be stronger, wiser, or more capable.  What mattered was that God was going with them.  That is still what matters.

Prayer:  Eternal God, you really are all we need.  We give thanks for your promise to be with us.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
We do not face this day alone.

-- Robert E. Rogers (Delaware, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Someone starting a new job

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RELATED READING ...

OPENINGS is a prayer book for every day of the year for people who don't normally think about using a prayer book. Move closer to God one day at a time by reading the Psalms and practicing prayer in ways you may not have imagined before. OPENINGS includes a wide variety of Christian prayer practices, including aspects of play, music and physical movement, as well as prayers for peace, of compassion, and for the seasons.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=141872

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.