A Daily Devotion for Thursday, January 8

Hebrews 11:1-16

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

James 4:8

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Today’s devotion in the UR was written by a man who had certain plans for his life, but things quickly turned in a different direction in college. His faith was kept alive by God’s presence in scripture with verse James 4:8, and then shortly after, a job with kids at a summer camp. God met him where he was, because he continued to seek God. When I read the devotion this morning, I used the version online. After the devotion there is the option to leave a comment. I had looked at comments once before and it was a long series of AMENs. For some reason I went to look at comments again today. There were comments from all over the world, some long and detailed prayer requests which clearly included updates. Many of the comments gave thanks to God for their Upper Room family. To me, this clearly gives us an idea of the priceless truth of James 4:8. God is always present when we seek Him, and when we meet together to know him better.

Holy Lord, thank you for your unfailing presence, and for the many ways you make yourself accessible to us in this world, and make believers accessible to one another. Amen

Becky, transforming