The Upper Room Daily Devotional 15th April 2023
The Upper Room 15th April 2023 Daily Devotional, Saturday Message by April McIntyre (England, United Kingdom)
TOPIC: Everlasting Love
TODAY’S READING
Matthew 9:9-13
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
KEY VERSE: The Lord says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” – Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
The Upper Room Daily Devotional Message:
Binky was our Yorkshire terrier. He wasn’t the typical tiny, silky, yapping creature you might imagine. He had been the largest of his litter. His tail had not been docked; his ears flopped. Despite his pedigree, according to breed standards he was a failure. To us, however, he was a real character: barking at the mail carrier with a big dog bark, chasing cats from the garden, and always ready for another walk. And sometimes he would glare and show his teeth at us. Nevertheless, he was part of the family, and we loved him.
We all need to love and be loved. But even if we have been Christians for years, we can struggle to believe that God really loves us. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus shows the nature of God’s everlasting love when he seeks out those who have been rejected by society. Jesus spends quality time with them and calls them to follow him.
When we allow Jesus to lead us to God, God accepts us, however imperfect or “different” we may be. God patiently heals our deepest hurts and hang-ups because we are all part of God’s beloved family.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, we come to you today with all our hurts and failures. Help us to know that you accept us and love us always. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God doesn’t see me as imperfect, just one of the family.
PRAYER FOCUS
Those who feel unworthy of God’s love
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More From April McIntyre
The Upper Room 15th April 2023, is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More
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