Morning Devotional 050126 Never Finished

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

April 30, 2026

Isaiah 43:14-21

¹⁴ The LORD your redeemer, the holy one of Israel, says, For your sake, I have sent an army to Babylon, and brought down all the bars, turning the Chaldeans’ singing into a lament. ¹⁵ I am the LORD, your holy one, Israel’s creator, your king! ¹⁶ The LORD says—who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, ¹⁷ who brings out chariot and horse, army and battalion; they will lie down together and will not rise; they will be extinguished, extinguished like a wick. ¹⁸ Don’t remember the prior things; don’t ponder ancient history. ¹⁹ Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. ²⁰ The beasts of the field, the jackals and ostriches, will honor me, because I have put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness to give water to my people, my chosen ones, ²¹ this people whom I formed for myself, who will recount my praise. 

Good Morning! Look around and see God working!

I am fascinated when I see something that I didn’t plant appear in my flower garden. Of course, many of these unexpected sprouts turn out to be weeds. Some are deposited by birds, others are transported by the wind. Occasionally, a plant sprouts that has been dormant or assumed dead after a season or two of rest. 

Each morning, I go looking for new things as I walk around the neighborhood or even my yard. I remember a special visitor who commented on how something new seemed to bloom every few days in my garden. 

When I see flowers growing along the roadway, I wonder who planted them. Some appear to be wildflowers, but others seem to have been deliberately planted. Perhaps they are keeping space for a new family to come and live in that long deserted property. 

The miraculous handiwork of God is always visible to those who are looking. Sadly, there are times when we are distracted and forget to look. When I’m feeling lost, lonely, or generally out of sorts, a walk outdoors is the cure that returns me to a better state. 

All things bright and beautiful, the Lord God made them all! When God created the heavens and the earth and filled them abundantly, he said, “This is good!”

God of Wisdom, you bless us abundantly! When things seem bleak, remind us that you are still creating new things to discover every day. Thank you. We love you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the day: Take time to look for the good things around you!

Open yourself to experiencing God’s glory!  Pastor Liz