No Misunderstanding

Hi, and thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Ann Cetus wrote today's reading, and she titled it No Misunderstanding. Alexa, Siri, and other voice assistants embedded in smart devices in our homes occasionally misunderstand what we're saying. A six-year-old talked to her family's new device about cookies and a dollhouse. Later, her mom received an email saying that an order of seven pounds of cookies and a $170 dollar dollhouse were on their way to her home. Even a talking parrot in London, whose owner had never bought anything online, somehow ordered a package of golden gift boxes without her knowledge.

One person asked their device to turn on the living room lights and it replied, There is no putting room. There's no such misunderstanding on God's part when we talk with Him. He's never confused because He knows our hearts better than we do. The Spirit both searches our hearts and understands God's will. The Apostle Paul told the churches in Rome that God promises He'll accomplish His good purpose of maturing us and making us more like His Son. Even when, because of our weakness, we don't know what we need in order to grow, the Spirit prays according to God's will for us. Troubled about how to express yourself to God? Not understanding what or how to pray?

Say what you can from the heart. The Spirit will understand and accomplish God's purpose. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Romans Chapter 8 verses 26 through 30. In this same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called. Those He called, He also justified.

Those He justified, He also glorified. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank You for the promise that You will work out all things in our lives for Your good purposes.

And when we don't understand, You reassure us that You know what is going on and that we need to just keep trusting You. Help us to live according to Your will in light of the great calling we have received as children of the great Almighty God. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.