Today's scripture: Psalm 24:7-10
We serve an amazing God ... an amazing God. He is gracious, merciful, loving,
and righteous. He is holy and just.
Even more, He loves us more than we can imagine. He blesses us, often in very
unexpected ways.
What can we give Him in return?
We can give Him praise. We can give Him glory. We can worship Him and love
Him—heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). We can, as today's scripture
says, lift up our heads and seek His face.
I often say that it is most humbling to know the God of the universe wants to
be in relationship with me, with you. He wants to hear our voices. He wants to
speak to us in return. He, the King of glory, invites us into His presence to
commune with Him.
Doesn't that thought just amaze you? I pray it does. I also pray you'll take
some time this day to go to the King of glory, lift up your head, and offer Him
praise and worship.
He truly deserves nothing less.
Today's scripture: Psalm 24:5-6
Oh, that we would be “the generation of those who seek Him …”
Yet it seems our society is seeking anything other than Him. Entertainment.
Drugs. Sex. Meaningless relationships. Money. Work.
And where has it landed us? In and out of one recession into another.
Sky-rocketing divorce rates. Families whose members don’t even know each other.
Our nation, which was founded on biblical principles, is anything but a “nation
under God.” And I wonder how long it will be before God completely removes His
hand of blessing on us. Perhaps He already has.
But we could experience a “blessing from God and righteousness from the God of
[our] salvation.” How? By turning back to Him.
God’s chosen people turned away from Him again and again (see the book of Judges),
yet when they turned back to Him, He welcomed them with open arms. I believe
He’ll do the same for us.
God spoke these words to the people of Israel … and I believe He speaks the
same words to us today: "… if My people
who are called by My name will
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). We are people called by His name. We just need to seek Him
and surrender everything we are to Him. Then He’ll bless us.
Today's scripture: Psalm 24:3-4
God is holy. He is righteous. He is perfect. And He cannot abide with sin and
unrighteousness.
Since we are innately sinful creatures, God cannot abide with us. At least in
our sinful state.
But He offers a way for us to become holy, for us to have “clean hands and a
pure heart.” Since Adam and Eve chose to defy God in the garden, He has had a
plan to make us righteous. First, atonement came through the sacrifice of a
perfect, flawless lamb. But then through the ultimate sacrifice of the perfect
Lamb.
We know that “... God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And “If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
When we accept the gift of salvation through belief in the death, burial, and
resurrection of the Son, we become new creatures (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We
choose to commit our daily lives to God, and we choose to live as Christ did.
We strive to live according to God’s word, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit
(see Galatians 5:22).
And one day, we will “stand in His holy place,” spending eternity with our Lord
and Savior.
Today's scripture: Psalm 24:1-2
Our society really likes its stuff, doesn’t it? Grand houses. Fancy cars.
Exotic vacations. And we take a lot time working to get our stuff.
The more, the better.
And we tend to hold on to our stuff very tightly.
We also take pride in what we can do—whether it’s our profession or our vocation.
As we work hard, get more and more, and do more and more, we forget something:
None of our stuff is ours. None of our time is ours. None of our talents are
ours. None of it. Everything we have, everything we are, is God’s. If He
chooses to bless us, then we should be grateful. And we should manage His
stuff—and ourselves—well.
We should take care of what He’s given us. We should share what He’s given us
with others, whether it’s giving money or our time or our talents.
We should be willing to give it all back to Him, should He ask for it. We
should hold onto things very loosely.
Because it’s all His anyway.
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:6
While we’re here on this rapidly-decaying earth, we who are followers of Christ
can be certain of one thing: Our Shepherd will shower us with His goodness and
mercy as long as we walk on this soil.
Our God is so very good, loving each and every one of His children and desiring
nothing more than each one come to know Him personally. He wants to see each
and every human being to be saved (see 2 Peter 3:9).
And He is so very merciful. We don’t deserve grace. We don’t deserve mercy. But
He, in His goodness, offers mercy—not punishing us as we do deserve. What an
amazing gift!
Ah, but then we get my favorite part of this entire psalm: One day, “I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever”!
If you’ve read these devotions for a while, you’ve likely read that I can’t
wait to spend eternity with my Lord. I suffer from several health issues, and I
would love nothing more than to shed this flawed body and stand in the presence
of my Lord. Pain-free. Whole. Healthy.
I can’t wait for the day I can praise my Lord and serve Him—forever!
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:5
Sometimes, it seems that no matter how kind we are, no matter how much we love others, we still have
enemies. Some people just won’t like us. In fact, some people may want to bring
us down. We hear that someone has maligned us or gossiped about us. Or a
rumor—blatantly untrue—comes to our attention.
Yet, even if we’re surrounded by enemies, we’re not alone. Our Shepherd is with
us, protecting us and reminding us of how loved we are, how beautiful we are in
His sight.
And when we’re hurting, He pours oil over us. In ancient times, shepherds would
pour oil on the wounds of their sheep. Our Shepherd does the same for us. He
soothes our pain with His grace and mercy.
And because of all He does for us—protecting us, providing for us, healing
us—our “cups” of joy overflow.
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:4
The valley of the shadow of death … “valleys as dark as death” according to the
Contemporary English Version. I don’t
want to sound melodramatic, but I’ve been there. When I experienced abuse. When
I lived through the pain of infertility. Living through chronic pain.
Valleys as dark as death.
I’ve lived through them. And when I wasn’t in relationship with the Lord, when
I tried to make it though those valleys by myself, I was fearful … even
depressed.
But now? After I recommitted my life to Jesus almost 25 years ago, I still
experienced—I still experience—days in the valley. However, I’m not alone.
Never.
When I’m suffering, when I just can’t make it another moment, I know God is
with me. I know He’ll never leave me (Hebrews 13:5). Never.
Even more, He’ll protect me from the wiles of the enemy. Knowing His word and
His promises, I can resist my adversary (1 Peter 5:8-9).
And even more, He’ll comfort me when I’m in those valleys. I know I can climb
on my Abba’s lap, and He’ll wrap His arms around me and comfort me in my pain.
So I know I can walk through those valleys, knowing my Shepherd is beside me.
And when I need it, He’ll carry me through.
If you're in a valley, remember this: Your Shepherd is beside you too. He's
walking with you ... and carrying you when you can't even walk.
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:3
So often I feel weary—to-the-bone weary. My daily pain is sometimes beyond my
ability to handle. I have no strength. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to
make it through the day.
I’m in need of restoration. In need of strength.
And so I pray for the strength that comes only from my Shepherd. And He restores
me.
Even though I, like Paul, would like the “thorn” of pain and weariness to go
away, I believe—just as Paul did—the words of Jesus: “My grace is sufficient
for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” And so I can echo Paul’s
words, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For
when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Not only does my Shepherd restore my body, but He also restores my soul. He helps me to grow more
righteous. One definition of righteous is “free from guilt or sin.”
Because of God’s love for me, He sent His Son—part of Himself—to pay the
penalty for my sin. And because I’ve been cleansed from that sin, because I’m
“whiter than snow,” in His eyes, I am righteous. I’m free from guilt or sin.
How amazing is that?
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:2
When I read these verses, I have an instant mental picture of a meadow with
lush, green grass. I see the breeze rustling the trees and just over a gentle
rise comes the song of a gently flowing stream.
I see myself flat on my back watching cotton candy clouds as they wisp
overhead.
Quiet. Peacefulness.
And then I hear a voice—powerful, yet kind. It’s my gentle Shepherd.
“Rest, My child,” He soothes. “Shed the burdens of this day, and come to me.
Let Me take whatever is causing you pain and share the load” (see Matt. 11:28-30).
So many times I let my daily pain and suffering steal my peace. I forget that
my Lord wants to give me rest. Spiritual rest. Emotional rest. Physical rest.
And I can go to those green pastures. I can walk beside those still waters. I
can experience peace that surpasses my human understanding, if only I let go
(see Phil. 4:6-7).
Today's scripture: Psalm 23:1
When I first memorized Psalm 23, I did so in the King James Version of the Bible, so as we spend the next several days meditating on its
words, we're going to revisit that (for some of us) familiar translation. Yes,
the language is a bit archaic, but there’s something about the dignity of the
King James language that soothes my soul … and it could use some soothing!
So we begin …
The LORD is my shepherd. And what does a shepherd
do? He watches out over his sheep. He protects and comforts them. He lifts them
up when they’ve fallen. He keeps predators at bay. And he searches for them
when they wander away.
And my Lord does all that for me—for you.
I shall not want. A good shepherd
provides shelter and sustenance for his sheep. He meets their needs.
And my Lord provides for my needs as well.
Days like today when I have nothing to give—physically or emotionally—I’m
comforted by the reminder that I’m not alone.
My good Shepherd watches over me. He protects me from the enemy. He lifts me up
and carries me. He provides for my needs.
Thank You, Lord God, for being my good
Shepherd. Thank You for carrying me this day … and every day.
Today’s
scripture: Psalm 21:13
The Lord God, Creator, King of kings, Lord of Lords.
The Almighty One.
Savior. Redeemer.
Omnipotent. Omniscient.
All-loving. All-good. All-kind.
Merciful. Gracious.
Righteous. Just.
Our God. Our Abba.
He alone deserves all glory, honor, worship, and praise.
He alone deserves our devotion, our surrendered lives. Everything we are. Everything
we have.
He alone should be exalted.
So, let us all together sing of Him and all He is.
Praise His name!
Today’s scripture: Psalm 21:7-12
I’ve written before that few of us have flesh and blood enemies as David did.
Few of us have people that want to destroy us or steal our kingdoms, such as
they are.
We do have those unseen enemies that Paul talks about (Eph. 6:12), and God
provides protection against their wiles. We don’t have to worry about their
infiltration because God, our unmovable God, stands between them and us. He
puts angels around us (Psalm 91:11).
We can trust our God. We can rest in His mercy. We can give our cares and
worries to Him (1 Pet. 5:7).
When your circumstances are rough, when people seem not to care, when the
storms rage, remember that you can trust your God. He will vanquish whatever
enemies you face. And through God’s abundance mercy, you “will not be moved.”
Today’s scripture: Psalm 21:5-6
On Wednesday, we looked at the many blessings David described in this psalm.
The blessings continue in these verses. God placed “honor and majesty” on
David.
Some of us will never receive such honor or majesty on earth, but we can be
assured that God will use us as He sees fit as we serve Him.
David also wrote that the Lord had “made him most blessed forever …”
We who follow Jesus Christ are already blessed with salvation, and we have
forever to look forward to … blessings we cannot even imagine!
But I want to focus on that last line: God had “made him exceedingly glad in [His]
presence.”
These words really pierce my heart … I have to ask myself: Am I exceedingly glad
in the presence of my Lord? When I spend time with Him, is it because I have
to? Or because I want to?
Does my day feel incomplete without focused time with Him? Or is He a check
mark on my to-do list?
I know that spending time with the Lord is a privilege. I know He wants to
bless me each time I open His word or go to Him in prayer.
So I pray today: Lord God Almighty, help
me to be exceedingly glad in your presence. Today and every day. Amen.
Today’s scripture: Psalm 21:1-4
This psalm is credited to King David, so we can rightfully conclude that he was
writing about himself. What I see right away is his confidence in his God. In
the very first verse, he made a statement. Not a request. A statement.
He stated that he “shall have joy in [the Lord’s] strength.” He exclaimed how
he would “greatly … rejoice” in the Lord’s salvation.
Love those words: joy and rejoicing.
And he found joy in more than strength and salvation. He received his “heart’s desire.”
He had “blessings of goodness.” The Lord had “set a crown of pure gold upon his
head.”
I certainly rejoice in strength and salvation. I’ve so often received my heart’s
desire. I’ve been abundantly blessed. And although I don’t have a queen’s crown
on my head, I do know a crown awaits me (2 Tim. 4:8).
Then there’s the final verse: King David rejoiced that he was given “length of
days …” Forever.
Second only to salvation itself, that is the greatest blessing of all:
confidence in eternal life with the Lord. Forever.
