Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 9:5-8
Ps 9:5-8
You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished. But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
Rom 13:1a, 7
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
In the Old Testament we find some of the most ungodly, ruthless, and selfish kings over God’s people that have ever lived or ruled in history. God repeatedly warned them and at times even punished them, but he let the people have what they wanted, and this is what they got. Eventually, they were taken from power, and the northern kingdom was destroyed. God was and is in control.
There probably has never been a government any more corrupt with leaders any more immoral than the Roman Empire at the time Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians. Yet, he told them to honor and show respect to these horrible people because God had put them in power. This was not based on his agreement with the leaders or their policies. It was based solely on the fact that God is in control, and he established their position in government, and it deserves respect.
Four years ago, I wrote this same sentiment because I was reading and hearing so much disrespect being shown by Christian people toward the newly elected people in government. The same is true today and we (disciples of Jesus) need to show respect to the governing authorities because they are from God. This is not true because we agreed then or we agree now with them. It is not because we think they are honest or dishonest. It is not because we think they are moral or immoral. We show them respect for conscience sake because God said to do it.
O Lord God, be with the leaders of our nation, from the local levels to the highest office in the land. Give them your wisdom and I pray that they will open their minds to your wisdom from above so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness. Be with the people of our land that we all will make being at peace with each other a top priority and learn to differ with each other while still showing mutual respect. Help the disciples of Jesus show his love in all we do and say, so the world will see him living in us. In his holy name I pray.
Robert
