Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 107:10-16
Psalms 107:10-16
10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, 11 because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. 12 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
It does not matter what a person has done or how badly they have rebelled against God, when that person is willing to repent and turn to him, he will forgive them. The blood of Jesus knows no bounds or limits. The worst of humankind can have their sins forgiven by his sacrifice.
Paul uses his own life as an example of this great love, mercy and grace on the part of God. He had spent the early years of his life as a Jew persecuting anyone who professed faith in Jesus. He had given his consent to putting some of them to death and had participated in putting many of them in prison and trying to force them to blaspheme the name of Jesus. It was on a trip to do just these things that Jesus appeared to him and he realized his great sin.
In faith he turned to God, fasting and praying for three days until Ananias came to him and told him what he needed to do. He then was baptized into Christ and his sins were washed away. From this moment on he spent his life telling others of the Christ, the grace of God and how they too could have salvation.
Once we are on the side of God we have his constant protection and his promise to help us in all our distresses. While he has not promised to always take away our problems or suffering, he has promised to limit them and to give us strength to be able to bear what we face in life. God knows that the trials we face in life will make us stronger and better fit to live with him in eternity. He is still in control at all times and even Satan himself cannot go beyond what God allows him to do. So we need to trust him in all things.
O God, my heavenly Father, I thank you for your boundless and endless love for me. I thank you for your grace and your willingness to forgive my sin. I ask you to give me strength to be what you want me to be as your child. Help me in my every relationship to treat others as I want to be treated and so be able to lead those around me to you. I ask you to be with our nation. I realize that we have become more and more ungodly and ask your mercy on us. Most of all be with those who are serving you in the face of persecutions. I pray in the name of Jesus.
--Robert
