Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 112:1-5
Psalms 112:1-5
1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
This Psalm reminds me of many lessons to be learned from the prophets. So often they warned the people of their vain worship and the calamities that would befall them if they did not repent. At the same time they extolled the virtues of God and praised him for his goodness, his abiding presence and his veracity in keeping his promises. When Israel became a nation God told them if they served him and kept his law, they would be blessed beyond measure. He also told them if they did not faithfully keep his word they would be punished and their punishment would be more horrible than they could imagine.
In the New Testament we are repeatedly told that we are not to be deceived, that we will reap what we sow. If we serve God faithfully he has promised to give us his protection, his guidance, his strength and his peace. If we turn from God, he will turn from us and let us go our own way but we will receive the wages of sin which is death. These principles are easy to see and apply but the problem comes when people give halfhearted service or make their own rules and laws for serving God instead of listening to his word and following him.
It was for these that God told Israel he wished they would just close the temple doors and quit making their sacrifices because what they were doing was an abomination rather than true worship. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that true worship was determined by the heart of the person offering the worship. Jesus also said our actions demonstrate what is actually in our hearts. We cannot expect the blessings of God if we do not put him first in our lives and give him the best of our time, our energy and our lives.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for giving your only Son for me so I can be with you in eternity. Open my eyes to see myself as you see me and help me be honest and true in my worship to you. I praise you and your holy name because you love me in a way that I cannot truly understand but seek to return to you and show others around me. Help me be loving, kind, compassionate and forgiving as you are to me. Please be with those who are suffering physical issues. Give strength to those who are struggling to serve you. I pray in the name of Jesus.
--Robert
