Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 10:12-15
Ps 10:12-15
12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account"? 14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.
Matt 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God is aware of trouble and trial we face. There is nothing that escapes his view nor his concern. He cares for his own. However, as a parent with a child, there are times he must allow us to go through the really rough spots in life so we can learn endurance, so we can be made stronger and gain wisdom. It is also through these same experiences we learn compassion for others in their distress.
Paul says we are comforted by the God of all comforts so we can share that same comfort with those who are suffering. God never allows us to face more than we can endure but always gives us the strength to overcome and gives us a way of escape for every temptation. Often, it is when others help us and encourage us that we learn how to help someone else later. In these trials we learn the meaning of genuine love, mercy, compassion and grace.
One of the most difficult lessons to learn is how to humble ourselves before God and toward those around us. We have to relinquish control (which we really never had in the first place) to God and then let others have their way instead of always getting our own. But this is exactly what Jesus did for us when he came to earth to provide a way of salvation and eternal life. So we are to become like him.
O Lord, ruler and God of the earth, thank you for your infinite wisdom shown in all creation but also in your plan of redemption. Thank you for the willingness of Jesus to give up his place in heaven to live among us and be one of us so I can begin to become like him now but be made truly like him in eternity. I need your strength and wisdom to deal with problems and temptation in my life. Use me to help others as I learn from my own experiences. As the creator of all things, you can heal those who are sick when it is your will so I ask for your healing on some who are dear to me. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
