Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 37:12-17
Ps 37:12-17
12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
Luke 21:1-4
1 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
For most who read this, we live in abundance. Even those who live from one paycheck to the next do so because we have come to want more than we actually need. We see others with more things and we begin to think that if we have all the stuff they have, we would be happier. To love the world and the things of this world is an easy trap into which we fall. Paul says that greed is idolatry but it is not the kind of idol that openly asks for worship; it just takes control of our minds and our hearts until it is first in our lives. Jesus said we are to put God first in our lives and all the things we need will be given to us.
Once a very wealthy man preached a lesson on putting spiritual things ahead of material and not loving the things of this world. After the service someone was heard saying that it was easy for him to say that because he would go out and leave in his new Mercedes while wearing a suit of clothes that cost over a thousand dollars. What they didn’t know is how much he used helping others.
The whole issue is not how much we have. Abraham, Job, David and many other faithful people were very wealthy. Some of the prophets were “dirt poor” but were faithful. It is about our attitude and how we use it, not how much we have.
Lord God and Father in heaven, thank you for what you have given me. Thank you for the many material things I enjoy that make my life easier. Thank you for this country in which I was born and live and the many freedoms that abound. I thank you for the precious opportunity you have given me to know you and to have been raised by parents who loved you. Thank you for the forgiveness you have given me in Jesus Christ. Use me to share your gospel and help me always be a good example for others. I pray in the name of Jesus my Redeemer.
Robert
