Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 59:1-5
Ps 59:1-5
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD. 4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight! 5 O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors.
Rom 13:8-10
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
This passage helps us understand why Jesus said that loving our neighbor is the second greatest commandment from God. This command comes out of our love for God and our seeking to be like God. God is love. He loves the world (and that is everyone who has ever lived, is living and will live) so much that he was willing to allow his Son to die for our sin. By this sacrifice he is willing to forgive us, even as his enemies. The great apostle Paul was at one time a violent persecutor of Christians and sought to destroy the church of our Lord, yet God forgave him. He then began preaching to others and taught them to obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So as the children of God, we seek to be like our Father.
When we face trials, when others seek to do us harm, when life seems to tumble in and everything is so unfair, we turn to God with complete assurance of his love for us and the knowledge that he will be with us. We are his because he made us and he has already done more for us than we can comprehend so how can he give up on us now? Perhaps this explains why Paul would say that we are to rejoice in the Lord always and give thanks in everything. We can go through every moment of our lives knowing that God is in control and will do what is best for us.
Lord God, my heavenly Father, thank you for loving me. I am grateful for your mercy, your compassion and your grace in forgiving me of my sin. Help me show you (and all the world around me) that your love controls me in all I do and say. I want to be more like you and more like Jesus. Lord, I ask you to be merciful with our nation because we have defied you in so many ways. Give our leaders wisdom and raise up leaders who will revere you and your word. Guide me and use me to do your will; wherever that leads me. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
