Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 64:1-5
Ps 64:1-5
1 Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from that noisy crowd of evildoers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear. 5 They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, "Who will see them?"
2 Thess. 1:6-8
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
It is so easy for us to think that we have to defend ourselves against those who would seek to do us harm. We feel that urge to get even with them and to see them suffer, even as we have suffered at their hand. After all, this has to be right because it is justice and God is just. So we seek our own revenge.
This is not God’s way for our lives. God is indeed just and he will repay trouble to those who trouble us. But he will do it justly, in his own time and in his own way and that may not be according to our understanding. We may not ever see how God carries out his vengeance in our lives but we can know he will. We are to leave the revenge up to God and not try to execute it ourselves.
In fact, what Jesus teaches is far from seeking our own revenge and justice. He says we are to love our enemies, pray for them and seek to do them good. We are to forgive them for whatever they have done to us, even though they do not acknowledge that they have done anything wrong. Our attitude and ensuing life is to demonstrate the love of God shown to us when he offered his forgiveness while we were still his enemies. This removes all the burden from us and leaves it all between the one who has done wrong and God – and God is faithful and will keep his word to punish those who do not know him through Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, give me a loving heart and a forgiving spirit, even toward those whom I do not think deserve my forgiveness. Give me a heart of compassion instead of bitterness. Help me show mercy instead of seeking revenge. Fill me with your Spirit so I will show others Jesus living in me in all I do and say. Use me to reach out to help others who are hurting and those who are seeking your way in this wicked world. I ask for your healing for my family and my friends who are suffering with sickness and with heartaches. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
