Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 69:19-23
Ps 69:19-23
19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you. 20 Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none. 21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst. 22 May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap. 23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.
Mark 8:29-32
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Can you imagine proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, the promised Messiah, the son of David, the Son of God and then with the next breath, rebuking him? Peter probably speaks for a lot of us in doing this. We boldly proclaim that we believe in Jesus and he is our Lord and then turn around and do things that are contrary to his will. We stand up to the crowd and show our faith but then in moments of solitude we doubt or we are so sure when we are alone that we would be faithful when put to the test but we fail when it actually happens.
Jesus rebuked Peter on this occasion while at other times when Peter did and said things just as inconsistent as this, he encouraged him to do better or he pointed him in the right direction. But what is so great for us all is that Jesus never gave up on Peter, even when he denied that he had ever known him!
Jesus will never give up on us. No matter what we do, how badly we fail or how many time we give in to that sin that troubles us so much. When we turn back to him, he will extend his hand and bring us back into his safety. He understands our weaknesses because he has been tempted in every way we are today. Jesus has given himself for us and now he wants us to give ourselves to him.
Thank you Father for giving your Son so I can be forgiven of my sin and be right with you. Thank you for your promise of eternal life in Jesus my Lord. Give me greater faith and strength to remain faithful, no matter what I face in life. It is such an honor to be your child but also such an awesome responsibility so I need your help every hour of every day to be all you want me to be. Lord, please be with our nation in the elections. Give me wisdom to cast my vote for the person that will best do your will and honor you. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
