Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 28:6-9
Ps 28:6-9
6 Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. 9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.
2 Tim 4:16-18
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
There has never been a time when it is more appropriate for us to pray that God will deliver his people. We, as individuals and as a church, need to be delivered from the wicked world in which we live. Our faith in God is belittled, our trust in his word is ridiculed and our commitment to serve him is seen as being bad or at best, unnecessary. Many “Christian” churches have watered down their religion until it is more akin to a social club than service to God.
In the life of David we see faith as a way of life. When it was a bear or a lion that attacked his sheep, he trusted God to deliver him and he killed them both with his hands. He used these victories to embolden his faith to fight against the Philistine giant with only a sling and five small stones. Again, God gave him the victory. It was after this that Saul, the king of Israel, because of jealousy, began to hunt him as an animal. He hid in caves and fled in the woods but even when the entire army was used against him, he trusted God and was victorious.
Just as David saw his life as a mission for God, so the apostle Paul lived his life in service to Jesus, his Lord. With this mindset, neither of them considered anything being done as being personal but as an assault on God. As we focus our lives on Jesus, we too can have the power of God in us and win the victory – heaven.
Lord God, great and mighty, with deep humility I realize that I am but a very small part of your creation with no lasting significance. But because of your grace and your wisdom, I also live with confidence that you have forgiven me by the blood of Jesus, so I am now one of your children. As my Father, you have promised to hear my prayer and always be with me. Thank you for your love! Give me wisdom to know where and how I can best serve you each day. Increase my faith so I will never doubt you, your word or your work in my life. In Jesus name.
Robert
