Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 88:8-12
Ps. 88:8-12
8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? Selah 11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
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.
Most of us like to have friends around, especially when things are not going well with us. There is usually that one special friend in whom we can confide and can dump our problems, knowing that they will not judge us or try to scold us. In our times of anguish we may say things that are based more on our emotions than reasoning so we want someone that will just listen. We are not looking for their approval but we want to know that it will not be repeated to others or ever used against us. They are with us, listen and encourage us as we struggle with our feelings. This is the friend that Solomon says sticks closer than a brother.
Paul says we all have that special friend, if we will just reach out to him and trust him. Jesus is our friend. Yes, he is our Savior, he is our Lord, he is our Rock of Salvation but he is also our closest and most faithful friend. No matter what we face in our lives, he understands how we feel. Jesus knows what it means to be mistreated. He knows the pain of being deserted by those closest to us. He has felt our grief and our disappointment in others. He also knows our joy when we feel everything is going our way. What a friend we have in Jesus!
Heavenly Father help me truly be able to sing that Jesus is all the world to me; in times of sorrow and in times of joy. Thank you for all the blessings you shower on me in more ways than I can count. Keep me from thinking that somehow, I have gotten these on my own or that I deserve the goodness that comes from you. Use me and all I have to serve you. I ask your special guidance in my life to accomplish what you want me to do, in your way and time. Help me give my whole heart to you and to know your joy and peace. I pray in the name of Jesus my friend.
Robert
