Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 114:1-8
Ps 114:1-8
1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, 2 Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; 4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back, 6 you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.
Mark 4:37-41
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Some would say that if they had seen the rock open and water come forth, they would believe in the power of God. If we had only walked over the sea on the dry ground our faith would never waiver. But Peter walked on the water to meet his Lord, yet he denied him. The same Jews who begged Moses to tell God not to speak to them from heaven or they would die, built a calf of gold and declared it was the god who brought them out of Egypt. Where is our faith?
The Psalmist says that the heavens and the skies show forth the handiwork and the glory of God. Paul said all who fail to trust God are without excuse because we have all seen his creation which shows his wisdom and his power. The life of Jesus was full of miracles, many of which were recorded so that we might believe in him as the Son of God and by believing we can have eternal life. Every time we fail to be what he wants us to be, we are demonstrating our lack of genuine faith. We show our faith in humble obedience and in our service to him. Jesus is Lord!
Heavenly Father, my faith is weak at times and my resolve melts away so that I do and say things I know I should not. At other times I know what should be done but I fail to get up and do them. Increase my faith. Fill my heart with your Spirit so I will love others as you love me. Give me a pure heart and clean lips so my tongue will ever praise you. Guide my steps with your wisdom so every action of my life will honor your holy name. Thank you for caring about me and for your patience shown to me every day. Help me use every instance of forgiveness to make me stronger and to mold me into your image. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
