Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 18:20-24
Ps 18:20-24
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
2 Peter 1:10-11
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To recognize that we all have sinned and we all fall short of the glory of God does not mean that we cannot also recognize that we are living for him the very best we know how to do. Yes, at our best we still mess up and sin. John refers to this as “walking in the light” and goes on to tell us that when we are doing this, we have the continuing cleansing by the blood of Jesus. Even the apostle Paul said that at times he did that which he hated but did not do that which he knew he should be doing. But he too ends this discussion with “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We are not perfect but we are counted righteous in Jesus.
To recognize that we are seeking to serve God and to go to bed with a clear conscience at night does not mean we are filled with pride. We rely on God’s love and his forgiveness by his grace. As we contemplate this, we should be humbled and therefore we should never look down on others. Their struggles may be more than ours but that doesn’t mean they are not trying also and they are not covered by the forgiving blood of Jesus also. This make us equal with them in Jesus.
Praise the Lord! What a blessing to be forgiven in Jesus! With this assurance, we live in hope, not based on our own doing or taken away because of our failures but based on the grace of God. One of the greatest measures of our faith is to be able to accept his forgiveness and then to live for him, according to his word.
Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your love for me. I know I am not perfect and I know I fail far too often to be all you want me to be, so I need your forgiveness all the time. But I also know I have grown in many ways spiritually as I seek to be more like you. Don’t ever let me forget that I am what I am only because of your grace and not my own doing. Use me to help others live for you also. Be with our nation as we face upcoming elections and give us leaders who will move us in the right direction with respect for you and your word. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
