Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 44:1-8
Ps 44:1-8
We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. 2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish. 3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. 4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. 5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. 6 I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah
Eph 6:10-13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
There is a subtle error that permeates the thinking of many Christians in regard to God and his working in us. It reasons that we are to do all we can do and then God will “pick up the slack” and make the difference. This is applied to the grace of God where we are told to be as good as possible and then somehow God will make up what we lack in moral goodness. We begin an endeavor for his cause, so we are told if we do our part, he will do the rest. While we must move, act and do his will, this is still depending on ourselves and our strength.
Real faith, real trust is when we like Gideon go into battle with glass pitchers and trumpets instead of what we call weapons of war. We are to stand in the strength of HIS might, using HIS weapons. Grace is when we realize God has done all the work for our salvation, we just accept it by showing obedient faith. Trust is when we allow God to work in us and through us and we simply follow his will.
Heavenly Father I am thankful for the victory you have already won over sin and death by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus on my behalf. Give me faith that depends on you, on your strength and on your wisdom but never on my own doing. Forgive me when I fail. Lord be with your saints in China, Africa and in other places where they are being persecuted, even to death. Help me and my family be faithful in our lives of ease you have given to us. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
