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?
Heb 11:39-12:2
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We study the book of Job in a few readings and we are done. We forget that it lasted for at least months if not years for him in his suffering. During this time he was in constant pain and was scorned by those around him. He had been highly respected by all who knew him but now was ridiculed and accused of sin as the source of his troubles. He maintained his innocence but pleaded with God for an explanation of why it was happening. God’s answer was “I am God”.
This is another way of saying what God said to the apostle Paul when he pleaded for relief from his “thorn in the flesh” that afflicted him. The answer he received was that “My grace is sufficient”. Paul realized that the more he accepted his own weakness and trusted in the power of God, the stronger he became.
We may or may not know why we suffer the things we suffer. It may be a physical malady or it may be a wide scale social issue as we face the virus that plagues us all in one way or another. But God is still in control and the answer we get is that he is still God and we are to trust him. Our faith is perfected through our trials.
Heavenly Father it is with deep humility that I come to you as the only true God of the universe. You made all things and you gave me life. As I ponder your majesty and stand in awe of your greatness, I see how small I am and yet in your eyes I am important enough that you gave your Son to die for me. Strengthen my faith so no matter what I face I will never doubt you, your goodness or your care. Please be with our nation and our leaders. Guide our elections to give us what is best for us so that we might serve you in peace. I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
