Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 88:13-18
Ps 88:13-18
13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me. 18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
Matt 5:3-9
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
We all are seeking happiness, contentment, peace of mind and inner joy but few ever find it. This is because most people are looking in the wrong place. There are two things that must happen for us to find what we seek. The first is that we must be right with God and the second is we must have the right attitude.
To be right with God we must realize that he is GOD and that we are accountable to him for the way we live. He makes the rules of life and we when we fail to live up to any one of them, we face his justice which demands punishment by death. But we all have sinned against him and so he has made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven in Jesus Christ who gave his life in the place of ours. When we put our faith in Jesus, turn from our sin and buried with him in baptism, by our faith and by his grace our sins are forgiven. God’s love is perfected in us.
Our attitude must be one of gratitude and a realization that God is in control. It means we can trust him to take care of us but it also means we owe him our all in everything and in every way. He is the creator and we are his creation. Gratitude will dispel doubt, bitterness and anger and give us peace and joy as we show his love to all around us. As disciples of Jesus, we love everyone without hypocrisy.
Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your love for me. Fill me with your Spirit and give me inner peace and love so that it overflows to all around me. Help me treat every person with whom I come in contact as my brother or sister and as my dear friend – even as you treated me when I was in sin and your enemy. Help me keep my eyes on Jesus so I do not even see all the evil, hatred and turmoil around me. I humbly pray in his holy name, in Jesus the one who saved me from sin.
Robert
