Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 123:1-4
Ps 123:1-4
1 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. 2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy. 3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. 4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
Col 1:15-18
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
We look to God for our help, our hope and our strength in a world that is filled with all kinds of problems and trials. One of the greatest statements in all of the Bible is when we read that God is faithful. No matter what we face, he is with those who put their trust in him. No matter how bad our circumstances, he is able to deliver those who depend on him. He is bigger than our problems.
Jesus was a part of creation and in him all things hold together. Since God made man in the beginning, there has been a struggle for our allegiance between God and the devil. It is because of sin that we face problems in our lives. It is sin that brought disease and death into the world. It is because many follow Satan that we have all the hatred and malice that cause the murders and chaos around us. The wisdom of this world will never give us peace but always fighting and turmoil.
We are formed by God in his image to be like him. To be filled with love and to live lives of peace and joy. Jesus came to give us an abundant life, not a life filled with all the problems we face every day. But to understand this, we must see life from the viewpoint of heaven. We are here for only a short time and that time is for getting us ready to live with God in eternity. So when we face persecution or trials, hardship or pain, or any suffering, we realize that these cannot take us away from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He will sustain us.
Heavenly Father it is with joy and thanksgiving that I come to you and recognize you as the only true God. What a blessing to know that you are my father and that you know who I am and all that I face each day. Help me keep my priorities right so I never lose sight of your purpose in my life. Use me to serve you by serving those around me. As I face decisions each day, give me your wisdom to do the right thing. Give me strength to do your will. Give your peace to those who are hurting and struggling. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
