Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 143:1-6
Ps 143:1-6
1 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. 2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. 3 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead. 4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. 5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
1 Thess 3:7-10
7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
The other day someone asked me how I was doing and my response was that if I felt any better, I would probably get in trouble. Another day, my reply to the same question was that I am here. Basically my health was the same, my circumstances were the same, my relationships had not changed, and in fact, nothing was really any different other than how I felt each day. We all have good days and then some that are not so good. How do we deal with these mood swings?
On our really good days we should praise the Lord that we are feeling so fine and we should use these days to lift up the spirits of all those around us. This is the time to talk to others about their spiritual lives because everyone likes to talk to someone who is happy and smiling. What a blessing to feel so great!
On the days we do not feel on top of the world we remember to rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice! We remember the days of old and all the Lord has done for us. We recount our many blessings in Jesus Christ and let each one lift us up. We talk with Christian friends who are filled with joy because joy and happiness are contagious. We pray for others and not think about self.
Heavenly Father I thank you for every day of my life. Thank you for times when it seems all is going wrong and life is falling in all over me because this allows me to think about you and all you are doing for me. The valleys open my heart to you so I will trust you more. Thank you for the times when I feel on top of the world but help me remember you are the one who put me there. Thank you for the joy I have in serving you and in serving others. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
