Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 9:13-20
Ps 9:13-20
13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation. 15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. 16 The LORD is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah 17 The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God. 18 But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. 19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. 20 Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men.
2 Cor 5:4-5
4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
We live in a world that is filled with what I call “trigger words” that stir emotions and bring instant thoughts to our minds. Depending on our beliefs and feelings about politics or religion or social ideals we may feel joy or we may feel hurt or even anger. Such words as racist or sexist or liberal or conservative. In the past the words grace or works or the mention of the Holy Spirit did the same thing in many religious circles. We then let emotions control us instead of reason.
The prophet Isaiah said (1:18) "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” God expects us to listen to what is being said and then to THINK about it, reason and discern the intent of the words. In order to do this we must rid ourselves of prejudice (we all have some of it in us) and open our minds to new ideas. It is possible that we have been wrong in our beliefs as we honestly consider things never considered before. We ask others to do this with the gospel, but do we do it in all of our thinking and study?
Heavenly Father I ask you to help me study your word with a fresh look and open mind but with a respect for you as the ultimate authority and your word as the absolute truth. Give me the same open mindedness in other things in my life as I study and learn. In it all, give me a loving heart and kind spirit toward those with whom I disagree, realizing that I can be wrong in my understanding. Help me to be strong in conviction but with true humility of heart. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
