Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 18:40-45
Ps 18:40-45
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. 41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them--to the LORD, but he did not answer. 42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me. 44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me. 45 They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
1 Thess 1:2-3
2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice in our Psalm how David says that God did the work and then he did his part to be successful. God made his enemies turn and he destroyed them. God delivered him from their attacks and made him King but he did his part to rule in a way that pleased God. In doing this, he was successful. God gave him his wisdom and strength so he could do his work and then he trusted God for the results.
When we learn to trust God for the outcome, it takes away our fear and all of our anxiety so we have no reason to worry. God is in control and Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death. So what we face in life is really incidental because nothing is too big for God to take care of or control.
“Rejoice in the Lord always!” “Count it all joy when you face various trials.” We too often respond by telling God he just does not understand or he does not really know what we are facing. How can we rejoice when we have lost someone we love so dearly? How can we count it joy to be told we have cancer? Remember that the “what” is incidental to God. Our job is to trust him for the results.
Death is Satan’s strongest weapon because it instills fear in us. But our eternal victory is found in our physical death. We must leave this earth, this body and all those we love to be found with the Lord and to live with him forever.
Lord, increase my faith so that I know deep inside that you are in control and you will give me the outcome that is best for me. Give me patience to wait on you and on your timing in my life. Open my eyes to see the wonderful things you can do with me when I am willing to be used by you, in your own way. Fill me with your Spirit so I will love others as you love me. Help me look for ways to be merciful and forgiving instead of judgmental, hateful or bitter. Use me to share your hope in Jesus with others who have no hope in life. I pray in his holy name.
Robert
