Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 31:14-18
Ps 31:14-18
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
Acts 27:22-25
22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
While I did not have an angel appear to me last night, we have the promise of God that when we trust him, he will deliver us from evil and he will take care of us and our every need. We live with the assurance that our Lord will never leave us or forsake us, and his promises never fail. While this does not mean that we will not face trials or that we will not have any problems, God will always be with us and carry us through the storm. By faith, we live in peace and with hope.
But God has not promised to take away our illness or to flood us with physical blessing when we feel a need. He does not always satisfy our every whim or give us what we think is best. He will give us grace to bear each burden and strength to endure our suffering. He will give us his peace in a world of turmoil and strife and will give us his joy in a society that is filled with bitterness and hatred.
As we lift our eyes to Jesus, we begin to understand that our lives are not about this world and the things of this world. When we rise above the material gains and we look for joy in the spiritual realm, we find that we are always in the love of God and we will never be alone. We are preparing for eternity, a life that will be so great that nothing that happens to us here can compare with the glory there.
O Lord God I am so thankful for your grace. Not just the grace that allows me to be forgiven and be your child but also your grace that is with me every moment of every day. Fill me with your Spirit so I will love others as you love me and I will show grace to them as you show your grace to me. Thank you for the freedoms I enjoy and too often take for granted. Give your grace to those who trust you in circumstances far different from mine, those who serve you in the face of dire persecutions and severe trials and problems. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
