Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 54:1-7
Ps 54:1-7
1 Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. 3 Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life--men without regard for God. Selah 4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. 5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. 6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. 7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
1 Tim 1:12-14
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Paul goes on to say that since he was converted to Christ, it shows that anyone can be converted and anyone can be forgiven. This is one of the reasons we are to pray for our enemies; people can change! There is no doubt that any of the early Christians would have said that Saul of Tarsus was the number one enemy of the disciples of Christ. In fact, Luke says he was the ringleader of the persecution.
As Christians, we tend to underestimate the power of prayer. When Peter was put in prison by Herod (after he had killed James), the disciples had met to pray for Peter. When God released him and he went where they were, there was no one more surprised to see him free than the ones who were praying for him. Were they not praying for his deliverance? Could God not actually deliver him?
Paul says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. How many of our problems, how many of our enemies, or how many of our fears could be done away with if we would just pray – believing God can and does answer us! “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” Remember, God wants to help us when we trust him.
Heavenly Father what a blessing to know that I can talk to you at any time and know that you will hear me and actually listen to what I say. Thank you for the assurance that you will answer my prayers with what is best for me. Increase my faith! Lord, help me never take for granted the many freedoms I enjoy and the peaceful life I can live. Help me use today to draw closer to you and to allow your Spirit to mold me more and more into your likeness. Give me wisdom to be all you want me to be and strength to carry it out. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
