Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 78:25-31
Ps 78:25-31
25 Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. 26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens and led forth the south wind by his power. 27 He rained meat down on them like dust, flying birds like sand on the seashore. 28 He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. 29 They ate till they had more than enough, for he had given them what they craved. 30 But before they turned from the food they craved, even while it was still in their mouths, 31 God's anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel.
James 4:2-3
2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
For many, religion is about what we do and the rituals we follow. Or it may just be limited to the time we spend in a building together. While serving God does mean we do things, it is not about the doing but the heart from which it comes. Paul said if we moved mountains or gave all we had to feed the poor and did it without love, it would be meaningless. If we preached or sang with the voice of angels, and we did it without love, it would be wasted effort and no benefit to God.
Pure and acceptable religion is about helping those in need, caring for the sick and showing love to those who seem to be unlovable. When we help someone in need, we are helping Jesus. When we show love as a child of God, we honor him for his love shown to us. God has always shown special love for those who are down and out and it is when we have his heart toward them, he is pleased.
The other part of acceptable religion is when we live with a pure heart, free from immorality and ungodliness. Two of the things most often condemned in the Bible are immorality and greed (which is idolatry). In our perverse society, we must remember that God sets the standard of morality and not us. Just because it is socially or politically acceptable does not make it right. Sin is sin in any age.
O Lord, give me clean hands and a pure heart so I can be all you want me to be each day. Fill me with your Spirit so your love will beam from my heart and draw others to you. Help me to be kind in every word I say and every deed I do. Give me greater patience in our hurry up world. Focus my eyes on things that are good so I will not be critical or judgmental toward those around me. Give me a heart that is always merciful and forgiving, even toward those who appear to be my enemies. Give your peace to those who are troubled. In Jesus name.
Robert
