Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 29:7-11
Ps 29:7-11
The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Phil 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The LORD blesses his people with peace. The God of peace is always with us, so his peace guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. There is nothing any more precious than having peace in our lives. When we are in Christ Jesus, we have peace with God and then we can have peace with ourselves.
We have a right to the pursuit of happiness, according to the constitution of our country. The problem with this is both defining happiness and then trying to chase it. Pursuing happiness is often like trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it is a never-ending elusion. So, we buy one more thing, we earn just a little more, we build a bigger house, we get more toys, but only to find that these do not bring us happiness. In fact, this pursuit often destroys happiness.
Joy in the Lord is not happiness. Joy in the Lord is knowing that he is in control and that our lives are ordered by his will. No matter what we face, he is near, and he will take care of us. Happiness is external, while joy is from within.
It is this inner joy in Jesus that gives us peace in our hearts. We know that our sins are forgiven, so we are rid of that guilty conscience. We are at peace with God and therefore, we are at peace with ourselves. When we are at peace with self, we are free from the anger that fills so many hearts and minds around us. Being free from anger allows us to be at peace with other people, most of the time.
O Lord God, thank you for your peace that is so great that it is beyond my ability to understand. Thank you for the joy in Jesus. It is such a blessing to be able to be at peace with others. Help me show your love by being at peace with those who disagree with me and even those who seek to be antagonistic to me. Help me be a constant peacemaker, especially among your people. Lead your people as we seek to bring others to Christ. Be with the leaders of our nation that we can live peaceable and quiet lives in your service. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
