Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 35:24-28
Ps 35:24-28
Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me. Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up." May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant." My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
John 15:18-19
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
I don’t know about you, but for me, there are some passages of scripture that just don’t seem to fit each other. “Be at peace with all men.” “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” “All who practice godliness will suffer persecution.” “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” God loves peacemakers and those who stir up strife are an abomination to him. All of this is sort of like when God told David to go out and conquer his enemies and then refused to let him build the temple because he was a man of war and blood. It just doesn’t fit.
The truth is that the more we are like Jesus in our minds and in our behavior, the more we will be hated and persecuted. Yet, we will also be respected by the same ones who mistreat us. The more we live for the Lord, the greater our inner peace and the more attractive the gospel becomes to others, as they observe our lives. The peace of God in us gives us joy that is unexplainable to the world.
The more we love others, the more we prove that Jesus is right. Jesus was the perfect example of love and he was killed for it. He was strange in his behavior, he was controversial in his teaching, he was antagonistic to the religious leaders of his day, but he was none of these things for the sake of being these things. His goal (which he met) was to do the will of the Father, to do what was right.
My Father and my God, you are so wonderful in your love and your grace. Thank you for your kindness and your compassion that allows me to draw close to you in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the material things you have given me and all of the blessing you have showered on me in the past year. As I enter 2023, help me be more like Jesus in every way as your Spirit works in me to constantly mold me and to nudge me into doing your will. Give your healing to the sick. Give peace to the troubled. Use me to encourage others daily. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
