Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 61:1-8
Ps 61:1-8
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah For you have heard my vows, O God; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day.
Eph 2:19-20
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Lately we have looked a lot at faith and the overall importance of it, both in our daily lives and in our eternal salvation. Our salvation is based on faith from the beginning to end. The daily care of God in our lives is based on our faith in him, and in Jesus as our healer, provider and our brother. He is the God of peace, he is love and by faith in Jesus we enjoy both his peace and his love in our lives.
But our faith can be misplaced. Too often we put our faith in our faith instead of putting it in Christ. We pray for healing, or relief, or intervention or whatever is in our hearts and we pray with total conviction that God will give it to us. But then it never comes and we become disheartened and we begin to doubt. We reason that our faith was strong and so we should have been given what we asked.
The scripture is full of examples of people who did not believe at all but God showed his power in miracles and gave them their desires but did so to build faith in them. Jesus performed his many miracles “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name.” It is a mistake to think that the measure of our faith limits the work or response of God to us and to our prayers. Our faith must rest solidly in God as God and in Jesus Christ as his Son. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
O Lord God, my heavenly Father, what a blessing to know you and to know that you know me. What a wonderful feeling to know that the Great Shephard, Jesus my Lord, knows me by my name. Give me faith to hear his voice and to respond according to his Word. Thank you for all of the material things you have given me in this life. Thank you for the many friends and the loving family you have given to me. Increase my faith but help me keep it placed in you and not in my own thinking or in the strength of my belief. I reverently pray in Jesus’ name.
Robert
