Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 72:15-20
Ps 72:15-20
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. This concludes the prayers of David, son of Jesse.
Luke 1:30-33
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
David was chosen by God to be blessed as the King of Israel, not because of his family, his wealth, his education, his popularity, or his looks. He was chosen to be the greatest king of all because his heart was set on serving God. He was a man after God’s own heart, and it showed in his attitude and in his life. He trusted God to empower him, to win his victories in battle, and deliver him from his enemies.
Mary was chosen as the one who found favor with God. God found Noah in his time and chose him to build the ark, but even more, to be the Father of all the people who came after him. God chose Enoch, Elijah, and John the baptizer. He is in the choosing business when it comes time for things to happen on earth.
God is still choosing people today to do his will and to carry out his purpose. He puts rulers in authority. He raises nations and takes them down. He finds a wife or husband for our children, a preacher or elder or teacher for our church. He finds the lady who can cook a meal for someone, or the person who can mow the lawn for a widow or the man who is sick or weak. We need to have a heart set on being like Jesus and be ready for action, because God may choose us for his work today.
O Lord God, help me be ready for your choosing and then empower me to carry out your work. Use me to lead others by my life so they will want to follow you and do your will. Increase my faith. Give me a pure heart, free from deceit and free from pride. Help me remember to be gracious when I need help and to allow them to help me. Be with your people everywhere, but especially those who are facing drought, famine, and persecution. Give them greater faith and strength and give them your peace. Use me to help them when possible. In Jesus’ name.
Robert
