Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 78:9-16
Ps 78:9-16
The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.
Matt 7:7-11
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
As we study the Bible, we often see the response of God in direct proportion to the faith of the people involved. They trusted God and he delivered them. They did not trust him, and they went hungry or were defeated by their enemy. It was not God who changed in any way, but it was the people who either had faith and asked God for help, then depended on him and his strength for victory or they failed to trust him and lost the battle.
On more than one occasion, Jesus responded to his disciples by rebuking them for their little faith. When they were overly anxious about food or clothes or when Peter was sinking in the sea, he blamed their problem on their lack of faith.
God is capable of doing whatever we need done in our lives. God wants what is best for us in every situation we face. He knows exactly what we need, what will work and what will not work. His only motive is love toward us. Jesus trusted the Father and showed us it will work. He now tells us we can trust him because he understands what we face and how we feel. He intercedes for us to the Father.
O Lord God, what a joy to be able to trust you in every situation I face in my life and to know that you provide the correct answer in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the peace of mind this gives me. Increase my faith. Open my heart to the work of your Spirit so my thinking and my attitude will be more like Jesus. Be with your people where they are actively persecuted for their faith and give them your strength. Be with those who face abject poverty because of the ungodly governments, or from drought, or famine or flooding, and provide their needs. In Jesus’ name.
Robert
