Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 118:1-7
Ps 118:1-7
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: "His love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." Let those who fear the Lord say: "His love endures forever." In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
Phil 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
No matter how hard we try, we all have people that dislike us and maybe we have outright enemies who want to harm us. It may not be physical harm they are seeking but, in the end, it still hurts to know that someone is out to get us. It may be a trusted friend who has turned against us, or it may be someone who felt that by destroying us, they could have an advantage over us. How do we cope?
Jesus said we are to pray for our enemies and do good toward those who are spiteful to you. This is not easy, but it allows us to leave it up to God instead of seeking revenge for ourselves. Remember, he is the perfect judge.
David is a great example of this. When King Saul was hunting him to kill him, there were two separate times that David had the opportunity to kill Saul. David was facing the entire army of Israel, with some who would want the honor of killing him. Instead of killing Saul or allowing his men to kill him, he said that Saul was the Lord’s anointed King and when it was time for him to die, God would take care of it. He put his trust in God because he knew God would take care of him.
No matter what (or who) we face today, God will take care of us if we put our trust in him. We can rejoice in the Lord in the midst of our trials and know that it will all work for our good in the end. The Lord is my helper, what can man do to me?
O Lord God, increase my faith. Help me be all you want me to become so you can use me to your glory. Forgive me when I fail. Thank you for your promise to always love me and to always be with me. Help me each day to draw closer to you and to love you more. I ask you to be with those in places that do not allow them the freedoms we enjoy. Strengthen your people who are being persecuted for their faith. Give your peace to those who are hurting. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
