Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:17-24
Ps 119:17-24 Gimel
Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. Open my eyes so that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
Matt 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Unless we live in a convent, by living for God, we will be persecuted. It may not be that people shoot us, whip us, or even openly campaign against us, but there will be things that we have to endure because of our faith in Jesus. It may be a loss of a friendship, or it may be that we are isolated where we work or there may be those who make fun of us because of what we believe.
The more we study and learn the Bible, the more we will enjoy studying it. As we read it more, we will begin to learn what it is teaching and how to apply it in our daily lives. Over a period of time, we will find that many of the things we are learning are interconnected, and thus they reveal deeper truths for us. Years ago, an older preacher told me that deep truths are simple truths put together. As we grow, it actually becomes exciting for us to see these things and to learn them.
Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven! Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice! One of the results of learning more about God and about Jesus is that we grow closer to him, and our faith grows deeper each day. This is a part of losing our anxiety in life because we realize that the Lord is near. By faith we can hold his hand, we can feel his hug and we rest in his bosom. He is near!
O Lord God, thank you for being near to me all day, every day. Thank you for holding me when I am hurting. Thank you for lifting me when I fall. Thank you for encouraging me when I get disheartened. Thank you for being with me when things are great, and I seem to be flying high. You have given your Spirit to live in me, and family to love me, and friends to weep with me and to rejoice with me as well. Use me to help others and to be there to rejoice with them as well. Guide our elections and give us leaders who respect you. I pray in Jesus’ name.
Robert
