Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 120:1-7
Ps 120:1-7
I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree. Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
Rom 12:17-19
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
God loves for his people to be at peace with one another. We are to be at peace with everyone if we possibly can do so. It does not say we are to be at peace when we agree with them on everything. It doesn’t say to be at peace when we like what someone is doing or saying. There are people in my life with whom I disagree strongly on various religious subjects and some that I disagree with on politics. We can still be at peace, at least as far as I am concerned.
It seems to me that the single biggest deterrent in having peace, comes from our ego. We think we have to be right – on everything. We know best. Our ideas and our beliefs are the standard. So instead of just disagreeing, we begin to judge them and “write them off” of our friends list. The sooner we realize and admit that we can be wrong, the sooner we will have peace with others.
Being at peace does not mean that we endorse all that person says. It does not mean that we don’t consider our differences as important. It just means that we agree to disagree, and we get along with each other. Jesus loved us when we were his enemies. He told us to pray for our enemies. We are to love those who hate us and be kind to those who persecute us. God is never wrong. He and his word are the standard of perfection. My understanding of that word is not the standard. He is the judge, and he will take care of all that needs to be taken care of in his time.
O Lord my God, I am so thankful for your love for me and that you have given Jesus to die for my sin, so that I can live with you in eternity. Thank you for all the times you have carried my wife and me through some really rough times, some that seemed impossible at the time. Use both of us to help others with what we have learned in our experiences. Help me to be at peace with others. Give me greater patience. Help me be more kind and considerate. Give greater faith to those who are being persecuted for your sake. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
