Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 18:13-19
Ps 18:13-19
The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
Luke 22:41-44
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
When the writer of the book of Hebrews said that Jesus, as a man, faced all of the same trials that we face today, it was probably an understatement. There have been few people through the years that faced the kind of hatred and contempt shown to David and then later to our Lord. People in control plotted for their death for years, looking for just the right opportunity. And the only reason was because they loved God and were willing to do what was right.
Paul said that we should not be surprised if we have to suffer for doing what is right. Satan hates God. Satan hates Jesus. He hates all people who love the Lord and who seek to live for him, and that includes you and me. Satan will use our co-workers to torment us. He will use our best friends to turn against us. He may even use family members to stop us from doing what is right. Unfortunately, just as he did in the days of our Lord, he will use the religious leaders to try to harm us and to get us to quit being faithful to Jesus. He doesn’t operate by fair rules. We must put our faith in Jesus, follow him, and do his will. He will always be with us!
O Lord God, increase my faith so that whatever I face in life, I can do what is right and trust you for the results. Keep me from being overly concerned about what other people think or what they may do to me. Lord, it seems that my prayer list is longer than usual, and you know each person that is on it, so I am asking you to be with each one of them for their specific needs this morning. Use me to help them and encourage them as they face their trials. Be with the leaders of our government so that we can live peacefully. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
