Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 18:36-42
Ps 18:36-42
You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed. I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
Rom 8:35-37
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
As we get older, our systems tend to become less resilient. We carry extra baggage from our experiences that tend to weigh us down more easily. Bumps become mountains and pain begins to sharpen in intensity. But for the disciple of Jesus, we understand by faith how he carries our load for us in ways that we never comprehended before. He truly is our everyday traveling companion.
We can focus on our problems, pains, hurts, setbacks, and what others may be saying or thinking about us, or we can focus on Jesus and the joys we have in him as our Savior and as our brother. There is nothing that we will face in this life that he cannot give us strength to overcome. This is why Paul says we are to pray about everything. When we turn it over to Jesus, we don’t have to worry about anything. No wonder he tells us to rejoice in the Lord always!
When Jesus addressed this subject of not worrying, he said that each day has enough trouble of its own. Some people worry so much that when things are going good, they worry about what will spoil it and go wrong. We choose each day to be negative and worry or to be positive in Jesus and rejoice. Choose joy!
O Lord God, please take away all the negative thoughts in my mind today and fill it with your peace and your joy. Increase my faith. Give me better self-control. Use me to lift up those around me. Help me accomplish your will and help others do the same, and thus, bring honor to you. Thank you for all you have done for me in more ways than I count, even if I knew them all (which I don’t). Forgive me when I fail to be all you want me to become. Guide our nation and our leaders so that your people can live quiet and peaceful lives in Jesus. In his name I pray.
Robert
