12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, 13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. 14 He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. 15 He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. 16 He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? 18 He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. 19 He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. 20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.

God has shown his love for his people in ages past. As we study the history of the Jewish nation, we read of time and time again when they were delivered from their enemies and from their troubles by a God who never forgot them and never forsook them. Their story is one of being protected when the odds were against them. It includes victory when victory was humanly impossible. They were treated as a child being taught by a loving parent. When they fell, they were picked up in loving arms and put back on their feet to walk again.

We also read of those individuals who so faithfully served God and who saw the miracles of God working in their lives. We see Moses as he parted the waters and when he ate manna from heaven. We see Daniel as the lions would not harm him but ate his accusers. The Bible is filled these stories.

What about us today and what about our God? If we trust and serve the same God, we can have the same assurance that he is with us and is taking care of us. He has given us his grace thru Jesus Christ and revealed it to us in his gospel. He has promised to never forsake us or leave us. He has promised that he will use whatever comes in our lives and work it for our good, if we love him and trust him. We may live in a modern society with abounding technology but it is our God who made all this technology possible. Never forget, the greatest scientific discovery is simply uncovering what God has put in place. We may face all kinds of problems and trials that we don’t specifically read about in the Bible, but God is in control and still loves us.

O Lord God, I praise you for your love, your mercy and your grace. I do not and cannot understand you and your ways but I trust you to direct me by your word and always do what is best for me. I ask for strength during trials and wisdom to make the right choices. Help me to not become complacent in my life and my commitment to you but to live each day in joyful resolve to become more like you. Fill me with your Spirit. I pray in Christ’s name.

May God bless each of us as we live for him, in his will today.