Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 9:7-12
Ps 9:7-12
7 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. 8 He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. 9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. 12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
We are chosen of God so that we might declare praises to him. We were living in the dark world of sin but were translated into his kingdom of wonderful light. We are now his holy nation and his royal priesthood. All of this because of his love for us; his mercy and his grace shown to us. Unlike the gods of this world, our God is love and is seeking our good rather than how he can punish us.
Also unlike the gods of this world, he does not expect us to earn eternal life. In fact, he knows that is not possible so he has made it a gift through what Jesus has done for us on the cross. His stipulation for us to accept this way to salvation is that we accept it by faith in him and in Jesus his Son. This is revealed in the gospel which says we must confess our faith in the Savior. By faith we then turn from our sinful past (repent) and obey the command to be buried with Jesus in baptism. We then are raised up with him to live as a new person in a new life. God forgives all of our sin and adds us to his church which is his body and his kingdom. This does not earn us anything but is merely acceptance of his gift by obedience to the gospel. Then as Ephesians 2:10 says: For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Thank you God for loving me! It is beyond my ability to understand how you can be the only glorious God and creator of all things and still love a simple and small person like me enough to give your Son for my sin. Give me greater faith to live for you every day in every way. Continue to forgive me when I fail. Give me wisdom and strength to become the kind of person who will bring honor to you and glory to your name. Fill me with a heart of love and compassion so I will be forgiving toward others around me. I pray in the name of Jesus my Savior.
Robert
