Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 55:9-15
Ps 55:9-15
Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets. If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God. Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them.
Matt 26:20-25
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?" Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."
It is really sad and very difficult to deal with when someone with whom we have worshipped God together, betrays us and turns against us. It may be a very close friend, one with whom we have confided and shown our trust. The closer that person has been, the more it hurts when they betray us and even use what we have shared with them to our hurt. This really hurts and is difficult to handle.
There is not anyone who loves us more than Jesus. There is not anyone who has opened himself to us more than he. No one has given more for us and shown his concern for our good more than Jesus. He wants to be our friend. Yet have we not in similar fashion to Judas, betrayed him at one time or another? “Yes, it is you.”
The wonderful news is that Jesus is willing to forgive us. When Jesus was on trial and being mistreated, Peter denied with cursing and swearing that he even knew him, after being one of his closest friends for three years. Jesus forgave him and then used him to become one of the greatest apostles and church leaders.
O Lord God, forgive me when I fail to stand up for you and defend your cause. Use me to share the good news of your grace in Jesus Christ. Thank you for loving me and infusing your love into my heart by your Spirit. I look at myself and realize just how weak I am on my own and how much I need you every hour. Be with your people who are faced with drought and hunger, abuse, and persecution. Use me to make a difference in the life of someone today. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
