Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:73-80
Ps 119:73-80 Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. 74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. 75 I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. 79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. 80 May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.
Heb 12:7-11
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
When we face difficulties and trials in our lives today (and this later passage says we will) we must regard it as discipline or training from the Lord. Peter tells us that these things refine us spiritually as gold is refined by fire. We are to face each one with the assurance that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear but will provide a way of escape and strength to endure.
Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, we must thank God even for what we see as tragedies in our lives because it prepares us for what is ahead. Paul said these also bring us closer to God because in suffering we learn to trust God instead of our own strength. We then are also better prepared to help and comfort others in their afflictions because of what we have experienced.
Lord God, I thank you for your wisdom that allows me to grow closer to you and to use what you have given me to help others. Help me never get caught up in self-pity but to use each thing that happens to make me more like you. Let me reflect your light in my life and lead others to you. Thank you for my health and for the material things you have given me. Thank you for providing a way of forgiveness in Jesus Christ and help me live in a way that brings glory to you. Give me a pure heart and a loving spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
