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.
Matt 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
There are at least three reasons why people obey God. Some do so out of fear. It may be fear of hell or fear of punishment or disapproval of people here on earth but whoever or whatever is feared, this is the motive for obedience. While fear is a God given motive for serving him, there comes a time when this should not be our primary reason for doing so. John says that perfect love casts out fear.
Another wrong reason for serving God is to be seen of others as a really godly person. This is based on our ego and our self-righteousness. This usually leads us to become very judgmental toward anyone who doesn’t live up to our standards and our understanding. James says we have become judges with evil motives and in so doing we have set ourselves up as the law. God is the only true standard of right and wrong and his law is supreme. Our understanding may be flawed.
Perfected love is allowing God’s love to become such a part of us that we love him above all else and we therefore love others with his love. When we have this love in us, we serve God because we love him and want to do his will. As we mature, his will becomes our will. All we do is motivated by what brings honor to him.
Heavenly Father, all glorious and majestic, it is with awe that I come before you and worship your holy name. Thank you for loving me and for giving your word to mankind. Thank you for giving your Son to provide for me a way of salvation from sin – my own sin and the sinfulness of this world. Help me make your will my own so all I do will bring honor to you and others will praise you as the only true God. Open my heart to the bidding of your Spirit so your love will be perfected in me and will overflow to all around me. Use me to help and to encourage others who are hurting and struggling to serve you. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
