Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 49:16-20
Ps 49:16-20
16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; 17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. 18 Though while he lived, he counted himself blessed--and men praise you when you prosper--19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life. 20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
James 4:13-17
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Since the serpent appeared to Eve in the Garden, we have been looking for the things of this world. We search for wisdom, meaning of life and ways to increase our knowledge. Someone has said that the study of philosophy is to learn more and more about less and less until we know everything about nothing. There is no end to our learning but knowledge makes us proud but yields little benefit.
What matters is knowing truth and Jesus is the Truth. What matters is grasping eternal life and Jesus is Life. The meaning of life is found in the understanding and willingness to submit our will to the will of God. True happiness and lasting joy is found in becoming a servant of Jesus and thus serving others to his glory.
Since before the foundation of the earth, God has prepared a place for those who will trust him, and in their trust follow his will in obedience and live for him. Since we all sin and all fall short of God’s glory, we are hopeless on our own. But God has made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven and to share in his likeness. Paul says we have our sins forgiven when we are buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him through our faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. What a mighty and wonderful God who loves us so much!
Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your wonderful love. It is easy for me to say the same things to you every day and somehow to let them become trite or even meaningless in my mind. Help me keep your glory fresh in my thinking and your holiness ever before me. Be with your people wherever they are and give them your protection and your peace. Use me to help those who are suffering when I have the opportunity to do so. Give your rain in its season to those who are in drought-stricken areas and have little or no food. I pray in Jesus name.
Robert
