Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 22:14-18
Ps 22:14-18
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — I can count all my bones — they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
2 Cor 1:8-10
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
There are times in life that things happen to us, and we wonder if we will be able to make it through. When we look back on these times, we realize that not only did we make it through the trial, but that we came out with stronger faith because of what had happened to us. Paul says that he faced these things and that God delivered him. The Psalmist had the same experience in his life.
As I was reading the Psalm in our text, I could not help but think of Job and his affliction. His suffering was almost unimaginable for us today. His physical pain was so horrific and yet this did not even compare to the emotional pain of losing his possessions and then all of his children. It would have been really bad if he had lost one child, but he lost them all and that in just one day!
Job, David, Paul, and Jesus all suffered greatly, and they all trusted God. We will suffer at times. Life is not always easy. The interesting thing is that the more faithful we are to God, the more we are likely to suffer and the more horrible the suffering will be. This is the flip side of how we usually look at the promise that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. God is the God of all comfort, and he will comfort us so that we can comfort others.
Our Father who is in heaven, holy and reverend is your name in all the earth. You know what is best for me in every situation I face in life, and I need your wisdom to know how to handle each day, one day at a time. Thank you for your love that you show to me in more ways than I can possibly even know. Thank you for sending Jesus to live on earth and to be my Savior. Help me resolve each day to be fully committed to him and to living for him so that others will see him living in me. Worthy is the Lamb to receive glory and honor, and in his name I pray.
Robert
