Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 22:19-24
Ps 22:19-24
But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
Phil 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I suppose that most of us have some great fear that we usually keep hidden from others. It may be dying in a plane crash, or drowning when a bridge collapses, or falling off a cliff or some other great horror. Mine has always been the thought of dying alone. How it happens is not nearly as great a concern as the fact that I want someone to be with me and hold my hand as I leave this life.
For this reason, the assurance that the Lord is near is to me one of the greatest comforts we have in scripture. It does not say that the Lord was near or that he will be near, but he is (now and always) near. So, we sing several songs that have the idea of the Lord holding our hand as we leave this life and as he takes us across the final Jordan, into the Promised Land. The Lord is near!
Jesus has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us! Whatever we face in life, he will always be with us and help us get through it. I have had several tasks in my life that I have told my wife that I can do it, but I need someone with me for moral support. We have an endless supply of moral support in Jesus our brother and our friend! He is always with us, giving us just what we need to endure!
Thank you, O God, for your promise to always be near! Thank you for your promise that you will never abandon me! Help me to be a constant friend for others in their times of need and to share the comfort and assurance that you have given to me so many times. Fill me with the joy of your salvation so that my gentleness will be evident to all around me. Thank you for the peace of mind you give me, even in a world that is filled with strife and turmoil. Thank you for letting me live in a land that offers so many freedoms. I pray in Jesus’ name.
Robert
