Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 25:1-5
Ps 25:1-5
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
We often say that the Lord loves everyone. It is true that Jesus came to save sinners, those who are his enemies. Jesus loved the very people who put him to death and asked for their forgiveness. But there is a sense in which those who love him have a special place in his heart. He protects those who love him and who follow his will for their lives. He wants us to trust him as THE only God.
We have his word (his will for us) revealed to us today in what we call the Bible. It is not just a book of rules or laws, it is an explanation of God, his love for us, and his marvelous provision for us to be able to live with him in eternal bliss. We don’t know what we need in life or what really make us complete, without reading his word. To find true joy, to find peace, and to find genuine meaning in life, we must give up self and seek to be just like Jesus and humbly serve others in his name.
To be like Jesus is to imitate God. God is love. So, to be a disciple of Jesus we must learn to love as he loves us. In fact, he said he was giving a new command, that we should love others as he loves us. This elevated love to a new level because he was about to give his life for us. Love requires compassion for those who are suffering, even if it is for their own bad choices. Love produces mercy, which is the act of overlooking bad things people do to us. Love prompts grace so that we extend kindness, even to the unkind. Be a partaker of the divine nature.
Thank you, O Lord God, for revealing yourself in your Son as he lived on earth. He revealed you to us and showed us how to be like you. Thank your for your written word, the Bible, and help me have a greater desire to study it and to apply it to my life (and not to just study to teach others). Give me wisdom to understand what I study so I will know how to make it part of my thinking, my attitude and my whole life. Like Peter, sometimes my spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, so I get distracted by this world. Forgive me. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert