Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 31:23-24
Ps 31:23-24
Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
Eph 6:10-12
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, at least five times he tells them to use the power, the strength, or the might that God gives us as his children. He says that God is able to do far more abundantly more than we can ask or think. He also says that we have that power at work within us through his Spirit in our inner being. This is the same power that created the universe with only a word, and it is the same power that raised Jesus from the grave and will one day raise us too.
When Paul wrote that we will not be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, and with each temptation comes a way of escape, he is expecting us to use the power that God gives us to overcome and his wisdom to find the way out. He does not say he will take away the trial or miraculously take us out of it. We must decide to make the right decisions and then use his strength to carry them out.
David did this on many occasions. As a young man, keeping his father’s sheep, he was faced with a bear who wanted a lamb for supper. He trusted God and with no weapons, he killed the bear. On another occasion it was a lion that attached the flock, and it met the same fate as the bear. It was these victories, using the power of God, that gave him the courage to face and then kill the giant.
As we face the trials in life, they will probably grow in intensity. But they will only grow in relation to the growth of our faith, our wisdom, and our strength. It is implied in the story of Job that he had overcome a lot of temptations and trials in his life before the book begins. He had been tested, and he had trusted God.
O Lord God, my Father in heaven, you are glorious and majestic in every way! It is in humility that I come to you in prayer, and yet, with boldness because of what Jesus has done for me. Thank you for always hearing my prayers. Thank you for the opportunities you have given me to provide for my family. Thank you for the abilities you have given me to teach and encourage others. Thank you for helping me get through so many storms in my life. Continue to give me wisdom to know and strength to do what is right. I pray in the name of Jesus my Savior.
Robert
