5-22-22 Today in the Word

Longing for the Past Sunday, May 22 | Psalm 138 On the Go? Listen to Today's Devotional Often, we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. As I am writing this, my ankle is in a walking cast. The experience has made me long for the days when I could walk normally, and I look forward to being able to do so soon! Psalm 138 is written from the perspective of those living outside Israel. We can be sure that the exiles longed for all that was in their past. They were surrounded by opposing beliefs and cultural practices. But instead of being tempted to give in and worship the gods of foreign lands, David declares that “before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise” (v. 1). You and I also live in a culture surrounded by other gods, including wealth, influence, pleasure, and power. When we praise God as being the sole object worthy of praise, we are also naming and condemning the idols and idol worship that surrounds us. Only one way is the true way. Perhaps because of the exposure to other gods, the Psalmist has a deepened appreciation for the God of Israel. He recounts what makes our God unique: “Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar” (v. 6). Although God is the Creator of the universe and Lord of all people, he still cares for and sees the humble. God’s compassion and faithfulness to His covenant is on full display. Because of God’s greatness, the Psalmist prays, “May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD, when they hear what you have decreed” (v. 4). He desires that people from all the nations will join him in worshiping the God of Israel. >> We can be grateful that we worship the one, true and living God! Today, reflect on God’s compassion and care. He sees and knows you (v. 6). Remember the times He has delivered you in the past (v. 3) and anticipate His faithfulness now and in the future. Pray with Us Heavenly Father, You know us more intimately than we know ourselves. In Scripture we hear again and again that Your love endures forever. Remind us of these truths when we begin to doubt that You will take care of us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t...
Read more

9-25-23 The Farm Chronicles: One Christmas

The Farm Chronicles: One Christmas :: By Bill Wilson Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:Bill Wilson, General Articles There are a lot of terrible things going on right now in the world. But we are at the time of the year when we, as Christians, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We can choose to be impacted by the world around us in its dimly lit arena, or we can choose to let our light so shine. I choose the latter. I want to tell you a little about the Christmas that I had growing up on our family farm in Ohio. I was blessed to be born into a horse and cattle farm that has been in our family for some 200 years. And Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, was a wonderful time for our family. December 24 was my Dad’s birthday. And my Dad was well-loved by his neighbors and friends, so we had a lot going on Christmas Eve. I remember one special Christmas Eve. I must have been about four years old. The night was falling, and the wind and snow were whipping across the barny...
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th...
Read more