Devotion for Thursday, April 26, 2018

“Your way, O God, is holy; what god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.” (Psalm 77:13-14)

We humans need to be reminded that we are not the center of existence. The gods we create are nothing. The God who created everything is the center of all. We are called to look to Him and know that He who made all things looks at us and desires that we learn to love Him as He loves us. He is our rock and strength. He is gentle and patient, loving and kind. Come to the Lord and see.

Lord I am wrapped up in my own mind and my attention span is so short. One minute I am here and the next minute I am there. Clear my mind and help me focus that I would learn the simple truth that You are God and there is no other. Lead me away from the sinfulness of this world and into Your presence, living according to Your never-failing Word which You have given.

Lord Jesus, You have come humbly into the world and invited as many as believe to join You. Guide me in Your way of grace this day to learn once again that You through whom all things have been made have called me to come to You and live as life was meant to be lived. In praise and thanksgiving, may my life be given back to You to walk humbly in Your ways all the days of my life. Amen.




Devotion for Wednesday, April 25, 2018

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and muse on Your deeds.” (Psalm 77:11-12)

Look to the Lord and see all that He has done. He who fashioned the heavens and the earth and filled them with all things also watches over you and all that He has created. Look to the Lord and know that in Him is light and life. Meaning is found in the Lord, for apart from Him is nothingness. Be guided by the Lord and know that He will bring you to be where He is.

Lord, I get caught up in all of the things life throws my way and do not see clearly that it is Your hand that sustains all things. Lead me, O Lord, to humbly walk with You that I may see that it is You who causes all things to be what and where they are. Clear my mind that I may learn to meditate upon all that You have said. Bring to remembrance Your Word that I may see Your message more clearly each day.

Christ the Savior, You are the message for all who meditate and turn to truth. You have come, for You alone know the way. Only You who has descended can ascend to heaven. Lead me to follow You all the days of my life knowing that You alone have the words of eternal life. Grant that I may boldly hold fast to You, the way, the truth and the life and not waiver, stumble nor fall away. Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, April 24, 2018

“Has God forgotten to be gracious, or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Then I said, “It is my grief, that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” (Psalm 77:9-10)

Our perspective changes, but God does not change. We see things the way we see them, often influenced by our circumstances. God is good and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. There are times when He does not give grace. There are times when He is angry.  We change, but God does not, so look to Him Who has shown Himself to be changeless and not as you feel He is.

Lord, I am fickle and often behave as a small child. Guide me, O Lord, through the winsome and feeble feelings of this world to hold fast to You, for You are my rock and fortress. Lead me away from being guided by my feelings that I may be led by the truth that Your Word is forever. Help me now and always Lord to be guided by the truth of eternity and walk in Your ways.

Lord Jesus, You encountered all manner of people who were here, there and all over the place.  You call to each of us to humbly come with You wherever You lead. Guide me in the Holy Spirit, Lord, that I would walk with You, my Savior. You are unchanging, but I must change to be conformed to Your image. Lead me as I must go that I may learn to faithfully follow wherever You lead. Amen.




Devotion for Monday, April 23, 2018

“Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again? Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever?” (Psalm 77:7-8)

There are seasons when the people rebel more and the Lord steps back to allow them the recompense of their rebellion. Know that the Lord is kind and gracious, but that He also is perfect and will urge those who come to Him through faith to be perfect as He is perfect. His promise is forever and the temporary circumstances of this world will not last. Turn to the Lord who is forever.

Lord, bad seasons come and I wonder where You are, as if I should receive only goodness. The world is filled with wicked people who do wickedness. My eyes only have to look out to see. Help me live into the life You have promised knowing that these things will come and that eternity is with You and not here. Your goodness is forever, but the evil of this world is only temporary.

Help me, Lord Jesus, for through Your life and death, You showed just how wicked the world can be and yet You persevered. Help me to come into Your everlasting presence and see more clearly Your hand of salvation upon all who believe. Guide me by the Holy Spirit to live simply in the truth which has always been true and reject the false which has always been false and produces wickedness. Amen.




Devotion for Sunday, April 22, 2018

“I have considered the days of old, the years of long ago. I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders:” (Psalm 77:5-6)

Do you take time to reflect on the life the Lord has given you? As the years go by, the character of who we are is shaped and, if we are honest, we see many places where the hand of the Lord has been there to keep us on the path we are on. Does your spirit ponder? Do you meditate on the Lord’s guidance in your life? Do you truly look to the Lord at all times, knowing He is there?

Lord, the world is so busy that I often forget to take time to ponder and meditate. Guide me, O Lord, that I may see Your guidance and know that You have always been there alongside me. Lead me to know Your presence that I may learn to praise You always for the good that You do and the hope You have given. Slow down the noise in my ears and increase Your Word in my heart.

Lord Jesus, You know all of the frailties that get in the way of our lives and how easily we are distracted. Guide me now and always to walk humbly with You knowing that only in You is there hope and a future. Let me see more clearly each day the many ways in which You have been there that I may see more and more Your promises fulfilled and that the world lies to me. Amen




Devotion for Saturday, April 21, 2018

“When I remember God, then I am disturbed; when I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” (Psalm 77:3-4)

How often do you go through life with the Lord as an add-on? Is He in the center of your life, or an afterthought except in times of trouble? The Lord is the One who holds all things in His hands. It is He who is there in every time of need. Look closely and you will see that it is the Lord who has been there in every hour of need. The Lord alone will never leave you nor forsake you.

Lord, You are there, but often like an ungrateful child I go about my day as if You were not. Hold my eyelids open to see the light You have caused to shine in me that I may know that it is You who guides all things. Lead me through the troubled waters of this age that I may keep my eyes upon You. Help me now and always to simply hold fast to the truth that You alone are God.

Lord Jesus, You purposefully walked amongst us that we may see the light and follow where You lead. Yet, like sheep in a field without a shepherd, I wander aimlessly sometimes. Guide me, O Lord, to walk with You always. Lift me up when I am down and guide me according to Your purposes that I may never look anywhere but to You in, through and for all things. Amen.

 




Devotion for Friday, April 20, 2018

“My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; my voice rises to God, and He will hear me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted.” (Psalm 77:1-2)

The Lord hears every cry from the heart. He knows what will happen. Come to the Lord, lift up your voice and know that He hears you. In times of trouble, come to the Lord. In times that are good, give Him praise. In all things, place the Lord in the center, for He is the One who holds all things together. Know that it is the Lord who goes before You and that He who knows watches over you.

Lord, I sometimes feel alone, but these are only feelings. Guide me, O Lord, to walk with You knowing that You know the days of my life as a book that is already written. Help me now and always and in all seasons to lift my eyes up to You, for You are the help of all people. Lead me into Your presence and guide my heart to know that only in You is there life and joy.

Lord Jesus, You demonstrated to us how to pray without ceasing and to come before the Father’s presence. You have told us that a sparrow does not fall to the ground that the Father does not know about. Turn my life around that I would live into the promise You give by grace and know from the inside out that in every time, You are there and have plans for whatever may come. Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, April 19, 2018

“Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared. He will cut off the spirit of princes; He is feared by the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 76:11-12)

The Lord is good and the Sovereign God of all. Those in this world who hold positions of power are there only by the grace of God. All power and authority belongs to Him. Come then into His presence and give your offerings, for all you give was really His first. He graciously supplies that we may have abundance and calls us to share what He first gave to us.

Lord, help me see the truth that You are God. You ask us to come into Your loving presence and live according to Your will. Lead me, O Lord, away from the things of this world and help me see in You the hope You alone can give. Guide me according to Your purpose to live according to Your law that I might grow in the righteousness You give through grace. You alone are to be feared.

Lord Jesus, You who has all authority and power, have come humbly that we may follow where You lead. Guide me, O Lord, according to Your will that I would forever hold fast to Your goodness, grace and mercy. Help me now and always to see in You the hope of salvation and to humbly submit as You submitted for the glory of the Father. Guide me today into the Father’s will. Amen.




Devotion for Wednesday, April 18, 2018

“When God arose to judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. For the wrath of man shall praise You; with a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself.” (Psalm 76:9-10)

What is it in sinful man that things have to come the hard way? We bring it upon our selves and then give God the blame for the harshness that we have brought on our selves. God does arise to judgement and it comes through what He has already established. Ultimately, God takes it all on Himself and we see the wrath of all sin hanging on the cross with Jesus. There He takes our punishment for what we have done.

Lord, is it that You do not bring retribution upon us, but step back and do not stop what is coming because of what we have done? You get blamed when things go bad and are harsh, yet You are not praised when we are provided for and are given all we need. Lord, help me see through the wickedness of this age to see that You are always good, gracious and merciful.

Lord Jesus, You have come to bear the wrath of sin as You were girded with it on the cross. You did this for our sakes. Open my eyes to see the truth of what You have done and the truth of what we have done. Guide me away from the wickedness of this world and into Your glorious light of life and truth. Help me now and always to see what is right and true and to walk with You. Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, April 17, 2018

“You, even You, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still” (Psalm 76:7-8)

You have created us in Your image and we reflect in small ways the truth of who You are. Of course the antics of sinful humans is angering. Help me never to stand in Your anger, but lead me to stand in Christ that I may walk in the way You have established for all. Lead me away from myself and into You that I may not be afraid of You, but love You in respect and fear of the Father Almighty.

Lord, the world tries to convince believers that You are not kind and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. But You are all of these things and more. Lead me, O Lord, to walk humbly in Your ways and to seek to not anger You. I need the grace You have given and Your countenance to rest upon me. Lead me, O Lord, and give me willing feet to always follow.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving all that I need. You have come to lift up those who look to the goodness of the Father that we may walk humbly with You our God. Guide me through the Holy Spirit to learn to listen and then to obey. Help me now and always to see the hope granted by grace and to have a willing heart to live into the promises You have made possible from the cross. Amen.