Category: daily devotions

God is with you

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Psalm 9:9-10

9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

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God is always with us. We don’t always notice that because all is well. When things go wrong then we are quick to call his name and seek help. How good it would be if we acknowledged his presence all the time.

Loving God, thank you for your presence in our lives. Help us to see you there always. AMEN

Lies and more lies

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Psalm 12: 1-2

1 Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
    the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2 They utter lies to each other;
    with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

Orwell-political-languageWith all the political agenda going on in the US this Psalm speaks the truth. Even those who claim to be godly are throwing mud at their opponents. It is not possible to believe everything they are saying. Instead of telling the good about themselves they concentrate on spouting evil about others. This is not the way of the godly. We truly need help to bring back civility and truth to our nation.

All knowing God, you see how far we can stray from your path.  Help us to change the climate of hate and abuse into that of love and kindness. AMEN

God moments

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Psalm 8: 1-2

1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

And-then-this-happened-pinterest-graphicWe read these words but do we follow them? How often do we tell about the thing the Lord has done for us? I have mentioned before that a friend calls God’s intervention in our lives “the arangels at work.” I try to remember to share how that happens in my life but usually only with those who understand it. I need to share more with others. They may scoff and tell me it’s “coincidence” but that’s fine. Maybe they will see my belief as “something more.”

Tell about God’s marvelous works. He continues to work today. Sing his praises!

Amazing God, thank you for your work in our lives. Remind us to share it with others. AMEN

Can we change?

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Psalm 8:3-8

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
    mortals[a] that you care for them?

5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,[b]
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

Earth-Day-Beautiful-Picture

Lord who are we to be worthy of your love? You have given us so much and I weep to see what we have done with it. We have not cared for the earth or its beauty. It is time for us to take responsibility for our selfishness and turn things around.

Loving God, help us to be worthy of your love. AMEN

Only love will work

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Psalm 4: 5-6 

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
    Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
7 You have put gladness in my heart
    more than when their grain and wine abound.

8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

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The world is a scary place. There is so much hatred. It is hard not to be afraid. So many shootings….many so random. How can we manage? There is only one way and the Psalm answers it for us. “For you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.”

Loving God, give us the wisdom, the courage and the ability to fight hatred with love. AMEN

Turn away from God?

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Psalm 2 verses 1-3

Why do the nations conspire,
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds asunder,
    and cast their cords from us.”

How true this is. It seems as if these verses are a vision of the future. There are those who want God removed from our nation. Our forefathers saw this nation as being under God and now there are those who want to set it all aside. Where are we headed?

in God we trust

God of our nation, help us to thwart those who want to set you aside. AMEN

Scoff? a word that sounds awful

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My daily meditation will be on the Psalms for a while. I hope you find this meaningful.

Psalm 1 verse 1 from the NRSV

Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;

I was struck by the word “scoffers.” How often do we put down the ideas of others without really considering them. Sometimes we are not rejecting the ideas but the people themselves. We do not even hear them out or consider what they would mean. Think about this attitude and hear others out.

scoff

Gracious Lord, help us to listen with open mind and heart and not scoff but HEAR. AMEN

The love of God

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I may have shared this before but I absolutely love this from Romans. It gives me hope that no matter what God will be there for me and you.

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Romans 8:37-39 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen and Amen

The road less traveled

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the-christian-ideal-has-not-been-tried-and-found-wanting-it-has-been-found-difficult-and-left-untried-7

The road that Christ followed is not an easy one. The disciples thought they could when asking him to sit at his right and left hand. They later found it was not easy. To choose this path is scary and difficult but it is the right one.

All knowing God, you sent your son to show us what to do. Help us to tread that difficult path. AMEN

We need the rain

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all-sunshine-makes-desert

Life is always changing. There are good times and there are bad. If every day were the same we would be bored. We need the rain to help us appreciate the sun. That is part of God’s plan.

Infinite God, you know us so much better than we know ourselves. Help us to appreciate all that live brings.