Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
March 18, 2022
Read 119:25-32
25 My life is stuck in the dirt. Now make me live again according to your promise! 26 I confessed my ways and you answered me. Now teach me your statutes! 27 Help me understand what your precepts are about so I can contemplate your wondrous works! 28 My spirit sags because of grief. Now raise me up according to your promise! 29 Remove all false ways from me; show mercy to me by means of your Instruction. 30 I’ve chosen the way of faithfulness; I’m set on your rules. 31 I’m holding tight to your laws, LORD. Please don’t let me be put to shame. 32 I run the same path as your commandments because you give my heart insight.
Good Morning, Choose the way of faithfulness!
The opening of this passage in many translations talks about being down in the dust, but I love the language of the Common English Bible. How appropriate for describing those stagnant times in our lives: My life is stuck in the dirt. Can’t you relate to how David is feeling?
We, as God’s children, are sinners and our lives are often messy. When we stray from our walk of faith, we often let our time with God slip away. We say to ourselves, “it’s okay if I don’t spend time with God every day.” “God understands that I am so busy right now.” Before you know it, we have wandered far from God and you experience life without the hope of Jesus. It wasn’t necessarily of conscience decision to abandon God, it just happened.
When we have no hope, minutes turn into hours, hours into days, and days into weeks as we trudge through our dreary lives. Where is there joy without hope? I believe that without hope joy is but a distant memory.
Our God is an awesome God who is waiting for us to return. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, is searching for us, calling to us, and keeping the light visible so that we can crawl back and rejoin our walk of faith. No matter how dreary, how dismal, and how hopeless our lives have become, God is ready to welcome us back. Jesus is our light and our hope through which we are given the gift of salvation. It is up to us to make the choice. Come with me, I choose Joy.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We are messy and broken. Thank you for sending Your Son to save us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God’s word helps me to heal and live fully.
Choose Joy! Pastor Liz
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