Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
April 28, 2022
Read Psalm 29:1-11
1 You, divine beings! Give to the LORD give to the LORD glory and power! 2 Give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bow down to the LORD in holy splendor! 3 The LORD’s voice is over the waters; the glorious God thunders; the LORD is over the mighty waters. 4 The LORD’s voice is strong; the LORD’s voice is majestic. 5 The LORD’s voice breaks cedar trees yes, the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon jump around like a young bull, makes Sirion jump around like a young wild ox. 7 The LORD’s voice unleashes fiery flames; 8 the LORD’s voice shakes the wilderness yes, the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The LORD’s voice convulses the oaks, strips the forests bare, but in his temple, everyone shouts, “Glory!” 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the floodwaters; the LORD sits enthroned—king forever! 11 Let the LORD give strength to his people! Let the LORD bless his people with peace!
Good Morning, Lord, may you bless us with your peace!
Psalm 29 reminds us that God is all-powerful and we should bow down and worship Him.
In vs. 5-10, David sets a frantic scene depicting God’s power in the world. Perhaps David was in the midst of an actual storm in nature or experiencing some emotional storm within himself. Either way, the final two verses give us hope for the sharing of strength and peace by our Lord.
Have you ever sat and watched an approaching thunderstorm? Of course, it is preferable to do this in a safe place. First, the lightning and thunder are far away, and you catch an occasional glimpse as the sky lights up and you hear a gentle roll of thunder. As the storm becomes closer, you start to engage your other senses are you feel the vibrations of each crack of thunder and examine each lightning strike. At the moment, when the storm is on top of you, you are fully aware of God’s power on display as the time between strikes is almost instantaneous. Slowly, the storm moves off and you watch it retreat into the distance, and peace returns.
Our lives sometimes resemble this scenario. Everything is going well and we are filled with peace, and then off in the distance, a storm begins to brew. As the impending storm approaches, we begin to become engaged with the ripples of worries that come our way. This process continues until the storm is upon us affecting everything in our lives and we become overwhelmed by the chaos of the storm. Everything is happening at once and there is confusion on every front. We think or even cry, “Help me! I don’t know what to do!” We long for peace to return.
The Good News as David reminds us is that God is in control of everything! When we cry out in despair, God is with us! When we offer praises of thanksgiving, God is with us! God promises to be with us, loving us, and supporting us always. To find this peace for which we long comes from submitting ourselves to God and joining in a relationship with God. In the midst of our storms, we must take time to pray and release our anxieties. Through the Holy Spirit, we will be filled with God’s peace and find rest.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NRSV)
Loving and Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. When the storms of life are raging, You never leave us. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: I won’t let the confusion of life keep me from communion with God.
Keep God close! Pastor Liz
Amen. I needed this today!