Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
December 2, 2021
Read Psalm 62:1-12
1 Only in God do I find rest; my salvation comes from him. 2 Only God is my rock and my salvation my stronghold!—I won’t be shaken anymore. 3 How long will all of you attack others; how long will you tear them down as if they were leaning walls or broken-down fences? 4 The only desire of this people is to bring others down low; they delight in deception. With their mouths they bless, but inside they are cursing. Selah 5 Oh, I must find rest in God only, because my hope comes from him! 6 Only God is my rock and my salvation my stronghold!—I will not be shaken. 7 My deliverance and glory depend on God. God is my strong rock. My refuge is in God. 8 All you people: Trust in him at all times! Pour out your hearts before him! God is our refuge! Selah 9 Human beings are nothing but a breath. Human beings are nothing but lies. They don’t even register on a scale; taken all together they are lighter than a breath! 10 Don’t trust in violence; don’t set false hopes in robbery. When wealth bears fruit, don’t set your heart on it. 11 God has spoken one thing make it two things that I myself have heard: that strength belongs to God, 12 and faithful love comes from you, my Lord, and that you will repay everyone according to their deeds.
Good Morning! God is my Rock and my Salvation!
As humans, we have three different kinds of required rest: physical, mental, and spiritual. Rest is a way to recharge ourselves for the next day or next task. Usually, physical rest should be the simplest need to fulfill as we sit or lie down to rest our bodies. For mental rest, we choose different ways to unwind or to destress from our daily lives. Some go to parties, some participate in some physical activities like sports, others might work in their gardens.
As I have worked through my life thus far, I have noticed that my choices to mentally rest are sometimes are different depending upon the situation at the time. The more chaotic or noisy the cause of my mental tiredness, the more I retreat to quiet and solitude.
How do we spiritually recharge ourselves? I think of different examples in the New Testament where Jesus would go off by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23 After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone . . . Mark 1:35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray. Luke 5:16 Yet, He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.
As Jesus taught through his walk on this earth, spending time with God allows us to recharge ourselves spiritually. Regardless of the time or place, God is always there ready to listen.
My realization is that sometimes we become so self-enveloped in our lives that we don’t allow ourselves the grace to rest: physically, mentally, or spiritually. We think that if we walk away our world will come crashing down. I find peace in the passages I listed above as I see our Lord and Savior walking away for a time to rest. After our respite, we will be in a better place to function in a fully charged capacity. God is my rock, my salvation, my stronghold!
Creator God, Thank You for loving us. Help us allow ourselves the grace to rest. May we find our rest in Your loving arms. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: What will I do to recharge my spiritual batteries this week?
Allow yourself grace! Pastor Liz
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