Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
December 13, 2024
Psalm 112:1-10
1 Praise the LORD! Those who honor the LORD, who adore God’s commandments, are truly happy! 2 Their descendants will be strong throughout the land. The offspring of those who do right will be blessed; 3 wealth and riches will be in their houses. Their righteousness stands forever. 4 They shine in the dark for others who do right. They are merciful, compassionate, and righteous. 5 Those who lend generously are good people as are those who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 Yes, these sorts of people will never be shaken; the righteous will be remembered forever! 7 They won’t be frightened at bad news. Their hearts are steady, trusting in the LORD. 8 Their hearts are firm; they aren’t afraid. In the end, they will witness their enemies’ defeat. 9 They give freely to those in need. Their righteousness stands forever. Their strength increases gloriously. 10 The wicked see all this and fume; they grind their teeth, but disappear to nothing. What the wicked want to see happen comes to nothing!
Good Morning! Fear not; the Lord is with us!
4 They shine in the dark for others who do right. They are merciful, compassionate, and righteous.
Do we allow our light to shine in the dark? As the world leans into a secular mindset, we might feel compelled to hide our light when we walk along our pathway. Maybe we can let it shine when we are within the confines of the church or a church gathering, but then we cover it the rest of the time.
8 Their hearts are firm; they aren’t afraid.
We are weak and afraid compared to the righteous ones of whom David speaks. Consider what we fear might happen if our light shines bright for all to see. Are we afraid that someone will ask us to share our testimony? We think, “I don’t know what to say!” Another worry is that we don’t want to offend someone or upset the status quo. We think, "If we keep our faith in ourselves, then we can just fit in and be a regular person."
Sadly, we have the precedent set by those who spout Bible verses and proclaim themselves “holier than thou.” We don’t want to be that person, so we choose to be silent. Jesus came to teach us the way. He was humble in his approach to all. He first shared God’s love through his actions, and then, for those who followed, he shared the Word.
Paul writes, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We are called to be the light of Christ for the world. We do not need to flaunt it, but let it shine for those who are seeking it.
Poet Amanda Gorman says, “When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.
Loving Lord, We are your children! Like little children, we sometimes are afraid. You call us to let your light shine through us, but we worry what others will think. Give us the courage to be the light. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: We must hold on to our faith during troubling situations.
Be the light! Pastor Liz
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