Thursday 21 Nov 2013

Thursday Reading: Psalm 119:73-80

Key Verse: Psalm 119:73
Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

Devotion:
God made us for a purpose and that purpose may be seen as serving Him and enjoying our lives with Him. Are those opposites? Far from it. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, not just to be there and enjoy it, but to look after it and make it thrive. God also expected them to remember that He is God and to revere Him in the appropriate manner; those purposes go hand in hand.

It is our sinful nature that breaks us away from living for God and stops us from living a purposeful life for Him. It is our sinful ways that drag us away from a close walk with Him and lead us deeper into counterproductive ways. Those comforting and loving ways that God teaches us and has taught us from the beginning are broken down and left behind as we jump down the road of pride and destruction.

So when the psalmist writes these words, it is with a genuine desire to seek God’s ways and a long life with Him that they ask for guidance to do just that; to be able to serve God and enjoy life with Him. That peace of mind that we find in God as Christians should be a light to others so that they see how wonderful God really is. It is not just the joyful life when all things go our way but also that joy that we find in knowing God is still with us even when we think our world is falling apart; that same joy that will be a shining light for others to look at and seek.

God really is supporting us all the way and really does want us to enjoy our lives with Him. We can see this through the mercy that He shows us when we do get it wrong and even break His heart. If we are still willing to acknowledge that we get things wrong and ask for His forgiveness and understanding, then we will be more encouraged to seek after His will and obey His law. We can gain a whole lot of support from those around us just through fellowship with them.

Points to Ponder:
Are you seeking fellowship with Christians?

Do you listen to God’s ways?