Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
February 11, 2023
Read Psalm 3:1-8
1 LORD, I have so many enemies! So many are standing against me. 2 So many are talking about me: “Even God won’t help him.” Selah 3 But you, LORD, are my shield! You are my glory! You are the one who restores me. 4 I cry out loud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah 5 I lie down, sleep, and wake up because the LORD helps me. 6 I won’t be afraid of thousands of people surrounding me on all sides. 7 Stand up, LORD! Save me, my God! In fact, hit all my enemies on the jaw; shatter the teeth of the wicked! 8 Rescue comes from the LORD! May your blessing be on your people! Selah
Good Morning, It is the Lord who restores us.
What is on your heart this morning? If we are honest, we have worries and we have blessings. We also have to-do lists tugging us away from our time with God. On our busiest days, it is easy to convince ourselves that we don’t have time to share with God. We might even think that we’ll catch up with God later, but sadly it might be a very long time before that happens. What if tomorrow never comes?
I am a true believer that our busiest times are the most important to carve out that God time. Without God’s strength, there is no way that I will make it through the day. This is true whether the day is easy or hard, busy or slow because God is the foundation upon which I stand.
Understandably, my life is very busy following the fire as my church family works to navigate the mucky waters, but when isn’t my life or your life busy? Yesterday was an unseasonably warm February day. Midday it occurred to me that it was a great day to drive the Mustang and put the top down. As the wind was rushing through my hair and igniting all my senses, I suddenly felt God asking me, How is it with your soul?
I laughed as I considered the past three weeks. Wait a minute, three weeks?!? It seems like it’s been a year!
Again in the wind, God asked me, “How is it with your soul?” Well, God, I answered, “it is a crazy time that I could never have imagined. I could list all of my worries and concerns, but You know those. God, I am your humble servant! I am ready to lead as you call me. I give to you my anxiety and all those things that are beyond my understanding and control. Thank you for blessing me in so many ways! How is it with my soul? By the Your Grace and all that is Holy, it is well with my soul! Thank you for asking!”
Admittedly this is not a prayer that follows the typical format of praying. Throughout the Psalms, David shares all of his emotions with God: the happy, the sad, the anguish, the doubt . . . Part of any relationship is the sharing of everything. God invites us to share everything. In sharing, we give ourselves back to God. Only our Creator can assure us that everything is going to be okay.
5 I lie down, sleep, and wake up because the LORD helps me.
Loving God, Thank You for being with us. When we can no longer put our feelings and needs into words, You still listen and hear our needs. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Today I will pour out my heart to God.
Talk it out with God! Pastor Liz