21st. May. 2022. Daily Devotion.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4
The smell of flowers, the sound of a soft rain, the taste of a freshly baked cookie—all delightful! But knowing God, David says, is the most delightful experience of all.
How do we get to know God? It begins with God for God is the one who has created us, provided for us, and made clear to us that he is our Creator and Saviour. And God calls us to trust in him and live by his ways, to commit ourselves wholly to him, entrusting our lives, families, jobs, possessions—everything—to his control and guidance. We grow to recognize that God can care for us better than we can care for ourselves. Along the way we also learn to be patient and willing to wait for God to work out what is best for us.
To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. That happens only when we know the person well. To delight in the Lord means not simply that we know God, but that we know him well.
To make sure we can know God as deeply and intimately as God wants us to know him, the Lord came to us in Jesus Christ and lived with us so that we could meet him in person. He showed his love in countless ways, taught and challenged us to live for God’s kingdom, prayed for us, gave up his own life as the payment for our sin, and rose to life again in victory over sin and death—all for our sake! To know God is to know Jesus and take delight in him! T. Leunk.
Dear Lord, our greatest delight is found in you. May we delight you in all we do and say. Amen.
Grant us, O Holy Spirit, wisdom and understanding that we may receive your light; prudence and strength that we may persevere in faith; knowledge and awe that we may rest in you alone, fear and delight that we may rejoice in your love. Amen. Bonaventura (c.1217-1274)
Loving Lord, help us to be faithful witnesses to the truth we have received from you. Sustain us as we seek to be a welcoming community open to all. Help us as we seek to bring a message of hope where there is fear, joy where there is sadness, and faith where there is doubt. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to share your love with the whole community by our words and our deeds. Amen.
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbours.
If there is to be peace between neighbours,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
(Lao-Tse – 6th Century BCE)
Prayer for wisdom and knowledge
Lord of heaven and earth, I pray that as I search for knowledge in study that I would discover divine treasure. May I be able to sift through all I read to find the gems of your kingdom. Lord, I long not for the wisdom that leads to power or fortune but the wisdom that leads to faith and love. Guide my pathway as I thirst for your truths. May I drink from your word and pour out this heavenly water on others, Your water of life, faith, hope, truth, and love, Into the hearts and lives of all I meet. Amen.