Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
Thanks for joining us for Promises in the Psalms—a devo series right from the Old Testament book of worship. We have learned that God is our helper and healer. He is always present with us and meets us wherever we are. He is right there when our hearts are broken. He tends to our deepest wounds. He is our great God! That’s why we praise him through our joy and our tears.
God stands by the brokenhearted. But he doesn’t just stand by. He is not a passive onlooker. He comes to us in our brokenness as the Divine Doctor, the Sovereign Surgeon, the Holy Healer. He brings exactly what we need at the precise moment we need it, not a moment too soon, not a second too late.
People will always let you down. Even those who love you the most. Even those you consider a mentor. Even those who want what’s best for you. It’s in our DNA—we disappoint others. But there is One who never disappoints.
“Loneliness can drive us to some very dark places.” That’s what a fellow believer shared in a recent email, and that’s what David shares in today’s psalm. David wrote these words while hiding in a cave from Saul as he was trying to kill him. When we feel alone, we can hide in some very dark places.
Sometimes we remain still, trying to hide from God. Sometimes we are in a full-out sprint, trying to run from God. But regardless of how fast and far we run, we are still right there in his presence!
Have you ever attempted to hide from God? I have. I think most of us have tried. We look for dark places where we rationalize that God can’t see our actions. We snuggle up in an emotional corner and focus on our feelings. We head for a mental open range where our thoughts can run free. But we can never hide from God! That’s one lesson God taught King David many times.
Until 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed, practicing Jews would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate feasts and worship. During their travels, they would sing songs together. These “Psalms of Ascent” are found in Psalms 120-134. Today’s song reminds us that our great God is the Maker of heaven and earth.
Yesterday we considered God’s amazing love. Let’s continue to do that today. Here are some encouraging verses from Psalm 103.
The believer finds their true identity in Jesus. In Christ, we are significant, secure, accepted, forgiven, and empowered. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for our sins, and that love continues to embrace us every day. In his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer described the extent of God’s great love.
Sometimes we can feel it coming our way. Like a person who loses their footing on a steep climb, we feel our emotions slipping. Waves of anxiety can hit like a rogue wave, causing our souls to stumble.
There is a direct correlation between where we live and how we live. The things that occupy our minds and drive our hearts will determine the state of our being. If we live in the land of fear, we will live with insecurity. If we live in the land of doubt, we will experience continual discouragement. Living in the land of brokenness will lead to a second-shelf Christian life and provide excuses for our sin. But when we hang out under the shelter of the Most High…our situation changes.
Yesterday we considered several attributes of God from Psalm 86. Today, let’s drill down on one—the eternality of God.