Psalm 78
4 We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
I selected this verse today because it contains the mission of children's ministry. It is my purpose to tell children about how great God is. I want to teach them to delight in the goodness of God!
11 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
12 They are constantly in my thoughts.
I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
I've been here. I've been terribly discouraged and thought that God would never do anything good again in my life, but He always has. Faith pleases God. We complicate faith sometimes. We get this idea that to have faith we have to know exactly what we are believing for and be able to specifically name it. We say we are believing for this specific thing, then we are disappointed. I think faith is simpler. It's what is being demonstrated in the verses above. Faith is simply recalling what God has done and the promises of His Word till you become convinced that God will not fail you. Faith is the constant conviction that God keeps His Word and you don't have to worry. Faith rest in the wonder of the goodness of God, even when you can't see how what He is doing is good.
Psalm 73
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
I'm not sure why I picked this Psalm. I guess I haven't felt close to God the last few days and just wanted to remind myself of how important He is to my existence. I must remember that He is the only investment that lasts. He is life.
Psalm 71
7 My life is an example to many,
because you have been my strength and protection.
8 That is why I can never stop praising you;
I declare your glory all day long.
I selected this verse today because it is about what I want to be: I want to be an example.
Looking into the words used here and the chapter as a whole, I see that the life that pleases God is not a life free from conflict or trouble, but the the life where adversity is overcome by relying on the strenght of God. I love how it simply speaks of the graditude that wells up in a person who puts their trust in God.
