7 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
1 Chronicles 15:1–16:36
Romans 1:18-32
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 19:6-7
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
1 Chronicles 16:23-27 (NLT): “Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the LORD made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and joy fill his dwelling.”
Reflections from Scripture:
Today, there are two primary places that we can focus our eyes. We can either look at the events around us or look at God’s fingerprints in our events.
If we focus only upon all of the things that will happen today, we may experience any number of “negative” emotions. We may become stressed or anxious. We might experience fear or worry. There may also be moments of anger, jealousy, or a wide variety of other unhelpful feelings.
Yet, if we look for God’s fingerprints in today’s events, we will tend to experience other emotions like hope, peace, happiness, and comfort. This isn’t to say that we will only feel good if we live with the conscious awareness that God controls today’s events. It does not mean that all things will go well. We do live in a broken world, after all. It simply means that when we realize that God is in control over everything that happens to us today, we will find comfort in that fact.
After all, if you were taking a nap on a bus and woke up only to realize that your bus was heading down the interstate at breakneck speed and there was no one in the driver’s seat, you would panic. Seeing someone in the driver’s seat can bring great comfort.
This is what the Psalmist calls us to do in 1 Chronicles 16:23-27. He finds comfort in the fact that the Lord is powerfully in control of all things. So, he finds great happiness in praising the Lord.
Consider joining the psalmist in praising the Lord right now for His works in the world. Acknowledge His power and wisdom. Then, hone in on the events of your own life and thank Him. Even as you consider the terrible things you have endured or are going through right now, praise Him for promising to work it all out for your ultimate good (to make you more like Jesus).
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, life isn’t always easy. In fact, You said that in this world we would have trouble. Yet, I sometimes don’t do well in those times. I struggle, I question, I sometimes even complain. But I tend to do those things when I’m not looking for Your hand in all of it. Help me, Lord, to intentionally look for Your fingerprints in the events of today. Help me find comfort in the fact that You are sovereignly ruling over all events and will only allow those things into my day intended to make me more like You, Jesus. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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