6 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:
Esther 4:1–7:10
1 Corinthians 12:1-26
Psalm 36:1-12
Proverbs 21:21-22
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.
Psalm 36:5 (NLT): “Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.”
Reflections from Scripture:
Psalm 36:5 is simple and yet profound. It could be read at a glance, and yet we could meditate on it all day.
Essentially, the Psalmist is saying:
Do you want to know how much love God has? Well, it begins under your feet and extends all the way up to the heavens.
Do you want to know how much faithfulness God has – the fact that He can always be counted on to keep His promises and watch over His creation? Well, it begins under your feet and extends all the way up to the clouds.
The Psalmist uses poetry to express his conviction that we are all swimming in God’s love and faithfulness. If you are alive on planet earth, you are immersed in God’s compassion for you and faithfulness to you.
Psalm 36:5 (NLT): “Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.”
Regardless of what you may feel, my friend, you are the object of God’s affection.
John 3:16 (NLT): “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
The only thing left for us to do is respond to this love and faithfulness.
For the unbeliever, their response is to receive God’s greatest gift of love by trusting in Jesus and what He did on the cross to forgive them and save them.
For the Jesus-follower, our response is to reflect on God’s love and faithfulness to us so that we are motivated and energized to make progress in our pursuit of holiness. Because of what God has done and is doing for us, we want to learn more about Him, submit ourselves more fully to Him, and obey Him.
Friend, you are currently immersed in God’s love and faithfulness.
Swim around in it.
Enjoy it.
And reflect on how you should live and respond to God’s love for you.
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are so infinitely powerful and You love justice. If You also weren’t filled with love, You would be a God that would rightfully fill our hearts with terror. But you ARE loving. You ARE patient, kind, and forgiving. So, as I reflect on that truth and how I am the object of Your compassion, help me to respond appropriately. Thank You for loving me. 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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