Even though there is an up-tick in covid-19 cases in many jurisdictions due to the Delta strain, with large percentages of populations vaccinated and the number growing daily, it seems that there are better days ahead. As the thoughts of individuals turn from masks and physical distancing and hand sanitizing, I think it’s good to consider what our hearts will be turning towards. God’s word has some help for us in this prayer:
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life. Psalm 119:35-40
The covid-19 pandemic did not take the good life from us. Yes, many difficult things happened and challenging restrictions were placed on our daily movements. But, the God who is filled with goodness and who has our best interests at heart has been with us through it all offering us everything we needed one day at a time to experience life well.
The Lord’s word is true, and he is faithful in everything he does. He loves goodness and justice. The Lord’s faithful love fills the earth.. But the Lord’s decisions are good forever. His plans are good for generation after generation. Great blessings belong to those who have the Lord as their God! Psalm 33:4-5, 11-12a
Lots of people want to forget God when life is good but blame God when things go haywire. The truth is that God is good and full of good decisions with plans that are good from one generation to the next. We live in a broken world and lots of people make lots of poor choices to go after worthless things, not realizing what kind of long term consequences will result. The evil one is also lurking around seeking to harm and destroy anyone and everything.
We have a choice each day – to align ourselves with a good God who is waiting to sustain and bless us through all sorts of situations as we do life on this planet, rely on our own very limited understanding of what’s going on in out-of-our-control scenarios, or to listen to the voice of the evil one who lies and cheats and is just bent on destroying our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Where will we focus our thoughts today and going forward?
There are a lot of decisions that need to be made every day of every year of our lives in order to experience the wonderful life God created us to enjoy. It takes a choice
With the writer of this Psalm I’m going to pray and invite you to pray these words too: Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life. Psalm 119:35-40
A modern English version of this prayer uses these words. I like them.
Guide me into the paths that please you, for I take delight in all that you say. Cause my heart to bow before your words of wisdom and not to the wealth of this world. Help me turn my eyes away from illusions so that I pursue only that which is true; drench my soul with life as I walk in your paths. Reassure me of your promises, for I am your beloved, your servant who bows before you. Defend me from the criticism I face for keeping your beautiful words. See how I long with cravings for more of your ways? Let your righteousness revive my spirit! Psalm 119:35-40
As we stay away from worthless things and put God’s principles into action, God gives us courage and strength to do what is right and experience the good life we seek. Let’s put that in practice one more day today.
Recent Hope For Today
Giving Hope
Partners in Hope is supported wholly by our friends and community. We are thankful to everyone who partners with us to help bring hope to the discouraged, hurting, and hopeless.