Daily Devotional for December 8, 2015
Psalms 66-67
Scripture:
10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. 13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you– 14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble. 15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. “Selah” 16 Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Observation:
George A. Young, a bi-vocational preacher in the nineteenth century, ministered mainly to rural churches while he supplemented his income as a carpenter. After many years of struggle he was able to build a home for his family with his own hands. While away from home in ministry, some who disagreed with his preaching burned his house to the ground. Shortly thereafter he wrote the hymn, “God Leads Us Along.”
“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue” (Psalm 66:16–17).
The Psalmist’s words speak to us when we are going through life’s challenges. And Pastor Young speaks to us of praising God in the difficult seasons of life: “Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.”
Like Pastor Young, we can pray and sing in those difficult times of life. Prayer plus praise equals power. Focus on God’s presence and power. Don’t let sin cut the lines of communication.
Application:
- Personal Application: God is the same yesterday, today, and will be the same tomorrow. God is worthy of our praise each and every day. However, when it seems that evil has prevailed in our life, it may be very difficult to see God’s hand. Be patient and stay strong. It may take us some time, as we look back, to see that God was there for us. Take some time, each day, to thank God for His goodness and His presence in our life.
- Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Remind them that God’s goodness does not change based on our circumstances. God is the same yesterday and today and will be the same tomorrow. God is worthy of our praise in every moment, every day, in every situation. Take some time to worship God together.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Thank God for His presence in our lives. Through the challenges, we can still sing praises to Him.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will always see God’s presence in their lives through every situation and every circumstance.
Three-Year Reading Plan for Sunday, December 6 – Sunday, December 13:
- Sunday, December 6: Lamentations 4
- Monday, December 7: Lamentations 5
- Tuesday, December 8: Psalms 66-67
- Wednesday, December 9: Psalms 68
- Thursday, December 10: Psalms 69
- Friday, December 11: Proverbs 30
- Saturday, December 12: Proverbs 31
- Sunday, December 13: Acts 1
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
Portions of this devotional are adapted from God’s Word for Today, July 1, 2014, written by Dave Matheny.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise marked, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblicia, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Fire Bible® elements including all Articles, the Bible Reading Plan, selected black and white maps and charts as noted, Book Introductions and outlines, color maps and the Color Map Index, footnotes, Study Notes, Subject Index, Themefinder™Index are the property of Life Publishers International, Springfield, MO U.S.A. All rights reserved.