A Daily Devotion for Monday, November 2
Psalm 139:19-24
If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
This is an interesting choice for scripture to accompany today’s devotion in the UR. The little girls are reminded that we do not hate. Anyone. So, are we given this scripture passage as a reminder of how not to think of others? For me, I will use this scripture as a reminder of the importance of staying close to God. David invites God to, “Search me, God, and know my heart…See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” God will lead me and guide me as long as I stay close and listen. When I have issues with someone, I need to wait on the Lord, ask for guidance, and trust in Him.
Holy Lord, help me to remember to love. Not hate, not gossip, not shame. Love. Amen
Becky, transforming
Psalm 139:19-24
This is a difficult passage to read, but amazingly timely, given what was going through my head this morning. Part of my morning routine is a prayer for a country where Christians are persecuted. The persecutors in the decided majority of cases are elements of radical Islam. It could be terrorist groups attempting to Islamisize a country or the government itself when controlled by jihad-minded radical clerics. As I prayed for Sierra Leone this morning, I was bothered by the thought of developing hatred instead of praying not only for the end of terrorism and persecution, but also for changed hearts among those radicalized by this evil in the world. It is a fine line, but as I…