Devotionals

"Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness." Psalm 143:10 What a striking contrast between the Psalmist's prayer and that of the Muslim.  The Muslim prays "Teach me your will," and "lead me to a destined land," but that's where the similarity ends. The Muslim wants to be taught the will of his god because he believes it is his destiny. The Psalmist desires to be taught God's will because it is good. You see, unlike the Muslim, the Psalmist doesn't view the will of God as an arbitrary, capricious thing that comes and goes with every passing hour. The Psalmist realizes that it is the voice of One who has no choice but righteousness. It is His nature - who He is. Thus, the Psalmist declares "Your Spirit is good."

"But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple." Revelation 21:22 Is this a threat or a promise? The Revelator says that as he surveyed the sublime sights of the heavenly city he "saw no temple in it."  Seems sort of strange, doesn't it? Certainly it makes sense that there would be no pain or sorrow or suffering or death in this place called Heaven. That makes perfect sense to man's mortal mind. But to consider a heaven with no temple seems about as out of place as a sky with no sun, a forest with no trees, or a sea with no water.  Doesn't it?

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever." Psalm 125:2 "The LORD surrounds His people..." Or, "The LORD is His people's environment," because "to surround" is the same as "to environ". One's environment isn't just important, it is essential. When a bird is captured, caged and kept from its environment - the open air - it mourns. When a fish is taken out of its environment - water- it dies.  So it is with man. When man is kept from his environment - God - he mourns and he dies.

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. . .For each one shall bear his own load." Galatians 6:2,5 I have to admit that when I first read this passage I thought that this was a really strange reason for me to bear a brother's burden. My first thought was that this passage would make better sense if it were to read, "Bear one another's burden because it isn't right that a brother should have to bear his burden alone." Yet Paul says that the reason for bearing another's burden is because "each one shall bear his own load." It was a bit confusing at first, but after carefully considering the context I have come to agree with Paul. It's not strange. In fact, it's beautiful and wonderful.