Daily Devotional For Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Good morning Southside. We live in a very insecure and unsure world and culture. At any given moment a terrorist attack or car wreck or an unknown health condition can take us out. This is why we are so tenacious to have the best stable and secure lives. Our home doors have locks and some even have home security detection systems. We have health care plans to treat our illnesses and provide us with therapy to recover. But there is really only one way to live securely in our insecure world.
We have to trust God’s promises. Here is one of God’s promises to us in Psalm 112:1, 6-8:
“Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord. Who greatly delights in His commandments . . . (6) For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. (7) He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. (8) His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries” (NASB).
This psalm promises us that those who fear the Lord and delight in His commands will experience many blessings. To fear the Lord in this way is to not cower before Him in terror; it is to revere Him, respect Him, and hold Him in the highest esteem. Very few things in Scripture have more blessings attached to them than the fear of the Lord.
To find delight in His commands is to read the Bible, pray, and joyfully apply His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to our lives. And then the blessings begin! Yes, bad things will still come our way, but we will not be shaken because our trust is in the Lord. We will be remembered forever because our spiritual legacies will echo long after our earthly days are over.
This Psalm says “blessed” is the man who fears the Lord. The Hebrew word used here for “blessed” is [אָשַׁר, asre], which can be translated as “content.” If we believe God’s promises and are content in Him, we will be content in His promises no matter what happens to us. God has not promised to spare us from anything harmful or evil in this world, but He has promised to help us get through it – even if it means our own death. Verses 6-7 show the demeanor of a content person in the Lord. So, do these verses express your contentment and demeanor? Do you find yourself whining, complaining, griping and grumbling much? Do your closest family and friends observe that? Are you a person that people really want to be around when the real you is seen?
Assignment: Take some time this week to talk to your family, closest friends and closest church friends about how they perceive your level of contentment. If you like, here is an online survey you can do: Contentment Survey. It has you reflect on the last 12 months. This link provides explanations of what the questions measure and your response to them: Explanations of Questions.
Scripture Verse To Meditate On: 1 Timothy 6:6-7, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. (7) For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, You are Almighty God—my refuge and my strong tower. I rejoice in Your promises, Your strength, and Your provision for me. Today, I choose to say no to ungodliness and yes to Your invitations. Create in me a pure heart, and grant me a willing spirit to proclaim the wonders of my Lord. Lord, help me to live and have an attitude of contentment. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly