Mar 22 2022

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Psalm 3 was written by King David when he was fleeing from Absalom, his son, who was seeking to kill him. David ends the psalm with today's verse, which says that salvation always comes from the Lord. This verse is an important reminder that our salvation is always from God and because of God. We cannot do anything to earn it and we cannot do anything to lose it.

What does it mean that our salvation always comes from God? For one, it means we cannot take any credit for it. We cannot have pride in ourselves because we are saved. Instead, if we have pride, it is in God who has the power to save us. He took us from death to life and we can rejoice because He made a way for us to join His kingdom.

This also means we are not responsible for anyone else's salvation. God is the only one who can save. We do not have the power to save anyone, just as we have no power to save ourselves. This should bring us great relief. We do not have to carry the burden of another's salvation on our shoulders. Instead, we can rest knowing that God is faithful and good and that He will bring about salvation in His timing.

At the same time, we can encourage other people to become curious about having a relationship with the Lord. The best way to do this is by showing the joy that we have in God. As David does at the end of this Psalm, we can recognize that the Lord's blessing is upon us because we are among His people. We have hope that goes beyond the world or our circumstances because we have a God who is beyond both. We're able to have peace and joy in difficult circumstances because we have faith in a God who is infinitely good and loving. This is a powerful testimony.

As you go about your day and encounter different people, think about representing the Lord well. Show joy and peace in your circumstances. Pray for those whom you encounter and ask the Lord to help you to honor Him in those encounters. At the end of the day, you can rest knowing that the Lord cares about them deeply and that their salvation belongs to Him.

Dear Lord, I am so grateful for the salvation that only you can provide. I could never earn it on my own. In the same way, I believe that you love all the people I encounter. Please guide me in my relationships with them to help them see you. In Jesus's name, amen.

Mar 21 2022

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. :

In this verse, John reminds us that the things of this world are passing away, but those who honor the Lord will last forever. The love that the Lord shows those who follow Him is not ephemeral like the world; it is immortal and a stronghold to which we can always cling.

Think about the things of this world that attract our lust. If I am honest, things like financial success, traveling, popularity, and education attract my attention, and sometimes feel myself pulled toward them. While these things are not wrong in and of themselves, lust—the idolization of them—is sinful. It reveals that we find them more attractive and compelling than the love of the Lord, and that is sin.

The Lord promises us so much more than the highest fame, greatest popularity, and largest bank account—and it's open to each and every one of us. No one is excluded from His promises, which makes them all the sweeter. He has promised, and has already given us, Himself. Jesus laid down His life for us that we might know God, and now we can rest in Him forever. The love of the Lord will outlast everything else in our lives. He will guide us with His hand through every moment, and we will never have true reason to doubt His goodness and kindness to us.

Sometimes in my own life, I feel weary with the temptations of sin and with myself. I get tired of making the same mistakes over and over again. And I forget the ways that the Lord has changed me and continues to change me so I can become more like Him.

The enemy wants nothing more than to make Christians feel that Jesus's love isn't enough for us. When we begin to feel like lost causes, we can return to this verse, which tells us that the temptations are going to end. It reminds us that the love of Jesus will last forever—and that we are covered in His love until that day.

Dear Lord, I thank you that you have defeated the power of sin and death once and for all. Help me to live in that victory, not succumbing to discouragement or frustration, but instead digging into the promises of 1 John. Thank you for your immortal love. In Jesus's name, amen.


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