Lord God, We come to You today, concerned over our nation's future. It seems that the best our country has to offer in leadership doesn't want anything to do with the mockery that has become Washington. And so, we are left with men and women of varying capabilities and ideologies that are mediocre at best and disasterous at worse. Lord, life issues is so important to so many of us. Not just abortion, but stem cells, and euthansia as well. And yet, while the three leading Republican candidates claim to be pro-life, none of them is what I would call strongly so. Leaving it up to the states to decide whether an abomination could continue shows a lack of strength and will. So, we are left with writing in a vote or choosing the best we can.

On the other side, there are those who promote abortion, promote promiscuity, promote the homosexual agenda and dismiss the concerns of conservative Christians. All I can say, Lord, is how long? How long before you return? How long before this evil will be at an end.

Father, I pray for President Bush. Revive him, Lord. Help this last year to be his best year. Let him strive for truth and justice and to please You alone.

I pray for our enemies. May they come to know Your forgiveness and the changed lives that this entails.

Go with us the rest of this day, Lord. We love You very much. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

January 27, 2008

A Sheer Delight

READ: Psalm 37:1-11

Delight yourself . . . in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. —Psalm 37:4

After finishing high school in 1941, Clair Hess anticipated serving his country by joining the army. But when he developed a heart murmur from a bout with scarlet fever, he was denied acceptance. He admits that he was envious of his fellow graduates and other servicemen in their uniforms, but he was helped by reading Psalm 37 and seeing how the psalmist David handled envy.

While Clair was wondering about God’s direction for his life, his uncle suggested to him that the Lord might be calling him to His service. So Clair attended Moody Bible Institute and was led into a career of singing and later editing for RBC Ministries. He’s been doing that for 50 years now and calls serving God “a sheer delight.”

David encouraged us in Psalm 37 to delight in the Lord and not to envy others (vv.1-4). Although he was talking about envying people who get away with evil, we can apply it to other types of envy. Instead of comparing ourselves with others, we need to delight ourselves in God. In His time, He’ll fulfill the desires of our heart and affirm that we are in His will.

We’re all in “God’s service” as believers. And serving Him is a sheer delight.

Let the joy of the Lord be your strength—
May His peace fill your heart day and night;
As you walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
You will find that He’ll lead you aright. —Hess

Contentment comes when God’s will is more important than our wants.

Bible in One Year: Psalms 9–11

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