Daily Devotional Thought--From the Psalms

Collect of the Week (Proper 14-C)

Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Psalm 33:12-22 (Assigned Psalm for Proper 14-C)

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

¹³ The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;

¹⁴ from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,

¹⁵ he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.

¹⁶ The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

¹⁷ The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

¹⁹ that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

²¹ For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

²² Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Catechism: The First Commandment

What is the First Commandment?

            You shall have no other gods.

What does this mean?

            We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

Devotional Thoughts

In the name of T Jesus.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).  Faith is what we are called to live by, as we fear, love and trust in the LORD above all things.  But the LORD does not have faith; He doesn’t need it.  The LORD sees all and knows all, so he has no conviction of things “not seen.”

To be sure, the LORD is faithful—the LORD keeps His promises and is true to His word.  You can trust the LORD to be who He says He is.  But being faithful is not the same as having faith.  And while the LORD is faithful indeed, faith is the gift the LORD gives to you, His people, so that you would be convinced of His promises, no matter what you see.

A mighty army or a lack thereof; a strong government or one that has been failing; financially prospering or learning to live with less: the LORD knows you needs and well provides.  He is your creator, your redeemer, and the one who gives you strength.   

You see, it’s the LORD’s faithfulness that serves to produce and sustain your faith.  You cannot see what life will bring, and what you see might terrify you.  But the LORD does see; the LORD knows.

“The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.”

And so we live by faith.  We trust in His promises, and we believe that the LORD is faithful.  He will not abandon us, but will be with us.  He will not forsake us but has promised to preserve us.  Even if we die, we know that we will live in Him.  For in Christ, we have assurance of all.  Our deliverer has come.  He was wounded for our transgression, but was raised for our justification.  And even if that is all we see, that will be enough.  Jesus’ death and resurrection will sustain us.  For there we are convinced that the LORD will always be faithful.  In the name of T Jesus. Amen.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, through You precious blood You redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, and called me to be Your very own. Renew my heart in righteousness and holiness that I may praise and adore You. Amen (TLSB, p. 875).