(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)
(Psalm 79:1-13) God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance;
They have defiled Your holy temple;
They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to the birds of the sky as food,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem;
And there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a disgrace before our neighbors,
An object of derision and ridicule to those around us.
5 How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You,
And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob
And laid waste his settlement.
8 Do not hold us responsible for the guilty deeds of our forefathers;
Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,
For we have become very low.
9 Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed
Be known among the nations in our sight.
11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your power, let those who are doomed to die remain.
12 And return to our neighbors seven times as much into their lap
Their taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord.
13 So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture
Will give thanks to You forever;
To all generations we will tell of Your praise.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
They have defiled Your holy temple;
They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants to the birds of the sky as food,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem;
And there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a disgrace before our neighbors,
An object of derision and ridicule to those around us.
5 How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You,
And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob
And laid waste his settlement.
8 Do not hold us responsible for the guilty deeds of our forefathers;
Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us,
For we have become very low.
9 Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
Let vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed
Be known among the nations in our sight.
11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your power, let those who are doomed to die remain.
12 And return to our neighbors seven times as much into their lap
Their taunts with which they have taunted You, Lord.
13 So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture
Will give thanks to You forever;
To all generations we will tell of Your praise.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
No matter what we are going through, or no matter what is going on around us, we need to stay focused on God; and in His strength, we should be actively living in His will. As in verse 9, a good place to start (each day) is to confess any sins we might be struggling with. We can also ask God to help us move past any sinful situation we have been born into, or any sinful situation we find ourselves.
In our daily walk with God, we should be giving thanks to Him, not only because there are so many reasons to be thankful, but because this will help adjust our attitude and how we see God. To behave properly in society, we are taught certain manners which demonstrate respect. For example, we are taught to say "please" and "thank you". Why then do we sometimes feel like we can just order God around like He is our servant, without so much as a please or a thank you?
We don't deserve anything! We are to serve Him! Yet everything God has done, is doing, and will do for us - is because of His love and compassion. And this is what should fill our hearts and our lives, and spill out onto all those around us. No matter where we go, we should be willing and able to tell others about the salvation which is found only in Jesus Christ.
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