Page 64 - Living light - The Psalms

Wednesday August 14 - Be generous
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously...
Psalm 37:21
Sometimes it amazes me how the wealthy are never content with what they have and will often dedicate a lifetime to accruing more and more, despite having no need for it. It’s like a drug and just as unhealthy. It amazes me further that millionaire businessmen often run their companies in a sea of debt, borrowing money to make more money. To make things worse, most countries are in debt to others; it’s the way the world works. It is said that the USA alone is in debt to the grand sum of over 34 trillion dollars!
Isn’t it far better to be a giver, not a taker, a lender not a borrower? In Luke 7:41 Jesus speaks of a moneylender who forgave the debts of those who couldn’t repay. This is contrasted with the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35, who had a fellow servant thrown into prison for his debts. In Jesus’ parable, this deed resulted in dire consequences and the strong impression is that, as the psalm says, we should give generously, even to the extent of not expecting repayment. There is great joy in giving without expectation; it is how the Body of Christ is meant to operate, as we see in Acts 2:45: ‘They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.’ What a wonderful way to live, and what a witness this could be to the world!
Father in heaven, please help me to overflow in my generosity to others. Amen.
Thursday August 15 - Be just
For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. ”
Psalm 37:28
This looks like a good deal. For our part we must follow the way of the Lord, as summarised in that well-known passage in Micah 6:8, ‘...to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ In response to this, God will not forsake us, his faithful ones. It’s not nice being forsaken, being abandoned or deserted. It’s a bleak prospect, particularly when we consider the things of God. Jesus, at his lowest point in his anguish on the cross, cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). It’s surely the worst feeling of all.
So, by contrast, how wonderful is the promise that we will not be forsaken: “He will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). To ensure our inclusion in this promise we must act justly at all times, in all of our dealings. We must treat people with consideration and not show favour. We must not lie, even with those ‘little white lies’ that come so easily. We must be fair in our business transactions. In fact, we must do all the things that the world normally treats as unimportant. Living in the kingdom of God is not meant to be a bed of roses, but it is to be preferred at all times to the alternative.
Father in heaven, please keep me mindful of the need to act justly in all of my dealings with others. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY