Page 65 - Living light - The Psalms

Friday August 16 - Be peace-loving
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. Psalm 37:37
God loves the peacemakers. Jesus says so clearly: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). There are many in our world who work for peace and we must commend them, as indeed God does, promising them a good future. Seeking peace can encompass many situations, from speaking to leaders of nations down to dealing with disputes between neighbours – which are basically the same thing, it’s just a matter of scale!
But what of us; what of you and me? Are we peacemakers? Are we often the solution... or part of the problem? This may be a time to look inwards and review our actions. Sometimes we can be peacemakers without realising it, or even peace- disrupters without realising it. Sometimes it can be just a gesture or an attitude. A smile can defuse a troubling situation, just as a frown can exacerbate it. Do we count to ten before acting, or do we wade in with fists clenched? Do we respond to criticism with spiky words of our own? Do we get carried away on a tide of negativity toward public figures who are currently being vilified in the media, or do we pause... and try to see the world from in their shoes? It’s not easy being a person of peace, but God promises us a bright future if we do so.
Father in heaven, please help me to be known as a person of peace. Amen.
Saturday August 17 - Be fretless
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold
in time of trouble. Psalm 37:39
Yes, fretless is hardly a word in common usage, but you get the point. This psalm calls us not to fret, but rather, as we have seen throughout this week, to be righteous, still, content, generous, just, and peace-loving. The overarching theme though is that, with God on our side, why should we fret at all? We are comforted by the familiar words in Psalm 23:4, ‘I fear no evil, for you are with me.’ Psalm 108:13 tells us that ‘with God we will gain the victory...’ Hallelujah! He is indeed our stronghold in time of trouble.
And there it is. He is our stronghold, our defended position against the attack of the enemy. All he asks us to do is to play our part in his army, to ‘put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes’ (Ephesians 6:11). This is a joint enterprise. We stand with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet ready with the gospel of peace; with the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-17). So attired, and with our knowledge of who is at the head of this mighty army, we are assured of victory. There really cannot be any need to fret!
Father in heaven, please encourage me not to fret but to trust you at all times. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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