Sunday Devotional 30th of July 2023
by Bruce Billington
Sunday Devotional – 30 July 2023
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we look at some verses from Psalm 68 – a Psalm of David.
Psalm 68:5-6 – “5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 6 God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”
When the people of God were in the wilderness, they were like an orphan. Even though Egypt was a place of oppression it was all they knew. It had become their home and as a result, they had left everything they knew. Amongst them were widows, and fatherless, just like in any large community. But it was here, in this barren wilderness, that God brought His Fatherly love and provision to all, including the needy.
This became a cause of great joy to Israel. They became ruled, not by a cruel oppressor who cared little for them, but by a heavenly Father who would not allow the poor and needy to be oppressed.
These verses reveal much about who God is. He is the guardian of the defenceless and those that society often seeks to exploit. Isn’t it amazing the great God and King of all the Universe, who rides on the heavens or clouds (Verse 4), will take time out to hear the cry of even the most insignificant of His people – and not only to hear it, but to come in the fullness of His power, to act and bring relief?
All those who seek to lead God’s people need to embrace this. God watches over His people, especially those who cannot help or defend themselves. Don’t give the people cause to cry out in pain, sorrow, or any form of oppression on account of your leadership – if they do, He will come to their aid. The cry all leaders must hear is, “tend my sheep, feed my lambs” (John 21:15). This comment was made with great tenderness and affection.
Every day we wake up and embrace God’s calling upon our lives. As we go out into the world we go into battle against our own fallen nature and our enemy, the devil or Satan. As we do, we should ask God to go out before us. We can expect to encounter challenges, temptations, and disappointments. But if we push into God, He will lead us through them all in victory.
He is greater than any challenges we may face. He is bigger than any problems that may arise in our lives, and aware of even the smallest things that may trouble us. We need not fear anything that lies before us, even death, as Psalm 23 makes wonderfully clear. God promises to guide us each step of the way (Psalm 32:8).
Be reminded again, that God has fully equipped us for battle and strengthened us to the extent that we can bend a bow of bronze (Psalm 18:34), but we must put on His armour, arm ourselves with His Word and constantly push into Him with prayer and worship (Ephesians 6:10-18). As we respond in this way, we become MORE than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37). We are not people who need to be “devil conscious” at all – in all things we need to be God conscious.
By way of the big picture, if we meditate on this whole Psalm, we can reassure ourselves, that the prayer that comes through David, and the picture given, is that all of this will be ultimately fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns. He will come to earth, not as the Lamb that was slain, but as the Lion of Judah – a mighty warrior. He will completely destroy all His (our) enemies – all the evil and rebellious oppressors on the face of the earth.
Here is yet another place in Scripture where we are given the image of Jesus returning by way of riding on the heavens (Revelation 1:7, Revelation 19:11) in His full majesty and might. Peter is able to tells us what our response should be, in one amazing verse.
1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
God bless you.
Bruce Billington