“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.” Psalm 62:1 (ESV)
The dictionary defines sacrifice as the surrender of something valuable for the sake of something even more valuable. I valued my autonomy above everything else. Like most people, I want to decide things for myself.
Although I’d known and loved Jesus from a young age, I tried to manage my life on my own. Then, for three years, pain became my constant companion. Pain revealed the truth: I am not in control.
In those days, Psalm 62 came to life for me. Sometimes I repeated Psalm 62:1, “My soul finds rest in God alone,” 50 times a day. Discover with me, the rich meaning of these words.
My — Each person has a choice. I can choose to be my own boss or I can choose to align myself with truth from God’s word.
Soul — David, the writer of this psalm addresses the deepest, most essential part of a person: who I am, my significance and my self-worth.
Finds — This journey of life involves a quest. We search for purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction.
Rest — More than physical refreshment, we long for inner peace and a refuge from the storms of life.
In God — Finding rest is not a casual endeavour. We must immerse ourselves in the God of Scripture: The great I AM, Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Redeemer.
Alone — We find rest in God and God alone. Nothing else can satisfy. We need nothing more than Him.
Surrender yourself completely to God. The peace, life, and hope He gives far exceed anything the world can offer.
God, I seek you with all that I am because I know that I can only find what I’m looking for in you. Amen.
By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission
If you have never walked in a relationship with Christ you can start today by committing and submitting your life to him. You can start this with a simple prayer:
Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small. Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen
“A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully.” Proverbs 21:28
Does it seem like people today are picking Bible verses like apples off a tree to prove their point of view?
Many are quoted out of context or misquoted all together.
Of course, using the Bible to justify opinions has long been a temptation. Ever read sermons from the South and the North during the American Civil War? Scribes in the Middle Ages were known to occasionally add verses or amend them. The early church elders argued for decades over which biblical interpretations were heretical and which were Spirit-breathed truth.
However, in spite of our humanness, the Word has remained the measure for our thoughts, actions, and beliefs as followers of Jesus. As a construction worker drops a plumb line down a wall to see if it is straight, a believer can use the Word of God to make sure she is still following the straight and narrow way.
So read the Word of God daily. Let Scripture be your guide for your thoughts, your mold for your beliefs, and the boundary for your behavior. Store Bible passages in your memory. Then, when you hear someone say something that seems a bit off kilter, you can compare their words with the verses you have learned and ingested.
Furthermore, The Holy Spirit is always there to give you the gift of discernment. Just as Paul and Silas knew to silence the soothsaying girl in Philippi (Acts 16), the Holy Spirit can steer you to measure what you hear and think against Scripture, not vice versa. Call upon Him before you speak. Then you can be assured that your witness is true and you will testify successfully.
Dearest Father God, lead us away from the temptation of trying to justify our actions with Scripture verses taken out of context. Let us instead be careful witnesses who lead others to Your Truth, through the guidance of Your Spirit and the examples of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
