In a Time of Crisis
Devotional #8
August 2, 2023
Scriptures:
Psalms 25:16-22 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. 18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you. 22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
Devotion:
Did you know that David was in crisis when he wrote Psalms 25? He spoke of his pain, how he was lonely and afflicted, how enemies hated him. But through his pain he worshiped God and not only prayed for his deliverance but for the deliverance of his people.
There are many lessons that we can learn from David and how he lived his life. David was described as a man after God’s own heart and like “men” he made mistakes. But regardless of the mistakes David made, he always came running back to God with worship and with praise.
Take a moment to think about yourself. Have you become consumed with a “crisis” that you were in?? Whether it is a friend you thought was loyal that proved not to be or you got passed over for that promotion at work you thought you deserved. If you are like me you probably answered yes. Now I want to ask yourself, in the moment of crisis how did you respond? Maybe you responded like David and went to God with worship but how you respond to the things you go through matter to God.
God is looking for people that will worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This means worshiping Him when we feel lonely, worshiping Him when we feel discouraged and worshiping Him when we are the conversation of our enemies. By responding with worship we are telling God that regardless of our circumstance we trust and take refuge in him.
That is what God desires, those who will admit their faults and take refuge in him. Those who will pray for others even if they have done them wrong.
If you are reading this and saying to yourself, I haven’t always responded the right way, it is ok. We are human. We make mistakes and God is a God who loves us. How you responded in the past doesn’t matter but what matters now is how you move forward. So next time the crisis comes, think like David; go to God through prayer, worship and praise.
