Daily Devotional - 9/11

Focus Letter - K

Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to work on that begins with the focus letter

Dear Lord - Please help me to hear Your ever present voice. I know You are always trying to communicate with me but often I fail to listen. Please grant me the strength to obey.


Psalms 11


Upright men will see His face. God examines the righteous. He looks us over and makes sure we are doing right. The wicked have punishment coming someday.


We often feel like running away when we see negative things happening. It is easy for me to avoid confrontation and want to escape. I am very nonconfrontational. There is a time to flee, however, and I appreciate those times but more often than not, we really need to stand strong and even fight. The psalmist says, "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (vs. 3)" He seems overwhelmed by he sees happening around him. The evil is getting him down and people are even telling him to flee. He seems to be saying, however, that he can't do that. He can't just let evil take over without a fight.

He states, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain.' (vs. 1)" Once again, the idea of taking refuge in God in order to be able to do battle arises. We are to find the courage and the strength we need to fight in God alone. It is not in us. We have no power to save.


The psalmist then turns his eyes to God. He acknowledges there are dangers and problems. There are even wicked men waiting to destroy the righteous. Evil is there and it is destroying the foundations of their society, but still, he is not distraught. He looks to God and I can almost hear him declaring triumphantly, "The Lord is in His holy temple". He is saying, this is no problem for God. God is here, why are we afraid. The psalmist is clearly convinced of God's power and His presence. He believes in God's sovereignty over all the earth. He declares it by mentioning that God is looking down from His throne.


We need to remember this when the world is getting us down. God is not dead. God is here. God is in control. He is watching. He is examining each one of us and He knows. He knows who is righteous and who is evil. Nothing in all creation is hidden from the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Heb 4:12-13). The wicked won't make it, the righteous will.

We all love justice deep down. People protest when someone is treated unfairly. It is good to know that there is ultimate justice. There is a final righteous judge. Truth is not relative, regardless what society says. God has set a standard, and He won't make mistakes. In the end, the upright man will see God's face. I want to see His face. I want to make it and with God, I know I can.