Verse of the Day 7/26

 

Psalm 67:1-2  May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
² that your way may be known on earth,
    your saving power among all nations.   English Standard Version (ESV)

 

We'll conclude our look at the call, the prayer throughout the psalms for God to be gracious to us with today's verse from Psalm 67.  The others that we've looked had have been personal calls for God's help, mercy, healing, forgiveness and strength. Here we have something a little different.  The prayer is for us.  Just as we need God personally in each of our lives, this is a prayer that can be offered for our families, our churches, our communities and our nation.

 

The word Selah at the end of verse one means to stop, to think calmly and thoughtfully about what you've just read before moving on.  It is a good practice to get into as we read the scriptures.  What would it mean to you, to your family, church, community and nation for God to be gracious to us today?  How would we react, how would we live?  It should have an influence, no, more than that, it should direct us in the way we should live.  If we do, God's grace will be seen in the lives of "us".

 

I just happened to read Jeremiah 29 in my devotions today.  The following verses made me stop and think about them.

 

Jeremiah 29:5-7 Build yourselves houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat the fruit of them.

⁶ Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not be diminished.

⁷ And seek (inquire for, require, and request) the peace and welfare of the city to which I have caused you to be carried away captive; and pray to the Lord for it, for in the welfare of [the city in which you live] you will have welfare.Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare^[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

We may feel that we've been away from God, in exile in our own lives.  Wherever we find ourselves, God knows where we are and will meet us there.  Start seeking Him in the place where you are.  There is no pilgrimage required except for the pilgrimage of the heart, back to God.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Psalm 67

English Standard Version (ESV)

Make Your Face Shine upon Us

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
² that your way may be known on earth,
    your saving power among all nations.
³ Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you judge the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

⁶ The earth has yielded its increase;
    God, our God, shall bless us.
⁷ God shall bless us;
    let all the ends of the earth fear him!