Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Verse of the Day 3/25

Verse of the Day 3/25
 
Psalm 33:18  Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love,   English Standard Version (ESV)
 
The other day we considered in Proverbs that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1;7) .  Yesterday we were encouraged, reminded and challenged not to "forget the Lord".  I read today's verse in a devotional this morning and chose the ESV because it speaks of God's steadfast love.  Other translations use the words "mercy" and "unfailing love" which are also correct, but for me, the thought of His steadfastness through thick and thin encourages me.
 
The passage starts off by referencing the nation whose God is the Lord, I long for that to be true of our nation once again.  The passage also speaks of the rulers that trust in great armies but truly are not in control.  There is a lot of turmoil in our world today.  Nations are plotting against nations and people are plotting against people.  But God has an overarching plan, His plans will come to pass, and His "eye is on those who fear Him".
 
Whatever we may face today, no matter how insignificant we may seem to be, His eye is on us, and He cares for us with His unfailing, steadfast love and mercy.  I'm reminded of the hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow".
 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Matthew 10:31  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  New King James Version (NKJV) 

 
May we never forget His steadfast love.
 
In Christ,
Mike
 
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
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 33:12-19

English Standard Version (ESV)

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
16 The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

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