Daily Devotional

January 11, 2006

(Psa 119:13 KJV)  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

The head of a household at the morning meal had asked the blessing as usual, thanking God for a bountiful provision. Immediately afterward he began to grumble about the hard times, the poor quality of food he was forced to eat, & the way it was cooked.
     His little daughter interrupted him. "Father," she began, "do you suppose God heard what you said a little while ago?"
     "Certainly," he replied confidently.
     "And did He hear what you said about the bacon & the coffee?"
     "Of course"--not quite so confidently.
     "Then, Father, which did God believe?"

Oh, it is so easy to declare God’s righteous judgments in our lives by repeating our memorized “catechism”.  When we are on guard of the public eye, how righteous can we sound, how pious can we appear!  But the truth about ourselves really comes out when we are “alone”, or in our familiar surroundings, and not so much on guard about others.  Then it is known, if only by our conscience, and certainly by the Lord who already knew, whether we are really thankful for the righteousness of the judgments of God in our lives; His judgments of what He allows to be “dished out” to us.

Oh Lord, help me not to be like the hypocrites who appear righteous on the outside, while inside are full of envy, doubts, complaining and murmuring (Mat 23:27).  Help me to declare the righteousness of your judgments with my mouth and with my heart.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
(Psa 51:6 KJV)