Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotionals

Unfailing Love

In today’s world “unfailing” and “love” are two words that, for most individuals, are left to one’s imagination or personal interpretation. “Unfailing” for some would be interpreted as not giving up “until I get bored,” or “until I find something more interesting to do,” or “I’ve taken my turn, now it’s up to someone else,” or “let’s try something more exciting!”

And the meaning of “love” for many is interpreted by the personal attractiveness of another and only lasts until someone more glamorous or interesting or challenging comes along. More often than not there is no personal cost involved in loving another or a willingness to be bothered or inconvenienced by another’s needs. It does not have an enduring or eternal quality attached to it. It’s for “this moment only” and “not to be counted on for the long haul.”

With God it’s different. The Psalmist wrote, “May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant.” The little prefix “un” means “never giving out” or “inexhaustible” and makes a very powerful statement about the nature of His love.

We have no difficulty in believing that God loves us when everything in our world is “perfect” - every problem solved, every bill paid, and everyone in the family is healthy and smiling at one another. Life’s good!

But then, tragedy strikes. Is life still good, is His love still unfailing, and will He now provide His comfort?

The answer is locked-up in the word “promise.” We can search every verse until our eyes grow dim and hearts stop beating: if God said it, He meant it, and we can believe it.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the promise of Your unfailing love. We give ourselves to You for we know that, though others may fail us, You will not! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76

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When What Is - Is Not Enough

Many doubt that our God is the creator of all that is and that He is in control of what we see as well as what we cannot see. The Psalmist is not one who has any doubt about this fact. He goes far beyond the majestic statement that we hold dear: “In the beginning, God created...” In simple words, he acknowledged that “Your hands,” (God) “have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding that I may learn Your commands.” In other words, he realized that he was more than a creature that began in the mud. He was the most important part of God’s creation and needed God to give him His understanding of things.

“God,” he declared, “You not only took time to make me, but You fashioned me for a specific purpose in this, Your universe. I need You, God, to tell me what that purpose is!”

The word “fashioned” is a term that refers to the work of a potter making an object out of clay. Although the same clay may be used for different vessels or objects, each one has been “fashioned” for a specific purpose. The size, shape, and purpose of each vessel the potter makes are always determined in the mind of the potter before he begins to form it on his wheel.

So, it is with God. His Word tells us that “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you...I set you apart...I appointed you...” Although God has a plan for us, the Psalmist says we must look to Him for that plan and search His Word to understand it. He made us in His image, but we must allow Him to fashion us for the specific purpose He has for us.

Prayer: Father, You made us so You understand us. Please give us an understanding of Your will and a willingness to follow it all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. Psalm 119:73

Better Than Silver And Gold

A pastor who served people in a ghetto was visiting a family that was going through a difficult time of making ends meet. As he got up to leave, he noticed an old, well-worn Bible on a shelf. As he neared the door, he said, “I saw something in this room that has more value than any amount of money. I wonder if you will ever find it.”

A few days later while dusting the shelves, one of the children discovered the Bible. Holding it very carefully, she took it to her Dad, and asked, “Could this have been what the preacher-man saw? Wonder if this is what he meant.”

Holding it very carefully, he placed it on the table and took great care to open it. Then he looked down and noticed a verse that was underlined with a red pencil: “The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

He began to weep quietly as his wife and children sat silently around him. Finally, he was able to speak and said, “This is my mother’s Bible. Before she died, she gave it to me and asked me to read it every day, and I promised her that I would. But, I let her down, and I’ve let you - my family - down. Maybe God led us to this difficult time in our lives so we would find this verse she underlined to help us, encourage us, and give us strength.”

God works in many strange and subtle ways. He even brings times of difficulty and desperation into our lives to get our attention. He has never promised that our days would always be filled with sunshine and blue skies. But, He has promised that when we look to Him and His Word, we will find salvation, hope, and encouragement.

Prayer: Help us, Heavenly Father, to realize the wealth we will find in Your Word when we have nothing else left. Then, teach us to mine the riches found there. And Thank You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. Psalm 119:72

What - Not Why

“I wouldn’t go through my experience with cancer again for a million dollars,” said a friend to me recently. “But then again, I wouldn’t take a million dollars for it, either.”

Could it be that the most painful experiences in life are sometimes the most profitable? Is it not true that after we have struggled through one of the most challenging times in our lives we take a deep breath and say, “Thank You, Lord. That ended up as a great blessing! I sincerely appreciate Your presence and peace during the dark days and long nights. I would not have made it without You.”

“It is good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees!” said the Psalmist, after his ordeal.

As he struggled and strained with deep fears and high anxieties, he did not ask, “Why are these things happening to me?” Instead he asked, “What can I learn from them?”

“Why” is often a useless word. Most of the problems we face or the difficult issues that challenge or confront us cannot be answered if we ask, “Why?” Asking a different question is usually more beneficial: “What, God, are You trying to teach me?” usually brings the best answers.

“A.J.” was a very successful leader. Nearly everyone looked up to him. He had answers to questions and insight to issues that others overlooked. One day he was in an accident and lost his sight. He did not ask, “Why Lord?” After realizing that his condition was permanent, he asked, “What can I do for You now, Lord?”

Prayer: We pray, Lord, that we will learn to ask, “What can I do for You with the ‘unusual gifts’ You give me?” Help us to recognize that our suffering can be a tool for You to use in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: It is good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. Psalm 119:71

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Suffering And Obedience

A member of a tourist group noticed a shepherd carrying food to one of his sheep. He was very curious and asked, “What happened? Is one of your sheep having problems?”

“Yes,” came the reply. “I have a sheep with a broken leg.”

“What happened? Did he fall over a cliff? Did an animal bite him?” he asked.

“Oh, no,” said the shepherd. “I broke it.”

“My goodness,” said the tourist. “You broke your sheep’s leg on purpose? I thought that shepherds loved their sheep more than anything else. I’ve even heard stories about shepherds searching for a lost sheep all night long. How could you do such a thing? Were you angry? Don’t you love your sheep?”

“Of course, I love my sheep,” replied the shepherd. “That’s why I broke its leg. This was a ‘wayward’ sheep. When it strayed from the flock, it led other sheep with it. Something had to be done to preserve the life of this sheep and to prevent it from leading other sheep astray. I broke its leg and reset it to teach it obedience. Now, it waits for me to feed it and eats out of my hand. It will never leave me again and will stay by my side. Finally, it is obedient.”

There was a Psalmist who must have had an experience like the sheep in this story. In writing of his experience, he said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your voice.” Suffering has a purpose.

Prayer: No one likes to hurt, Lord. Yet, we ask that You do whatever is necessary to keep us close to You. Discipline us so we will be good disciples. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your voice. Psalm 119:67

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