Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotionals

He Satisfies

God did not create any need He could not satisfy! He did not create food that would simply taste good. He created food that would taste good and satisfy our hunger – food that would nourish and sustain us, comforts us, and brings us enjoyment. Every hunger or need that we have - whether spiritual, emotional, physical, or social - can be fulfilled out of the abundance of His creation. That includes this life and the life to come. He is a needs-meeting God.

Listen to the Psalmist: “For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” If we are thirsty, we must drink the water that He provides to quench our thirst through His Son. If we are hungry, we must eat the Bread of Life which is His Son. Unless we ask the Lord to become our Savior, we will live lives that are empty, unsatisfied, and unfulfilled. Only when we are willing to allow Him to fill the needs He has placed deep within us with His Son will we become complete.

There is a story of a little boy returning home from the store with a jar of honey. After struggling for quite some time to open it, he finally succeeded. He stuck his finger into the jar to taste its contents. An older man watching him from a distance approached him.

“Is it sweet?” he asked. “Yes, Sir,” came the reply. “How sweet?” asked the man. “Well, Sir, I can’t describe it. It’s so sweet it more than satisfies my need for candy. But I’ll tell you what. You stick your finger in the jar and taste it for yourself, and then you’ll know.”

‘Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” He alone can satisfy our every need.

Prayer: Lord, fill the emptiness in our lives with Your presence as You become our Redeemer, Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9

Right Way - Wrong Way

God created us to follow Him - not to forsake Him. He chooses for us triumph over temptation - not struggle with guilt for surrendering to sin. He wants us to walk with Him and not stray from Him because of our self-centeredness. He waits to help us achieve the potential He has given us and not be satisfied with less than what is possible. He is willing and able to share His wisdom and give His insights whenever we need to make any decision- if only we ask Him.

There are many wrong ways but only one “best” way - His way. And only God can reveal that way, His way, to us. We may search one way and then another, try this route, or another until it comes to a dead end. However, only when we allow God to lead us will we be in the center of His will.

Israel’s experience during the Exodus gives us a great example of God’s guidance and guardianship.

The Psalmist gives us a vivid picture of what can happen when people “try to make it on their own” and do not follow God: “Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. Some were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.” How sad. How true. Without God’s guidance, we are all wanderers!

“Then they cried out to the Lord!” And listen to what happened. “He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.”

No one will ever find a “straight way” to a “safe place” in life unless they surrender their life to God and follow Him. Life without God is a “wasteland,” and unless we accept His salvation, our lives will “ebb away.”

Prayer: Lord, we come to You and ask You to save us from our sins and then lead us safely into Your presence. Thank you for guarding us as You guide us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Psalm 107:7

Grace For Our Grief

God’s grace is greater than any grief we may ever have to endure. Psalm 107 describes the greatness of His grace with the Israelites.

First, like them, we are pilgrims: “They wandered in desert wastelands...” We are all “wandering” as pilgrims most of the time. We struggle to determine right from wrong and often make wrong decisions because we have left God out of our thoughts. We have a great example of what to do when this happens: When the children of Israel realized that they were wandering, they returned to the Lord and asked for His directions. He would always welcome them back and point them, once again, in the right direction. Remember, too, the words of Jesus: “I am the way.” Wherever or whenever we wander, His grace is always available to welcome us back.

Second, we are all prisoners: “Some of them (were) prisoners, suffering in chains.” Sin fascinates for a while, but it soon fastens us in chains that keep us from enjoying God’s best. Habits are easy to form but difficult to forsake. But when the Israelites called upon God to free them, He always “snapped” their chains, and they were released from their bondage. Whomever God saves, His grace sets free.

Third, we are often overwhelmed with grief when persons we thought loved us turn on us and hurt and harm us. “...give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.” We have all suffered unbearable pain when someone whom we thought loved us turned against us and tried to destroy us. Being abandoned is difficult to survive alone. Thank God Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” We have His promise of His never-ending presence.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that You love us, care for us and will always be there for us. You are Home, Freedom, and You are Faithful. Thank You for Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. Psalm 107:4

Quiet Christians

For many years two neighbors rode the same train to work in downtown Chicago. George went to church regularly, and if pressed, would admit to being a Christian. But he never allowed being a Christian to interfere with his life. On the other hand, Will never went to church and had no use for godly things. As they rode the train each day, they discussed business strategies, sports, politics, religion, and current events. They rarely mentioned God.

One morning Will became violently ill and was rushed to the hospital. After a series of tests, his physician informed his wife that he would not live longer than a few days - if that long. Frightened, his wife said, “Perhaps we’d better call George and talk about God.”

“George? Talk about God? Why George? He rarely mentioned God to me or that he knew Him. So, I doubt that he would be the right person to call,” said Will. Without saying another word, he passed into eternity - lost.

When George heard the news, he was stunned and filled with guilt. There was nothing he could do for Will now but go to God and ask for forgiveness for not being a witness and promise to become faithful. The words of the Psalmist echoed loudly in his ears: “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”

Unfortunately, the Kingdom of God is filled with too many citizens like George. They know the Lord from a distance but are unwilling to speak as His ambassadors. They believe that they have “theirs” and that’s all that matters. But there is no denying that if indeed God has redeemed us, we will present Him faithfully to others!

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our silence and refusal to be faithful in presenting Your message to the lost around us! Give us the courage to be light in this world of darkness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Psalm 107:2a

Our God Is A Good God!

Mary Jo spent part of her spring vacation with her Grandmother. When she returned home, her mother asked, “Were you a good girl?”

“Mom, I was so good that I could hardly stand it,” she replied. “It’s a wonder I had any fun I was so good.”

The word “good” is difficult to measure. There is no “good-er” or “good-est.” Why? Because the word good is only applicable to God. And we must never forget that it is not possible for God to improve on anything He does or do anything any “good-er.”

On one occasion when Jesus was starting on a trip, a man came running up to Him and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get into heaven?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good!”

His reply did not disclaim that He, too, was good. On the contrary! He claimed and proclaimed His goodness when He confessed that He was God!

Unfortunately, the young man regarded Jesus as a human teacher only. For him to attach the word “good” to a mere human being was a bad thing. So, it was necessary for him to understand that only God is good and that no one other than God is, in fact, good. Jesus is good because He is God.

Whenever we think of ourselves, we must always remember who we are, how we think, and that we are human. When we think of God, however, we must shout with the Psalmist, “Give thanks to God for He is good!”

Prayer: Thank you, Father, that You are good and, in that goodness, we see Your love, grace, and salvation. When we look at You, we see Your goodness and our need. Help us to be more like you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1