Devotional for April 3

In His Name We Put Our Trust 

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalm 33:18-22 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

It is better to be a small flicker of genuine flame than it is to be a great cloud of smoke and mirrors. The fear of the Lord is to love truth and hate lies/hypocrisy/deceit/every false way (Psalm 111:10). Receive with meekness the word of God implanted and rooted in your heart (James 1:21), which enables us to abide in the Spirit of Christ that dwells within (John 15:4-8). Jesus Christ is our King, our Savior, and our God! Purity of heart comes from the will to love Him. The will to love, and the faith to believe, are gifts from God (2 Timothy 1:7). Love is increased by faith as we submit to Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5-7), and with this hope we are filled with light (Matthew 6:22-23). This true light is not blinding (2 Timothy 3:1-7). Rather, it is like the dawning sun in a clear sky shining brighter and brighter until the full brilliance of the noonday (Proverbs 4:14-22). Such is the true knowledge of God (Psalm 1). Wisdom must choice it, faith must believe it, and the hands will surely do it as we depend on God for the ability (Philippians 2:13).

Question

What does it mean to depend on God?

Answer

Being humble enough to know that as a hammer or saw we have much less to do with any outcome than the hand of the Carpenter who fashions and wields each tool (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Utterly refuse to worry (1 Peter 5:6-7), and let God be God (Philippians 4:6).

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give me this bread, that he may live in me, and I in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. from the Book of Common Prayer