Devotional for May 24

Teach Me Discernment

65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Psalm 119:65-72 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The comfort zone is a sedative for the soul that rocks one to sleep with a false expectation of victory at some unknown point in the future. You may not always get what you deserve, but never expect to get more than what you have earned in this temporal world. Don’t expect to start at the top, don’t expect to move up by only doing the bare minimum, and don’t expect to get something extra for doing only what is required. Thank God Almighty that through the redemptive work of Christ Jesus, we escape what we truly deserve. Now the sons of God need to hunger and thirst for righteousness with the whole heart in full assurance that He who promises that we will be filled is faithful. Wait for the Lord. We are sons of the God of all comfort, and from Him all blessing flow. 

Question

Why do we suffer?

Answer

Suffering is a consequence of sin (Romans 8:19-22, 5:8-12; 1 John 1:9-10) and this broken world will hobble on until the end (Habakkuk 2:2-4; Isaiah 25:8-9, 19:21-25, Mathew 25:32-46). Suffering is indeed unavoidable in this present world (Ecclesiastes 9:2-4; Romans 7:24-25; 1 Peter 4: 1-2, Hebrews 5:8; Galatians 5:16-17). The best we can do is to choose our suffering wisely (Proverbs 24:27; Psalm 127:1; Ecclesiastes 9:10; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:15-19). Be of good cheer (Romans 8:18; 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18; Revelation 21:4-6). The children of God are destined not just to bare suffering and affliction, but to thrive right through it all (James 1:2-4; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Ephesians 6:10; Psalm 92:13-15; Ephesians 3:14-21).

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep me, I pray, from all things that may hurt me, that I, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with a free heart those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.