Our scripture this morning is Psalms 34:18-19 (NLT).
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
This psalm sounds like wisdom from Proverbs. It tells us that when we reach rock bottom – broken hearted and crushed spirit – we find God waiting to help us. The sad part is it doesn’t have to be this way. God is always there for us, but we usually rely on ourselves until we are out of options.
In Ezekiel 11:19 we read “And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.” This is our biggest problem, not trusting that God always has our best interest in mind. We often turn to God as a last resort, rather than calling on His strength and love in every situation we face.
Putting God first in all we do builds our relationship with Him and our brothers and sisters. When we ask “what’s in this for the kingdom?” rather than “what’s in this for me?” we find a wealth of strength and help. God will make a way for His children to be comforted, equipped, and sent in His name to share the Good News.
Gracious God, You have called us to be part of Your work in the world. We pray for Your guidance in all we do. Amen.
