A Glimpse of Me

“I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the LORD.”

—Psalm 40:1–3

Encouragement for Today

If you continue to long for an answer to prayer, wait patiently for God to act, and meanwhile, keep on praying and trusting. Keep on crying out to him. Be willing to testify of God’s goodness when he does deliver you. In fact, if you can think of times when he has helped you in the past, dwell on them now. Then—tell someone else! It’s never about you alone; it’s always about God and how he wants to bless others through you. When you recount God’s goodness to yourself and others, you are lifted up out of your pit.

—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

—1 Corinthians 15:58

Encouragement for Today

Do you ever get tired of doing what’s right? Let this verse encourage you. Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. He sees, records, and rewards every effort, so keep on keeping on. His eye is upon you, his pen recording everything for future recompense.

—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

“The one thing I ask of the LORD—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
delighting in the LORD’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”

—Psalm 27:4–5

Encouragement for Today

Living in the “house of the LORD” means dwelling in his presence, moment by moment. When we’re in that “place” spiritually, we are kept safe from trouble. This is also the “way of the LORD” described in the Proverbs passage. Dwelling in God means protection and stability, not being disturbed by what’s happening around you. They are good words for these troubled times. Dwell in God today.

—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

The words for today seem very selfish to me. But it is a fact. We all want to be protected, to be safe from harm. And it is very common in our prayers. “Lord please protect us, make us safe.” Sometimes we can even get so redundant. We want to be safe. In fact, if we could get term life insurance, we also get it because we want to be assured of our future.

But what is is about life that we care so much? We live as if there’s no life after death. Indeed, blessed are those whose hope in the Lord. And that whatever happens, if we truly believe in Him, we know that we will live with Him forever and ever. That’s a real confidence in the Lord.