“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:8-10
As you sit and read this devotion take just a few moments to consider what you lack at this point in your life. Are you lacking stuff, time, friends, treasures, food, shelter or good health? The final verse from Psalm 34 should cause each of us to take an inventory of our lives and also consider how others on this planet might reply of what it is they may be lacking.
The child in the attached photo attends the Lutheran school in Bois Marchand on the northern edge of Gonaives. I can’t imagine what she would say that she lacks, probably food at home as she told me that she had nothing to eat before walking to school and nothing to eat the night before we met on this hot day in March of 2010.
If we all continue to ‘seek the Lord’ we will realize how many blessings have been poured out for us and not be tempted by the ‘needs’ of this sinful world. Our Heavenly Father sent His only Son into this world to pay the price for our sins and Jesus promised that He has prepared a mansion in Heaven for each of us. Seek the Lord and lack nothing. In 1876 Henry Baker wrote ‘Redeemed, restored, forgiven’ and this hymn sums up all that we have today and will have in eternity.
“Redeemed, restored, forgiven, through Jesus' precious blood. Heirs of His home in heaven, oh, praise our pardoning God! Praise Him in tuneful measures Who gave His Son to die; praise Him whose sevenfold treasures enrich and sanctify. Once on the dreary mountain we wandered far and wide; far from the cleansing fountain, far from the pierced side. But Jesus sought and found us and washed our guilt away; with cords of love He bound us to be His own for aye. Dear Master, Thine the glory of each recovered soul. Ah! who can tell the story of love that made us whole? Not ours, not ours, the merit; be Thine alone the praise and ours a thankful spirit to serve Thee all our days. Now keep us, holy Savior, in Thy true love and fear and grant us of Thy favor. The grace to persevere till in Thy new creation; earth's time-long travail o'er, we find our full salvation and praise Thee evermore. “
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay