Remembering the character of God and the wonderful things he has done moves us to praise and thank our great God for who he is and what he has done. This series of devotions have been written by Sarah Condie to encourage you to ponder the loving deeds of the Lord, so that songs of joy and thankfulness bubble forth from within you. Some devotions will focus on small but significant habits, while others will focus on the character of God.
At the end of each devotion and prayer, Sarah has provided a link to a song. Everyone’s taste in music is unique, so please, if you don’t like her choices, choose songs that you love.
Psalm 18
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.
Reflection:
‘Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.’ Ephesians 6:24
A year ago, I became a Granny. Since then, I have enjoyed spending time with my granddaughter and getting to know her and falling more and more in love with her. And she has gotten to know me. When she sees me, she smiles, and she puts her arms out towards me; she wants to be held in my arms.
Last week, we were out, and she was seated in her stroller. I had gone to buy coffee and on returning, I could see her excitement. Her feet and toes started to twitch up and down, she began waving her hands in the air, and she smiled with every part of her body. This was Emi’s way of saying, ‘I love you Granny, I know I am safe with you, I know that you care for me, I know that you love me.’ It made me smile with delight to be loved and known by this little person.
There is an interplay of love in our relationship with God our Father. We have a Father who knows us intimately, who sees us, hears us, and speaks tenderly to us. In the same way that I speak to my granddaughter, our Heavenly Father says to you, dear reader, ‘I love you, precious one, and you are in a safe space here with me.’ You are fully known and fully loved. And his love for us brings forth our response of love towards him.
Today, as you sit in this safe space, you can praise him in words and in song. And just as my heart is filled with delight seeing my granddaughter respond to me, I am sure God finds delight and joy when we speak of his greatness and his wondrous deeds and give voice to him in song with thankful and loving hearts.
Prayer:
I love you, Lord, my strength.
You are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.
In you I take refuge, as you are my strength and shield, my stronghold.
Thank you that you love me more than I can imagine.
Thank you that you let your son Jesus pay the price for my sin and that I am forgiven and washed new. Pour your Spirit on me today as I sing of your wondrous deeds. Amen.
Song: The Love of the Father by CityAlight
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5Vfk6jMyTA1rr1VP0uMxLQ?si=a116d8c356ff45ca
YouTube: https://youtu.be/QVA5s0w17I8
This series of devotions was written for and first published by The Bible Society Australia.
