As believers, when we turned our lives over to Jesus, through salvation, our decision included leaving our sinful nature behind, fully trusting Jesus, and walking forward in the freedom of the new life that only Jesus could offer us. In Psalm 37, King David reflected as an older man on his life. He could see that God’s grace, mercy, justice, and faithfulness were there for him all along. In this place of mature wisdom, David understood that he did not need to be fearful, anxious, or angry throughout his life. Rather, all he needed was to rest patiently in the freedom he had in Christ, and to trust that God’s grace, mercy, justice, and faithfulness would bring God’s loving righteousness to Him and to all of God’s Family. This same divine revelation that King David had is the same Truth that exists for us as believers. Like David, the freedom we have in Christ releases us from the anxieties, fear, and anger of this world, and as we rest in Christ, in that trusted stillness we can receive what we need from God.
This week I am finishing up, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero. It’s a required book for one of my college courses. In yesterday’s devotion I talked about spending quiet time with the Lord, and that came as a result of Chapter 6 – Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath. Scazzero encourages believers to incorporate the Daily Office and Sabbath into our weekly routines. The Daily Office is not mentioned by name in the Bible, rather the foundational principle is mentioned throughout Scripture. It’s setting daily time with the Lord. Some call it Divine Office, Fixed Hour of Prayer, Daily Prayer, etc. It’s the principle that David reminds us of in today’s passage, that we are to “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act” (v.7). The Daily Office equips us to stop several times through each day to rest in the Lord, to be silence so we can hear from the Holy Spirit, to be one with Scripture so we can receive Truth, and to commune in prayer with, Jesus, the One Whom we are waiting patiently to act on our behalf. The Sabbath offers us the same, just a longer period of time in oneness with God, the One Whom created us and rested Himself. I am not here to tell you how, when, where, and the length of time you are to do your Daily Offices and/or Sabbath but having incorporated both this past week into my life as a required part of a college course, has actually brought a greater oneness with the Lord.
Psalm 37 (NLT)
A psalm of David.
1 Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the freedom that we have in You. Help us to find time each day where we can be still with You. This world is hectic, but You are our peace. We want to be in Your presence, Jesus, where we can rest in You. We trust You with our lives. Please continue to release our fears, anxieties, and anger. We want to patiently wait on You and Your faithful work in and through each one of us, and all around us. Holy Spirit, draw us deeper in oneness with You. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.