Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel. You forgave the guilt of your people yes, you covered all their sins. Interlude You held back your fury. You kept back your blazing anger. Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us once more. Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to all generations? Wont you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven. Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest. Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭85‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants to bless His people, but there are consequences for disobeying what is right. Some of these consequences come directly from the Lord, but most of them are natural consequences from our bad decisionsthat affect our relationships, finances, work, play, and health. Yet even when we are dealing with our just consequences, the Bible invites us to pray to God. The psalmist was praying in the middle of punishment that he knows was fair, yet he boldly asked the Lord to end the time of punishment and restore the blessings of His unfailing love.

The Lord wants to bless your life, and the path of righteousness and truth lead to His blessings (vv.10-11). God loves and forgives His people (v.2), reviving them and showing mercy (vv.6-7). No matter what you have done, the Lord will forgive you if you ask. Jesus died to forgive us for our sins, the ultimate expression of Gods love for us. Jesus suffered and died unjustly, which reminds us that there is unjust suffering in the world; there is also spiritual warfare. In all forms of hardships and hard times, even in our own just consequences, the Lord invites us to pray to Him. He is not a cold, distant rule-maker; He is our loving Savior who is always by our sideeven in our punishments.

When you are facing consequences that you know you deserve, do you feel that God is far away or close? How can you remember that Jesus identifies with and is a friend of sinners? What difference does it make to pray to God in the midst of consequences?

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heavens Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heavens Armies, my King and my God! What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Interlude What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem. O Lord God of Heavens Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Jacob. Interlude O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield! Show favor to the one you have anointed. A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O Lord of Heavens Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The house of the Lord is a special place! Sometimes Christians over- emphasize the personal aspects of faith, forgetting the importance of corporate worship. The Lord commands us to gather with His people to worship His namewith our whole heart and soul (v.2). There should be a longing to gather again for worship (vv.2-3, 10), and there is joy and blessing for those who worship the Lord together (vv.2, 4-5, 12). Weekly gathered worship should be a priority for those who follow Jesus.

The Lord lives everywhere; the universe cannot contain Him. We can worship God anywhere in all the earth, yet there is something special (sacred) about spaces that have been set aside to glorify God. These are the places where we gather with others who love the Lord, praise His name, and have our lives transformed by His love. We need to live out our words of worship every week, and we need to long to gather again with Gods people to praise His name again!

Do you prioritize weekly gathered worship with Gods people? What difference does it make?

O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God. Dont you hear the uproar of your enemies? Dont you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up? They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones. Come, they say, let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence. Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites; Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre. Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Interlude Do to them as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil. Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna, for they said, Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God! O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind! As a fire burns a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze, chase them with your fierce storm; terrify them with your tempest. Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace. Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭83‬:‭1‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Gods timing is hard for us humans. The psalmist knows the mighty works of the Lord, listed in verses 9-11. But the author wants the Lord to act now, in his timing, in his day. The nations have conspired together to destroy Israel, seeking to wipe them off the face of the earth and dishonor the name of the Lord. The psalmist is crying out for Gods justice. But it seemed that the Almighty King was so far away; it felt like our loving Father was silent and indifferent (vv.1-2).

The Lord always works for our good, even when this means times of silence, distance, and punishment. These are very hard for us, especially if we have matured to the point of our faith when we depend on His presence for our power. Yet our loving Father allows us to go through the dark night of the soul so that we will trust more in His promise than our feelings. He IS always present, but we dont always feel it. But He promised He would never leave us (Deut 31:6; Josh 1:9; Psalm 118:6-7; Matt 28:20; Heb 13:5), and He never will.

Have you ever felt that God was distant? How did you deal with those feelings? How can you trust in the Lords timing, especially when it doesnt make sense

God presides over heavens court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people. But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! They wander about in darkness, while the whole world is shaken to the core. I say, You are gods; you are all children of the Most High. But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler. Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭82‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God is the great Judge; His judgment and true justice go together. We often think that judgment is a bad thing, but there cannot be justice without judgment. We value leaders who have good judgment, and judgment is needed in dating, driving, finances, and more. Our justice system depends on good judges and good judgment by many people. Judgment is a good thing. This psalm cries out for justice for the poor and the orphan (v.3). Powerful oppressors need to be opposed with the good judgment of those who do what is right. Done correctly, worship is not an escape from the world but a call to living Gods justice in the world.

Verse 6 has been misunderstood by many. This verse is not saying that humans are divine; it needs to be read in context. First, the psalm begins by declaring the One true God (v.1). The psalm acknowledges that humans have been given power (by God) to rule on earthyet that power is often abused, leading to injustice (vv.3-4). The psalm continues that though we have almost God-like power, we will die like mortals (because we are! vv.6-7). Therefore, we should judge well and use our power with humility, remembering that our very lives are judged by the true Judge of the world.

Why is it important to have good judgment? How can you use your power and influence to make the world better?

Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp. Blow the rams horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival! For this is required by the decrees of Israel; it is a regulation of the God of Jacob. He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say, Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks. You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. Interlude Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me! You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldnt listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭81‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Worship is so important! This psalm is a call to worship the Lord who saves us, warns us, and forgives us. We worship our God because of who He is and all He has done. Worship is giving God the honor and glory that He deserves. In this psalm, worship includes tambourines, stringed instruments, and horns. We are commanded to singshowing more energy than we do for our favorite teams or celebrities.

Worship changes our focus, taking our attention off ourselves and onto the Savior. It doesnt matter if we like the songs; it matters if God is pleased with our hearts as we praise His name. When worship is done well, it transforms hearts and leads to greater goodness and justice flowing out of our livesbecause we want to become more like the One we are worshiping. The experience of God changes us. We are called to worship together with other believers, reminding us again that worship is not about ourselves.

Why would you say that worship is important? Have you made a commitment to weekly worship with Gods people? How can you grow as a worshiper?

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Josephs descendants like a flock. O God, enthroned above the cherubim, display your radiant glory to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Show us your mighty power. Come to rescue us! Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. O Lord God of Heavens Armies, how long will you be angry with our prayers? You have fed us with sorrow and made us drink tears by the bucketful. You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations. Our enemies treat us as a joke. Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heavens Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land. You cleared the ground for us, and we took root and filled the land. Our shade covered the mountains; our branches covered the mighty cedars. We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea; our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River. But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass by may steal our fruit? The wild boar from the forest devours it, and the wild animals feed on it. Come back, we beg you, O God of Heavens Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevine that you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself. For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown. Strengthen the man you love, the son of your choice. Then we will never abandon you again. Revive us so we can call on your name once more. Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heavens Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭80‬:‭1‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We need Gods help in every area of our lives. This psalm was written in response to experiencing sorrow, scorn, and destruction (vv.5-6, 16), possibly after the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians in 722BC (v.2; cf. 2 Kings 17). Three times the psalm cries out turn us again to yourself, O God (vv.3, 7, 19). We even need the Lords help to repent and desire to come back home to the Fathers love.

We are saved by Gods grace. Jesus died and rose to save us from sinnot just the punishment for sin. This means transformation so that we no longer desire to sin. This heart transformation takes time, and we cannot do it without God Himself living in us. Grace is not only the forgiveness for the punishment but the presence of Gods Spirit within us changing our desires. The Lord is not a coach on the sidelines, giving us advice on what we could do on our own. If we accept Him in, the Holy Spirit lives in us and transforms our desiresthis is grace and what it truly means to be saved from sin. We need Gods help every minute, in every area of our lives.

Why is it important to be saved from the desire for sin, not just the punishment? What desires is the Lord working in you to change?

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us. O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilderness. Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, Where is their God? Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants. Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭79‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Even when we deserve punishment, we can still call out to the Lord for help. The psalmist (likely one of Asaphs descendants) is writing after the Temple had been destroyed (vv.1-3; cf 2 Kings 25), and the author is struggling with what has happenedeven though he knows that Jerusalem was destroyed because of the sins of Gods people. The psalmist is asking for the Lords anger to end (v.5), for forgiveness (v.8), and for Gods help (v.9). He wants Gods enemies to be punished and Gods name to be praised (vv.12-13).

Sometimes when we sin against God, we run ever farther away from Him, which only makes matters worse. We experience shame, sadness, and self-condemnation. Yet the Lord welcomes us with open armseven when we have sinned, even when He is punishing us for our sin. Jesus Himself bears the full punishment for our sins, and He can walk with us even as we experience punishment. When you mess up, dont run away from God; run into His open arms.

When you sin, do you run to God or away from Him? How do you understand the Lords punishment?

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them even the children not yet born and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. The warriors of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned their backs and fled on the day of battle. They did not keep Gods covenant and refused to live by his instructions. They forgot what he had done the great wonders he had shown them, the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! Yet they kept on sinning against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God himself, saying, God cant give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he cant give his people bread and meat. When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, his anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them. But he commanded the skies to open; he opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels! God gave them all they could hold. He released the east wind in the heavens and guided the south wind by his mighty power. He rained down meat as thick as dust birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore! He caused the birds to fall within their camp and all around their tents. The people ate their fill. He gave them what they craved. But before they satisfied their craving, while the meat was yet in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed their strongest men. He struck down the finest of Israels young men. But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him. So he ended their lives in failure, their years in terror. When God began killing them, they finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant. Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury! For he remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns. Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland. Again and again they tested Gods patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power and how he rescued them from their enemies. They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders on the plain of Zoan. For he turned their rivers into blood, so no one could drink from the streams. He sent vast swarms of flies to consume them and hordes of frogs to ruin them. He gave their crops to caterpillars; their harvest was consumed by locusts. He destroyed their grapevines with hail and shattered their sycamore-figs with sleet. He abandoned their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. He loosed on them his fierce anger all his fury, rage, and hostility. He dispatched against them a band of destroying angels. He turned his anger against them; he did not spare the Egyptians lives but ravaged them with the plague. He killed the oldest son in each Egyptian family, the flower of youth throughout the land of Egypt. But he led his own people like a flock of sheep, guiding them safely through the wilderness. He kept them safe so they were not afraid; but the sea covered their enemies. He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this land of hills he had won for them. He drove out the nations before them; he gave them their inheritance by lot. He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes. But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High. They did not obey his laws. They turned back and were as faithless as their parents. They were as undependable as a crooked bow. They angered God by building shrines to other gods; they made him jealous with their idols. When God heard them, he was very angry, and he completely rejected Israel. Then he abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the Tabernacle where he had lived among the people. He allowed the Ark of his might to be captured; he surrendered his glory into enemy hands. He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword, because he was so angry with his own peoplehis special possession. Their young men were killed by fire; their young women died before singing their wedding songs. Their priests were slaughtered, and their widows could not mourn their deaths. Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep, like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor. He routed his enemies and sent them to eternal shame. But he rejected Josephs descendants; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. He chose instead the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loved. There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens, as solid and enduring as the earth. He chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacobs descendants Gods own people, Israel. He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭78‬:‭1‬-‭72‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is a long psalm because Asaph is reminding Gods people about the greatness of the Lord. The last psalm taught that remembering the Lords miracles and faithfulness helps us overcome feeling that God is against us or has abandoned us. This psalm continues to declare the greatness of our God by telling the stories of His faithfulness. Telling these stories makes a difference! These stories should be shared, taught, and passed on to the next generation (vv.1-8).

There are a few key lessons from this psalm. First, we should not harden our hearts and stubbornly rebel against the Lord (vv.8, 17-19, 32, 40, 56-58). Our way is not the best way; the easy way is not always the right way. Second, we need to remember all that God has done for us (vv.11-16, 23-29, 35-37, 42-43). Third, the Lord will punish us, His people, when we do wrong (vv.21-22, 31, 59-64). God has the right to punish us for doing wrong; His discipline is love. Finally, the psalm emphasizes that we need to repent and return to our loving God, and He will accept us (vv.34, 38, 72).

When life has gotten you down, how many Bible stories do you tell to remind you of the greatness of God? Which lesson from the psalm do you need to apply to your life today?

I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. Interlude You dont let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! I think of the good old days, long since ended, when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? Interlude And I said, This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me. But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Interlude When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters a pathway no one knew was there! You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭1‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Is God the reason for the bad in our lives? Pastors and theologians will quickly tell us no, but the Bible understands this human emotion. Asaph expresses the feeling many people have felt: God seems far away (v.3) and even against us (vv.4, 10). Even when we cry out for His help, He seems not to answer, and our souls find no comfort (v.2). We can know that God will never forsake us (Psalm 94:14; Matt 28:20; Heb 13:5), and He is close to the brokenhearted (Psa 34:18). But we can still feel these things, and Gods word validates these feelings while showing us the way forward.

Asaphs feelings didnt go away, but he remembered all the powerful things the Lord had donein the Bible and in his own life (vv.11-20). Our hearts will feel incredibly low moments, so low that we will believe what is not true (that God has stopped loving us). In these times it is helpful to remember the character and actions of the Lord. Your feelings are real, yet the endless list of Gods greatness is a powerful testimony to the truth: God is good, He loves you, and He is not abandoned you.

How can you remember that God is faithful, even when your life is so difficult? How can you help others who are struggling in their faith?

God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel. Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home. There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. Interlude You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains. Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us. At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still. No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before you when your anger explodes? From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you. You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. Interlude Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon. Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One. For he breaks the pride of princes, and the kings of the earth fear him.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭76‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Making promises to God is more than just believing in Him; this is a relationship based on promisesboth His and ours. The psalm ends with a clear call to make vows to the Lord and keep them. This psalm is about the victory of God in battle. So often we pray for the Lord to be on our side, but the more important question is if we are on His side. We are called to follow Him, make promises, and keep them. When we fail we can be forgiven. These verses confidently proclaim that our Lord will be victorious over all.

Make no mistake: there is a spiritual battle going on. Humans are not the enemy; they are why the battle is being fought. Our good and loving God is fighting for our hearts, and we make choices every day to get us closer to the Father or closer to darkness. We often judge our eternal Lord based on our temporary feelings, which can change with circumstances, weather, or even music. It is not wrong to feel far from Godit is in the Bible after all! But we have a choice, even when Jesus seems far away, to remain faithful to the One who will never forsake us (Matt 28:20). This is the battle, and our choices matter.

How can Gods character and victory give you confidence today? What battles are going on in your life right now, and how can you chose the way of Jesus?