- …I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul… Psalm 131:1b-2a – I’m really glad this was our passage for the first Daily DEVO of the year. After 2020 it’s far too easy for me to get into a panic trying to plan for all the possible challenges and craziness that may ensue this new year. Yet what I believe God wants me to do is not occupy my mind with things I can’t change even with the grandest amount of worry I can give it. He wants me to quiet my soul and place my hope in Him for this next year. So as I sit and look out my window this morning and see the snow fall, I’m choosing to quiet my mind this year and trust in Him. Yes, 2021 may be even crazier than 2020, but God showed us He can provide and get us through one of the worst years our world has seen for awhile. I have confidence He can again. So enjoy the blessings of today, don’t occupy yourself with worries of things too great for you. Leave that in the hands of a God who’s proven He loves us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1495
- O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:1-2 – Humility is the message we are taught from this psalm. We have David acknowledging that words had been said of him that he was reaching for positions in Saul’s kingdom that weren’t right for him or that his eyes were ones of pride while he served the king. Now we see David’s response, that his ambitions were not after prideful things nor were his eyes filled with envy. He wasn’t allowing his thoughts to dwell on things they shouldn’t be. He also had chosen to calm and quiet his heart towards those saying such things about him. This psalm is a good heart check for us as we are moving forward in life. Is our heart beginning to find itself prideful about our position and God-given gifts? Is our eyes looking at others with envy, fueling our discontent? Are we choosing to quiet our heart when the anger or frustration with others begins to grow? Christ demonstrated the perfect example for us of what true humility looks like. He is all powerful but served even the outcast. He is given the throne of Heaven but sat with the lowly. He deserves the glory of Heaven but was born a baby in a manger. He bore the mockery and violence of sinful men and chose to die for them rather than reject them. Humility is not a natural direction our sin nature leans towards, but humility is a posture exemplified by Jesus and a posture followers of Jesus should seek to imitate. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2262
Daily DEVO 