- In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah 9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. Psalm 44:8-9 – While we aren’t certain on the exact time period this psalm was referring to, it’s clear Israel was in a state of defeat and despair. While being told of God’s wonderous deeds of old and how the Lord rescued Israel from so many enemies in the nation’s past, this current generation of Israel wasn’t seeing such salvation. While verse 8 seems to close on a high note of praise to the Lord, verse 9 till the end of the psalm tells of their anguish. They feel rejected and disgraced by God. They’ve been sold, made a laughing stock, and feel like sheep ready for the slaughter. While sitting in such a dismal state, their question of the Lord was, “Why are you sleeping!?” Why are you not moving on behalf of your people like you did before? This is an honest question they were asking of the Lord, and likely a question you have asked to. When we read scripture, or when we hear testimonies of others, and we see the grand ways God came through for them, it can cause us to question things because we may not be seeing the same level of grandeur in our life from the Lord. In those spaces, know the Lord is not sleeping on you. He sees and He knows what’s going on. While that might fuel the frustration even more, choose to trust that if He sees and He knows yet isn’t moving, there is a holy reason behind it. Our God doesn’t find joy in seeing His children in pain or navigating trials, but He will allow such things into their lives if the result is a closer walk with Him or the lost coming to know Him. Take heart then in your trial, know God is awake and with you and has His purpose in this. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2999
- O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old Psalms 44:1 – They knew about all that God did in the lives of those who came before them. They knew about God’s power, love, and grace. How? Because someone told them. That’s how it’s going to happen today as well. We want this broken world to begin following Jesus then someone needs to tell them. You want that family member that doesn’t follow Jesus to follow Him, tell them of how good He is and His love. How will they hear if no one says anything? Remember, the reason why they are in your life and you have a relationship with them and you see them and you talk with them…is because they have been placed in your life for you to show Jesus to them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 980
- All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way…Psalm 44:17-18 – If you read through the previous verses that describe for us what the psalmist meant by “all this” it can be confusing why God decided to let His people taste all that. Being rejected, not fighting with them, scattering, and being a disgrace are just a few of the ways the psalmist speaks of their lot. All this after apparently a faithful pursuit of God. Why was this their lot? Why does this happen in our story? When we walk faithfully yet feel as if we are being punished. I know that sometimes God will use us in the life of someone else and we’ll experience struggle all for the purpose of someone other than ourselves coming to know Jesus. I know God will allow us to taste a refining now in order to prepare us for something long away in our future. What we must remember when it feels like He’s abandoned us is that He hasn’t. He is present always and is working always. When we taste struggle as a result of our faithful pursuit of Him remember Jesus was more faithful than us and it lead Him to a cross. Struggle and hardship when we are faithful means God is working on our story not that He has stepped away. The roughest seasons are often accompanied by the richest progress. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1761
Daily DEVO 