Devotion
Let All The People Praise You
Frances Taylor
We are now about half-way in the Easter season. Are we still giving praise to God with thankful hearts for sending his Son to save us? The psalmist is grateful for God's blessing in providing the people with a good harvest and prays that God's salvation is known throughout the world that they knew. We have so much more to be grateful for than the people of this time, and the gift of salvation is so much more than a good harvest. Jesus has come and has died for us – salvation is ours. He has assured us that there is life after death by allowing his followers to know of his resurrection and told them that they and we will rise as well. Just as the psalm says of the Father, Jesus will also judge the peoples with equity as they come before him at the time of their death. We tend to cheer for weeks – sometimes more – when our favorite sports team wins a major victory telling all the people we know how great it is. Why don't we talk about God's goodness to us in the same glowing terms? It's still the Easter season, let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Prayer
Lord, we are so wrapped up in the things of this world, that we forget you. May we express our gratitude openly to those around us. Amen.
Night Prayer
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Inspiration
We despise the thought of a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. The outside is easy to clean; it's the caked-up residue on the inside that's so difficult to remove. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees with dishes that have been wiped clean on the outside while dirty inside. The Pharisees took exceptional care of their outward appearance and neglected their inward spirits. We are guilty of allowing our hearts to be left filthy as well. We look and act as we should while our souls are full of darkness. We must continue to converse with the Holy Spirit daily and trust His guidance to cleanse our sinful nature.
Prayer
Dear God, Please forgive our sinful nature. We yearn for cleansing from within, so we are genuine witnesses to Your name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
