"Strength of Soul"
Jul. 22, 2019
I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your Name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your Name and Your Word. On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.
~ Psalm 138:2-3 (ESV)
When a prayer is answered as we hoped, there is nothing quite like the joy it brings. We may feel as if all the promises of God's Word are fulfilled in that one answered prayer. We cannot stop praising His holy Name and sharing the good news. We grow confident in faith, assured once again that God is faithful as we always knew Him to be. Our "strength of soul" is increased. With such a gift of answered prayer, we could move mountains!
But what if the hoped-for answer is not given? What if God's will in the circumstances we face is different than our own plans? Our strength of soul may wither in the face of disappointment and grief. In such crushing times we acknowledge the truth of God's statement: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8). We can be sure that our prayers have been heard and, as we bear a cross, the Holy Spirit will be at work through the Word to increase our strength of soul.
In days of crisis or loss, we learn once again to lean on our Heavenly Father, trusting Him, knowing that for the sake of Christ Jesus our Savior, He looks on us with love and favor. We learn to pray, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life" (Psalm 138:7a). We have our own ideas and plans, but our Father's wisdom and compassion are far greater than our own. His will surrounds us like a shielding wall, and we learn to pray as our Lord did in Gethsemane, "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 2:42b). Jesus' prayer—that He might not drink the cup of suffering, the cup of God's wrath against sin—was not answered as Jesus asked. It was the Father's will that His Son drain that cup of suffering for the sake of our salvation. Our lives were preserved as the Son yielded up His life.
In faith and confident humility we join the psalmist to pray, "Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands" (Psalm 138:8). The answer to that prayer is already confirmed in God's Word: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b). We hear God's faithful promise and once again His Name and Word are exalted, and our strength of soul increased.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, lead us to trust You in days of joy and sorrow, when prayers are answered as we hoped and when they are not. By the power of Your Spirit, increase our strength of soul, to the honor of Your holy Name. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you go to God in a crisis first, or is He more of a "last resort"?
- Do you feel your prayers are specifically responded to by God?
- When you pray do you ever get on your knees? Is there any benefit to doing this?
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you go to God in a crisis first, or is He more of a "last resort"?
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