Daily Devotion for October 21, 2017
Prayers
Scripture
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Our “Saturday Oldie” artist, Tennessee Ernie Ford, is the musical equivalent of comfort food.
But I must go along
Till the Lord comes and calls, calls me away.
Well the morning's so bright
And the lamb is the light
And the night, night is as fair as the day.
Chorus:
There will be peace in the valley for me,
some day.
There will be peace in the valley for me,
oh Lord I pray.
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me.
Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolves will be tame,
And the lion shall lay down by the lamb.
And the beasts from the wild
Shall be led by a child,
And I'll be changed, changed from this creature
That I am.
Prayer to Use Our Gifts Wisely
Lord, give me each day the wisdom to see which things are important, and which things are not. Show me how best to use the time and talents you have given me. Help me to use all my opportunities wisely, that I may share, through service to others, the good gifts I have received from you.
For a Divine Guest
My spirit longs for thee
Within my troubled breast,
Though I unworthy be
Of so divine a guest.
Of so divine a guest
Unworthy though I be,
Yet has my heart no rest
Unless it come from thee.
Repentance
Almighty God, since you delay with so much forbearance the punishments which I have deserved and daily draw on myself, grant that I may not indulge Myself, but carefully consider how often and in how many different ways I have provoked your anger against me. May I learn to present myself to for pardon, in true humility, and may with a genuine remorse ask for your mercy. With all my heart I desire to submit myself to you, whether you find fit in your infinite wisdom to punish me, or according to your infinite goodness, to forgive me. Let my condition be always blessed, not by flattering myself in apathy, but by finding you to be my kind and bountiful Father, reconciled to me by the gift of your only-begotten Son.
Benediction
Now, to God the Father, who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved; to God the Son, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Ghost, who sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts, be all love and all glory in time and to all eternity.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
Today’s “Remember the Bible” Question
What Bible verse informs us that Jesus has not changed over the centuries?
Answer: Hebrews 13:8
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Psalm 100 (NKJV)
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Ruth 1:16-22 (NKJV)
The Story of Ruth (part 3)
[Naomi has decided to return to her homeland of Judah, now that the famine has ended. But although she is very attached to her two Moabite daughters in law, they are widows and have better prospects if they return to their own people. Orpah leaves and Naomi has just told Ruth to follow her sister.]
Ruth said, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”
When Naomi saw that Ruth was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
And she said unto them, “Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?”
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Notes on the Scripture
oday’s Scripture begins with Ruth’s famous and beautiful elegy to loyalty, “Whither thou goest, I will go.” It is not in Ruth’s best interest, at all, to stay with old Naomi, much less to follow her to a foreign country. But her feelings and sense of duty to stay by Naomi’s side win out over her own self-interest.
They arrive safely in Naomi’s home town, Bethlehem, and people recognize her. But she tells them not to call her “Naomi,” which means “enjoyment” in Hebrew; instead, she adopts the name “Mara,” which means “bitterness.” But at least they arrive at an opportune time, during the barley harvest, when it will be easier to come by food.
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