Devotion for 17 July

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for today.  We are continuing a summer sermon series on Psalms.

OT READING: Psalm 118: 1 & 24 (English Standard Version)

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Devotion: Don’t Worry Be Happy

Sometimes I can’t get that 80’s song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” out of my head but it is a song that can maybe help you reduce some level of stress and worry. Psalm 118 was Dr Martin Luther’s favorite Psalm, he is [partially] quoted as saying: “this psalm is nearest my heart, and I have a peculiar right to call it mine. It has saved me from many a pressing danger, from which nor emperor, nor kings, nor sages, nor saints, could have saved me. It is my friend; dearer to me than all the honors and power of the earth.”  There were several reformers of his day who met tragic ends and he often used this Psalm [and prayer of course] to treat his worries. Two of my favorite verses are included here that are easy memorization and nice to turn to if you have worries. The message today was similar to last week’s, that God is there for us. It was emphasized this week that we are all God’s children and he has promised to handle our worries if we need.

We pray: Lord you know me well, thank you for having my back. Amen