Wednesday, May 08, 2019
Good morning, Jesus.
You’ve shown Your followers Your outline for a happy and contented life. The Psalmist recorded this open secret of joy: Happy and contented is the person who doesn’t follow the anti-God ways of the world, or engage in the lifestyle of the ungodly, or be associated with people who mock and ridicule You and Your people. Instead, their delight, their joy comes from the truths found in God’s Word. Day and night, their mind dwells on the truths of God’s Word, basking in God’s constant peace (Psalm 1:2–2).
The world never stops trying to squeeze us, Lord. Keeping our sanity in this fallen world can be burdensome. With the world’s constant luring us to follow a path other than what You laid out for Your people, it’s understandable how people fall for such schemes. But like us, the psalmist also faced pressures to compromise his principles. His game plan to stay in God’s will was to resist taking up the lifestyles and attitudes of this fallen world. This success in resisting temptations to wander off track is accomplished by meditating about the goodness of God found in Your Word, the Bible. When our minds are saturated with the Your goodness and all You have done in our lives, we can’t help but develop more of Your character. When we’re tempted to stray by some worldly scheme that promises to make us popular and complete, happy forever, we recognize this trap immediately. Your Word has shown us that anything we pursue apart from You does not bring lasting joy. Contentment will always be just out of reach. May we always find our joy, contentment—our life, in You, Lord God.
Lord, our hearts weep with Yours for the victims and their families of the senseless murder and wounding of the students at the STEM School Highland Ranch in Colorado. We pray for the family and friends of the 18-year old victim, and for the wounded students. Be merciful to their emotions, their minds. Guard their hearts from bitterness and hatred. Do works of grace for all those involved as only You can, Lord God. Bring peace from this senseless tragedy of evil.
Meditating on Your Word, resting in Your peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.
THANKFUL 
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