REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, was first posted on December 23, 2014. He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Who Do You Trust”?
Proverbs 28:26
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us.” ― Jerry Bridges
The writer of Proverbs is continually showing his readers the ways of the wise and the foolish. This particular proverb talks about the issue of trust – more specifically asking, who do you trust? Yourself or the Lord? The fool trusts his own limited wisdom and counsel, as well as his own strength and sufficiency, which leads to pride and deception. He is self-confident and no one can tell him otherwise. On the other hand, the wise puts his trust in the Lord’s promises and power. One commentator writes: “The comfort of a wise man: He that walks wisely, that trusts not to his own heart, but is humble and self-diffident, and goes on in the strength of the Lord God, he shall be delivered; when the fool, that trusts in his own heart, shall be destroyed.”
This morning, spend time in prayer asking Jesus to give you the humility and strength to trust him in all the areas of your life – the uncertainties of the future, relationships, marriage, children, hardships, a decision you need to make, etc. Make a commitment to walk in wisdom.
Prayer: Lord, give me the strength and humility today to trust in you. We may have prayed like this many times in our Christian faith, but may it be true in the way I live. Help me to trust you! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 1 (Christmas reading)
Lunch Study Break
Read Luke 18: 1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. [2] He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. [3] And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ [4] For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, [5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” [6] And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. [7] And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? [8] I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Questions to Consider
- What does Jesus tell his disciples concerning prayer?
- Why should we be persistent in our prayers?
- How does this parable challenge you in the area of prayer?
Notes
- Jesus is telling his disciples to be persistent in prayer, just as this widow was in seeking justice from the judge. We should continually pray and not get discouraged.
- Our persistence reveals our faith in God who is willing to answer our prayers. Even though he does not answer in our time, it builds our faith and trust in the Lord.
- This is a challenge to always pray and not give up. So press on in prayer!
Evening Reflection
As we are approaching Christmas, spend time reading the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2). Take time to pray and thank Him for His amazing love that was shown through the birth of Jesus.