Feeling Dusty

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Arthur Jackson, and I've titled today's devotional reading, Feeling Dusty. When Warren mentioned during our weekly ministry team call that he was feeling dusty, I sensed that this was his way of referencing the physical challenges associated with aging and ill health.

For Warren and his wife, both in their late 60s, 2020 included doctor's visits, surgical procedures, and the rearranging of their home to accommodate in-home care. They were on the other side of the prime of life, and they were feeling it. One doesn't have to live long before sensing our inadequacies, imperfections, and weaknesses physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. God and the person of His Son Jesus stepped into our fallen world and cares for those who experience the liabilities of human existence. Furthermore, David wrote in Psalm 103, He knows how we are formed. He remembers that we are dust. The term dust takes us back to Genesis 2 where it reads, Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Are you feeling dusty these days? Welcome to the realities of earthly living. Remember, however, that when we feel most vulnerable, we're not left alone. Our compassionate God knows and remembers. He demonstrated His love to us by sending His Son to provide forgiveness for earthly people like you and me. Whatever life may bring, may we trust in Him.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 103 verses 13 through 19. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows how we are formed. He remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass. They flourish like a flower of the field.

The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord's love is with those who fear Him, and its righteousness with their children's children, with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Let's pray. Father, though in various ways we feel our limitations, our dustiness, help us to be strong in faith and trust in You. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.