God’s Powerful Presence

Hi friends, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading was written by Lisa M. Samra, and she titled it, God's Powerful Presence.

In 2020, celebrations marked the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Old photographs show marchers with banners emblazoned with the words of Psalm 68, 11, The Lord giveth the word. The women that publish the tidings are a great host. In Psalm 68, David describes God as the one who leads the oppressed from their captivity, refreshing and renewing his weary people from his bountiful riches. In this Psalm's 35 verses, David references God 42 times, revealing how He's constantly been with them, at work to rescue them from injustice and suffering.

And a mighty throng of women proclaim this truth. Whether the women who marched for voting rights fully understood all that Psalm 68 was declaring, their banners proclaimed a timeless truth. God, the Father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows, goes out before His people, leading them to places of blessing, refreshment, and joy. Be encouraged today, remembering that God's presence has always been with His people, and in a special way with the vulnerable and suffering. As in the past through His Spirit, God is still powerfully present with us today.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 68, verses 4 through 14. Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds. Rejoice before Him. His name is the Lord. A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families. He leads out the prisoners with singing.

But the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain before God, the one of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God. You refreshed your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor. The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng. Kings and armies flee in haste.

The women at home divide the plunder. Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of My dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold. When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalman. Let's pray. Father, thank You for Your constant presence in our lives. Thank You for fighting for us when we face hardship. It's in Your name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Alisha Reisinger, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries.