August 21, 2024 8:00 pm
For years, a mother prayed as she helped her adult daughter navigate the healthcare system and find counseling and the best medications. Her extreme highs and deep lows weighed on her mama’s heart day after day. Often exhausted from sadness, she realized she had to take care of herself too. A friend suggested writing out her worries and things she couldn’t control on small pieces of paper and placing them on “God’s plate” at her bedside. This simple practice didn’t eliminate all stress but seeing that plate reminds her those concerns are on God’s plate, not hers.
In a way, many of David’s psalms were his way of listing his troubles and laying them on God’s plate (Psalm 55:1, 16–17). If the coup attempt by his son Absalom is what’s being described, David’s “close friend” Ahithophel had indeed betrayed him and was involved in the plot to kill him (2 Samuel 15–16). So “evening, morning and noon [David cried] out in distress,” and God heard his prayer (Psalm 55:17). He chose to “cast [his] cares on the Lord” and experienced His care (v. 22).
We can authentically acknowledge that worries and fears affect us all. We may even have thoughts like David’s: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (v. 6). God is near and is the only one who has the power to change situations. Put it all on His plate.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Place It on God's Plate, was written by Ann Cetus. For years, a mother prayed as she helped her adult daughter navigate the health care system and find counseling and the best medications. Her extreme highs and deep lows weighed on her mama's heart day after day.
Often exhausted from sadness, she realized she had to take care of herself, too. A friend suggested writing out her worries and things she couldn't control on small pieces of paper and placing them on God's plate at her bedside. This simple practice didn't eliminate all stress, but seeing that plate reminds her those concerns are on God's plate, not hers. In a way, many of David's psalms were his way of listing his troubles and laying them on God's plate. If the coup attempt by his son Absalom is what's being described, David's close friend Ahithophel had indeed betrayed him and was involved in the plot to kill him. So evening, morning, and noon, David cried out in distress, and God heard his prayer. He chose to cast his cares on the Lord and experienced his care. We can authentically acknowledge that worries and fears affect us all. We may even have thoughts like David's. Oh, that I had the wings of a dove.
I would fly away and be at rest. God is near and is the only one who has the power to change situations. Place it all on his plate. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 55 verses 16 through 23. As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon, I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change, he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God.
My companion attacks his friends. He violates his covenant. His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart.
His words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. Let's pray. Lord, we are often overwhelmed by concerns that weigh heavy on our hearts.
Maybe it's situations at work or strained relationships or feeling the weight of all the global tensions. Help us surrender all our concerns to you and rest in the knowledge that you are working in all things on our behalf. Thank you, Father. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-08-21 20:58:41 / 2024-08-21 21:00:19 / 2