Family Devo: House Church Edition
Head: Know God's Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God's Way
Read Psalms 49-50
Head
Today, we’ll be looking at two passages from the book of Psalms! Did you know that Psalms is the biggest book of the Bible, with 150 different chapters? Wow! Today’s passages round out the first third of this book of the Bible and are often referenced as “wisdom psalms” - poems written to remind us of God’s law and how we can live for Him. Both passages remind us that God’s salvation is greater than anything - especially money or material possessions. Let’s focus today on Psalm 50:14-15. Take a moment and read it now.
When we read God’s Word, knowing what was happening at the time it was written can help us better understand it! This passage was written over 2000 years ago, which was before Jesus was even born! At this time, God’s people, the Israelites, would bring Him sacrifices. These sacrifices, usually animals or crops, were given to God as a “payment” for sin and a sign of gratitude, and they were very important. However, God’s people soon forgot the meaning of these sacrifices and were bringing them to God out of routine, without giving thanks or truly turning away from their sin. The author of this passage was reminding them of the purpose of their sacrifices and offerings. God wasn’t asking the Israelites to bring Him sacrifices because He needed the items they would offer; God was asking for the sacrifices because He wanted their praise and obedience. He wanted to see their faith put into action!
Heart
Because Jesus gave His life on the cross and made the greatest sacrifice of all time for us, we no longer need to bring the same type of sacrifices to God like the Israelites did. But there’s a different type of sacrifice we can offer God - our praise! We can live a life of thankfulness - asking God for forgiveness, turning from our sin, and showing our gratitude to Him each and every day. We can even give Him praise when things don’t go the way we want them to or when life is hard because we know that we can call on God in those moments!
Hands
Another verse in the Bible, Romans 12:1, tells us that we are a “living sacrifice.” This is one of my favorite Bible verses because it reminds me that instead of just going through the motions, we can give our lives as an offering to Jesus each day by obeying Him, giving Him praise, and sharing His love with others! Spend time in prayer tonight before bed, thanking God for who He is and what He has done. Then, ask Him to help you grow to know, love, and follow Him more!
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for Your forgiveness and the way You love me. Instead of just going through the motions, help me to truly give You praise each day! I love you. Amen.
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