Apr 28 (Daily reading: Psalms 81, 88, 92-93) As disciples, we need spiritual nourishment every day. Psalm 81, written by Asaph, reminded Israel of this: “I, the LORD, am your God … Open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (v. 10). God has provided spiritual food (His word), but we must “open our mouths” (hearts and minds) to receive it! God promised: “With honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (v. 16). We are satisfied only by the spiritual food that God provides!
God described Israel’s problem: “But my people did not listen to My voice,” and as a result, He allowed them “to walk by their own plans” (81:11-12). God had another plan for them: “Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways!” (v. 13). We can choose to walk by our own plans, or we can walk according to God’s ways, receiving His daily spiritual nourishment!
Our relationship with God is described in a special way in today’s reading: “The righteous person will flourish like the palm tree” (92:12). We had three miniature royal palms in our front yard in Guadeloupe, each about eight feet tall. When Hurricane Hugo visited us in 1989, the palms bent in the wind until they almost touched the ground. During the eye of the storm, they straightened up, and when the wind continued, they bent in the other direction to again come close to the ground. After the storm, they again straightened up. When I visited Guadeloupe in 2015, twenty-six years after the storm, those palm trees were still flourishing! Their roots go deep into the ground, allowing them to stay strong when the winds blow against them. If our spiritual roots are deeply planted into the word of God, we will receive nourishment from God, and we will be able to flourish even when the storms of life blow against us!
– Al Gary
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