July 23

2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19, Romans 8:9-25, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 19:26

Pray: One of my favorite books is Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. This book was inspired by David’s Psalm today where he prays to the Lord, “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.” The Lord is in the transformation business and will swoop down into the midst of our troubles and set us up on a high place with a new kind of strength, what a beautiful image.

Read: Solomon created a kingdom like no one else, the greatness and vastness was unmatched. There were no wars, no pestilence, and no problems and yet the people complained. What was their complaint? The folly of Solomon’s son Rehoboam was that he taxed and worked the people even more harshly than his father. The problem was internal. Often times despite the many problems we face our biggest enemy is ourselves. This is a valuable lesson we can learn from the people of Israel.

Edify: I read once that the greatest theme throughout the scriptures is that of adoption. Paul speaks of this in Romans today as he shares that we did not receive a spirit of bondage but a spirit of adoption and we cry “Abba, Father”. The spirit of God cries with our spirit that we are children of God. I have a friend who is adopted and he jokingly shares that my parents were stuck with me when I was born but his parents got to pick him out! We, as Gentiles in the same way, were “picked out” by God in our adoption as sons and daughters. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood sought after by God. But Paul goes on to say that it is not only us who are bought and made new but even the earth itself will be changed and the curse on it will be lifted. All that is evil and wrong with this world will one day be made into a new creation just like we are made new.

Practice: The proverb today addresses our relationship with our parents. I think often times when we get older we think that we are no longer commanded to honor our parents. The commandment has no expiration date, we are simply commanded to honor them. If your parents are still living think of a way that you can honor them today.