The Psalms have brought tremendous comfort and guidance to so many for so long. Join me in taking a fresh look at each Psalm. As you read through them, I urge you to reflect, pray, and apply these devotional bits of encouragement to your own life. Today, we study and reflect on Psalms 127, 128, and 129.
Reflection 1
Nothing is more important to us than our children. They are our biggest blessing and greatest gift from God. Every loving parent knows this and feels it deeply. I’m praying for parents today. Some feel overwhelmed. It’s hard work. Some feel aimless. Some feel like a failure. Some feel discouraged. Some feel deep loss. God sees you, parents. He is there to guide, give wisdom, and encourage you. Your godly example, genuine love, teaching, training, guiding, and comforting matters greatly to God and your children. He sees all you do for your children and is pleased. Hang in there. All Heaven is cheering you on. Call on Him often! He will be with you through good times and hard times. He loves you. You are His child and the apple of His eye. He is proud of you! God bless you and all you do.
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” — Psalms 127:3-4
Reflection 2
May God bless you with His peace amidst turmoil. May He give you patience when you must wait. May God comfort you when you are hurting. May He give you wisdom when you face hard decisions. May God bless you with love for others, especially when it is hard to love. May He heal your heart, mind, and emotions. May God give you faith when times are tough, and strength to go on. May He fill you with hope that does not fade. The blessings of God are endless, and they are available to you today. “May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace.” Amen.
“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. May you live to see your children’s children— peace be on Israel.” — Psalms 128:1-6
Reflection 3
You cannot make it through life relationally unscathed. Everybody experiences relational pain. Everyone knows what it is like to be mistreated by someone else. Even Jesus knew. Consider the events of Passion Week. Jesus entered Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd on a Sunday. By Friday, those cheers turned to jeers as He carries His Cross to Golgotha. He was falsely accused. He was innocent. Jesus endured 6 illegal trials. He was abandoned, brutally tortured, and crucified. Still, Jesus prayed that the Father would forgive them. Jesus loved the haters with an unthinkable, unimaginable and unfathomable love. None of us will make it through life without being touched by disrespect, injustice, false accusations, or relational hurt of one kind or another. We can all grow through it, move beyond it, and rise above it in Christ Jesus. Don’t stay down. Don’t stay stuck. Like Jesus, we can learn to love others in spite of the hurt. Our Lord knows. He will live and love through us if we let Him. Rise up and live knowing Jesus is in you and He is for you!
“They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,” let Israel say; ‘they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me. Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long. But the Lord is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.’” — Psalms 129:1-4