Today is April 13
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”
Today’s reading is from Psalm 16
"1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” 4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
Think about that phrase, ‘the boundary lines for me have fallen in pleasant places’. For me, it conjures up an image of a beautiful vista, filled with rolling hills and fresh streams. It calls to mind the green pastures of Psalm 23. Think about the boundary lines of your life and where they have fallen. Consider your relationships, your family, your ministry, your friendships, your work. Could you say that your boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places?
Wherever your boundary lines have fallen in your life, are you able to be thankful for the blessings that are in your life? Maybe that’s what the psalmist is getting at when he says, “Apart from you I have no good thing.” As you hear the passage again meditate on the good things that the Lord has brought into your life.
"1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” 4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
The Psalmist says that his eyes are always on the Lord. What have your eyes been focused on lately? As we close our time, ask the Lord to give you grace to fix your gaze on him, to see glimpses of him throughout your day.
Music Credit:
Reign in Me - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)
