"Listen to my words, Lord,consider my lament.Hear my cry for help,my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome.The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies.The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. But I, by your great love,can come into your house;in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple.Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me.Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;their heart is filled with malice.Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies.Declare them guilty, O God!Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins,for they have rebelled against you.But let all who take refuge in you be glad;let them ever sing for joy.Spread your protection over them,that those who love your name may rejoice in you.Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:1-12)
I love this passage for so many reasons. First of all, it's such a wonderful example for how we should all pray. We should be honest with God. When we're desperate, we should admit our weakness and ask Him for help.
Second, I love how the Psalmist describes the NATURE of God here. God hates what is evil and loves what is good. We should seek His wisdom in ALL that we do, and present our requests before Him.
Finally, I love how the Psalmist highlights how believers and followers of Christ can be glad and rejoice in ALL circumstances, because they know who has ultimately won the battle against all evil.
Do you take refuge in God's presence? Do you seek Him when you're stressed? Do you talk to HIM when you need to vent? If not, try to practice this TODAY. You've got to start somewhere, why not start now?
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