#DailyDevotion Tell Your Fellow Saints What God Has Done For You
Psalm 66 16Come, listen, all you who fear God, and I’ll tell you what God did for me.
There is praise of God that happens outside the fellowship and praise of God that happens inside the fellowship. David is calling those who are inside the fellowship, those who fear God, to listen to him and hear what God did for me. We all as disciples of Christ have something we can tell our fellow disciples about what God has done for us. Indeed, part of the reason we gather together on Sunday morning is to tell others what God has done for us and to hear what God has done for our fellows. This sharing builds up and strengthens our faith. In hearing that God has done for others, we are able to recognize what God has done for us and vice versa.
We can all share what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. He has removed from us the guilt of our sins. Jesus has reconciled us to God the Father by the shedding of His blood. Jesus has calmed our consciences by making them clean and clear as He has taken our guilt and shame upon Himself on the cross. He has given us the assurance the Father loves us and only allows those things into our lives to purify and strengthen our faith in Him. He has given us strength and hope for the day.
17When I called to Him with my mouth, high praise was on my tongue.
When we call upon God with prayer, it should not just be a laundry list of things that need to get done. I’m not saying don’t bring those things to God, but let us not treat Him like some genie who is beholden to us. He listens to our prayers because He loves us. He wants us to come to Him with all our concerns and cares. Doing so with faith is what demonstrates He is our God. Let us also then in our prayers offer Him thanks and praise. Praise Him for the great salvation He has given us in Christ Jesus. Praise Him for the prayers we have seen answered in our lives. Thank Him for hearing our prayers and answering them even if you have not yet seen them answered but trusting His word that all God’s promises are Yes in Christ Jesus.
If you cannot think of what to say to praise our God Almighty, say the Apostles’, Nicene or Athanasian Creeds. Do you have the Common Doxology memorized? Sing that.
18If I had meant to do wrong, the Lord would not have listened to me.
James, in his epistle says as much when he writes in chapter 4, “You don’t get things, because you don’t ask for them. 3Or you ask for something but don’t get it because you want it for a wrong purpose – to spend it on your pleasures.” Do we have ill intent when we pray? Do we doubt God will hear us because we know what we ask for is selfish or harmful to others? You should not think God will hear that sort of prayer. But David does not intend to do wrong with God’s answer to his prayer. With the answer to his prayer, he will glorify God and do what is right.
19But God did listen to me and heard me pray. 20Praise God for not rejecting my prayer or withdrawing His kindness from me.
We too should be able to say this with David. God has listened to us and heard our prayers. God has not rejected us or withdrew His kindness to us because we prayed with faith in Christ Jesus. We will often see that God has answered our prayers in a manner which is far better than what we have prayed for. We should praise God among the company of saints when we recognize it.
Heavenly Father, give us Your Holy Spirit, so we may pray prayers according to You will in order to sing Your praise among Your people. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.