“He restores my soul.” – Psalm 23:3
Scripture reading: Psalm 119:161-168
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a castle with an absolute monarch? When the king spoke, people obeyed immediately. Sometimes the king commanded something because he wanted it, while other commands protected his people from outsiders or each other. Yet, other times when the king spoke, it was to inspire the people. He spoke to encourage loyalty.
God speaks to us in a similar way through Scripture. He is the ultimate King and when He speaks, His creation obeys. His laws shape our environment, giving us safety in predicable natural order and protection from evil forces. He commands how people are to live both towards Him and with each other. God’s laws are true because they don’t change and they speak to truth about our human nature that doesn’t change.
Surprisingly, God also speaks to engage our hearts and minds. He speaks to us truths about Himself, so that by our increased knowledge of Him, we can love Him more and therefore, have a deeper relationship with Him. He doesn’t want just our obedience, but our love. He gives us promises that we can trust as truth because He Himself promises to keep them. He wants our souls to delight in Him. Just like a body needs food, water, work and rest to be healthy, a soul needs worship, truthfulness, law-keeping, and service to God and others to be healthy. Feed your soul on the truth of God’s word.
Suggestions for prayer
Ask for a love of God’s word, both its instructions and its invitation to know and love God more. Pray for faithfulness in reading the Bible. Ask Him to restore your soul.
Katelyn Van Haren is a member of Redeemer United Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta. She received a liberal arts degree from Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario in honours accounting and is a CPA. Katelyn and her husband have five children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com