January 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 43:1-5:

¹Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
²For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
³O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
⁴Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
⁵Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Devotional

"What is thy only comfort in life and in death? That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ, who with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me, that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready henceforth to live unto him" (Heidelberg Catechism, 1).

Dear reader, read these precious words time and again. Here is real comfort in life, in the deepest sorrows, in the greatest tribulations, in the severest trials; and here is real comfort in death. Through death Christ destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. What a rich comfort, when the God of all comfort comforts us! He says, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." "I, even I, am he that comforteth you."

Prayer

O God, grant us faith to believe and to trust. We know Thy promises are sure. Thou canst not lie. Speak peace unto our souls. May Thy Spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are Thy children, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Make us willing and ready to live unto him, yea, to suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: 2 Cor. 1:3, 4; Heb. 2:14, 15; 1 Pet. 1:5; Isa. 66:13; 51:12.

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