Day 6: The Lord is at my right hand
I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken (Psalm 16:8 - ESV).
Heavenly Father, You fill heaven and earth—You are a God nearby and a God far away, and You see every secret, hidden place (Jeremiah 23:23-24). You have given us the reassurance that the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9).
And for our part, You ask us to fix our eyes on Jesus...so that we do not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3). But too often our eyes are drawn to the distractions, the preoccupations, and the circumstances that lure us away from You. And we easily become weary, and fearful, and we lose heart.
Yet, just like the writer of Hebrews, the psalmist shows us that living in Your presence is a deliberate and conscious choice that is open to us at all times. Give us the will and the strength we need to stay focused.
Father, we are assailed on every front. On the one hand we are surrounded by sights that dazzle, tempting sounds, mindless distractions, and endless streams of shallow entertainment. Give us discerning eyes to recognize the boasted pomp and show of this world. The psalmist prayed, Turn my eyes away from worthless things... (Psalm 119:37). Let that be our prayer also.
At the other extreme we seem to be constantly confronted by disruption and upheaval, turmoil and turbulence. In the moving and the shaking, in the chaos and the confusion, we can hardly find our footing—nothing seems firm or secure. But the psalmist reminds us, because the Lord is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. What a blessed comfort it is to think of You at our right hand!
Lord, God, give us new vision. Give us focused eyes and undivided hearts. Help us to set the Lord always before us—above all else.
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