Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

25 May 2024

Reading From Psalms 131, 138-139, 143-145

“My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;  like a weaned child I am content.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”

–Psalm 131:1-3

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

–Psalm 143:8

“The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.”

–Psalm 145:9-13

     We live in a world where the media, in all its forms, has for the sake of profit, stoked people’s hunger for information.  Many believe they have a right to know everything about everything and everyone.  While knowledge is power, it is not the same as comprehension or wisdom which are of even greater worth.  Knowledge is to be aware of facts which has value, but even more valuable are comprehension which is to understand and wisdom which is the ability to put facts, insight and good judgement into practice.

    God is all-powerful and He knows everything and is everywhere at the same time.  As such, He alone is the source of truth.  Yahweh is the Creator and Sustainer of all things and so His wisdom and knowledge should be prized above all.  What makes spiritual knowledge valuable?  “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”[1]  All of the money and power and knowledge in the world is meaningless if in the end we are eternally separated from God in outer darkness.

     In order to have abundant life in this world and eternal life in the next, we must know Jesus and be known by Him.  We do this by being born again and cultivating a healthy relationship with the Father through the Son with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  How do we gain true wisdom and knowledge?  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”[2] It begins with healthy reverence and respect for God, His power and promises.

     The quest for knowledge, comprehension and wisdom should begin with a choice to believe in God and that the Bible is His Word.  That step of faith unlocks the door to the discovery of more about who He is, who we are and gives incredible insight into the world around us.  The Bible is a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom.  That is why billions of people throughout history have read, studied, meditated and applied it. 

     While we live in our present reality, there are limits to our understanding, much to the chagrin of experts in every field.  It is healthy to know those limits.  While this should not deter our quest for knowledge and wisdom, there are many questions that we have that will only be answered when we meet Jesus face to face in Heaven.  It requires faith in the goodness and justice of God to leave such matters to Him.  Because the Most High God is trustworthy and faithful, as these passages from the Psalms attest to, we can place our faith and trust in Him and His judgement and we will not be disappointed. 

“God, thank You that You have revealed so much to us through Your Word the Bible.  I pray that Your Holy Spirit will guide me and the rest of Your children into all truth, but show us the things that must be left to You until you wrap up our present reality and bring into existence the New Heaven and the New Earth.  Bring the light of revelation from Your Spirit to our lives.  Enlighten our understanding and guide our actions.  I am so grateful that You can be trusted with the deepest thoughts, questions and feelings of my mind and heart.  Help me to trust You more each day.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.”

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
    lead me on level ground.

For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life;
    in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
    destroy all my foes,
    for I am your servant.

–Psalm 143:8-12

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[1] Mark 8:36

[2] Proverbs 9:10