(8) Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in your I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143.8)
This singular verse of a Psalm is one of the reasons my devotional time with God is first thing in the morning.
Opening the Scriptures in the morning gives us a chance to start the day hearing of God’s multitude of attributes, from his love to his steadfastness to his faithfulness. Just as importantly, God has the opportunity to “show us the way” we should go the rest of the day.
One of God’s attributes is being unchanging. This attribute at times reminds me of Jesus’ teaching about God’s law in Matthew chapter five:
[17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17–18)
I’m drawing attention to this specific attribute because my weekly devotions are changing.
The past year couple of years my devotions were entitled “A Second Look” because they were based on one of the assigned readings from the lectionary for past week. Going forward, the weekly devotion will be entitled “Monday Meditations.” Instead of looking back, the meditations will look forward to the pericopes for the next week. In addition, I will intersperse a couple of topical series of devotions.
I am foreshadowing this change with the verse for this devotion, which is not from last week’s lectionary readings.
This change was motivated in part by feedback from readers of the devotions. A number noted they would prefer to read my devotion as a way of preparation for the next week’s readings. Basically, a preview would be more beneficial than a review.
More importantly, I’m pivoting due to Scripture passages such as our verse of Psalm. If starting our day in the Word is a godly practice, then why not start the week together in the Word? I realize this is really just a change in focus. But it’s an important change in focus. We’ll start the week together in the Word, learning about God and looking for God to “show us the way” for the coming week.
(This devotion was written for the congregations of the Ohio District LCMS.)
Kevin Wilson 360 