Psalm 50 cuts through the noise of empty ritual and gets to the core of what God truly wants from us- genuine worship.
God doesn’t need us to sacrifice animals to him- he already owns all the beasts of the forest and all the cattle of the hills and all the birds of the sky. God doesn’t need anything that we can give him, there is nothing we can offer him that he doesn’t already have.
Verses 14-15 say, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.“ God’s desire is for our hearts to be turned towards him. He asks for thanksgiving and for us to call on him when we’re in trouble, to remember that we depend on him so that He can help us.
This Psalm is a great reminder that there is no use in just going through the motions. Our spiritual practices shouldn’t be a show to look good in front of others, nor is our faith a series of boxes to check to make sure we’re being Christian enough. Our faith is a relationship with a real and true God who loves us and wants us to come to him.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
What does God desire from you?
How would you describe your relationship with God right now? Are there changes you think God would like to see? Describe. Are you wanting to make any changes? Describe.
What will you give thanks to God for today? And tomorrow? And next week?
I bet we all have experience with someone who is prideful. We’ve heard stories of wildly successful people, and in their triumph, they forget the people who helped them get there.
In 2 Samuel 8, we hear about some of David’s great victories in battle- he’s at the top of his game- a picture of power and achievement.
Then, in stark contrast, chapter 9 gives us a glimpse at a softer and more compassionate side of David where he actively looks for someone “from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” David remembers the promises that he made to Jonathan and, in his moment of power, chooses kindness over vengeance. David easily could’ve broken his promise and basked in his victories- instead, he extended grace to a man who could offer him nothing in return.
This act of unexpected mercy shines a light on David’s character, revealing a heart that prioritizes loyalty and compassion over pride and power.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
When have you been tempted toward the power and pride side – or deep into its territory? Have you found a good way to resist pridefulness?
Who do you admire for their loyalty and compassion?
Whom can you (will you) seek out to show a bit of God’s kindness to?
With the rates rising steadily over the years, I can bet that about 20% of you reading this now are struggling with anxiety of some kind. I understand this struggle personally, having navigated periods of severe anxiety that required medication and endured panic attacks with lingering effects, to feeling totally and completely normal. I won’t pretend to have any fabulous cure-all to share with you, but I can tell you something that has helped me and others.
Cultivating gratitude can shift your perspective and reduce stress. Experts confirm that gratitude releases dopamine, lowers cortisol levels, and improves sleep. While gratitude won’t eliminate life’s challenges, it can provide balance and stability.
If you’re searching for things to be thankful for, explore the Psalms- many of which sing praises about the great things God has done. Psalm 33 is one worth bookmarking to have handy when you’re searching for things to be grateful for.
Psalm 33 reminds us that we can praise God because his word is upright, and he is faithful. We can be thankful that by His words, God created the heavens and the earth and knows the depths of the sea. We can be grateful that God shares his wisdom with us and that it is unchanging and reliable. What’s more, we needn’t worry because everything is in God’s hands. Even kings can’t guarantee their safety, just like the strongest among us can’t guarantee our success. The same God that created this world is the same God that created you. Throughout our anxiety, we are encouraged to “wait for the Lord” and trust that our creator can handle it.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
When do you feel anxious?
Practice gratitude. Remember back to a difficult time in your life. What can you be grateful for even during those troubles? What can you be thankful for today?
Read through Psalm 33 again. Look for all the things God has done and all He is that you can give thanks for and that can give you peace. What will it look like to wait on Him today?
When was the last time you made a truly eternal promise? If you’re married, hopefully, you’ve made an eternal promise of love and commitment. I’m sure if you have children, you’ve vowed to love and cherish them always. Even something as seemingly simple as getting a tattoo is a promise to yourself that you’ll carry that image on your body for the rest of your life.
Today’s scripture, 2 Samuel 7, reveals the profound truth of God’s eternal promises. This passage contains the Davidic Covenant, where God promises that David’s house will rule forever. We know this promise will be fully realized when Jesus returns to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Think about it: God has been keeping this promise for over 3,000 years! Despite Israel’s occasional disappointments and frustrations, God remains steadfast.
While our most sincere promises can falter due to betrayal, anger, misunderstanding, or irreconcilable differences, a promise from God is unwavering. That’s a reason for a true celebration!
David’s response to this incredible promise is one of humility and awe: “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” Today, may we find ways to celebrate God’s faithfulness that has endured all this time and will continue long past us.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
When have you witnessed or experienced God’s enduring faithfulness?
When have you responded to God with humility and awe saying (similar): ““How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you…”?
How are you at keeping your promises? Can your word be trusted?
Integrity is a part of your character that you can’t develop overnight- it involves a lifetime of good, honest, and moral decision-making. In Psalm 101, we read words written by David telling us how he desires to live with integrity in both his personal life and in his rule. Though none of us are likely to ever be kings, we can still apply a lot of this wisdom to our own lives, but you should probably leave the destruction of the wicked to others.
So, how can we walk with integrity like David? First, we see that he will “ponder the way that is blameless.” It’s a good practice to consider what it means to live in a way that glorifies God. Ponder your life and seek to be blameless in the way you live and make changes that you need to make.
Then, “I will not set anything worthless before my eyes.” What are you focusing on? What gets most of your attention throughout the day? Do me a favor and take a moment to check your Screen Time Report on your phone. Now, answer honestly- how many of the things you set before your eyes are worthless? Replace these worthless things with things that will improve your life, your mental health, and your relationship with God.
We also see that David is actively avoiding “perverse hearts,” “those who slander their neighbors,” “those with a haughty look and arrogant heart,” and those who “practice deceit.” Take a look at the people you allow to influence you, the people in your inner circle. Are they fostering your growth or hindering it? Surround yourself with people who will offer you godly advice and support. Build a community around you that will carry you when you can’t carry yourself.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
What do you see as the importance of pondering the way that is blameless? What in your life this month has brought glory to God? What has not?
What is worthless? What is not? “What are you focusing on? What gets most of your attention throughout the day?”
“Take a look at the people you allow to influence you, the people in your inner circle. Are they fostering your growth or hindering it?” Who could you intentionally spend more time with in order to work towards your own godly growth? Set up some time together with this person/these people and pray about your time together.
Today, in Psalm 15, David gives us some great advice for living in a way that glorifies God. The things listed here are kind of no-brainers, but are also things that I think are so simple that perhaps we tend not to think of these things as being important.
Be honest. All the time. And not just with the words that come out of your mouth- make sure your intentions and motivations are truthful as well. Being honest in your heart is just as important as being honest with your words.
Don’t talk poorly about others. Even when everyone else is venting about that annoying co-worker that you all can’t stand. Or even if it’s your dorky sibling that just won’t leave you alone. Protect the reputation of others by holding your tongue.
Keep your promises. Even if a more appealing offer comes up, stick with what you’ve agreed to do. Even if it becomes costly to you, honor your agreement. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.”
Be generous with people- be compassionate and share with others without wondering how they can pay you back.
This Psalm reminds us that true Godliness is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. It’s about choosing honesty, kindness, integrity, and generosity in every interaction, big or small. These qualities, though simple, are the very things that shape us into people who are fit to dwell in God’s presence.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
Of these four characteristics which one do you struggle with most?
When have you recently missed the mark of “true Godliness”? What could you have done instead? What difference would this have made – to yourself, others and God?
Next time you find yourself in a similar situation how might you steer yourself towards the “true Godliness” response?
2 Samuel 6 is one of those stories in the Bible that never sat well with me in my youth. Here, we have a scene of a joyful celebration as the ark of the Lord Almighty is brought to its rightful home in Jerusalem. We’re singing, we’re dancing, we’re having a grand time. Suddenly, the oxen stumbles, and the ark begins to fall. Here, we have Uzzah, who reaches out to steady the ark to keep it from falling. See, to me, that seems like a noble thing to do. After all, we’d hate for the ark to fall to the ground, wouldn’t we? Yet, God strikes him dead for this act. Come on…the guy was just doing the best he could do! It always seemed to me that God acted unfairly to someone who seemed like they were trying to do a good thing.
You know, now that I think of it, I tend to have that same attitude toward acts of disobedience in my life. Sure, I know that sometimes I do wrong things, but if my intentions are good, isn’t it ok? I know that God doesn’t want me to lie, but if my lie has a good outcome, wouldn’t God say that’s ok? I know I’m not supposed to touch the ark, but if I keep it from falling, wouldn’t that be ok? Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works.
If you’ve been following along with the Bible readings, you’ll remember that in 1 Samuel 15, we learn that to God, “it is more important to obey than to sacrifice.” God prefers faithful adherence to His commands more than grand gestures performed according to our own understanding. I think God would rather have had Uzzah follow his commands, treating his instructions with respect and reverence than try to do what was right in his own eyes.
And another thing, the disobedience didn’t start with him reaching to steady the ark. Uzzah wasn’t even supposed to be one of the men transporting the ark as he wasn’t a Kohathite (the Levites specifically instructed by God to be in charge of this task). Not only that, but they weren’t even transporting it the right way. They made a cart for the ark, but God gave specific instructions for how to carry this thing around, and a cart was not part of the deal! Things could have been so different if only they had done things the way God said.
What we learn from Uzzah and the mistake that he made is to pursue obedience even when our own understanding leads us a different way. In this life, you will be drawn toward doing things that go against God’s teachings. Even if it doesn’t make sense, God’s way is always the best.
-Hope Fletcher
Reflection Questions
How do we avoid getting caught up in doing things our own way instead of God’s way? How do we learn what God’s way is? What are the differences between my way and God’s way?
How does Uzzah show us our need for a Savior? How important is Jesus’s death – and resurrection?
Seek Grow Love 