MORNING REFLECTION
READY: Prepare yourself for the reading of the psalm by declaring to yourself out loud, ‘The Lord is on my Side’.
READ: Read through the psalm out loud. Let the words wash over you and give you confidence as you read them.
REFLECT: “If the Lord had not been on our side, when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us up alive when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us.” Meditate on how the Lord has not allowed our enemies to sweep over us but He has kept us and protected us, and allowed to escape like a bird.
REPENT: Spend time envisioning the pictures that this psalm gives us. (enemies attacking, being swallowed alive, swept away by a flood, overcome by raging waters, given as prey to their teeth). Each difficult circumstance is given with the Lord’s deliverance understood. Repent of looking at your difficult circumstances without the assurance that the Lord is on your side.
REJOICE: Rejoice and praise God that He has broken the snare of our enemies so that we have escaped like a bird. Praise God our deliverer, the One who is on your side!
EVENING READING Mark 9:42-50
42 ‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me,* it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,* to the unquenchable fire.* 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.*,* 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,* 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
49 ‘For everyone will be salted with fire.* 50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?* Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’
EVENING REFLECTION
READY: Prepare yourself to read this text by asking God to remove any stumbling block that you have in your own heart and revealing any way that you have been a stumbling block to others.
READ: Read the text three times. The first time for comprehension, the second time asking the Holy Spirit to convict you, the third time making corrections in your life.
REFLECT: If your hand causes you to sin cut if off. If your foot causes you to sin cut it off. If your eye cause you to sin, tear it out. Jesus is using the strongest language possible for dealing with sin. Meditate on these scriptures and ask Jesus what He is saying to you.
REPENT: Our tendency is to be passive about our sin. We know it is wrong but it is so easy for us to rationalize our actions and tolerate sin. Jesus, using dramatic language, is saying we must take an active stance against sin. Repent of any ways that you have been passive and have tolerated sin.
REJOICE: Spend time in thanks and praise to Jesus, the same one who calls us to take a stand against sin, is the same one who paid the penalty for our sins.
