The Generous Spirit


Psalm 112
1Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
2His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
6For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
7He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.
10The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

With the righteousness of God as our model, this psalm encourages us to live from the perspective of faith rather than fear. That faith extends into ever portion of our lives. While this particular psalm certainly has stewardship undertones, the attitudes express pour into every aspect of life.

One verse stands out as sound advice for all of us. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. Today it seems we can use an extra measure of trust in the Lord, for it is easy to become afraid, no matter where you look. For many there are fear inducing events within their own personal lives and if you watch the news for only a few moments, fear may be your new companion. But fear is the enemy of trust and the God who inspires our trust is worthy of confidence. His graciousness, compassion, and mercy outshine any fear we can muster. And this psalm encourages us to model those characteristics to the dark world that surrounds us.

Dear Lord Jesus, You have come into the world to redeem us from the darkness. Holy Spirit, enliven us with Your compassion and mercy. Teach us how to share the Light of Jesus and pull us up short when we engage the darkness. Thank You, Dear Father, for the fact that You are completely trustworthy. Snatch our fears and fill us with Light. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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