September 5

Morning

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! — Ps 120:5 BSB

As a Christian, you live in the midst of an ungodly world, and there’s little benefit in lamenting, “Woe is me!” Jesus didn’t pray, “Take them out of the world,” and since He didn’t pray for that, it’s not something you need to desire. It’s far better to face the challenges with the Lord’s strength and glorify Him through them.

The enemy is always looking for inconsistencies in your behavior, so be very careful to live a holy life. Remember, everyone is watching you, and more is expected from you than from others. Strive to live in such a way that no one can find any fault in you—let your goodness and devotion to God be the only thing they can criticize. Just like Daniel, let people be forced to say, “We will never find any charge against this person unless it concerns the law of their God.”

Aim to be useful as well as consistent. You might think, “If only I were in a better position, I could do more for the Lord.” But the worse the environment, the greater the need for your efforts! If the people around you are crooked, you have all the more reason to show them the straight path. If they are stubborn, there is even more need for you to turn their hearts to the truth. Where else should a doctor be, if not where there are many sick? Where else can a soldier win honor, if not in the heat of battle?

When you’re weary of the sin and strife surrounding you, remember that all the saints before you faced the same trials. They weren’t carried to heaven on soft beds, and you shouldn’t expect an easier journey. They risked their lives in the middle of the battlefield, and you won’t receive your crown until you’ve also endured hardship as a good soldier of Christ. So, “Be courageous! Be strong!” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Evening

Have you journeyed to the vents of the sea or walked in the trenches of the deep? — Job 38:16 BSB

There are some things in nature that will always remain a mystery, even to the most intelligent and curious minds. Human knowledge has limits, and only God possesses universal understanding. If this is true of the things we can see and touch, it’s even more true of the spiritual and eternal matters.

Why, then, have I been exhausting myself with trying to figure out how divine predestination fits with human responsibility? These are deep and mysterious truths that I am no more able to understand than I can trace the sources of the oceans. Why do I try to comprehend the reasons behind God’s providence, His motives, or the purpose of His actions? Could I ever hold the sun in my hand or grasp the universe in my palm? These things are like a drop in the ocean compared to the vastness of God. Instead of trying to understand the infinite, I should focus on loving my transcendent God. What my mind cannot grasp, my heart can embrace through love, and that should be enough for me.

I may not be able to fathom the depths of the sea, but I can enjoy the fresh breezes that sweep across its surface, and I can sail upon its waves with the help of favorable winds. Even if I could discover the hidden springs of the ocean, it would be of no real benefit to anyone—it wouldn’t save a sinking ship or restore a drowning sailor to his family.

In the same way, solving theological mysteries wouldn’t benefit me as much as simply loving and obeying God. The least bit of love and obedience is worth more than the most profound theological knowledge.

My great God, I leave the infinite to You. Please keep me from being consumed by a desire for knowledge that would draw me away from the tree of life!