Jesus satisfies

In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;
in the presence of those who worship you
   I will offer the sacrifices I promised.
The poor will eat as much as they want;
those who come to the LORD will praise him.
   May they prosper for ever! (verses 25, 26)

Read Psalm 22:23-31

I will always remember the woman lying in her bed in a nursing home. She had been there for almost twenty years, paralysed in the lower part of her body. As I spoke to her, she was full of praise for her Saviour, for her carers and for people generally. Those who knew her well called her ‘Sunshine’, because she was always bringing Christ’s sunshine into the lives of others.

It can be like that with all of us, and with you too. When you have claimed the promises of your Saviour and made them your very own, a smile quite naturally appears from the depths of your heart.

‘The poor will eat as much as they want.’ That’s God’s promise to you. As poor as you may be, Christ will always satisfy you with his love and peace, and praise can flow from your lips, even if you should be lying helpless in a nursing-home bed.

Lord Jesus, I am not good at handling my hardships. I often end up grumbling about them. Help me – to remember your promises, and fill my heart with praise for everything that you have done for me. Amen.

by Len Tscharke, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2006)

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