Good morning,

Our devotion for today comes from Psalm 34:1-3 "I will bless the Lord at all times His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear it and rejoice.  O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." 

Wherever you are today, meditate on this; has anyone ever said, "I would like to have a terrible life. I would like to experience pain and heartache.  I would like to go hungry and live in squalor."  Of course not!  No one desires such adversity.  The natural human impulse is to seek achievement, fulfillment, comfort, and success. 

However, the ways some work toward these things lands them right back into pain, hardship, squalor, and suffering.  Why?  Proverbs 27:20-21 instructs, "Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man. Man is tested by the praise he recieves" (NIV).  The cost of worldly success is a price that can never be satisfied, for accolades are not consistent and material wealth is never sufficient.  Play by the world's standards and death and destruction await you.

However, that need not be your lot in life and Psalm 34:2 shows the way, "My soul shall make its boast in the Lord."  Whereas worldly success depends on your works and talents, godly success is based on God. 

Bill Krisher writes, "What do we mean by success anyway?  The Bible teaches that God is the final Judge before whom we shall all stand one day.  God will then proclaim us successful or unsuccessful."

Humble obedience to God is the key to the good things in life.  Will you trust Him?  Have a blessed trusting day!

Your brother in Christ,

J. H. Flakes, III