Daily Devotion – July 8, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison

Psalm 85:8-13
85:8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
85:9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
85:10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
85:11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
85:12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
85:13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Have you ever been very worried? Very stressed? Just wishing and hoping for some resolution to a dilemma or an answer to a question? After awhile it doesn’t have to be the answer you really want most. It only needs to be AN ANSWER. You’d be ok with just knowing.

In this psalm, the writer tells us that God the Lord will speak to God’s people who turn to God in their hearts. And when God comes to speak an answer to us, everything in the universe cooperates. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet, righteousness and peace kiss one another, faithfulness springs up from the ground like flowers, and righteousness looks down from the sky. And the Lord will give what is good, no matter the answer to your big question. The Lord will give what is good. And as a result, we will see the steps we will take, the steps God will take.

Psalm 85 can be a comfort to those who patiently wait through the stage of a disease. It can be a comfort to those in our circles of friends who know that death is near but who don’t know when it will come. It can be a comfort to those who are seeking reconciliation with another person but who must wait for the response to come.

Remember, the Lord is with us and is generous to those who call upon God’s name. We will get an answer, and the Lord will live right beside us as we live through that answer.  And throughout, good things will unfold from the ground, from the sky, and from the hearts of people around us.

Gracious God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being here now with us. Help us to trust you with our stresses and our unanswered questions, because you will be right beside us as we live through the answers. And thank you for being the source of righteousness, peace, and faithfulness.  Amen.