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Day 236 Psalm 144:1 Blessed is the LORD my strength, which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: 2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdues my people under me. 3 LORD, what is man that You take knowledge of him! Or the son of man, that You make account of him! 4 Man is like to vanity. His days are as a shadow that passes away. 5 Bow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke. 6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them. Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them. 7 Send Your hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children; 8 Whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song unto You, O God. Upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto You. 10 It is He who gives salvation unto kings; who delivers David His servant from the hurtful sword. 11 Rid me and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaks vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 So that our sons are as plants grown up in their youth. So that our daughters are as cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace. 13 So that our garners are full, affording all manner of store. So that our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. 14 So that our oxen are strong to labor. So that there is no breaking in, nor going out. So that there is no complaining in our streets. 15 Happy is the people who are in such a case. Yea, happy is the people whose God is the LORD. Open a newspaper, watch the news. Does it give you pause to stop and think about your life, what it was, what it is, what you hope it will be? Do you fear for your life with all the violence you see on the news, especially when it happens in your neighborhood? Does it keep your loved ones close? Story after story hits our airwaves and media every day. What do you do? David prayed. He saw the state of the people, heard their lies, saw their lack of faith in God, and prayed for them. David prayed for God to rid him of such people who spoke lies. His concern was for his children, his sons, and daughters, who were influenced by them. He wanted what all parents want, for his children to be fruitful and prosper. As Christians, you want the same thing David wanted for your children. You want them to associate with the right crowd, to be a good example to their peers, and not let the bad example of their peers influence them. Jesus prayed a prayer for all those who put their faith in Him. John 17:13 And now come I to You; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your Word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil. You see the world has changed little since David’s time. People still influence others to bad behavior. You can see it in programs you watch, the people you work with, even in the people you go to church with. It’s everywhere. How do you combat wickedness in this generation? You pray. You pray as David prayed that wickedness has no hold on his family. He prayed for people who lied to stay away from him and his loved ones. He said when they put their hope and trust in God, they would be happy. It's time for the people of God to pray against the complacency in their lives. Satan has so engulfed the world and the minds of seemingly everyone that it is hard to find God. Let David’s prayer be your prayer. Psalm 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let them also who hate Him flee before Him. When you pray, Satan flees. It’s time to pray. Let’s pray: Father, I come before You asking You to give me a new compassion for Your people. Let me see them the way You see them. Let me show them Jesus so their hearts can be changed as they see the wickedness that engulfed them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 4 February 2022 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.