February 9, 2025 Devo

February 9th, 2025

“Walking Through the Psalms”
“Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” – Psalm 15:1 (NLT)
“Asking the Right Questions”

What were your thoughts as you headed into worship today? Were you thinking about who would be there? Were you thinking about where you would sit? Were you thinking about people you wanted to talk to? Were you thinking about the music and the message or the donuts and coffee?
David gives a great picture of the people of old ascending the hill to Mount Zion. He suggests that our thoughts ought not be about the things on the outside but instead, the stuff on the inside. David reminds us that the trek to be in the presence of God should be filled with rigorous self-examination. That is an incredibly powerful and profound challenge.
As we come to worship today, let’s ask ourselves a few of the questions David asks in this Psalm. And maybe a few more. “Do I have anything I need to confess?” The ancients believed confession was the HEART of worship. We can’t honor God or even pretend to praise God until we have owned how we have fallen short of God. Confession clears the air of pretense. The highest praise comes from an honest heart.
“Have I lived this past week with a godly character?” As we bring ourselves before the Lord today as an offering, have we conducted our business, led our families, and lived our lives as God would have us? Life is a gift from the Lord. Do we come before Him having honored that gift with a life that would cause others to praise Him?
“How have I treated others?” David points out that our relationships with each other are just as important to God as our relationship with Him. Have I gossiped? Have I belittled? Have I acted out of anger, malice, or jealousy? Would those around me say my relationships with them have drawn them toward God or repelled them from Him?
One more. “What do I need from God today? REALLY need?” David believed that being in the presence of God was a transformative opportunity. And it is. But God can only work with what we lay at His feet. Today is YOUR day. This is YOUR moment. God has power, grace, wisdom, guidance, strength, and healing all available for you. Your honesty before God today opens the door to the depths of all He has to offer. I want to encourage you to accept the challenge David gives us to do some self-reflection as you come to worship today. Asking the right questions could change your Sunday from just another day at church to a sacred day of extraordinary change. That’s God’s Word for you today.