August 17, 2021

Daily DevotionsHappy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on his Law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1: 1-3)On Thursday mornings we are doing a 7-week study on the Psalms for Bible Study.With the above quote from Psalm 1, the book of Psalms (also called the Psalter, pronounced “sal-ter”) begins in such a beautiful way. The word “Law,” which is Torah in the Hebrew, can also be translated as “Teaching” or “Instruction.”When I first started, the practice of reading Scripture regularly felt like more like a rule than a life-giving meditation. But once I started the habit of digging into the Word, the fruit of God’s Spirit started to emerge in different areas of my life. Scripture helped to give me pause and reflection on different activities in my life, both good and tough.What we eat impacts how we feel; the same is true for ingesting news, media and other “teachings.” I want to encourage you to think through where you get your daily teaching. If you don’t have a daily devotion that includes Scripture, consider adding one.We have a few options of daily devotions for you at church. If you are someone who likes to hold a book or newspaper, we have a tri-monthly publication, The Word in Season, which can be found at the Welcome Center. If you prefer a digital read, check out God Pause, a daily devotion from Luther Seminary sent right to your inbox. You can also find a podcast, audio devotional or devotional video through your favorite app store (try starting with the podcast “Pray as You Go”).Finding the devotion that works best for you can be tricky. But much like picking out a Bible translation, the best one is the one you use.God’s Peace,Pastor TimPS: If you have not yet, remember to make space for Jesus and download a Bible app on your phone.