Set Thy Course By My Promises

What joy !

"Be not afraid. I will not allow thine adversaries to swallow thee up. Thou art my child, I shall deliver thee and honor thee, and I shall be glorified through thee."

It often seems like we are very close to being swallowed up, doesn't it or is that just me? We are so dependant upon His moment by moment grace upon our hearts. (Lord, keep my heart is often a necessary attitude)

"Because of My faithfulness unto thee, even thine enemies will recognize My power."

I think we could substitute this "because of My love established in you.." Our hope that the factor drawing another to Christ, is the evidence of the depth of His love in us, .. that others would see that great, great love developed and abiding in our hearts continually.

"Hold to My promises. They are given to thee as a chart is given to a ship, and a compass to a hunter. .... they will lead thee and guide thee in places where there is no trodden path. They will give thee direction and wisdom"

Christ is the course our ship must stay. In Him is all that we have need of. We find not only strength, but rest in Him. He is the wisdom that came down from above ... We set our course day by day listening to Him and being ministered to by His Spirit. Apart from this day by day impartation and sustaining love, ie grace, we are a ship without a compass. Yes we are a ship, but we are not staying the course designed for that ship. He longs to be our all in all, He is all we truly need.

Religiously speaking, at first glance, after reading this devotion, our first inclination might be that simply the promises are in the Bible. Yes they are - but the point is, we mustn't look at the Bible as a rule book or a promise book, which religion does. The Bible is not a rule book - it is God's heart revealed to us, it's a way to have a heart, ... His heart !