NorMel House Devotions

Psalm 8: How great is our awesome God! Ever heard the expression “a childlike faith”? There’s a reason that we, as Christians, talk about having faith like a child: children can trust and praise God without hesitation, reservation, or doubt. As adults, we ought to desire and ask God for this kind of faith because, often, the older we get, the more cynical and distrustful we can be. There’s something truly beautiful about seeing a child singing loudly, praising God with great enthusiasm. They have no barriers; they don’t worry about how they sound; they sing praise to God with their whole heart. David starts Psalm 8 with the same unfettered love; he praises God and acknowledges God’s glory and majesty. This is how our days and prayers ought to start. David points out the stark contrast between the open praise that comes from children and the failure of those who oppose God. Though children are considered the weakest in our society, the praise that passes their lips is a strong and p...

Psalm 7 – In You do I take refuge (see below) Persecution comes in many forms. In Psalm 7, David cries out to God because people were making false accusations against him and wanted him dead. He feared them as one fears a lion, afraid they would tear him apart. This is not an unusual encounter for God’s children; In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Many verses in the Bible remind us that anyone who follows Christ will be persecuted. John 16:33 tells us, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We know that this life won’t be easy; the type of p...

My father once said, "There's no artist like The Artist," and that sentence has stuck with me ever since. It's what comes to mind when I see a beautiful sunset or a blooming flower; indeed, so much of creation reminds me of God's power. The overwhelming sense of grandeur when standing on the edge of a canyon, or hearing the thunder boom, is a gift. It's incredible to think of all the amazing, intricate,  and beautiful things God has, and continues to, give.  Everyone has been given talents, but I find myself drawn to the ones that evoke feelings and emotions. I admit I'm a little envious of those whose talents lie in the arts. Hearing a beautiful voice singing, or a well-played instrument, or absorbing the beauty of a painting or sculpture, can have a profound impact on one's emotions. So often I find peace in the beauty of this world that our awesome God has created. Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above procla...

Psalm 6: My soul is greatly troubled. God’s wrath against sin is great and something that unrepentant sinners should truly fear. David was very ill, and people were saying that his sickness was a punishment from God for his sin. He was greatly disturbed by this and afraid of dying because of his sins. David wept and pleaded with God because he did not want to die in his sin; he wanted to live in remembrance of and praise to God. There are times in our lives when we, like David, live in fear. We may fear the possibility that our sins are so great that they’re unforgivable, or we may be afraid of what lies ahead in our future. When we struggle with our health, or disputes and controversies with others, or perhaps even the consequences of our own sins, we may, like David, fear death, but also the possibility that we may fall further into our sin and then be punished by God for it. As believers, these fears are often misplaced; Jesus took God’s full wrath against all sin. “For our sake...

Psalm 5 –  LEAD ME IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (See Below) Psalm 5 is a lament but also a reminder of who God is. He is our King and our God. He is just but also shows steadfast love and preserves His children. This should have a profound effect on how we live our lives. Our relationship with God is the most important one in our lives, and as such, we ought to make it our priority. You’ll notice that both Psalm 4 and Psalm 5 start with a cry for help at different times of the day. Psalm 4 speaks of going to sleep in peace, whereas Psalm 5 reminds us that God hears our prayers in the morning. These prayers show us that we ought to start and end our day with prayer. Prayer is how we communicate with God and therefore an important part of our relationship with Him. Prayer not only helps us grow in our relationship with God, but it also allows us to commit our whole lives to Him. Every morning we can start fresh; before the chaos of our lives fills our minds with other things, we are bless...

Psalm 4 – Answer Me When I Call – See Below Once again, David calls out to the LORD in his distress. While the exact date of Psalm 4's composition is unknown, it makes sense that it follows Psalm 3. It, too, can be a response to his son Absalom’s betrayal and his supporters. David speaks of men who were spreading lies about him and trying to bring shame to his name. Absalom was a great source of stress and trouble for David; he turned many of the people against David and usurped the throne. Whether he was writing in response to this or not, we can understand how frustrating it is when the world around us believes lies instead of God’s truth. Satan earnestly seeks to destroy God’s people and tries to tempt us with many false gods, delusions, half-truths, and lies. When we are dealing with this type of attack, it can feel relentless at times, causing us to despair. David starts the Psalm with a plea for help, calling on God for relief. He recalls God’s faithfulness in the past ...