NorMel House Devotions

Psalm 9: I will recount Your wonderful deeds In Psalm 9, David once again praises God and expresses joy for all that God has done. His heart is filled with thankfulness for who God is and all “His wonderful deeds” . Like David, we ought to be thankful for God’s divinity, His awesome work, and unfathomable power. A truly thankful heart can’t help but express that thankfulness in word and in deed; the more we know who God is, the more thankful we will be. God desires a living relationship with His people and has therefore given us ways to get to know Him. Not only has He given us His word, but Romans 1:19-20 tells us, 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. When we learn to see how awe-inspiring, loving, just, and gracious He is we o...

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...