Psalm 26:1-8 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 26:1-8 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Verse 2Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind.
Verse 3For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.
Verse 4I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
Verse 5I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
Verse 6I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord,
Verse 7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
Verse 8O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
Devotion
Dottie needed healthy friends. I befriended her, feeling called to help bring her into the light of Christ.
Over time, her darkness began to envelop me. I prayed often, reflected on scripture and took advantage of opportunities to strengthen my faith. But the darkness I experienced with Dottie came to be too much.
Jesus ate with outcasts and sinners. He was able to withstand the pressure of the darkness, even claiming death on the cross rather than life in bondage to evil.
With Dottie, I needed to accept that, at that moment, I was not the one who could bring her into Christ’s light. God gave me strength to turn away, lovingly but insistently, or I, too, would have been overwhelmed by darkness.
Yes, we are called to love outcasts and sinners. But remember to stay firmly grounded in Christ when reaching out. The old axiom, “We plant the seed – God brings the growth,” is truer than we might realize.
Prayer
Precious Jesus, so ground me in faith that I will be able to withstand all temptations and reach out in faith to draw your chosen to your kingdom. Amen.