John Stanko

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" - Psalm 73:25-26.

The psalmist was declaring his absolute allegiance and devotion to the God of heaven, stating that he had no other interests apart from the Lord. The way you can prove your own devotion is not only to proclaim it, but also to prove it by obeying God's word, which are His instructions from heaven for how to live here on earth. Peter explained the role the Word is to play in your life when he wrote, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" (2 Peter 1:3-4). Throughout this devotional, your reading and study of the Word have been emphasized again and again. That's because the psalmists themselves stressed the importance of the Word. Does the Word have a central place in your life? What proof do you have that it is? As a new year approaches, what goals can you set now that relate to your growth in the knowledge and application of God's word?

Today's reading - Psalms 71-75