The Poor Will Be Satisfied
In what area of your life are you poor?
Verse of the Day
‘The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever! ‘
Today’s Devotional
If you are reading this, my guess is that you are not technically “poor”. You have a device with internet access, therefore you are not poor. According to statistics, those living below the poverty level in America are still wealthy compared to the rest of the world.
This whole Psalm cries out for a Savior. It alludes to Jesus and His suffering. It points to a Father God who delivers the forsaken, including Jesus while He was on the cross.
Have you ever felt forsaken? Have you ever felt poor in a particular area? For instance, lacking in self discipline or peace or trust?
The more I read the verses about contentment and satisfaction, the more I am being reminded of the importance of seeking God and praise. Which is exactly what this verse is telling me. When I am “poor” in a particular area of my life, I need to seek God in that specific area. In the midst of my seeking, I need to praise God regardless of my circumstances or the outcome.
I think it is also worth noting that the provision and sustenance of God doesn’t always look the way we want it to. Let’s take children, for example. When they are hungry, they need healthy food that will fuel their bodies and give them the energy they need. What they want when they are hungry is usually not in the healthy category. (Wait..forget children, this sounds just like me!) So when this verse says that the poor will eat and be satisfied, I cannot forget that God’s provision in my poorest areas may not be what I want in that moment. But if my goal is truly to be satisfied, then I must be willing to submit to what I need rather than what I want in that moment.
The bottom line is that I don’t always know what I need except for God. I may not always recognize my areas of poverty, but usually something just feels “off”. I need to learn, through practice and repetition, to bring everything to God. I need to fill my life with praise. This life is not about me. It is about bringing glory and honor to God. I can do that with my life by bringing Him my brokenness and offering Him my praise in all things.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
In what areas of your life do you feel poor?
How can you seek God in that specific area today?
How can you praise God in the midst of your struggle?
What is a new way you can seek God today?