DAILY GUIDE DEVOTIONAL: Pursuit of Peace

 

Text: Psalms 120:1-7

Gossip always brings about calumny, slander and reproach. The resultant effect is distress on the victim. Gossips most often are just well fabricated lies. The psalmist had a share of these slanders from his neighbours who in verse 5 are obviously heathens. Many of us have also experienced this kind of situation at one point or the other in our individual life journeys. It may be in the past though and God has delivered us, but how does it feel to be an object of false accusations because of a trending gossip and slander. Many have lost good fortunes and goodwill to calculated calumny. It is a most disheartening situation and often, the victim is left hanging in the middle, explaining yourself seems so absurd because you know people will not even believe you. 

This kind of situation should have us turn to God. The all knowing father who sees all and knows all. Not necessarily in anger or vengeance as the psalmist here, but for deliverance and vindication. The psalmist began with this; verse 1-2 "in my distress I cried unto the lord and he heard me then he prayed: deliver my soul from lying lips". Let Psalm 86:7 be our attitude; " in the day of my trouble, I will call upon you, for you will answer me". It is sad that this kind of treacherous life is sometimes seen among children of God. People are so keen to find out what sin a fellow brother or sister is committing, not to pray for them but to pull them down with it. Some have turned their churches and fellowships to a fertile ground for vendettas. We must remember that lies originates from Satan the devil and that nothing that makes a lie will enter the kingdom of heaven. May we not be found committing such atrocities. The book of James warns against the damage the tongue can do, beware! 

PRAYER: give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning O lord, that I will not be distracted by the attacks of those who fight your kingdom work through calculated calumny. Grant me grace to always look up and find you faithful in every situation. May my lips never utter any slanderous word against my fellows in Jesus name, Amen! 

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