Today’s Encouragement is Psalm 86:2-4 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you-you are my God. [3] Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. [4] Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For I am Godly –
When the phrase is isolated, it sounds rather prideful, doesn’t it? Yet in context, we see a very humble person crying out to God, in sincere faith.
This true believer describes himself, his beliefs, in several ways – I trust in You, I cry out to you, I lift my soul to you, for… I am godly.
Just because the term has been used to deride self-righteous nose-in-the-air egotistical people… doesn’t mean that being truly “godly” is something we shouldn’t pursue.
This is something we can strive for, my friends, as we do these same things… we strive to be godly… to seek Him, to cry out to Him, to trust in Him, to lift up our souls to Him… My friends doing these things, focusing on Him not ourselves… makes us… by definition… godly people.
This is true because of Whom we serve and how we respond to Him, not by our own actions or own goodness.
Paul advised young Timothy… 1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Father God, because we do look to You, for all our needs, we cry out to You for help, we honor You, we worship You… help us to pursue godliness- to become godly people, that we may bring honor to Your name, and not to ourselves.
As the closing line of this song says- Help us to ‘live more to build Your Name than mine.’
The cause of Christ
Kari Jobe
Today’s Encouragement 