May 11, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional: God Sees, Understands, and Cares

May 11, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, Thursday ODB Message

May 11, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Devotional, ODB Devotional Message for Thursday written by Xochitl Dixon

TOPIC: God Sees, Understands, and Cares

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Kings 13–14; John 2

KEY VERSE: Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. – Psalm 147:5

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Psalm 147:1–5

INSIGHT FOR OUR DAILY BREAD 10TH MAY 2023 BY BILL CROWDER
Psalm 147, near the end of the Hebrew psalter, is toward the end of Book Five—in a set of psalms focused on giving praise to God. Psalm 147 fits well into this group, as it both begins and ends with the words “Praise the Lord” (Hebrew, halelu-yah). Some scholars speculate that these psalms were assembled to celebrate the rebuilding of Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity of the southern tribe of Judah (see v. 2). But the praise for God isn’t limited to that expression of gratitude. There’s also celebration for God’s creation (vv. 4, 8), care for the weak (v. 6), provision of rain (v. 8), and provision of food (v. 14). Additionally, the people of God are to praise Him for the provision of His Word (vv. 19–20). No wonder the psalmist says that it’s both “pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (v. 1).

OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL 11TH MAY 2023 MESSAGE:

Sometimes, living with chronic pain and fatigue leads to being isolated at home and feeling alone. I’ve often felt unseen by God and others. During an early morning prayer-walk with my service dog, I struggled with these feelings. I noticed a hot-air balloon in the distance. The people in its basket could enjoy a bird’s-eye view of our quiet neighborhood, but they couldn’t really see me. As I continued walking past my neighbors’ houses, I sighed. How many people behind those closed doors feel unseen and insignificant? As I finished my walk, I asked God to give me opportunities to let my neighbors know that I see them and care for them, and so does He.

God determined the exact number of stars that He spoke into existence. He identified each star with a name (Psalm 147:4), an intimate act that demonstrates His attention to the smallest details. His strength—insight, discernment, and knowledge—have “no limit” in the past, present, or future (v. 5).

God hears each desperate cry and sees each silent tear as clearly as He notices each sigh of contentment and belly laugh. He sees when we’re stumbling and when we’re standing in triumph. He understands our deepest fears, our innermost thoughts, and our wildest dreams. He knows where we’ve been and where we’re going. As God helps us see, hear, and love our neighbors, we can trust Him to see, understand, and care for us.

OUR DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY 11 MAY 2023:

REFLECT: How have your neighbors loved you? How can you love others today?

PRAY: God, please help me see, hear, and love others in practical ways.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 11th May 2023 || ODB for Thursday Message . Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.

READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY