August 18, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional || ODB Today Message For Thursday

Our Daily Bread Devotional 18th August 2022 || ODB Today

READ THURSDAY ODB DEVOTIONAL, OUR DAILY BREAD 18TH AUGUST 2022 WRITTEN BY MARVIN WILLIAMS (OUR DAILY BREAD MINISTRIES)

TOPIC: A Compassionate Father

KEY VERSE: As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Psalm 103:13

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Psalm 103:13–18

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

READ: August 17, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional || The Making of Me

Our Daily Bread Devotional August 18, 2022 – ODB Reading

17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psalms 100–102; 1 Corinthians 1

August 18, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional INSIGHT

Psalm 103 begins and ends with a call to worship God—beginning with the individual worshiper (vv. 1–2), building up to all creation (vv. 20–22), and returning to the individual at the end of verse 22. In between, the psalm reflects on why it’s fitting for all creation to worship and lists the many ways God has revealed Himself to be a God of boundless goodness.

In many ways, this psalm (see vv. 8, 12, 18) is an extended reflection on the description of God given to Moses in Exodus 34:6–7: “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Psalm 103 reminds worshipers of God’s mercy (v. 8), reassuring them that His compassion, love, and faithfulness are greater than their weakness and sin (vv. 13–14). All are invited to experience the joy of worshiping Him.

READ: August 16, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional || Crushed and Beautiful

August 18, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional MESSAGE

After eight-year-old Gabriel underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his brain, it left a noticeable scar on the side of his head. When the boy said he felt like a monster, his dad, Josh, had an idea: demonstrate how much he loved his son by getting a tattoo on the side of his head with the same shape as Gabriel’s scar.

According to the psalmist, this is the kind of empathic and compassionate love God has for “his children” (Psalm 103:13). Using a metaphor drawn from human life, David illustrated God’s love. He said it’s as tender as a good father’s care for his children (v. 17). Just as a human father shows compassion to his children, so God, our heavenly Father, shows love and care toward those who fear Him. He’s a compassionate father, who empathizes with His people.

When we’re weak and feel like we’re unlovable because of the scars of life, may we receive, by faith, our heavenly Father’s love toward us. He demonstrated His compassion by sending His Son to lay “down his life for us” (1 John 3:16)—for our salvation. With this one act, not only can we experience God’s love for us, but we can look to the cross and see it. Aren’t you glad that we have a High Priest who can “empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15)? He has the scars to prove it.

READ ALSO; ODB Reading – Our Daily Bread Devotional 15 August 2022 | The Marriage Metaphor

August 18, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional | ODB Today For Thursday

REFLECT: How do you mind the gap between knowing God loves you and experiencing His love? How does it make you feel that Jesus, our High Priest, can empathize with every scar you have?

For further study, see https://odbu.org/courses/sf107/?utm_source=August+18+ODB+article+&utm_medium=email%2C+app%2C+web&utm_campaign=70×7+ODBU-ODB+

PRAY: Heavenly Father, thank You for your compassionate love for me. May You use my scars for Your glory.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 18th August 2022 || ODB Today 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 booklet.