Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today (Friday Devotions)
TOPIC: Spotting Rainbows of Hope
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Psalm 42
KEY VERSE: Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him. Psalm 42:5
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chronicles 19–20, John 13:21–38
Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today INSIGHT
In Psalm 42, what might the “thirsty deer” imagery picture? Some scholars see it describing a deer being pursued by a hunter, running for its life and desperate for water to continue its flight from danger. Others imagine the deer in a season of drought, also desperate for the water necessary for survival but facing a very different kind of threat. Ultimately, the word picture reminds us that in our own desperate seasons, we’ll only find what we need in God. Only He can truly satisfy us.
Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today MESSAGE
During an October vacation, another battle with chronic pain forced me to spend the first few days recovering in our room. My mood became as overcast as the sky. When I finally ventured out to enjoy sightseeing at a nearby lighthouse with my husband, gray clouds blocked much of our view. Still, I snapped a few photos of the shadowy mountains and dull horizon.
Later, disappointed because a downpour tucked us in for the night, I skimmed through our digital pictures. Gasping, I handed my husband the camera. “A rainbow!” Focused on the gloominess earlier, I’d missed out on God refreshing my weary spirit with the unexpected glimpse of hope (Genesis 9:13–16).
Physical or emotional suffering can often drag us down into the depths of despair. Desperate for refreshment, we thirst for reminders of God’s constant presence and infinite power (Psalm 42:1–3). As we recall the countless times God has come through for us and for others in the past, we can trust that our hope is secured in Him no matter how downcast we feel in the moment (vv. 4–6).
When bad attitudes or difficult circumstances dim our vision, God invites us to call on Him, read the Bible, and trust His faithfulness (vv. 7–11). As we seek God, we can rely on Him to help us spot rainbows of hope arched over the darkest days.
Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today | PRAY
REFLECT: When have bad attitudes negatively affected your vision? How can you make sure your hope is centered on God?
PRAY: Loving God, thank You for refreshing my spirit and turning my plea for mercy into hope-filled praises.
READ: June 2, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotions – Set Apart
Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today (Friday Devotion) was written By Xochitl Dixon. 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. Our Daily Bread 3 June 2022 || ODB For Today (Friday Devotion)
