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Our Daily Bread for today is here. Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
The word of God is food to the spirit man. “Eat and digest” the word of the Lord for today and let its unchanging power nuture your faith and help in your daily walk to Christ.
The Topic of Our Daily Bread For 2nd April 2024 is “Psalm 72 Leaders”
Bible in a Year: Judges 16-18; Luke 7:1-30
Memory Verse: Psalm 72:6
May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
Today’s Scripture & Insight: Psalm 72:1-7
Psalm 72 bears a striking resemblance to Solomon’s request for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:7-9. Upon taking the throne, God told him in a dream that he could ask for whatever he wished. In response, he asked for “a discerning heart” so that he could “govern [God’s] people” and “distinguish between right and wrong” (v. 9). In Psalm 72, we see the same themes.
The author asks God to “endow the king with your justice, . . . the royal son with your righteousness” so he may “judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice” (vv. 1-2). God’s wisdom, justice, and righteousness were essential to being a good king and governing well. The psalm ends with praise to God “who alone does marvelous deeds” (v. 18).
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ODB MESSAGE FOR TODAY
In July 2022, Britain’s prime minister was forced to step down after what many felt were lapses in integrity (the newly appointed prime minister stepped down just months later!). The event was triggered when the country’s health minister attended an annual parliamentary prayer breakfast, felt convicted about the need for integrity in public life, and resigned. When other ministers resigned too, the prime minister realized he had to leave. It was a remarkable moment, originating from a peaceful prayer meeting.
Believers in Jesus are called to pray for their political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and Psalm 72 is a good guide for doing so, being both a ruler’s job description and a prayer to help them achieve it. It describes the ideal leader as a person of justice and integrity (vv. 1-2), who defends the vulnerable (v. 4), serves the needy (vv. 12-13), and stands against oppression (v. 14). Their time in office is so refreshing, it’s like “showers watering the earth” (v. 6), bringing prosperity to the land (vv. 3, 7, 16). While only the Messiah can perfectly fulfill such a role (v. 11), what better standard of leadership could be aimed for?
The health of a country is governed by the integrity of its office-bearers. Let’s seek “Psalm 72 leaders” for our nations and help them to embody the qualities found in this psalm by praying it for them.
Reflect & Pray
What qualities do you look for in a leader? How can you pray more often for your local and national leaders?
Father, please empower our leaders to be people of justice, integrity, and goodness.
Our Daily Bread 2024 Devotional is written by Sheridan Voysey and published by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Read more
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