Briefing: There are several reasons I love living in Texas. We love our history and heritage as a state and our own country. We are proud of our Texas law enforcement, our conservative family values, our loyalty and kindness and of course, the fact that we are the buckle of the Bible belt.

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 85.

On the Street: Several years ago, I wrote my own personal commentary on the Bible. It is fun to go back and read the notes I made on different books and chapters. When I was reading the notes on Psalm 85, I wrote, “My prayer for the state of Texas”. As I read the first line of Psalm 85:1, “You, Lord, showed favor to your land”, I cannot help but be thankful for the blessings God has bestowed on my great state.

Now, if you are not from Texas, please do not get offended or upset by my Texas pride. Nothing compares to the pride I have in Christ, my Savior. We should all pray for our city, state, country, and world. The only state I would expect us to agree to pray for is the state of Israel. The purpose of this devotional is not to pray for Texas but to pray that all “places” honor and glorify God. Praying for places is actually praying for the people who inhabit those places. We all want to live in God’s country.

Going back to Psalm 85, starting in verse 8, I want to hear what God has to say. “I will listen to what God the Lord says; He promises peace to His people, His faithful servants, but let them not turn to folly. Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before Him and prepares the way for His steps.”

This needs to be what we ask God for in prayer when considering the places we live and work. I want to live in a place of peace with a heart, mind, and soul focused on God (v8). By this kind of focus, we can be a wise people who know the necessity to glorify God in all things so that the living God will be our God (v9). We should be a people who intentionally love each other well, as Christ loved us. We must be a faithful people who trust God (v10). As my pastor says, “It is not about perfection, it is about direction”. We have to be a people who point to God, the giver of all good gifts and His Son, the Savior of all who come to Him (v11).

If we do these things there is a promised blessing from The LORD! He will give us what is good and provide for us (v12). Verse 13 says, “Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.” Just as John the Baptist went before Jesus and prepared the way, we too must go out and prepare the way for The LORD. We do this by carrying out the commandment that Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Investigational Resources: Mark 1:1-8, 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Officer Safety Principle: Do your own personal prayer walk, walking about and praying over a specific area and people. I have driven around in my police vehicle and prayer walked, prayed over, my area of responsibility. I encourage you to put this into practice.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 1
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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