Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mike Caton

Exodus 15:2, “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Those Israelites had seen a miracle and been rescued from Pharaoh for the last time. And what they do is sing a song of praise. How often are we rescued by God? There is no doubt that it is more times than we realize. Things happen to us and no matter how careful we are, no matter how alert we try to be, no matter what preparations we might make, there is always the unexpected that can happen. And in the same breath, how often does God protect us and keep us safe. Maybe we look back on the events and realize God stepped in. Or maybe we never even know about the disaster we came to so close too.

But like the Israelites, we need to realize God is our strength and defense. This certainly does not mean God will protect us from every single tragedy that comes our way. We know plenty of tough times and people going through them. Sometimes we are tempted to ask where God is and why he has not protected us. But we too often fail to realize he has. How much worse could the situation be? And regardless of how bad it is, God is still there with us, we never have to go through anything alone. And not only is God protecting us now, but he has protected us in the past. Those times ought to give us hope for today and tomorrow.

And our response should be to praise him. I know everything does not always work out the way we might like it. And in this life, there are things that get us down. But we need to learn to look on the bright side, on the God side. And if we can do that, and we can, we will see many reasons to praise the Lord. This needs to be our response every day. Every day there is something to thank God for. Every day we need to offer our praise to him. Because every day he is good to us.

Father, help me praise you every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works full time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

READ ABOUT NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!