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Daily Devotion: Psalm 78:5-7

Psalm 78:5-7    "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  (6)  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  (7)  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments"

"For he established a testimony in Jacob."  The "he" in this verse refers back to God.  "God established a testimony in Jacob."  What kind of testimony was established? If you go back to the book of Genesis and look at the life of Jacob, he felt he could go through life using his own ingenuity. In other words, he tried to cheat his way through life. He cheated his twin brother out of his birthright. He deceived his own father into giving him the blessing that actually belonged to Esau. He cheated his father in law out of livestock.  It seems he thought himself to be a prosperous man in the sight of the world.

Was this the testimony established in Jacob? No, it wasn't. Jacob thought himself to be prosperous until the Lord came to him in a dream. Jacob began to see himself as he truly was as the Lord began to reveal himself to him.  When Jacob began to see the Lord, he realized how helpless he truly was. Jacob stopped depending upon himself and began to lean upon the promises of the Lord. "You said you would surely do me good." Jacob completely depended upon that promise.

The story of Jacob is much more involved than this devotion will go today, but the lesson that is ultimately learned in Jacob is found in verse 7 of our text: "that they might set their hope in God."  If Jacob could speak to us today, his testimony might go something like this. I wasted most of my life trying to do it my way. It just didn't work. But I finally learned the key to a satisfying life of contentment after the Lord showed His goodness to me. Learn to lean upon the Lord in all your ways and He will direct you in the right paths of life. Don't hesitate to ask Him for His guidance and assistance in life.

"I Can't Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand"  by Cody Johnson

I thought number one would surely be me
I thought I could be what I wanted to be
I thought I could build on life's sinking sand
But I can't even walk without you holding my hand

I thought I could do a lot on my own
I thought I could make it all alone
I thought of myself as a mighty big man
But Lord I can't even walk without you holding my hand

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