Daily Worship (Nov 23)

Psalm 37:1–7 (NIV)
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Devotional Thought
Psalm 37 speaks directly to the same struggle Malachi addresses: What do we do when life feels unfair and the wicked seem to be winning? Israel asked, “What’s the point of serving God?” That is exactly what the “faithless fault-finders” said in Malachi. Psalm 37 gives a different answer. When the wicked seem to succeed, we are not supposed to panic, complain, or envy them. Their success is short-lived. Like grass in the summer heat, it will fade.

Instead of giving in to fear or frustration, Psalm 37 calls us to trust. “Trust in the Lord and do good.” That means we keep obeying even when life is confusing. We keep doing the next faithful thing. We commit our way to the Lord and let him work out the results. And we wait patiently for him—not with bitterness, but with hope.

This passage also reminds us that God sees every act of faith, no matter how small. He promises to make our “righteous reward shine like the dawn.” That is the same message Malachi gives when he says God writes our names in his “scroll of remembrance.” God remembers his faithful people. He will act in justice. He will bring healing.

So when life feels unfair, we do not join the fault-finders. We choose the path of the faithful-fearers. We wait, trust, and do good—because our God never forgets his people.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does Psalm 37, written during times of trouble in Israel’s history, help us understand why God tells his people not to fret?
• Observation: What commands and promises stand out in verses 3–7?
• Meaning: What does it mean to “commit your way to the Lord” and to “be still before the Lord”?
• Main Idea: What central message is God teaching us about responding to unfair situations?
• Application: Where are you tempted to fret, envy, or complain—and how can you practice trust and patience instead?

Prayer
Lord, when life feels unfair, help us trust you instead of complaining. Make us faithful-fearers who wait on your promises. Teach us to commit our ways to you and believe that you remember us for good. Amen.

Hebrews 6:9–12 (NIV)
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Devotional Thought
This passage echoes Malachi’s message so closely that it almost feels like a commentary on it. In Malachi, God listens to the faithful-fearers and writes their names in his “scroll of remembrance.” Here in Hebrews, we are told, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him.” That is a powerful truth for discouraged believers.

Hebrews was written to Christians who were tired, worn down, and tempted to give up. They wondered whether following Jesus was worth it. But the writer reminds them that God sees every act of faith—every prayer, every sacrifice, every time you serve someone even when you are exhausted. None of it is wasted. None of it is forgotten.

When life is hard, we often feel unseen. But our God remembers. He remembers with mercy and justice. And because he remembers, we are called to continue in faith and patience, just like Malachi’s faithful-fearers. Hebrews warns us not to drift into spiritual laziness or bitterness. Instead, we imitate those who hold on to God’s promises until the end.

This is good news for weary Christians. Your faithfulness matters. God sees it. God remembers it. And God will reward it. You can remain steady because the Lord himself is steady toward you.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does the situation of suffering Christians in Hebrews help explain why the writer emphasizes endurance?
• Observation: What does verse 10 say God remembers, and why is that important?
• Meaning: What does it mean to “inherit what has been promised” through “faith and patience”?
• Main Idea: What central truth does this passage teach about God’s character and our perseverance?
• Application: Where do you need endurance right now, and how does God’s promise to remember encourage you?

Prayer
Father, thank you that you never forget your people. Give us strength to stay faithful, patient, and loving as we wait for your promises to come true. Keep our hearts steady in the hope of the gospel. Amen.

James 5:7–11 (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Devotional Thought
James gives us a picture that fits beautifully with Malachi’s final message: what should God’s people do while they wait? His answer is simple but challenging—be patient, stand firm, and avoid grumbling. James reminds us that waiting is not passive. Waiting with faith means we keep steady in obedience while trusting that the Lord is near.

The farmer in verse 7 teaches us something important. He cannot force the harvest. He cannot change the weather. He cannot control how fast the seeds grow. But he can trust the process, work faithfully, and wait for the rains God provides. That is what faithful-fearers do in hard seasons. They do not fall into fault-finding or complaining. They lean on God’s promises with steady hope.

James also reminds us of God’s character. He says, “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” This connects directly to Malachi’s final promise—that the Lord will keep his covenant, send Elijah, and bring redemption through the gospel. Waiting is hard, but we wait for a God who has a track record of mercy. Just as Job saw God’s faithfulness at the end of his suffering, so will all God’s people.

While we wait, we remember God’s law and God’s promise. We plant, obey, trust, and hope—because the God who remembers will come through.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does the pressure facing early Christians in James’s time shape the call to patience?
• Observation: What examples of patience does James give, and what do they show?
• Meaning: What does it mean that “the Judge is standing at the door”?
• Main Idea: What does this passage teach about how Christians should wait for the Lord?
• Application: What is one area where you need to replace grumbling with patient trust?

Prayer
Lord, help us wait with hope and patience. Keep us from grumbling and complaining. Make us like the farmer who trusts your timing, and like the prophets who stood firm in suffering. Thank you that you are full of compassion and mercy. Amen.