Today's Verse: Habakkuk 2:9

Monday, February 9, 2004

ToGather: Waiting in Expectation

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"Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!"
— Habakkuk 2:9

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

In our "dog eat dog" world, in our race to get to the top and leave all our rivals in a heap at the bottom, God tells us both "Whoa!" and "Woe!" He tells us to stop and realize that Kingdom values are different from worldly values — that there is no success without service. He also warns us that he will bring us to ruin if we ignore his values by placing ourselves above the well-being of others or pursuing our own success at the cost of our ethics.

My Prayer...

Gracious, almighty, and righteous God, please strengthen me so that I can resist the temptation to exploit, cheat, and lie to get ahead. Dear Father, I truly want to be a person of integrity, character, and blessing. Please help me to see any duplicity in my own heart and to treat others graciously, just as you have so graciously treated me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Habakkuk 2:9 — "Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!"

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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