DCLM Daily Manna 14 October 2021 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Lead Like Christ
TOPIC: Lead Like Christ
TEXT: Psalm 72:1-20
1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
KEY VERSE: “Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.” – (Psalm 72:1,2)
MESSAGE:
The qualities that make a good leader are much talked about but less practiced by many in positions of authority. The leader, we are often told, must act wisely at all times, deal humbly and with integrity and serve the interests of those under his influence. Regrettably, these qualities are missing from the actions of many that occupy leadership positions in the society. To some of them, leadership is about showing strength, exploiting the aspirations of the led and promoting their own self-interests.
From the text, the psalmist prayed that the Lord would grant the king and his son the grace to lead the people aright. This, he said, was the only way to ensure the reign of peace and tranquility. David was actually looking beyond his reign and that of his son to the divine rule of the ultimate Leader, our Lord Jesus Christ. He anticipated the endless reign of Christ who alone can enthrone perfect peace and unprecedented integrity in leadership. He would be reverenced by the people; righteousness would flourish on earth and there will be uninterrupted peace. His reign shall cover the whole earth; all men shall bow and serve before Him. He will care for the less privileged and save them from evil. He will reign forever and ever and His name shall be blessed in all nations.
Leaders are found at all levels of human endeavours, whether in the family, society or government. And those who lead must follow the example of Jesus Christ. They must live righteously and uphold justice at all times. Like Jesus, such leaders must care specially for the poor and needy.
The question is, how much of the plight, interests and aspirations of the weak do we defend and promote at our various levels of leadership? We must remember that we will account for whatever we do with our leadership privileges.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
To follow Christ, you must walk in His steps.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 34–37
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
