Daily Devotional – Going With a Heavy Heart

Our scripture for the Daily Devotional today is taken from Exodus 28:22-30. Being the hands and feet of God, we ought to share the love and compassion for others as God does. As we approach God and His throne, we should bring those that God loves before Him in prayer.

“For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ²³ Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. ²⁴ Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ²⁵ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ²⁶ Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²⁸ The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. ³⁰ Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.”

Inscribe the names of the loved ones on your heart

The heart is the organ that keeps our bodies functioning. Without the heart pumping the life-giving blood throughout the body, our existence would come to an abrupt end. The heart represents love because, in the same way, that our hearts sustain life, love sustains our spirits and souls.

Aaron was instructed by God to come before Him with the names of Israel’s tribes covering his heart. God was reminding Aaron and His people how they were loved and cherished by their God and creator.

Let us consider those around us that do not know the promises and love of God. God desires that they come before Him and experience His presence and compassion. So let us go before God with His loved ones in our hearts. With heavy hearts that truly love and care for these loved ones, let us pray toward God for them. Then let us share God’s love with them!

Let’s Pray

Dear Father, 

Thank you that You have loved me, and spared me with Your grace and forgiveness. I come before You today with a heavy heart, grieving as You do for those that have rejected You. Help me today to be Your light, Your love, and Your compassion to them, so that they may catch a glimpse of You!

In Jesus Name,

Amen