At first sight one might think... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of stars; he calls them all by name.
Psalm 147:3.4

At first sight one might think that there is no connection between these two verses, but this arrangement is encouraging. We might imagine that we are meaningless for God, just one among 7,000,000,000 persons on our planet. That is precisely why He reminds us that among a far greater number of stars He knows each individual one.

You are not a mere statistic for God: He knows not only your name but also your innermost need, which nobody in your environment is aware of or understands. Your heartfelt trouble moves Him to compassion.

There is even more to it than that: your guilt before God is your greatest problem. It has caused a rift between Him and yourself, so that you cannot trust His goodness; you silently let the wounds in your soul wear you out. God knows just what weighs heavily on your mind, because you cannot alter the past, and he has not written you off. Although His holiness demands your condemnation, He wishes and is able to save you, if only you are willing.

"God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

That is how God has bridged the rift, so that you can get over it. As soon as you confess the guilt of your life before Him in prayer, He will forgive you, because another - Christ - has paid your debt of guilt. You will be relieved of your burden, because the supreme Judge has pronounced you free.

Today's reading: Exodus 23:1-19 · Luke 9:10-17