Amazing God of perfect peace, share Your peace in the needs and life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our refrigerator is empty. Not on in the inside; we still have food! But on the outside. On the door. The magnets, pictures, drawings are gone. The first time I noticed it I told Nellie that I thought I was at a hotel or someone else's home. As we watch television at night I will glance to my right to see the time, and the clock is gone. Yes, we are packing. Perhaps not at a pace we would like or even need, but we're taking our blessings and putting them into boxes. We are also deciding, and this time a little more seriously than before, to discard some things that we just do not need. We do this every time, you see, but this time we mean business. Some of you as has our upcoming, new thrift store, has received some books that we have hauled around from time to time, that we decided, we read them once or these aren't even ours, they're our daughters'. And yes, sweet wife, I do NEED my large collection of LPs.
The Lord said, " And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life." (Matthew 19:29). The packing is coming as a result of my having said yes to Him almost forty years ago, to follow Him and to serve Him. I chuckle when I think of Nellie and I talking about marriage and I promised her that if she married me she would probably live in most of Texas and some parts of New Mexico. And off to Dallas we went, then a little over a year later, back to the Valley, then another move within the Valley, one to San Antonio, then back to her home church where we stayed eleven years. Then to San Antonio, San Marcos, and then back to the Valley.
Jesus' words are true. In every single place of ministry I have been richly and wonderfully blessed. Every place I have met a new brother and sister. In every single place I have met new fathers and mothers. And yes, even fields of different sorts. And yes this number is in the hundreds. All for the sake of Jesus' Name and purpose.
Dear sisters and brothers, where is God calling you and why are you resisting? Do you not take Him at His word and faithfulness? Ours is a faith of constant movement. From Abram to John the Beloved, God has said, Go! or Come with me! Our wanting to stay where we are, either in our spiritual life or walk with Him or even to places to which God is calling, results in more doubts and challenges. You may even notice the excitement gone (not that we were called to excitement, but my definition of life in abundance has a lot to do with excitement!). Accept God's invitation to go or come, and see what wonderful things can be yours!
PRAYER: God of the fullness of life, I pray that I might say Yes to Your invitation to either go or come. I pray that You help me rise above my doubts and fears, to that level where I know I am doing what it is You would have me do. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
