Loving God of the Journey of Life, journey closely with this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray,amen.
Our text comes from Psalm 62:5 God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? 6 He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life. 7 My help and glory are in God 8 So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be. 9 Man as such is smoke, woman as such, a mirage. Put them together, they're nothing; two times nothing is nothing. 10 And a windfall, if it comes - don't make too much of it. 11 God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes Straight from God." 12 Love to you, Lord God! You pay a fair wage for a good day's work! (The Message)
One of my life's greatest blessings was to go to youth camp as a child and youth. In those days, the Rio Grande Conference went to Mount Wesley Methodist Encampment in Kerrville, Texas. I first went as a seventh grader recently moved to Houston. At that point in my life I had seen Kingsville, Monterrey, Mexico, the Valley, and now Houston. Monterrey had inspired me with mountains, a beautiful waterfall and caves. It was a short trip during those years when you don't remember much, but Kerrville had what seemed like mountains to me. The camp was located outside of town, isolated and ideal for a retreat. To climb to Vesper Point was to invite something spiritual to happen. The setting and the events, the speakers, all had a lot to do with my hearing God call me into ministry. This psalm reminds me of those days that I didn't fidget nor whisper jokes - I did indeed sit and wait for God. Those moments allowed me to have hope in God and in what might lie ahead for me and my life. I did feel that I could walk anywhere and do anything that God might ask of me, for I never walked alone. I had the fullness of life through Jesus Christ through those moments and during those times. God indeed took me to the mountain top and I could see what lay ahead for me, a journey filled with the blessings of God. I received my strength from God, "Straight from God" (v.11). I fell in love with God and that is a relationship that has never failed me, and I still seek to serve God in whatever ways God may still have for me.
Make time today to listen for God. And as you listen be reminded of all that God has shared with you. You can be a different person because of the presence of God and the strength that God provides for you. Come what may, we are never alone and we are never defeated because of what God shares with us. And in the joy of these discoveries, serve God! God rewards us lovingly and generously!
PRAYER: So be it, dear God, that I might find time today to be quiet and listen to you. Let me put down the cellphone, silence the music, turn my gaze away from the computer monitor, remove the ear buds from my music player and genuinely listen. May what I hear be a loving reminder of how blessed I am and how well equipped I am to serve You and Yours. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
A personal note: Dear friends, I had not yet said anything about an important journey that begun this past summer and in a couple of weeks becomes more real for me. As I may have mentioned through this e-devotional, I am a delegate to General Conference and as a result of that election I have been blessed and humbled and honored by an endorsement by the Rio Grande Conference of The United Methodist Church to be a candidate for bishop. The process is long and hard. I have to travel very soon to begin my series of interviews with all the delegations of our South Central Jurisdiction. I ask for your prayers. I want God's will to be done, not mine. The time is too critical for us to elect just anybody and I truly want the right persons (for we are electing three this time) for this important ministry position. I love what I am doing as a district superintendent, but will serve with God's help if elected, to the best of my ability. I thank you for your prayers for my wife, Nellie, our family and myself.
