God of grace and peace, pour out your Spirit on this dear reader throughout this day and all days. Amen.
Our God is a God of promises kept. I wish I could say the same for myself as I know you wish you could say for yourself. But God is also one who does not give up on us even when we fail. Our God is a God of second, third, fourth, 100 chances. As you think back on the promises you've made to God, which have you kept? Those of us who are members of the United Methodist Church had to promise four (now five) things: To support our church with our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Now, we've added Witness to the list. Have we kept those? Think about the God-side of those vows: If we pray, God keeps His promises in answering our prayers. If we go to church and worship, God is present receiving our praise and adoration and God blesses us. If we give to God our tithes, gifts, or offerings, God is blessed as is the church, but ours is the greatest blessing in knowing that we have a grateful heart to the Lord for all the Lord has provided for us. If we serve the Lord and the Lord's people as He said in Matthew 25, "when you do this for the least of these, you've done it for me..." (Valverde paraphrase). And lastly, each time we witness with our lives and/or words about the goodness of God, God is blessed as is the person receiving the witness.
Now think about the promises God has made in your life. Can you remember what they are and have you done your part to be a blessing in receiving and sharing those? Has a lack of faith on your part kept you from truly being blessed in the way God intended for your life? In Abraham's case, God promises him a lot of things but it took Abraham taking that first step towards the promised land and towards the greatness God said would be his, for the blessings to begin. Had Abraham said, "Well, Lord, let me think on this because the wife's a little reluctant to leave her family and I kinda promised her we would live near them..." he would have never been the father of the faith, recognized by both Jews and Muslims as their "daddy." What have you said to God? My journey was one of trusting God when he called me to preach. Preaching was in my opinion the last thing I wanted to do and the least area of strength as far as I was concerned. But had I stayed behind that excuse I would have never discovered God's greatness in allowing me to be a preacher. The same may be true for you. You're reluctant, scared, shy, embarrassed, afraid, etc. to take that first step; let me tell you, it's not half as bad as you might imagine. Take that first step, then the next, and the rest and let God bless you beyond your wildest expectations!
PRAYER: God of the promise, help me take that first step towards the fulfillment of the promises and claims You've made in my life. I can't leave "home" without leaning a bit towards where I know I need to; and when I do, help me to give honor and glory to You. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
