Loving God, guide and bless this dear reader in his/her needs for today. In Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Yesterday I asked the congregation to think about their life and where material possessions stood; their first meaningful toy, their first car, their first job, their first home away from home; their first adult toy. I shared how many of us would be very wealthy if we had saved all our baseball and football trading cards, wagons, dolls, etc., for we could be selling them on eBay! I shared memories of my first car, the 1968 white, four-door, Ford LTD that could have come straight off the set of the even then not too recent tv series, The FBI, starring Efraim Zimablist, Jr. The thing that never failed me was the air conditioner; it always kept me comfortable during the heats of Houston summers. The wacky thing about the car was a short in the headlights that made driving Hwy 29 at night, thrilling and dangerous. We could list the same for all of the categories mentioned, but more importantly in our lives were the people behind those things. As for my first meaningful toy, it was the relationship God blessed me with my parents. The toys did not matter as much as the love I felt from and for my Mom and Dad. Where that first meaningful toy is today, I care not, but I do know where my parents are, and I thank God still for the love they shared with me. That first car is long gone, probably rusted away in some junk yard, but the car did not matter as much as friendships developed as a result of that car, including the first ride I took with the one who would spend the rest of her life with me. On and on we could go with the list; first job, important yes, but not as much as the knowledge and skills gained that helped me realize my life's calling and purpose. My first home away from home was a place where I knew I wanted to share my life with someone and one day start my own family.
The text was Hebrews 11, with the long list of the Hall of Faith. Each character's positive qualities or faith accomplishments listed there; I shared the not-so-positives of each person's life and how that list can and should include us, when we realize the important of faith in God vs. our dependence and trust in things that one day fail or break or rust away. In that entire list of heroes of faith, it was their faith that blessed them, not their material things. It was the promise of God being with them and their willingness to be used by God that helped them be heroes of the faith.
May today be a reflection of where we stand with God in terms of our faith and service to God. Are we where we know God wants us or are we still thinking that we could be better off and more blessed with things?
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the people and relationships that have blessed me in my life. I thank You for Your desire to be in relationship with me. Help me today realize that I could and should be doing more for You. Let me hold nothing back when it comes to You. I ask this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
-----------PRAYER REQUEST: Please be in prayer for the family of The Rev. Harold Greenway, retired UM pastor who passed away this past week. Please pray especially for his son, The Rev. Dr. Jeffery Greenway, pastor of Reynoldsburg UMC, Ohio. Jeff was also president of Asbury Theological Seminary.
