God of mercy and forgiveness, forgive and bless the needs and shortcomings of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Psalm 31: 9 Be kind to me, God - I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. 10 My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. 11 To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me. 12 They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash. 13 The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good. 14 Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! 15 Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me. 16 Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. (The Message).
As David wrote, all of what he recorded was from his heart. I wonder if he realized that what he wrote in his day he realized that it was also prophetic word that would become scripture and scripture for our Lord? David must have known that his hand was being guided by God's Holy Spirit, but the pain was no less real, and the agony he felt was no less difficult. David, like us, knew what it felt like to be in trouble. David, like us, knew what it meant to cry. We've known the feeling of being hollow inside and we know what it feels like to grow older. David, like us, also knew what it meant to be rejected and despised by those who somehow have never liked us or indeed have become enemies to us. And on and on goes the list of pain, suffering and humiliation. But we also know, like David, what it means to trust in God who sees us through all the difficult and painful days. We know what it means to receive the "smile" of God on those days of darkness, when light breaks through and defeats the hopelessness we have been feeling.
Our journey through Lent has been a time to remember the goodness and grace of God. Our sacrifices and things shed to rely more fully on God should bring blessing upon blessing to us in these final days of preparation. May Sunday's celebration begin today!
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for being with me in the days of defeat. Your smile has made me victorious even in the face of those who wished me harm and destruction. You have the final say in all things and for that I glorify You. I pray this in celebration of the life of my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS Seek a church home, if you don't have one, to celebration the procession that is Palm Sunday this Sunday!
