From Psalm 81: 1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 11 "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! 14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. 16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Years ago, Nellie would say to Caty, our youngest. "We need to get ready to go to church." Caty would ask, "What kind of church? Is it sit down and behave church, or stand up and have fun church?" Her perception of church was clear at that point, and we knew her favorite option. Stand up and have fun meant church fellowship events like covered dish luncheons, birthday celebrations, children's Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, and other things where she was allowed to "stand up and have fun." This psalm is an invitation to church in a way. It is a call to worship for the people of Israel. It says that we should sing. Christians have a rich tradition of singing. Someone once said that to sing is to pray twice. Singing should reflect the joy and strength of our faith that we have in the living God. The psalmist remembers a time when the people of Israel did not listen to God nor would follow God's leading. The result was that they wandered off following their own hearts and their own counsel. Yesterday's passage spoke of the people finding themselves in worthlessness. Yet, God continues to call and to wait for us to listen to God and to sing God's praises. This would result in the defeat of the enemies we face; apathy, fear, doubt, restlessness, resentment, anger, revenge, boredom, illnesses that come from stress, sin; these are our real enemies, and they are easily defeated by God's strong, loving hand. Woe to those who hate God, but those who love God will be fed with the finest that God has to offer.
PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for not giving up on me. Help me to listen, to be blessed, and to be a blessing. Let me surrender to You so that you might fight off the enemies I may face today. I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
