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Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid burdens on our backs; you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place. I will come into your house with burnt-offerings; I will pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. I will offer to you burnt-offerings of failings, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him and he was extolled with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer. Blessed be God,because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. (Psalm 66:8-20)
Have you ever felt like you were on a journey that would never end? As I read this psalm I thought back to my days of public school. There were times either at the beginning of the school year or the end of one, where I would think, "This schooling stuff is never going to end! I still ____ number of years to go. I had done the kindergarten thing, finished the six years of elementary, and it may have been the junior high years when I wondered, "Will the day ever come when I no longer have to go to school?" And, thank God, it did; only to open up years of college, university and seminary. Now there are some days when I think, "Wouldn't it be great to be in school again?"
God has seen you and me through many things, including those that seemed like they would never end, and thus you can understand the psalmist as he wrote these words. His heart is thankful and worshipful; God has done so much for him and seen him through so many things that he just says, "I'm praising God!" And he even invites people to come and listen to what God has done for him. Have you ever done that? Last night Nellie and I had supper with some old dear friends and our conversation went all over the place, but especially to the places where we had seen and experienced God at work in our lives and ministries. We said in our words, "God has listened." And God has answered our prayers because God loves and cares for us. God will never remove His steadfast love from me.
What was yesterday like for you? Someone lost their father yesterday. Another had his wife in the emergency room while he was in a church meeting. Someone welcomed a new child into the world. Someone heard about a new job or setting in which they were to move. I know those around these situations and settings have said, in their own way, God is here and God cares because He loves me. I pray dear friend, that whatever you may have experienced, you have said the same thing. Why not say it out loud: God is here and God cares because God loves me.
PRAYER: Lord, the road may seem long, and the journey difficult, but You and I will make it through. Grant me the peace, the pace, and the patience to overcome all obstacles. You rock, loving God! I pray this prayer of faith in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Say it out loud and use words if necessary: God is here and God cares because God loves me!
Eradio Valverde
