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God, mark us with grace and blessing! Smile! The whole country will see how you work, all the godless nations see how you save. God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you. Let all far-flung people become happy and shout their happiness because You judge them fair and square, you tend the far-flung peoples. God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you. Earth, display your exuberance! You mark us with blessing, O God, our God. You mark us with blessing, O God. Earth's four corners - honor him! (Psalm 67 The Message)
Happy Thursday, dear Friend! I pray the rich and tremendous blessings of the Lord be with you and yours all this day and all days. Please pray for one another and pray for yourselves as you read this and enjoy the day.
The other night I was watching a talk show that takes place in a barber shop. Famous athletes, entertainers, hip hop artists, etc. participate in the talk while one or two of them get haircuts. A thing one of them said struck me, for I had had the same experience. The gentleman said he had never heard of or understood, a pantry. Prior to that, he said, everything related to food was on top of the refrigerator; bread, chips, cookies, etc., all rested on the fridge. The idea of a separate area or room for food was unheard of. I struggle to remember when I first heard of or even had a pantry. I do remember hosting a sleepover of some of our daughters' friends and the following morning they found their way into our pantry, which was a full room dedicated to groceries, and one of the girls yelled, "They have their own grocery store in here!" We smiled and we thought about how blessed we are.
Whether or not you have a pantry, you still are blessed. A pantry may be one way to count your blessings, but one's attitude should help you understand the psalmist's desire; Thank and Enjoy God! Prior to our having a pantry, we knew we were blessed. The things we count as blessings are special gifts bestowed to us by the loving God in Whom we believe. David knew how God works, and all of this psalm is directed to Him. Those with eyes of faith see and understand how God works, and how much God desires our salvation. It falls on the saved and the blessed to thank God and enjoy Him. And three times David says, "Let all people thank and enjoy You." Indeed.
From those days when others may have said I was poor, I have enjoyed and thanked God for all that I had. It came as a surprise to me later on when I heard that I was poor; but I was not poor in spirit, nor in the way that I enjoyed God. Since that Sunday morning that I invited Jesus into my heart, it has been my joy to be in God's presence and God's service. It got to the point where I told my parents that I would rather attend a Monday through Friday Sunday school and would be perfectly happy attending a one day school school. They laughed and should have realized that I would be where I am, after serving my entire career in His service. I thank God every day that I can, and make it a part of my prayer time. I spend time in adoration of God, confessing my sins, thanking God, and time in supplication; praying for others and their needs. That's the A.C.T.S. model of prayer that sets the pace for my prayer time. And as a cherry on top, I enjoy God. How about you?
PRAYER: Loving God, may this day be a day when I truly thank You and enjoy You. I am richly blessed and I am loved fully and honestly by You, so thank You loving Father. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be part of the nations that thank God and enjoy Him! Let it show!
Blessings of love,
Eradio Valverde
