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Hear Here: http://bit.ly/2Z6NEJ0 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us! 8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; 11 it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River. 12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? 13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. 14 Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, 15 the stock that your right hand planted. 16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance. 17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. 18 Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19 NRSV)
Thursdays are tremendous when we live them in the Lord! "Come Holy Spirit, renew and refresh us as we walk in Thy Word." May that prayer bring blessings to you, dear Friend!
The passage from yesterday was from the prophet Isaiah and the word from God was about how His vineyard turned against Him. Today's passage is a prayer from the psalmist asking God to restore Israel's relationship with Him. The prayer begins by calling God the "Shepherd of Israel," the leader of "Joseph like a flock." God is acknowledged as one who rules from on high, and who has the power to save, and that becomes the opening theme of the prayer; "Stir up your might, and come to save us!" Then a reminder of how God delivered Israel out of Egypt like "a vine," and planted that vine in the Promised Land, and all nations opposed to them, and all that followed was according to God's plan. Now the petition is for God to look down on His people with regard. God is reminded of what the prophet had said; the walls were broken down, and access to the vineyard was given to all; now the plea is for God to once again restore His people and the people would never turn away from God. "Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved."
This is the telephone call from the wayward child. It is the rehearsed speech of the Prodigal Son; "Father I am no longer worthy to be called your son; take me back as a hired hand..." It is your baby girl knocking on your door after the last argument you had. The God of love is all about those calls, knocks, and prayers. God is all about us finally saying, "God I have been wrong and out of line; please forgive me and take me back." Any parent who loves and who has missed the company and presence of a wayward child will gladly pick up the phone, open the door, open their arms to embrace and bring back into the fold the child who is now home and is safe once again - The very same way God welcomes you and me.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your never failing love. Lord, I repent of my evil ways, and ask You to take me back. Help me in my earthly relationships to take back in those who have wandered away from me. This I pray in faith, in the Name of He who died for me and saved me, Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Wander no longer; walk with God!
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde paypal.me/eradiovalverde.
