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Hear Today's Devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3a95Qr3
1 Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. 2 I say to God, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense. 3 And these God-chosen lives all around - what splendid friends they make! 4 Don't just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I'll never treat god-names like brand-names. 5 My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I'm your choice! 6 You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir! 7 The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. 8 Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go. 9 I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. 10 You canceled my ticket to hell - that's not my destination! 11 Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way. (Psalm 16 The Message Version)
Happy Thursday, dear Friend! The joke has become this day is the same as any other day, so the names of the week no longer matter. I still keep track as more than likely you do too! Each day is important, and each day is a great gift from God; loaded with surprises, opportunities, news; both good and bad, but each made more awesome because of the presence of God Himself with us! Today I tweeted, "Be thoughtful and add a mix of humility and gratitude, and you're set for today!" I confess that was more a note to self than anything else. But each day we greet and treat it as God directs.
This psalm is a psalm of praise to God for all that God offers. David requests what many of us are praying daily, "Keep me safe, O God," adding, and my loved ones and friends as well. David knew that he could hide in the Lord and so he makes that a part of what he prayed. His request affirms that he has faith in God and without God, "nothing makes sense." He also marveled at the number of "God-chosen lives all around - what splendid friends they make!" meaning he counted like-minded people as being dear to him. And to those who did not know God yet, a reproach that they should not go for a god; his only choice should be theirs as well - the living God, the God of Israel, and David knew that God had chosen him as well. God has provided for him well ("You set me up with a house and yard) and even has his future well-outlined as being God's heir.
David writes a clever, but powerful line as he wrote, "The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart." Imagine that; being awake, God guided him and while he slept, he slept well because he took to heart what God shared during the day. No tossing and turning nor loss of sleep because his trust was in a living, caring God, whose heart's desire was to comfort and guide his people. The rest of the psalm should be written on pillows and other things one finds in stores in towns like Fredericksburg: "Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go." Or, "I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed." And as far as the heir thing, he wrote, God cancelled my ticket to hell - that's not my destination! And what's true for David is true for you and for me, "Ever since God took our hand, we're on the right way." Amen.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, if ever we needed a word such as this, it is right now. We make this our prayer, that with You we cannot go wrong nor ever lack for anything. Guide us and bless us. May Your protection be with us and our loved ones. This we pray in faith, and in the name of Jesus our Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Radiate your love for God with an act of kindness for someone today.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
Need a sleeping help? Watch this video before bedtime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whWXSGQ1hvU
