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Hear here this devotional read by the author: https://bit.ly/3dlFlR5
1 I run to you, God; I run for dear life. Don't let me down! Take me seriously this time! 2 Get down on my level and listen, and please - no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety. 3 You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. 4 Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. 5 I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down. 19 What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. 20 You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. 21 Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world. 22 I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened. 23 Love God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone. 24 Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon. (Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24 The Message)
Happy Thursday! Friend, you've made it this far! Way to go! And you thought you wouldn't! Please give yourself a round of applause! Okay, that's enough! You, Rick, please stop!
I love breakfast! And of all the breakfast choices I (used to) have, probably the one that tempts me most is a stack of pancakes. Now, I've come a long way. I used to love the image of a tall stack, well-buttered and accompanied by at least three or four strips of thick bacon. I used to love these with black coffee, a tall glass of orange juice and a no time-limit on how long I could enjoy this. Okay, I'm a man of a certain age, and my mouth now waters for whole wheat pancakes with sugar-free syrup, no butter, and two strips of turkey bacon. And I have not had any coffee for over 30 years; hot English tea is fine. But the first thing I devour every morning is a reading of God's word, and four devotionals that I read online. I read The Upper Room and Our Daily Bread first, play a game of Solitaire on my tablet, then have my real breakfast and read the additional two devos from my email.
And today's reading mentioned, in verse 19, "a stack of blessings You have piled up for those who worship You." And I pray this time spent in God's presence and word would bless our soul. I apologize to those who have not yet had breakfast and as you read this you smell coffee but suspect a cold bowl of cereal may be the meal that awaits you! It's all good!
David knew the source of all goodness was God. And to get in on the blessings of God it's best to get to them as quickly as we can. David ran to God for most of his life. He knew that in God he had a place where he could hide, rest, refresh, be renewed, and re-charged and ready for the challenges of the day. He also knew that God understood him and could relate to whatever it was that was challenging him. David compares God to a cave, a great image, and a granite cave at that. God was also David's "safe leader,'" and " true mountain guide," who knows how to "free (us) from hidden traps." And it is God who provides the stack of blessings for those who worship Him, because God hides us who want "to escape an unkind world." We are safely hidden from all opposition, mocking faces, and poisonous gossip.
I don't know about you but I needed that message. I find it necessary a lot of times to just run to God and hide in Him. No where else would I find a more loving welcome and awesome place in which to regroup and recharge. And the good news is that God offers that to all who seek Him. And no better way to end this devotional than the words God inspired David to share: "Love God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone. 24 Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon. " Amen!
PRAYER: Loving God as this dear reader prays, bless his/her heart in ways that will astound them. Let them know that You are in charge of them, loving and caring for them, and providing for them the way they should go. Please keep us from following our own way; save us from our arrogance and silly self-confidences that mislead us. Make us strong, make us brave; renew us to the point where we need to hear that we should not give up. You will be here soon! And we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a beacon of hope to someone today!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
