Image from seedstuff.blogspot.com
Hear the devotional narrated here: http://bit.ly/2nnDZRj
1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! 2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! 3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! 4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. 5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered - 6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen. 7 He's God, our God, in charge of the whole earth. 8 And he remembers, remembers his Covenant - for a thousand generations he's been as good as his word. 9 It's the Covenant he made with Abraham, the same oath he swore to Isaac, 10 The very statute he established with Jacob, the eternal Covenant with Israel, 11 Namely, "I give you the land. Canaan is your hill-country inheritance." 45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah! (Psalm 105:1-11, 45b The Message)
A tremendous Thursday be yours today, dear Friend! May we use this day to praise God to thank Him for all the good He has done in and for us! We join the ranks of King David, the prophets, The Lord Jesus, Paul, Priscilla, and all who knew that we could, and should, praise God!
I remember the first combined church worship service I ever attended when I was a boy in Kingsville. Our little church, El Buen Pastor (all brown members), met in the sanctuary of St. Paul Methodist (all black members), for Human Relations Sunday. We walked in to loving handshakes, hugs, slaps on the back, and smiles. We were among family! But, we knew that we were a little different, because their church had, near the altar table, a drum set. We had only what King James and Jesus said a church should have, a piano and an organ! My brother and I smiled at each other hoping they were going to use it during worship, and they did! I think we were mesmerized throughout that service by the awesome beating of the drums while we sang way more spirited versions of our hymns. And we loved that when each hymn was over, the drummer added his closing zing to each, which made it just right in our opinion. I didn't see any of our older ladies faint, so I think we were alright after it was all said and done. The question in our minds was, "How come we don't seem to be as happy as they are when they're in church?" The obvious answer might have been that we were a Spanish speaking congregation, culturally different from the 1850s hymns we were singing in the European-style taught us and in the form of worship taught to our pastors, who in turn taught to us. The limits were sort of set, and we dared not venture out of them.
I can see the young shepherd David out in the pastures with his sheep and with his lyre. As David watches his flock, his mind races to the goodness of God and how God has never let him down. Hallelujah, or the Hebrew equivalent, comes to his mind, and he may have said it out loud a bit, to start. He knows no one can hear him, and even if they did, it wouldn't matter much, he is just a boy tending to his sheep. Two days ago, Nellie and I ran for twenty minutes without stopping. I know that's not a big deal for you runners, but for this old, overweight retiree, that was a frightening challenge. And as our timing app told us how much longer we had, the numbers as they shrank motivated me to smile. I mean, big. You know, I thought, "Thank God, I am going to make it!" I raised my right hand up high as a sign of worship to the Lord Almighty. It was still dark, Nellie could see it, but I wondered if she knew why. (Yes, she's been married to me long enough to know there's no telling what her husband is likely to do in any situation). But as the numbers got smaller and smaller I neared her and said, "Two minutes!" I smiled again, with a bigger smile. And as the numbers got below one minute I was happier. Five seconds, three, two, one, done! I shouted, "Hallelujah!" I turned to Nellie and laughing said, "We did it!" She smiled and we kissed. King David had nothing on us; we both felt like saying, "Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name! Tell everyone you meet what He has done!" (I'm doing that now!). And I changed the songs on my phone to the worship/praise songs and lifted both hands in the air. I was joyful, and I was thankful. And that was for keeping me alive and breathing before, during, and after, a twenty-minute run. As I think on all of my life, the challenges, the obstacles, the miles, triumphs, joys, blessings... I join those ranks of the thankful and I thank God for His everlasting covenant to me.
This psalm goes with yesterday's Genesis lesson, and all the lessons for this week, and the Gospel lesson on mustard seeds, leaven, pearls, and treasure; and I realize we are the pearls and the treasures that Jesus came to seek and find, and, save. We are the ones who should stop, pause, and smile and say, as loudly as we feel comfortable, "Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name! Tell everyone you meet what He has done!" And we can break out in song, we can whistle, we can hum, we can just let it all out, that God is worthy of our praise!
This is the foundational blessing for what David says, "Live a happy life!" We keep our eyes open to God, we see His works; we're blessed by the signs of His presence among us, and we should join all creation in praising His holy name. We are part of the covenant that God will never forget; in fact, we are part of the covenant that God will fulfill in us!
PRAYER: Loving and awesome God, we pause to add our names to the millions who at this very moment are praying alongside us. We can't see them, and we can't hear them, but we know that at the foot of Your throne, the voices in so many languages, sighs, and groans, are arriving there and sounding like Beethoven, Vivaldi, Luciano, Rocio, Bono, George, and all other great singers and composers of our day, had gotten together and presented this marvelous symphony of praise to You. You are worthy, You are mighty, and we thank You. May our lives reflect that gratitude wherever it is You take us to do whatever you desire us to do; so that in all things, and in all ways, You would be glorified in us! We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! You don't have to run or even walk, but if you reach a point where you thought you won't be, thank God! And don't be shy about it!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
