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Hear this devotional narrated here: https://soundcloud.com/evalverde/the-pain-in-pauls-heart
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 9:1-5 NRSV)
Friend! Welcome to Tuesday's devotional! I pray this finds you well. May this time spent together be a blessing to God, you, your circle of influence, and to the Kingdom of God! Remember to pray for one another, praying for yourself, and the needs you hold that should be instead placed in the Lord's hands.
I can be a pain to some people, though it is never intentional. I blame the Apostle Peter for his influencing me to sometimes speak before thinking, and for sometimes thinking and speaking what I should instead be holding fast inside of my mouth and transferring that to my prayer life. So, if I have become a pain to you, I ask your forgiveness, and please feel free to let me know the specifics. I have never claimed to be perfect; the only perfect person I know is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul reveals who the pain in his heart, though he writes "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart," a nicer way of saying what a real pain he was feeling; and the culprits (plural) were his brothers and sisters, the Israelites. For Paul, being himself an Israelite, knew that Jesus loved and cared deeply for all people, but especially the children of the covenant. God's chosen people had long demonstrated their tendency to stray and wander and to ignore and reject all that was supposed to come to them, and Paul cannot quite accept that. Though he never had his own biological children, he felt like a parent whose counsel and wisdom go ignored. And that was simply a slight taste of what God has to feel when we choose our own way and make foolish decisions and we soon find ourselves alienated from Him.
From years ago comes this story; A rebellious son who always insisted on his own way, claiming he knew better than his father, felt disgust towards his father's constant preaching about faith and the need to have it, and to accept the love of a Savior as is found in Jesus; all of that fell on deaf ears. All the son truly craved was his father's money, not his love; his dad's nice home, not his protection and presence; his dad's fancy car, not the trips the dad encouraged his son to take with him. The son chose instead to leave home to the farthest place he could find. The years past and the father was soon dead. It took an additional time for the son to find out that the father was dead. And like the story Jesus told of a prodigal son, this son found himself in the same situation except he had no father to come home to. The son found his way home, and the once bright house was now boarded up. The lawn that was once a favorite of many in that town, now overrun with weeds, and trash. The garage had been broken into and no vehicles were inside. The house was also marred by broken windows and pried open doors. The new inhabitants of the home were pests and rodents. The only thing the son could find was the father's old Bible. The first thought the son had was to throw the thing into the trash, but decided to look inside to see what it was about this book made his dad the man he had been. He read a few pages and nothing jumped out at him; he was seeking immediate answers, but found none. Finally towards the middle of the Bible the son found an envelope and it was addressed to his son. The son now felt a sorrow begin to form in his heart, and tears welled up in his eyes; yet, he still felt an almost irresistible urge to toss the book into the trash, but he fought it and opened the letter. "My dear son, if you are reading this I am thankful to God you are still alive. My mind had led me down the path of thinking you were dead. I tried hard to find you, and even hired the finest detectives I could afford, and none could find you. It was as if you dropped off the face of the earth. Having lost your mother while you were still young, and my inability to be both mother and father to you helped shape you into the young man you were, though I tried hard and even prayed for your soul; I know God answers prayer, and all prayers are answered in God's time not ours, so you just holding this letter is that answer I prayed for, because you have finally opened the word of God. I had no one to give this home too, and I hardheadedly resisted attempts from my advisors to sell it. This home is yours, dear one, as are all the things that I have stored in places around this state. The house may not be in the shape it was when you left, but please know that on the flip side of this letter you will find the list of the banks holding my money that is now yours. Feel free to use the money to either restore this house, or to build the home you would like. If you are careful, you will have more than enough money for the rest of your life. The only regret is that I did not have those days we could have enjoyed together; instead I went to my death with the hope that perhaps someday you would return to what is, and has always been, yours. With whatever time God may have to share with you, I pray you will at least enjoy it with Him, with the certainty that God has always loved you, as I have tried to love you. I was not perfect, but each day made my love more perfect towards you. Love, your father." The son discovered he was now wealthy and had more than enough to do whatever it was he wanted; but now it had truly dawned on him that what he really missed out on was being there for his father, and enjoying his father while he was there.
Paul could have written this letter, as could the Lord Jesus, because both knew what the Israelites were missing out on, and what we miss out when we stay away from God. You honestly know there are times we have chosen not with our hearts or heads, but with our passions; and we have found out later, sometimes too much later, that we were wrong and we missed out on a lot. Please know that we who are reading this still have a chance to make things right, with God first, ourselves second, and then whomever is in our heart as needing this forgiveness. What shall you choose? I would pray that we not squander all that God has done for us.
PRAYER: Loving and patient Father, forgive us of our trespasses and our foolish decisions. Allow us to make right the wrong in our lives. Allow in us the courage to ask for Your forgiveness as well as the forgiveness we need to show ourselves; then to those who need to hear from us. Father, bless this reader and his/her life. Guide them always to the fullness of life; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. May we never have to hide in the Bible what we need to share with people who matter to us!
Receive my blessings of peace and joy,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
