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1 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and descend, make the mountains shudder at your presence - 2 As when a forest catches fire, as when fire makes a pot to boil - 3 To shock your enemies into facing you, make the nations shake in their boots! You did terrible things we never expected, descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence. 4 Since before time began no one has ever imagined, No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him. 5 You meet those who happily do what is right, who keep a good memory of the way you work. But how angry you've been with us! We've sinned and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved? 6 We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves - sin-dried, we're blown off by the wind. 7 No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you Because you've turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins. 8 Still, God, you are our Father. We're the clay and you're our potter: All of us are what you made us. 9 Don't be too angry with us, O God. Don't keep a permanent account of wrongdoing. Keep in mind, please, we are your people - all of us. (Isaiah 64:1-9 The Message)
A Happy Wednesday and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you, dear Friend! This will serve as the last devotional for this week, and we will resume on Monday with a new ConCafe then. I pray you will enjoy a safe and sacred time of feasting, fellowship, and worship at your table; may your actions truly make it the Lord's Table for that special meal. Remember to share your blessings with all.
How often have you said to either God, or yourself, "Lord, if only You would show up and show them!"? I know I used to, but it was very tempting to think that at our whim, God would show up in person and everyone would believe, become converted, and life would be great; but... it does not work that way. Remember even the Twelve once asked Jesus if they could just call down fire from heaven to rectify a situation? Jesus did not agree with them, and He would, and does not, agree with our random thoughts about Him just showing up. The prophet at a point in his ministry believes that if only God would show up, the shock on God's enemies would be worth it! The prophet remains, as should we, convinced of God's presence, being, and power, for we join the faith behind those words, "No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like You who works for those who wait for Him." And then he gets back to his prophetic job of lamenting the actions of his flock, who again, have sinned and strayed away from God; getting to the point where he asks, as do many a pastor, "Can we be saved?" The answer, of course, will always be yes, though some times it seems harder than ever to believe we can make our way back to God. The better question becomes are we trying enough through our prayers and daily actions to reach out to You and join You in making things right again? Yet, the truth remains God is our Father and "We're the clay and You're our potter." We pray, as Isaiah prayed, "Don't be too angry with us, O God." We beseech God to grade us on the curve, and as He adds up our sins, that his eraser would be more active than His lead on the ledger; for we are God's people.
PRAYER: Awesome God, be blessed in our lives as we ask Your blessings on us. As we gather to give You thanks, may we also ask for Your forgiveness for our readiness to sin. Lord, our lists of things for which we are thankful is long, even during what has been for many of us, the roughest year in our memory. Help us to see beyond today to that glorious "tomorrow" that we will enjoy with You present with us. Bless those loved ones that we can't physcially see or touch; may the strength, peace, and patience to await the days when we can again see and hug and kiss them come quickly in Your time. We love You, dear Father and we praise You in our prayer in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a reason people are thankful this year!
Receive my blessing of love and thanks,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
