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1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. (Selah) 8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps. (Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13 NRSV)
Happy Thursday to you ConCafe Family! And may this day be filled with blessings for you, dear Friend, is my prayer for you! I pray the warmth of Jesus' love shine through the dark clouds of this winter season, and may the loving glow of our Lord bring a smile to your spirit. We have been asked by The Rev. Isabel Gomez to pray for Mr. Carlos Ponce, who is under hospice care. Carlos has been battling cancer for some time now and needs our prayers. Carlos is the son of Susie Ponce and the late Rev. Eubaldo Ponce, who was one of my district superintendents and dear friend and colleague. Pray that God's will be done and that our brother feel God's peace even now. Pray for his mom and her comfort.
The psalmist is a prophet and a poet. Add to his label, historian, theologian, evangelist, and hopeless romantic. His excitement for all these things shine in this psalm. The historian reminds the people of God's restorative act. The theologian reminds them of God's forgiveness of their sinfulness. The prophet speaks of God's powerful word that is coming. The evangelist speaks of the coming peace to those who repent of their sins, and the coming salvation to those who fear the Lord. And the presence of God's glory, says the hopeless romantic speaks of a date between Miss steadfast love and Mister faithfulness. The love of Miss Steadfast was a never-ending love. And the reciprocal love from the Mister was faithfulness; and with this contagious love in the air, it would lead to a kiss between righteousness and peace. And this kiss would lead to a blooming of faithfulness from the ground, and a shower of righteousness from the sky. The harvest would an abundance of God's goodness and the crops of the land would increase. And the presence of righteousness would serve as a guide to God's walk on the earth, who would clear out the steps before God.
Walt Disney gets credit from some who say he ruined nature by animating it, giving it voice, naming wild animals, and adding purpose to lives of otherwise mundane creatures; but given this passage and others like it, that credit really belongs to David the King and Shepherd poet who saw beyond the everyday and saw the hand of God in all things and animates it in a way that embodies all aspects of God's character and attributes in that which seeks to complete the story of God's love for you and me. The inspiration of such writing comes from the joy of the Lord in David's heart, mind, and spirit. His openness to what God can do will open us to being an integral part of God's continuing creation story.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, open our eyes to see beyond the common. By Your Spirit lift us above the normal and mundane to the awesomeness of what is happening within our realm. May glimpses of glory be seen in us and those created by us, thanks to Your power; this we pray in Christ Jesus' powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! See and share what can be if we but open our eyes to the Lord's work around us.
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
