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Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/2Uun2oP
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. (Psalm 24 NKJV)
A most tremendous Thursday be yours, ConCafe Family! May all of God's riches and blessing be with you, dear reader, in Jesus' name I pray, amen! I ask for prayers for Mrs. Allison Davis, a valued staff member of FUMC-Gonzales. She is in the hospital with issues related to her kidneys. Please pray for her healing. Also, fervent prayers for Mrs. Deanie Ploeger, also of FUMC-G who is battling a fierce battle with cancer. May God grant her and her family comfort during this time. Prayers for one another, and time spent talking with God about ourselves should be high on the list of spiritual do's.
It was a story my Mom liked to share with us about a man showing his intended a panoramic view of land from where they stood. As he rubs his nose, he said, "All the dirt you see here is mine." (It works better in Spanish because land and dirt are the same word. "Tierra") The joke was that the man did not own any "dirt" or land, but he was rubbing the dirt on his nose as he made that grand declaration to his girlfriend. I was born and grew up in the town named for the man who once owned the world's largest ranch. The King Ranch was the world's largest ranch until Castro took over Cuba and claimed the ranch's property on the island as government property. At least that was the story we heard, and we believed it. I doubt Richard King lived long enough to see his ranch grow to the size it once was, and even now is still a large enterprise. Mr. King died and is buried in the city cemetary in Kingsville, with a large monument in his honor over his grave. Mr. King's wife and daughter, are both dead; and all of us regardless of how much or how little we own, will one day leave everything, and as you've heard before, funeral hearse's are never seen pulling a U-Haul to the final resting place of anyone.
The true owner of all land is God. The psamist knew it and declared it in this psalm. God even owns you and me! And he wants to declare that those who desire God and who have led clean lives and have held pure love in their hearts, and who have not bowed down in worship of false gods, nor taken vain oaths, will receive rich blessings from the Lord. And the gates to which the psalmist is making reference are the gates to our heart. Our heads and gates should be looking up to the Lord; our hearts should be expectant and open to the coming of "the King of glory." And the King of Glory is of Course, God!
Some have said this psalm is a preview of the gospel during David's time, a song written and sung long before Jesus, and sung even later in the fufl knowledge that God has fulfilled the promise of the coming of the King of Glory. More so, it is a song that helps us hang on even as we battle inner struggles, for praising He who reigns frightens those who come against us. Some have said this song was written for a national holiday that serves as an anthem for the freedom we find within thanks to Jesus.
PRAYER: Loving God of freedom and owner of all things; may the joys of this hymn praise You as we read it and sing it; and may it lead us closer to You, closer to each other in ways of support and understanding. This we pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who brings freedom and healing and peace to those in need!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
