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1 You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. 2 You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. 3 That's right - you don't go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. 4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. 5 Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; 6 Then I'd never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. 7 I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. 8 I'm going to do what you tell me to do; don't ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:1-8 The Message Bible)
A blessed and joyous Thursday to you, dear ConCafe Family! May you, dear Friend, be blessed beyond measure in your walk with Christ Jesus today in ways that bless those around you. We continue to lift up prayers for those who need them and whose paths are leading them away from God and into doubt and despair. May God's love lead them into love and hope is my prayer. Pray for one another; pray for your own needs.
"We're not lost; we're exploring!" I know it wasn't anything my wife wanted to hear, but I was not ready to admit that we were indeed lost. Yes, men, the stereotype says, hate to ask for directions. GPSs now help stubborn men "discover" new ways to go to old places.
This passage from the Psalms closes out this week's lectionary texts. Starting on Monday we saw Jesus encounter yet another challenge about Himself and the scriptures, and He answered wisely and correctly on the greatest commandments of their faith. The Hebrews passage spoke of Jesus being our high priest, Whose acts paid in full for our salvation and righteousness. Yesterday, we visited the OT passage in Deuteronomy where we first find the greatest commandment of loving the Lord God with all our being. And this passage speaks of our need to follow God's teachings and commandments in ways that bless us, and guide us.
As a boy I loved the library in Kingsville. It was a simple direction to get there and my visits allowed me to read all the Hardy Boys books. When we married we laughed because Nellie had read all of the Nancy Drew series and then started on the Hardy Boys. I shyly admitted that I too had started the Nancy Drew books as well. On one particular day my brother wanted to tag along. We encountered on our way there, a kitten who decided it might want to check out some books too, because it followed us all the way to the library. When we finished the time at the library, we found it was still outside and having been raised in the right way, I told my brother we needed to return it to the place where it had found us. So, we carried the kitten on our way home. Earlier, we had passed a man watering his lawn and he must have seen that the kitten was following, but now he was in a white police squad car, dressed like a police officer. He stopped his car in a police-like manner and huffily grilled us on our intentions. I politely replied that the kitten followed us and now we were returning it home. "Make sure you get it to the right place," he almost yelled. Not the best introduction to police encounters, but it was Kingsville in the late 50s; but I was lovingly well instructed on what was right and what was wrong, including not taking what was not ours. I knew the course and how to best stay on it, as the psalmist wrote, and as he knew, I was blessed for following God's directions, and doing my daily best to find Him and to be led by Him. This comes through prayer and listening. Our prayers should include that we walk steadily behind God and never regretting the paths He has set out for us. I just finished a great story in a national newspaper about a 100 year-old priest from Beaumont, Texas, who is being forced out of his pulpit by his bishop and the order to which he belongs. He started Cristo Rey Catholic Church in the 1950s and it has grown into quite a bustling church. Since 2015 he has baptized almost one thousand babies, and almost that many in First Communion. The church is not happy in losing him and on his last Sunday, the 17th of October, it was quite an emotional mass. Teenagers pushed their way back into the receiving line to get a blessing from the only priest they have known, crying openly for a man they know loves and cares for them. The priest reflected on the new assignment in his home country of Spain where he will work alongside other priests in a church that needs him, “It’s something beautiful,” he said. “God’s calling you to do this work.” Since the age of 12 this man has been walking in the path God shared with him. We will do good to follow too.
PRAYER: Loving God, for Your presence and guidance we are thankful. For Your love and peace we also are thankful. Guide us and bless us, and let us bless others on our way. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a beacon of hope to someone today!
Receive my blessings of joy and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
