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Hear the devotional: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/God-Was-Right-e1pqok0
137 You are right and you do right, God; your decisions are right on target. 138 You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to you. 139 My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. 140 Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. 141 I'm too young to be important, but I don't forget what you tell me. 142 Your righteousness is eternally right, your revelation is the only truth. 143 Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight. 144 The way you tell me to live is always right; help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. (Psalm 119:137-144 The Message Bible)
Did you ever have to tell someone, "You were right?" And equally difficult for some, more so for others, "I was wrong!"? In my case it was my relationship with my Dad. Yes, pretty standard textbook case of father-son. I grew up loving and trusting my Dad, even idolizing him as a child. In my opinion as a child, my Dad could do no wrong. In fact, there was an old black and white TV show called, "Father Knows Best," and though it was a comedy, it had a moral every week, with the title of the show being the point. As I grew up I grew up with a certain sense of freedom as to who I was, where I could go, and what I could do. Kingsville and the era in which I grew up, lent itself to this being possible. I was raised as a child who loved the outdoors and Mom stressed the need for me to be outside, and so with my best friend, we pretty much explored Kingsville and the countryside outside it. Then I got my driver's license and the trouble began. Then I got a driver's license. And this thing called curfew. I had no voice nor vote in any such hour. And use of the car was limited to availability and authorization from Dad! Then the issue of my hair, my taste in music, the use of certain words, and the issue of my serving in the military given the undeclared war in Southeast Asia in a country named Vietnam. Later, as I became a father, we argued on how to discipline them. Suddenly, spanking was not to be considered an option for his granddaughters.
I'll make a long story short. I matured and prayerfully made the realization that my Dad was right in most things. The Psalmist was saying as much in this psalm as he realizes his life up to his point has been like that of most sons and fathers. He declares, "God, you are right, and you do right; Your decisions are right on target." All that God had instructed, and shown as the right way to live, were indeed correct. The psalmist knows that the key to life in the fullest was to follow the commandments of God. We may have had different lives, but we might have all gone through a progression of stages where we encountered God, fell in love with God, trusted God, then reached a stage where we thought we knew better and wandered off away from God, much like Israel and the people of God, we found ourselves in trouble, cried out to God and God heard us and rescued us, and we again trusted God with our very lives. And some repeat the same stages again and again. Yet, we must reach a point of maturity where we finally decide to toss aside the what-if's and why-not's and decided, I do love God, and I will trust God, and God will bless me, guide me, and one day lead me home.
The above I believe relates to those names which will be read this coming Sunday. The saints who have died in the Lord are enjoying their reward, and that is cause for celebration. Yes, our prayers and words of comfort and hope are necessary to bless them as they re-live the pain of loss, but may our lives give witness to the faith that sustained the saints while alive and in their hour of their death. May this passage bless our walk with God, so that we can bless others.
PRAYER: Loving Father, comfort and bless the hearts of all who mourn. May this Sunday's celebration of remembrance bring additional peace and hope to those whose hearts are missing members; and let our faith be increased and made shine as hope to others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Act like a forgiven and reconciled child of God today!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
