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Hear the devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/Mountain-Maker--Sin-Forgiver-e1pgvcn
1 Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God, And also obedience. 2 You hear the prayer in it all. We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt, 3 Our sins too much for us - but you get rid of them once and for all. 4 Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things in your house, your heavenly manse. 5 All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, 6 Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, 7 Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot - 8 Far and wide they'll come to a stop, they'll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship." 9 Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this! 10 Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit. 11 Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths, 12 All through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing, 13 Dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing! (Psalm 65 The Message Bible)
A most tremendous Thursday to you, dear Friend is my prayer for you. May the blessings of the Lord enrich your life and make you a willing and faithful witness to His love. Please continue to pray for one another; pray for the strangers in your midst, pray for those whom no one else sees, pray for the ones no one else wants.
This evening, a Wednesday, I was talking to my granddaughter who shares the 25th of October as our birthday, and I asked her if she had homework. She said, "No, it's Wednesday, we don't have homework on Wednesday!" I smiled and said as I remembered that Wednesday way back, once upon a time, was designated a "church night," because most churches back then had mid-week worship services. I was pastor in Mission, where our Eliana lives, and during my tenure there, most churches had mid-week services. During those days, Sunday nights were for worship as well. And this passage is about worship and praise time and is begins with some things we seldom contemplate as worship; silence and obedience. Silence is golden, or so goes the saying, and can we imagine how golden if we set aside silence as a time with God? Oh, the things we could hear and receive from God in the silence. And obedience as praise, we have to admit that it is! To do as God directs is a sincere form of praise. Both, says the psalmist, are forms of prayer. And prayer is the first step to our being forgiven of our sins and relieved of our guilt. And with good reason, for the heaviness of our sins is way too much for us to bear without any recourse; yet, God is there, with His power, to rid us of those sins, and fills us with all good things. And all this from God, whose modern titles in this version of the Bible say a lot: "Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot."
When we consider all that God has done, we should join with all creation in our praise of God. Remember, we started the week learning about the two prayers offered in the temple. One was sincere and honest, the other a self-promoting arrogance and pride. Then, the time spent with the Apostle Paul as he pondered the end of his life and a reflection of what he has done for the Lord. Add to that the list of sins that God has forgiven of me, and those forgiven of you. "Creation was made for this!" Let the praising begin!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may we make time for true worship and praise of You. May we make silence and obedience rituals of our praise and worship. Guide us to full obedience and praise; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Spend some time in silence today. Listen closely to God.
Receive my blessings of peace and joy,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
