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Hear/See the podcast here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/Gods-Work-Never-Ends-e1qfkqa
17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:17-25 New Revised Standard Version Bible)
A wonderful Wednesday to you, dear Friend. I'm thankful to God to report that The Rev. Dr. David Maldonado had successful heart surgery in Albuquerque, NM, and is expected to make a full recovery. Let us raise our praises to God for those news. Let us continue to pray for one another. Pray with great faith, and without ceasing. Remember to give God thanks for a blessing you received today. November should be a month of giving thanks, taking time each day to name one thing for which we are thankful and lift up our voices with thanks to God. Pray for the needs of the world. Pray for the candidates who offered themselves for public office. Pray for civility and kindness among all who voted and who are concerned about our communities.
God's work of creation never ends. God is an active God, not one who started things in motion and then stepped back to see all things wind down; quite the opposite, God is always involved and at work. The promises of this passage are strong and hopeful. God says through the prophet, that He will create new heavens and a new earth, because the former (older) things will not even be remembered or even thought about. Our obligation is to be glad and joyous in what God is doing, for God will create a new Jerusalem as a city of joy and the people as a delight. The newness would be a creation free from weeping and sorrow; and the number of infant deaths will diminish, and older people will live longer lives, so much so that anyone who dies at a hundred years of age will be considered a youth; and those who die younger than 100 will be rare. All who live in these areas will build homes and inhabit them; they'll grow crops and enjoy the fruits of their labors. What they work at and build, will not be enjoyed by others, only by them. And the same for those who plant and grow food, the food will only be enjoyed by those who grew it. The vision looks great. And the crowning part is how God describes how "the wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox." The human concept of that reality says that it is impossible; but for the Lord to share that vision makes it say that, indeed, with God, all things are possible. The new creation will see the end of harm and destruction on God's holy mountain; promises from God.
The last visit we took to the zoo which was almost two weeks ago with our youngest grandchild Eli, we saw that all animals, especially those who are natural enemies, are in separate cages, exhibits, and dwellings. The creatures are not yet where God will have them one day. And honestly, the last few years have shown we humans are not where God would have us be either. The idea of a peaceable kingdom as made famous by Edward Hicks in 1833, is still far from a reality; but God is still working and He's doing it one person at a time. Our hearts and spirits have to change; our hearts should be filled with unconditional love for others, and our spirits filled with compassion and peace towards all people; and our hands and fingers should be used to work together in building up that which promotes the idea of a new earth; for this one is getting old and being torn up by our selfish actions. Our prayer is for God to show us mercy and to help us learn to show mercy towards each other.
PRAYER: Loving and merciful God, show us the way of peace and love. Change in us the old hearts and grant us new ones filled with Your love and peace. Fill our spirits with Your Holy Spirit that can break barriers and walls and can truly make us citizens of the new Kingdom; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Start showing you want to be a geniune partner of the Peaceable Kingdom!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
