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Hear the devotional here: https://anchor.fm/eradio-valverde/episodes/Grace-to-You--and-Peace-from-God-e1s5jdp
Watch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eradiovalverde/video/7176436518133763370?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7 New Revised Standard Version)
Maybe you're like me and grew up in the time of no cell phones, text messages, email or snapchat. Hard for our kids and grandkids to imagine such a world. They may argue, but it was a wonderful world! As a impoverished college student, each letter from home held the possibility of a five dollar bill or a ten dollar check. And, if you had a special someone, a letter from them meant for a great day. Let me say quickly, that I had a spider living in my college post office box; which meant the letters were few and far between, but the idea, and the hope, of a letter was wonderful. Fast forward to today; how I wish our community mailboxes had a huge recycle bin where I could throw away the type of mail marked Occupant or Current Resident. And, even as a Medicare agent myself, the senseless Medicare mailings that, thank God, have ceased for the year. I once asked my college Bible professor about Paul's letters. I thought these were great questions, but he thought I was stalling for time as this was a day for an exam. I wondered aloud, how anxious were the churches to receive these letters? What was the process for reading them? Did they become a part of a worship setting? Professor Matthews threw the chalk. Oops. Not at me, but at the blackboard. Gulp thinks I, back to his office for another lecture. To his credit he said, "I don't know."*
I believe these letters were received with love, much as those I mentioned above, who had dear ones they wanted to hear from and a letter was the only way to receive desired information from home and reminders of the emotions felt on both ends of love and longing. For many on the receiving end, they had found faith in Jesus thanks to the Apostle Paul. They came to know the love of God through his preaching and teachings and the day came that he moved on. And I believe to receive a letter from this awesome man was a delight. True, some letters came with a reproach or correction for their behavior, still it was received as a message from God Himself. And in today's letter to the believers in Rome, Paul stresses again his joy and pride at having been called and commissioned an apostle, and set apart for the Gospel of God, and to be a part of the sharing of the gospel with all people. He then shares his faith that Jesus was the expected fulfillment of the coming Messiah, of the house of David, and truly the Son of God, Who shares with us grace for the obedience of faith. And so, Paul shares his own bestowing of grace and peace from God to the beloved believers of Rome.
I'm also of the generation who when leaving home or the home of a loved one, would receive a blessing. We would feel cheated, and quite honestly, in danger, if one was not offered, or worse, if one denied receiving a blessing. Some grandmothers or aunts, would make the sign of the cross, say a whispered blessing in the name of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and the request that God would bless and protect us. It was truly a divine, truly spiritual moment, and we would leave that home with joy and hope. I imagine that in the same spriti, Paul is sharing with his readers that same blessing of hope and protection with those who either read or heard the reading of his letter; and in the same way we are to share those blessings with others. Earlier this morning I walked past a man in the grocery store who seemed to be in need of a blessing. I smiled at him and in a silent thought prayer asked God to bless and be with the man in whatever need he was facing. You can, and should, do the same for all those you meet. God's love and joy are too precious not to share!
PRAYER: Awesome Father, for all You have done, we are thankful; for the grace and peace You have shared with us, let us share with others; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Bless someone today!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace, Prayers for our grandson, Liam Carlos as he tested positive for Covid today, Monday. His first Middle School Band Concert was set for Wednesday...
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
*I still hold the record for Chalk Throwing Incidents at Lon Morris College!
