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1 Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. 2 You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. 3 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. 4 Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. 5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6 who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, 7 who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. 8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. 9 You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. 10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. 11 You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. 12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. 13 The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. (Psalm 65 NIV Bible)
Two days ago, a neighbor rang our doorbell and he handed me a small bucket full of cherry tomatoes. "This is from my garden, enjoy!" I thanked him and he walked off. The small tomatoes were indeed, very delicious. From his harvest he shared with a neighbor and blessed me. All of my life we have either lived near fields or had relatives living near fields and we came to know the importance of a good harvest. "Feast or famine" was often heard when relating to a farmer's life. Will all his work pay off? Will he have enough to pay for the seed, the equipment he bought, the loans for all that he spent in planting, etc. A good crop will keep the farmer afloat and all will be well.
The psalmist begins this praise for God because God's harvest is always a great one. And God has held nothing back in sharing what good He owns and has. First, the psalmist is thankful for answering our prayers. And that in and of itself is enough for us to always praise God! Second, when our sins and transgressions had accumulated into a sizeable debt, God erased it! Third, when we were living far away from God, and God brought us near and once near, all the things of God's house became ours as well. And with this mindset of God being good and us being blessed, wow, no wonder great praise is due from us!
Then the psalmist turns to the land and how awesome it is. When watered, the land brings forth fruit, the blessings of God's handiwork. God's touch enrichs it, and the streams which help water the land are filled, and grain is shared with humanity, as it was a part of God's command for our needs. The harvest is so rich and good, the year ends in bounty as the carts of fruits and grain are full and are used to feed the people of the earth. All nature, all creation join in shouting and singing their praises to God.
And in the same way, dear ones, as we open our hearts and spirits to God, we are blessed and the harvest of new lives given to God blossom in awesome ways, and the world draws closer to getting with God as God wants. This psalm is a song of victory for the sowers who have worked faithfully to bless the earth with God's word. May it be true of us and our efforts, too.
PRAYER: Loving God, in You we have life and in You we have the bounty of a harvest. Bless us with strength to keep working for the harvest of all souls; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Keep working as a sower to reach more souls for God!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
