Reflection on Psalm 37
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm… For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth… But the meek shall inherit the earth,and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace… A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied… The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. For the LORD loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide… Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it… Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.
Yesterday I was waiting for the boys of the Timothy School to come down to eat breakfast, but as I read this Psalm I had to stop. Almost everything around us is screaming the opposite to these words. The Word speaks for itself and through it the Lord wants to encourage us and remind us that His Principles are Truth! It doesn’t matter what the government is doing, it doesn’t matter the situation you are in, it doesn’t matter even what’s said on the news, in your town, or in your family. God commits Himself with the just who fear Him, love Him and obey Him.
Reflexión del Salmo 37
“Confía en Jehová, y haz el bien; y habitarás en la tierra, y te apacentarás de la verdad. Deléitate asimismo en Jehová, y él te concederá las peticiones de tu corazón. Encomienda a Jehová tu camino, y confía en él; y él hará. Exhibirá tu justicia como la luz, y tu derecho como el mediodía. Guarda silencio ante Jehová, y espera en él. No te alteres con motivo del que prospera en su camino, por el hombre que hace maldades… Pero los mansos heredarán la tierra, y se recrearán con abundancia de paz… Mejor es lo poco del justo, que las riquezas de muchos pecadores. Porque los brazos de los impíos serán quebrados; mas el que sostiene a los justos es Jehová. Conoce Jehová los días de los perfectos, y la heredad de ellos será para siempre. No serán avergonzados en el mal tiempo, y en los días de hambre serán saciados… Por Jehová son ordenados los pasos del hombre, y él aprueba su camino. Cuando el hombre cayere, no quedará postrado, porque Jehová sostiene su mano. Joven fui, y he envejecido, y no he visto justo desamparado, ni su descendencia que mendigue pan. En todo tiempo tiene misericordia, y presta; y su descendencia es para bendición. Apártate del mal, y haz el bien, y vivirás para siempre. Porque Jehová ama la rectitud, y no desampara a sus santos. Para siempre serán guardados; mas la descendencia de los impíos será destruida. Los justos heredarán la tierra, y vivirán para siempre sobre ella. La boca del justo habla sabiduría, y su lengua habla justicia. La ley de su Dios está en su corazón; por tanto, sus pies no resbalarán… Espera en Jehová, y guarda su camino, y él te exaltará para heredar la tierra; cuando sean destruidos los pecadores, lo verás… Considera al íntegro, y mira al justo; porque hay un final dichoso para el hombre de paz. Mas los transgresores serán todos a una destruidos; la posteridad de los impíos será extinguida. Pero la salvación de los justos es de Jehová, y él es su fortaleza en el tiempo de la angustia. Jehová los ayudará y los librará; los libertará de los impíos, y los salvará, por cuanto en él esperaron.”
Ayer estaba esperando que los muchachos del Colegio Timoteo bajaran para desayunarse, pero al leer este Salmo tuve que detenerme. Casi todo a nuestro alrededor nos está gritando en todo momento todo lo contrario. ¡La Palabra habla por si misma y por medio de ella el Señor quiere animarnos y recordarnos de sus Principios que son Verdades! No importa lo que esté haciendo el gobierno de tu país, no importa la situación a tu alrededor, no importa aun lo que estén diciendo en las noticias, en tu pueblo o en tu familia. Dios se compromete con los justos que lo temen, lo amen, le obedezcan.
Less than 6 months!
In less than a month I’ll be Stateside for 2 1/2 intense weeks of wedding preparations! (I’d still love to see as many people as possible & will need prayers for sanity & God’s grace that all details will just fall into place.)
I wanted to let you know that I have a wedding site with information started… copy & paste the link:
http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPag e.aspx?coupleId=7602942281826101
Pre-Wedding Travel Dates
I have purchased my tickets for Spring 2010. I will be flying into Minneapolis March 31 & be in the Twin Cities area that weekend. I’ll be in Iowa until April 18th. Time will be short, but would love to see as many dear loved ones as possible in that time! I’ll continue to post or email as the date draws near & plans or events start to take form.
Celebrating 5 years of adventure with Jesus in the Dominican Republic
I remember who I was & where I was at 5 years ago when I picked up & moved to the Dominican Republic to work with Students International as Outreach Staff at the Art Site in Jarabacoa. A 23 year old who in the States felt like a 1-year commitment was too much for a job. One year out of college. Full of hope & expectation but never imagining what was to be my life in the five following years.
It’s been a time of hope & heartbreak. Disappointment & unexpected joys. New friends, new family in Christ & love. I knew that when God calls His children He has the best in mind. His plans for us are perfect… I just never would’ve imagined or dreamt something like this.
Within a short time of living in Jarabacoa I felt & started to pray accordingly, feeling like for the first time in my adult life like this was somewhere I wanted to place roots. Almost 3 exciting years serving with brothers & sisters from many parts of the world through Students International… Now more than 2 years of new challenges serving with the local church Fraternidad Cristiana Amor a Quisqueya. Health & sickness (scabies for Jesus ;-))… Resisting & then openning the door to Leo Escalante, who has proven to me his Godly character & passionate heart for God like no one else I’ve ever met. A year & a half of noviazgo (courtship) where every day, whether I’m well-behaved or not, being pursued as God pursues me by a man who’s earning my heart.
It has been God. His gentle, faithful kindness guiding me through my mistakes to follow His perfect plan. In so many ways I’m unsure of the future, but I choose to TRUST in WHO HE IS & continue to WALK IN FAITH, even when I can’t see.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN YOU,
WHO HAVE SET THEIR HEARTS ON PILGRIMAGE.
– Psalm 84:5
I gladly continue on this pilgrimage with You my Lord. You are my sun & my shield. I delight in You & trust my life, my hopes, my dreams in Your hand!
Living Prophetically as Light & Blessing to those around you
How long overdue am I at updating this website! I’m embarrased that it’s been so long!
I was reflecting this morning on what it means to be light & blessing in someone else’s life. This last Friday night some of the women from the Cell Group Leo & I lead met at my house for a time of fellowship & prayer. We made tacos, ate, talked, laughed & then dear Leo stayed inside taking care of some of the small kids while we ladies went out on the porch of my house to pray together.
About a month ago all the women from the church had a get together to eat & be together. It had been awhile since some of those sisters had laughed so much. Nonetheless, Friday afternoon before the ladies arrived at my house I was thinking, we had fun & fellowship & it was good, but there was a lacking of communion of our souls. No one left that evening truly knowing how they could better love their sister. It was a great time, but not complete, not enough.
So, here we were last Friday night… Teenagers, singles, married women, new believers, & some more seasoned in the faith we came together to love on one another in prayer. Jesus was so focused on us truly loving one another. Love which has no conditions. It’s not, “I’ll love you if you change,” because only the Holy Spirit can do a work of transformation in us. It’s not, “I love you for what you can give me or do for me,” we’re called even to love & pray for our enemies.
It’s about loving profectically… What?! It’s about loving from God’s heart. His love manifested in us, without condition to love others. That’s what the greatest commandment is about. Loving God & loving others. Loving others in a way that we look past the junk to see what God is doing. It’s about speaking life & blessing to the treasure that is hidden in each jar of clay that is the person in front of you. It’s about loving with God’s love in a way so deep and profound that the other person is left undone, in the Light of Christ, blessed.
Our mission in interpersonal relationships is not to so much to teach, preach or provoke change, but to love so deeply that God’s love in us towards all those around us covers a multitude of sins. Love which brings a security in that there’s no judgment or chastisement. Love which allows God’s presence to bring about transformation for the Eternal Kingdom.
Friday night was a simple time. There was no elegance or granduer to the evening. Simple prayers, sometimes tongue-tied words even, but hearts willing to love, to pray for one another as if it were for oneself; washing each others’ feet through tears and laughter; speaking words of love, light & blessing; loving each other profetically. That’s the kind of love we’re called to. That’s the kind of love that calls the best part in each of us to rise up. The love that encourages the treasure and virtue in each of us to live in the fullness of the beauty of Christ within us.
May His Kingdom come & His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
Recent Comments