Praise God as you await His blessing

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Saturday, April 18, 2009
Devotions: Ps 104, 145; Isa 25:1-9; Acts 4:12-21; Jn 16:16-33

Let my soul bless YHWH: Lord, You are very great, clothed with honor and majesty, robed in light, Master of heaven and earth. You sustain the processes of nature, and care for all life. In this setting, we humans live, going forth to work day by day. YHWH, how manifold and marvelous are Your works on earth and sea, space and suns. All creation looks to You; when You act, we are blessed; when You hold back, we are dismayed. Your Spirit makes life; without breath, we perish. I bless and praise You, my God, every day. Great are You, Lord; your goodness is beyond measure. YHWH is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. God upholds the falling and raises up those who are bowed down. Lord, You are near to all who call upon You. I will join all sentient beings in blessing Your holy name forever.

God’s plans are fulfilled; He blesses and supports the weak, and the arrogant He brings down to shame. He makes feasts for His people; He destroys death and sorrow; He vindicates us and rolls away our reproach. This is our God, YHWH, the God Who comes: we have waited and now we rejoice in His salvation.

There is salvation in no one but our God, Who saves us through Jesus the Messiah, His Son. Peter had told this to the gathered leaders of Jerusalem’s Jewish community. They didn’t know how to act, since the power of Jesus was evident in the healing He and His apostles had done. So they charged Peter and John to speak no more in Jesus’ name. But they answered: ‘You must judge whether it is right to obey you or to obey God; we will testify to what we have seen and heard.’ And the leaders, unable to proceed, threatened them further, but then released them.

Jesus continued to prepare His closest followers for His death and ascension: ‘In a little while, you will see Me no more—but soon thereafter, you will see Me again. You will lament while the world celebrates, but your sorrow will turn to joy, like a mother who suffers through her labor, then rejoices when her child is delivered alive into her arms. No one will take your joy from you! Ask in My name, and the Father will give you whatever you ask, that your joy may be complete. I came from the Father; I am returning to Him. In a while, you will be scattered, but I will be with My Father. I tell you all this so you may have peace; the world makes trouble, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.’