I'm not quite sure how to assess our 2019 because it's full of ups and down. Family issues that never ends, (i.e. Pechot-Alcantara-Francisco issues/cases pending, health issues, financial issues - what's new on this one?), work issues, the uncertainties of my status and work assignment, our questionable retirable years...but few joyful ones too. Arrival of new great grand nephew and great grand nieces (Baby E, from Nino and Deb, upcoming one from Diane and Mon), US trip of CJ,Mell & kids, to name a few...
Every beginning of each year, I always ask the Lord to direct my heart to a verse that will be my guide for the upcoming year, 2020. In my heart, I've been getting tired of all the family troubles and problems, the several judicial cases my sister handle, her own personal case with the Alcantara's and I have to admit, my heart frets over the injustices of our judges and judicial/governmental system, the arrogance of the other parties thinking it is us who's at fault (much as we have bared ourselves to God) and seemingly rejoicing over their so-called triumphs, my family's current condition, hate-bitterness,disobedience, arrogance, all that the Bible dictates that will happen in the end days and not knowing how to deal with it, how the spiritual can win over the carnal thoughts and emotions...that's just to name a few, and i struggle with it. Even if I know in my head and in my heart what God says, but Psalm 37 reminded me once again, HE IS IN CONTROL of EVERYTHING. I just need to trust.
Psalm 37
A psalm of David.
1 Don’t worry about
the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3 Trust in the Lord and
do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5 Commit everything
you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7 Be still in the
presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
10 Soon the wicked
will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot
against the godly;
they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs,
for he sees their day of judgment coming.
they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs,
for he sees their day of judgment coming.
14 The wicked draw
their swords
and string their bows
to kill the poor and the oppressed,
to slaughter those who do right.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
and string their bows
to kill the poor and the oppressed,
to slaughter those who do right.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 It is better to be
godly and have little
than to be evil and rich.
17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,
but the Lord takes care of the godly.
than to be evil and rich.
17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,
but the Lord takes care of the godly.
18 Day by day
the Lord takes care of the innocent,
and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
19 They will not be disgraced in hard times;
even in famine they will have more than enough.
and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
19 They will not be disgraced in hard times;
even in famine they will have more than enough.
20 But the wicked will
die.
The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
they will disappear like smoke.
The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
they will disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked borrow
and never repay,
but the godly are generous givers.
22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.
but the godly are generous givers.
22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.
23 The Lord directs
the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
25 Once I was young,
and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
26 The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
26 The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and
do good,
and you will live in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.
and you will live in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.
He will keep them safe
forever,
but the children of the wicked will die.
29 The godly will possess the land
and will live there forever.
but the children of the wicked will die.
29 The godly will possess the land
and will live there forever.
30 The godly offer
good counsel;
they teach right from wrong.
31 They have made God’s law their own,
so they will never slip from his path.
they teach right from wrong.
31 They have made God’s law their own,
so they will never slip from his path.
32 The wicked wait in
ambush for the godly,
looking for an excuse to kill them.
33 But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed
or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.
looking for an excuse to kill them.
33 But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed
or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.
34 Put your hope in
the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.
35 I have seen wicked
and ruthless people
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
37 Look at those who
are honest and good,
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38 But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38 But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.
39 The Lord rescues
the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.
So many verses reminded me of His unfailing love, his unfailing justice, unfailing forgiveness.
Psalm 31:17-18; Job 34: 11-12; Psalm 12:7; Exodus 15:26; Isaiah 41:13 Psalm 7:10; Psalm 50;15
So, for 2020, I have to start over again. I have to re-learn to love the unlovable, to forgive the unforgivable, to rest secure in the uncertainties, the injustices and unfairness of life. As in
Matthew 5:5 under the MSG version, it says,
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less.
That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can be bought."
But who would think that early 2020, seems the birthing pains of what the Bible says regarding the End times? The eruption of Taal Volcano, that disabled mom's planned trip to the Philippines. The devastating news of kidney cancer for Vic, stroke for Michael? And then, adding the nasty COVID-19 virus that struck the world! Nasty that the world came to a halt somehow that brought everyone to quarantine, shelter in place, work at home scenarios, businesses totally shutting down for at least 2 straight months and more, tried re-opening sometime in June, only to close again in July as infection resurged, skyrocketed again. Pechot's untimely demise in June 23, 2020, all of a sudden, and what reason or purpose? Only God knows. Mom said, sometimes, the Lord takes someone away already instead of him/her getting worse living in sin. I just pray he got the chance to ask the Lord for forgiveness. We sincerely hope that his family is safe despite the exposure.
Reading through Psalm 33, (my COVID-19 Psalm), He stands true to His Word. No plans of man can thwart the Lord's...if we remain in Him, we fear Him in reverence, hope in His unfailing love, He will deliver us from death and keep us alive in famine...We simply need to trust in His divine purpose, his desire for man to return to Him, seek His face and forgiveness, and He will forgive, hear our prayers and heal our land. (2Chronicles7:14)
For now, let us wait patiently. As we wait, we wait in hope. Romans 8:24-25 declares, " For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." This virus may be in for the long haul. 2020 is half done. Who knows what's in store for us. One can only Trust, Hope and have faith in The ONE who is constant, faithful and Sovereign, and the is the Lord Jesus Christ.
