Pastor David’s devotional for April 28, 2021

Psalm 104:6a and 33-35

He makes winds his messengers,

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
³⁴May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
³⁵But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul.  Praise the Lord.

A few days ago, Geri and I were able to go to our Zion property to “open up” for the year. It was wonderful being there, and we were able to get a lot of work done.  Of course, it was not all work.  We were able to spend time in the morning, sitting on our coffee deck, looking out at the mountains to our north.  As we sat, I listened to the sound of the wind through the Ponderosa Pines.  It is such a beautiful sound!   As I listened, I was reminded of Psalm 104:4a: “God makes winds his messengers.”  I thought for a moment about what God might be saying.

God speaks to us in many ways.  Sometimes God’s voice is like a gentle breeze, easy to miss.  Sometimes God’s voice is like a mighty wind, impossible to ignore.  Sometimes God says something to us, like: “You are a beloved child of God, beautiful to behold” or “repent and make something better of your life.”  Sometimes God says something for us to do, like: “let your light shine” or “forgive.”  Always, God speaks to us out of love for us, and for all of creation.

As I listened to the wind blowing through the Ponderosa Pines, a feeling of being blessed came over me.  Feeling blessed is an experience of grace—one of God’s ways of speaking to us.  I felt blessed to be alive, to be with Geri, to be in a place we both love, to have such a wonderful family and church family, and to be able to enjoy the beauty of creation.  I am incredibly blessed!  Praise the Lord!  I rejoice in the Lord.

This week, I invite you to think about the ways God speaks to you.  Maybe God speaks to you through experiences of grace like feeling blessed.  Maybe God speaks to you through a still small voice.  Maybe God speaks to you through other people.  Maybe God speaks to you through the beauty of creation.   Maybe God speaks to you through the reading of scripture.  As you think about ways God speaks to you, listen.  Listen for God.  Often, our listening leads us to praise: “Praise the Lord, my soul.  Praise the Lord.”

God bless you and stay well!

Pastor Dave