Hold The Hand Of God

 One hundred is a number that calls my attention. Perhaps becuase many facts are related to number 100. There are 100 years in a century. Water boils at 100C at sea level. 100 is related to totality, since we use percentage commonly. There are 100 cents in 1 colombian peso, in 1 dollar, in 1 Euro. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

Today I was reading the Book of Psalms and I came across Psalm 100. It called my attention that the Chrsitian Standard Bible titles this Psalm Be Thankful. It’s a short psam, I want to share it with you

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100 – NIV

I was wondering whay to write about today, and this psalm screamed outloud to me I should write my thoughts about it. What am I thankful for? The world crisis and pandemic have brought many challenges to a worl that was already challenging as it was before. Thinking about it, the biggest issue for me to handle during the last year and these days is uncertainty.

One of the things I’m thankful is for God’s faithfulness. In verse 5 above the psalmist says “His faithfulness continues throug all generations. Reflecting about it, in many aspects of my life I like feeling in control. But during the last year God has made me depend on Him. I’m not surprised if you have faced the uincertainty that brings terminal illness, accidents, marital disagreements, depression, job (in)security, economic downturn.

Like you, I also have faced many challenges in which uncertainty is at the midst. Nonetheless, I am grateful The Lord has always been there showing His plans are better than mine. Think carefully what you have prayed for during times of difficulty, and reflect about what God allowed happening. I personally think that when I surrendered to His will, I received peace. Many things didn’t come to happen as I was desiring or expecting. Nonetheless, I am absolutely grateful for all God did. Like is mentioned in verse 2, I come to the Lord “with joyful songs”. God provided healing in several ocassions, enhanced my personal relationships, continued to provide beyond what I deserve. He also protected me during travels, allowed my family and I to enjoy our real home. There are many things I’m grateful for.

Nonetheless, there have been many things that didn’t happen as I was exactly expecting or desiring. And I was reflecting on this chapter to find an answer. Verse 3 has words of wisdom to help me finding an answer. “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his”. Some ancient hebrew manuscripts, the Septuagint greek translation of the Old testament, and even the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bibles included an ancient phrase believed to belong to the tradition, to complement this verse. In these manuscripts the verse reads “It is he who made us, and not we ourselves”. Being sincere with you, when I want to be in control, I don’t realize I’m challenging the authority and plans of God. You see the issue is not desiring something, the issue is trying to solve things in our own, without surrendering to God. God made us and everything that exists. However, we tend to be very proud thinking we can take care of all things. Rather, knowing that we are His, and that we don’t belong to ourselves, make me understand that the desire God has is to walk through life holding His hand.

More than anything, I’m grateful beacuse during this year, I’ve learnt again and again that I should walk with God. When I have done that, I have experienced that He is good and that His love endures forever. Why do I feel compelled to write to you today? Because He wants to show you as well that He is good and that His love for you endures forever. He’s extending His hand to you, will you grab it again today?