We sing the Praises of God every time our prayers reach his presence

We sing the Praises of God every time our prayers reach his presence

Today, tomorrow, and forever the grace of Christ he is always handing us is not by chance but a guarantee that our faith will always hold us up in moments of fear.  As we have read before that with God there is no such thing as luck or just a chance; our prayers are answered with a yes.  Of course we must always remember that the only requirement on our part is to believe!

Abraham believed when God sent him away from his roots; “Go forth from the land of your kinfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.”  “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.  All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.”  (Gn 12: 1 - 3).

Moses was sent to Egypt to deliver the nation of Israel from slavery and prepare his people for everlasting peace in the land of milk and honey.  “Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the country of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.  So indeed the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them.  Come, now!  I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”   (Ex 4: 8 - 10). 

In the sixth month, the angel Gabrial was sent to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.  Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”  (Lk 1: 26 - 27, 30 - 33).

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields  and keeping watch over their flock.  The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.  The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.”  (Lk 2: 6 - 11).

The very plan of God to redeem his people from their sins has now occurred with the Incarnation of his Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer, die, and destroy death through his Resurrection, Ascension, and to return at the end of time; Then I saw the heavens opened, and there was a white horse;its rider was called “Faithful and True.”  He judges and wages war in righteousness.  His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many diadems.  He had a name inscribed that no one knows except himself.  He wore a cloak that had been dipped in blood, and his name was called the Word of God.  He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”  (Rv 19: 11 - 13, 16).

God’s ultimate plan to save his people to whom he sent Abraham, Moses, and his own Son to redeem and place them in his chosen land, Israel, now has arrived.  The very battle to save Jerusalem for his chosen people is now in the straits of the 21st century and the nations of the world are heading to a conclusion that they will fall from because of their great sinfulness.

Ralph B. Hathaway