psalms

God’s 911 Number

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. Psalm 31:21-22 ESV

When we lived in the inner city it was not unusual to have to dial 911 once a month. Though the reason for the call was rarely serious crime, there were many traffic accidents in front of our home, and the sound of crunching metal sent us first to the window and then to the phone. We didn’t call our pastor, our family or even our best friends, because we knew that if we dialed 911 that they would pick up the phone right away. In this Psalm, King David’s problem was that the city he was living in was being attacked by an army. Now I would say that’s a real emergency. David wasn’t just a little worried, he was scared to death, but instead of running away, he ran and dialed God’s 911 number because  he needed help and he needed it right away.

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Whether we are facing a critical health issue, a family emergency or a desperate financial situation, our assurance is that if we call on God that He will always answer. David tells us, “He heard the voice of my pleas.” and “he has shown His steadfast love!” Those two great promises were not only for David, in Bible times, they are also for us today. God still loves His people with a steadfast love and He is waiting to answer Heaven’s 911 if we will only call on Him!

God’s Great Symphony

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His faithful love endures forever! Psalm 136:1 NLT

If we look at Psalm 136 as if it were a grand symphony we could think of, these first verses like the trumpets blasting out an opening about the goodness of God. They alert us and fill our ears with the knowledge that our God is higher than any other power in the entire universe and above every other god. Then the composer plunges ahead with soaring strings that reach higher and higher ringing out with the beauty of creation and how God made the heavens, the earth and the sun, moon and stars. But with each new measure that is played we hear again a harmony note reminding us of God’s eternal love. Then the orchestra hushes as the score moves on to recount a specific list of each thing that God has done for His people Israel.

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Next a military drum roll marches out the victories God has led them through. First the deliverance from the empire of Egypt, then the crossing Red Sea and finally the defeat of the armies of the Amorites. Each verse sings out that God is faithful and with every note that is played we see His goodness. When thunderous rising notes of opposition challenge His children, God’s unfailing melody of love assures us to rest. No wail of lament or minor key of sorrow will last. They will all pale in comparison one day to the beauty and power of God’s love that echoes in every verse. They carry us from the beginning of creation, through every problem that we have faced and show us that only His love lasts forever. Then the crescendo of praise hushes to a silence at the final fading note of the symphony causes us to pause in awe remembering all that God has done and we give thanks In that glorious amazement we realize that both our blessings as well as our difficulties will pass away but the great symphony of the love of God will last forever and forever!

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Rainy Days

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Did you ever have one of those days of constant rain? We get them a lot in Florida, in fact they call it, “Rainy season!” On those long wet and dreary days, I often have wondered where the birds go and what they could be doing while thunder rumbles and lightening is crashing down. I hope you enjoy my little answer in verse to that question. Have a blessed day everyone, even if it is raining again!

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. 
Psalm 57:1 ESV


Some days the hawk sits silently
While the thunder crashes round
And the sparrows flit into the barn
Where the chickens huddle down

The cranes stand in the rushes
In her house the blue bird sleeps
While the chickadees are twittering
In the thickets dark and deep

But eagle flies up to her nest
When she hears her children cry
And shelters them with wings so strong
While the rain is passing by

Can you and I do less than birds
Who know the place to hide
And fly to God our refuge strong
To rest safely by His side

Rainy Days by Peter Caligiuri © 2021 All rights reserved
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