Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1).

It is curious to note that faith is a universal attribute.

It doesn’t matter if you have religious beliefs or not. All people make use of faith. But when we analyze your statements, two doubts arise in my mind: What is your definition of faith? And, faith in what or in whom?

For example, athletes have faith in winning. Politicians have confidence in the appropriateness of their approaches, and companies have faith in their growth plans.

Some are confident of their chances and their ability to defeat their opponents. The others have faith in the adequacy of their political programs. And the latter rely on the formula of reducing costs and producing better and cheaper than their competitors.

The problem is that in a sports final there are two or more contenders and, except for one, all the others will lose, all the governments end up defeated at the ballot box, and of all the companies competing for a sector, only one manages to be the dominant one, and that for a while.

So I’m afraid we have a problem with their definition of faith.

Faith definition

In the best of cases it would have to be reduced to “a certain statistical probability”, if not a simple wish.

In other cases we cannot speak of faith, but of strength. You have the best players in the world and you have managed to get them to play together. It is very unlikely that an inferior team will beat you. Unless you make a very bad tactical approach.

Sun Tzu, in his book “The Art of War” wrote:

‘If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will lose every battle; if you know yourself but not your enemy, you will win some battles and lose others; but if you know your enemy and know yourself, you should not fear the outcome of a thousand battles.‘.

Very interesting and motivating this Sun Tzu, however, this is not faith either. This does not always work, and if not, just ask Nadal and Djokovic.

Because true faith is something very different. It is not a matter of probabilities. Nor is it a matter of wishful thinking. Nor is it about dominance over others.

Faith, I insist, is something very different.

Let’s look at the definition of faith found in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11 and verse 1:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

True faith is absolute certainty. He who has faith does not say: ‘I trust that we are going to obtain victory’. He who has faith affirms: ‘We have already conquered’.

Paul does not say that ‘we shall be more than conquerors in Christ’. Paul affirms: ‘we are more than conquerors’.

And Paul did not express the desire that nothing could separate us from the love of God. Paul affirmed: ‘Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God‘. He did not know what was to come in the future, but he knew that any attack was already defeated in Christ.

Wish or hope

On the other hand, faith has to do with what is awaited, not with what is desired.

And the difference is subtle, but crucial.

At a subway stop we wait for the arrival of the convoy, we do not wish the arrival. The wish is something you long for, but you don’t know if you will achieve it or not. On the other hand, what is awaited is something that we do not yet have, but that we know will happen.

Victory and success are wished for in the world. But Christians await the coming of Christ.

You can fight and strive for success, but you will never be certain that you can achieve it.

However, in Christ we have the certainty that he will return for his people.

It does not depend on our strength or ability. It is Christ who has taken the decision. We just have to stand firm in the faith.

In the meantime we will suffer problems and adversities, and it is natural and legitimate to desire to be delivered from them. However, faith tells us that we are in his hands and that we can trust in his mercy and wisdom.

This is what Jesus expressed in Gethsemane:

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”(Matthew 26:39).

Because faith knows that if God allows us to experience this adversity, it is to ensure our victory.

Object of faith

Finally, faith has to do with the object of faith.

The natural man relies on his own capabilities. Sun Tzu put it very well. But they forget that the times are in God’s hands, and the best prepared plan can be ruined by a simple rain.

They trust in chariots and horses, but we trust in God, like David before Goliath or like Elisha before the prophets of Baal. The work does not depend on us. It depends on God.

We may not be able to see God, but He has changed our lives. We may not be able to see our future, but we know it is at God’s side. And we have not yet received our crown, but we know that it is waiting for us in heaven.

So when God leads you to face challenges, don’t look at your capabilities or the strength of your adversary. Look to God, listen to his words, have faith in him and wait upon him, and you will receive what God has for you.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Matt Duncan on Unsplash

En el Valle de Sombra de Muerte

A lo largo de nuestras vidas, todos vamos a pasar por valles de oscuridad y dolor.

Pero la Palabra de Dios da ánimo, y nos muestra cómo seguir adelante en dichos momentos, y vencer.

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La entrada Faith is confidence in what we hope se publicó primero en David Gómez.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

“Whoever does not have a godfather is not baptized”

A long time ago I heard this spanish saying that, despite how little I like it, is terribly accurate.

There is a lot of talk about how we are in a society of meritocracy, that it doesn’t matter so much who you are or the degrees you have, but what you are able to do with what you have, and blah, blah, blah.

But the truth is that if you look at those who are at the head of many companies, entities or organizations, the decisions they make, or the statements they make, you have no choice but to question all of the above.

Some examples.

If you want something to sell well, you have to get the celebrity to promote it. If you succeed, it won’t matter whether the product is good or bad. The point is that it will sell, at least for a while.

In electoral campaigns, it is not important the quality or solvency of the political program, but to give a good image in front of the camera, and to get the support of the right people.

And if you don’t want to be messed with, try to make friends with someone important. Because if you have good allies, no matter what you do, they will always find a way out for you. Unless you steal more than you should.

So, unfortunately, in this society, those who do not have a godfather is not baptized, and those who have a godfather is.

This is the terrible message that is being transmitted to society and that is permeating to the bone.

Is God a father or a godfather?

And this is causing even those who believe in a God to see that God as something similar. So they come to think that, if they manage to win God’s favor, they will be able to live their lives in their own way and at ease.

This is what, in a way, Greeks and Romans did at the time of Christ. They presented offerings to please the gods so that they would be propitious to them. Or at least to leave them alone and not pursue them with calamities.

Then they would go back to their usual lives to do what they thought best.

And as I was saying, there are those who think that the same can be done with God. They give more or less substantial donations, show up at a church from time to time, and that’s it. With that they already believe they have earned heaven.

God is holy

But there is a problem. God is Holy. And nothing that is not holy will be able to stand in his presence.

If we go to the Old Testament we will see that the offerings that had to be presented to God had to be perfect, otherwise they would be rejected.

And since there is no such thing as a perfect human being, no one will be able to stand in the presence of God by his or her own efforts.

Well, there was indeed a perfect human being, someone who stood before God and took the punishment for our sins and the payment for our deliverance: Jesus.

Let’s see what the book of the prophet Isaiah tells us, in chapter 53 and verse 5:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Christ paid the price for our peace

There is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor. There is no gift large enough to pay the “fine” for our offense to God, nor any action so high that it can make us forget our sin.

The only one who could pay the price was Christ. And He did it for love.

And if we accept Christ’s sacrifice, die to ourselves and begin to live for God, we have the certainty that God’s hand will always be upon our lives.

In this way, their guidance, care and protection will accompany us throughout our days. And we will have the confidence that, whatever we live, it will always be God’s perfect plan for us.

Christ paid for our rebellions and assumed our sins. This is the only thing that opens access to God. No one who is not justified by Christ will be able to remain in his presence for all eternity.

But, in addition, Christ won God’s peace for us and we were healed by Him.

This implies that the days we live on this earth we can live secure and confident, in spite of the circumstances, and with the certainty that our days here will not end prematurely, no matter how much attack our adversary launches against us.

Christ is the example of true meritocracy. If today we can live in peace with God, it is because Christ won it for us through his surrender and death.

So, we no longer need godparents, because in Christ we are made children of God, and now we have a Father who loves us.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Ben Allan on Unsplash

En el Valle de Sombra de Muerte

A lo largo de nuestras vidas, todos vamos a pasar por valles de oscuridad y dolor.

Pero la Palabra de Dios da ánimo, y nos muestra cómo seguir adelante en dichos momentos, y vencer.

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La entrada The punishment that brought us peace was on him se publicó primero en David Gómez.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

What an amazing thing feet are.

According to the Internet, each of them has 26 bones, which make up 33 joints, and are joined by more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Our feet can support several times the weight of our body, withstand heavy falls and impacts, and transmit all the strength of our legs without the slightest problem.

A normal person who walks a couple of hours a day in their daily activities, can walk on them between 80 and 120 km per month, and take about 150,000 steps.

Y eso sin contar que, al margen de ello, puedas dedicarte a correr o caminar un tiempo extra cada día.

That is why it is important to take care of them and wear comfortable and healthy shoes.

As I was saying, the feet are incredibly powerful.

The adversity

But a few days ago I was walking around the house barefoot when I suddenly stubbed my toes with a box.

And, Lord, how it hurt.

The foot still had all the bones, ligaments and muscles, but I was unable to take a step.

It is in situations like these that you look around you and look for the culprits to blame for your woes and vent your grumbling.

The problem, in my case, was that I was the one who had left the box there. So I couldn’t get it off my chest.

But when you sit down, and the pain goes away a little, you can think.

And then you realize the inappropriateness of such a reaction.

Because it is very easy, and common, to fall into the temptation of thinking that if something hurts us or goes wrong it is because the universe has conspired against us. Or that it is our enemy who is sowing tares against us. Or that they are raising storms in our lives.

Now, have you ever stopped to think about what it means for you to think this way?

To think that supposes recognizing that God does not have the capacity to protect us from the attacks of others, be they physical or spiritual beings, or from circumstances.

Looking for someone to blame for what happens to us means thinking that our life should be placid. And we forget that we are in a war. Spiritual, yes, but a war.

And in war, life is anything but placid and calm.

Give thanks in everything

So, what should our attitude be? For God’s answer is found in the 1st epistle to the Thessalonians, chapter 5 and verse 18:

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

When we surrender our life to Christ, when we accept Him as Lord and Savior, our life becomes His responsibility.

He is our shepherd, who leads us where we need to be, and he is our protector. God will not allow anything outside of His will to affect us.

So, if we walk in obedience to Him, nothing that happens to us will be beyond His control.

If we are aware of this, then the only correct response to the problems and adverse circumstances that befall us is to thank God for them.

Because if God allows something adverse in our lives, it is for our growth and strengthening. So that we can stand firm until the end.

So the next time you’re going to put a box down, or cross a street, or whatever else you do in your life, do it with caution and attention.

But if you nevertheless take a hit, thank God. For it is not the Universe that is rising up against you, but God is perfecting you for victory.

God bless you.

Cover phot by Erik Odiin on Unsplash

En el Valle de Sombra de Muerte

A lo largo de nuestras vidas, todos vamos a pasar por valles de oscuridad y dolor.

Pero la Palabra de Dios da ánimo, y nos muestra cómo seguir adelante en dichos momentos, y vencer.

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La entrada Give thanks in all circumstances (to God) se publicó primero en David Gómez.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Have you ever been next to a successful person? I’m sure when that has happened to you, you’ve noticed it right away.

Because, if there is one thing that characterizes successful people, it is that they look like successful people..

They are self-confident and self-assured. They express their opinions emphatically, without caring about causing controversy. Even their gestures are powerful. Simply put, they are them.

In all cultures and societies there is a stereotype of a successful person. And if you want to be recognized as such, you must try to fit this definition.

Even if you have not achieved any major accomplishments.

If you insist enough, and transmit that winning image over and over again, others will end up believing you are a winner, and you will end up with a cohort of followers who will accept everything you say and imitate everything you do.

Influencer

This is what is now known as an influencer. And in the Christian world, sometimes, this ends up creeping in.

Individuals who, by insisting and moving, have managed to elevate to absolute truth what are nothing more than opinions or personal occurrences.

And they have created around them a mass of followers who blindly support their postulates, and defend them as if their eternal life depended on it.

Followers of whom, on the other hand, they hardly know a single one of their problems. Because these followers are just a nuisance that you have to put up with to make your words go further.

Many years ago I had a problem with someone who behaved like this. He spoke with such authority and confidence that, at the beginning, he left me feeling unsettled and even made me doubt whether what I had studied was correct.

But little by little God was leading me to understand that it was only his performance that left me confused. When I calmly analyzed his statements I was amazed at how he had been able to deceive me so much with such completely erroneous and out-of-context statements.

But the truth is that our adversary will always present himself as someone who appears to have a lot of power.

Goliath tried to intimidate David; the disciples feared before the raging sea; even Satan presented himself before Jesus as one who had the power to give him the glory of this world.

But none of them had the power they appeared to have. For God is the only one who has all power, and he alone deserves the glory. And if you accept him as lord of your life, he will always be by your side to protect you.

Therefore, it is not to us that we must turn the gaze of others, but to Christ. He is the winner. We are overcomers only if we abide in him.

My grace is sufficient for you

The apostle Paul learned this very well. It is believed that the sting in the flesh he carried may have been a sequel to a disease or injury to his eyes, which made him appear sickly and ungraceful.

Paul asked God to take away that problem, but was met with God’s surprising answer which we find in the 2nd epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 12 and verse 9:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Paul understood perfectly well that we Christians are not in this world to appear to be triumphant people, but to show the world the triumph of Christ.

It is not we whom others should follow, but Christ. And if they follow us, let it be because we are showing them the way of faith. This is what it means to be a true influencer.

That is why Paul stopped worrying about appearing to be a successful person, and began to show himself as the weak person he was.

In this way it became evident to all that the light that shone in him could only be understood as a divine light, and that the power he manifested only made sense if it was something that came from God himself.

We are all imperfect beings called to do God’s perfect work. And this is only possible when Christ is our strength and the center of our lives.

So let us live to present Christ with our lives, for when Christ is exalted before the world through us, lives are changed, heaven rejoices, and hell is shaken.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Ben White on Unsplash

En el Valle de Sombra de Muerte

A lo largo de nuestras vidas, todos vamos a pasar por valles de oscuridad y dolor.

Pero la Palabra de Dios da ánimo, y nos muestra cómo seguir adelante en dichos momentos, y vencer.

Quiero saber más

La entrada My grace is sufficient for you se publicó primero en David Gómez.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

The vast majority of us are terrified of making decisions.

Because, except on very rare occasions, it is very difficult to predict the exact outcome of such decisions. Choosing a career, choosing a partner, even choosing the color of your car… But it is something we all have to do every day, starting with the terrible decision to get up now or stay in bed for 5 more minutes.

Now, did you know that we are more accustomed than you think to making decisions?

According to a Huawei study, in the course of a typical day we make more than 35,000 decisions.

Yes, you heard that right, 35,000 decisions. Surprising, isn’t it?

What happens is that we are only aware of 0.26% of them. In other words, in the course of a day we only make about 100 conscious decisions, or so we think. The remaining 99.76% of decisions are made automatically by our brain.

Things like activating the turn signal, holding on to a handrail, walking while talking to another person, saying “excuse me” when you bump into someone, are things that come instinctively to us. Or at least it should.

Because these are things that are ingrained in our nature. Therefore, it is difficult for an educated person not to give way to another, and a liar will lie without the slightest hesitation.

Hence Jesus, in the Gospel of Luke chapter 6 and verse 45 said:

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of..

And we make this treasure every day with our decisions, with our choices.

Now, you might think that, if out of 35,000 daily decisions, there are 34,900 that you do not control, since you are not aware of them, why should your life be judged by those few 100 that, in addition, may be conditioned by the ones you do not control?

Well, it sounds like a good excuse, but it’s not correct.

Because, in reality, it is not the 34,900 that will influence the other 100, but rather it is the 100 conscious decisions that will condition the other 34,900.

And, in fact, even those 100 depend on a single decision: Follow God or reject Him.

Let us see what the Epistle to the Ephesians tells us, in chapter 2 and verse 10:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God’s handiwork

The human being has been created to give glory to God. And God prepared everything so that we could reach that goal.

But mankind’s first major decision in Eden was to disbelieve God and turn away from him.

And yet, God prepared a plan B for us so that we could achieve this goal. He sent Christ to pay our debt and give us a new opportunity.

We have already seen the consequences of that first bad decision: wars, diseases, pain, death…

So the most important decision you will make in your life is to choose between achieving what you were created for and spending eternity in God’s presence, or rejecting it all, turning away from God and ending up in hell.

Because on that one decision will depend all the others, and your eternal destiny will depend.

Make the right choice.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Crecer en la fe

Descubre una vida de plena libertad y gozo en Cristo.

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La entrada Created in Christ Jesus to do good works se publicó primero en David Gómez.

When you have to face challenges before which you feel helpless, remember that with you goes the One who is able to accomplish everything.

“You are meaner than Cain.”

Calm down, I’m not saying it to you. This was an expression that was used a lot, when I was growing up, to refer to people who acted in an evil way.

Later the phrase changed to “you’re meaner than Channing,” in reference to a character in the Falcon Crest series who was always hatching plans to screw up his surroundings.

And the truth is that their plans used to be quite successful.

And that made me pretty angry.

Not because she was bad, but because when I made my plans they almost never, to say never, went the way I thought they would.

It used to happen to me like in the joke about the Spanish hell, the one in which supposedly a demon passed by every day at 12 o’clock to light the oven and torment the souls. The problem was that when there was gas for the oven there were no matches, when there were matches there was no gas, and when there was gas and matches the devil didn’t get through.

So I grew up believing I was a planning nullity.

But when I started working I began to discover that maybe it was something that wasn’t just me.

In fact, the rare thing is that the plans worked out well, to the point of being sent abroad by my company for three weeks to assemble a machine and spend seven months there.

Then I began to think that maybe the issue was not just mine, but that perhaps, for Spaniards, planning is not in our DNA.

But then my company sent me to Germany for three months to receive training at the headquarters of a famous German multinational.

And then I discovered that the Germans also missed more than a shotgun at a fairground booth when it came to planning.

So, I thought that the problem with the plans was not in me, nor in my genetics, but that it is something that affects us all for a very special reason: we will never have all the data. Not even all of the most important ones. Although the truth is that the Germans had them.

What we can always count on, however, are the unforeseen events.

So, is it worth investing time in planning our activities?

And the answer is a resounding yes. Because even planning badly is better than not planning at all.

Because you might save yourself the time to sit down and think. However, you will spend the day running back and forth solving problems that were easy to foresee, and wasting time by not having coordinated basic actions.

And if this is so in our natural life, what will not happen to the plans in our spiritual life, with an enemy lurking night and day to bring us down?

To him who is able to do

But once again God comes to our aid with a promise that, curiously enough, is tucked in as if by stealth.

In this “half-saying farewell” of the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul could have said:

Now to God who is mighty, to him be glory in the church in Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever and ever. Amen.

This would be a correct and totally spiritual phrase. However, the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to modify it slightly. And so it says (Ephesians 3:20-21):

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. .

The meaning of the phrase does not change much: we must give glory to God. However, this small addition is of great importance to us.

Thanks to him we can realize that we are not alone when it comes to making plans. Indeed, God has already prepared them for us. He is only waiting for us to approach Him in order to set in motion all the necessary preparations for these plans to become a reality.

Because God is not only capable of making perfect plans. It is also the only one able to make them perform far beyond our best dreams or our capabilities.

Because, when you walk in God’s ways, and serve Him, it is not only our capacity that acts, but we have the help, guidance and power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us.

So the next time you sit down to make plans for your life or for your ministry, remember that God is the only one who has the ability to make perfect plans and the power to do it all.

And that it is enough for us to seek his will, believe him and obey him so that we can say with complete confidence that, in God, we will do exploits.

God bless you.

Cover photo by NASA on Unsplash

Crecer en la fe

Descubre una vida de plena libertad y gozo en Cristo.

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La entrada To Him who is able to do se publicó primero en David Gómez.

If you want to be equipped for every good work, nothing this world can offer you is comparable to the Word of God.

I remember, many years ago, when you were about to start a trip the first thing you would check was if you had the road map in the car. And, by the way, that it was not too old.

And then you would try to establish the route.

Although that was almost more of an odyssey than the journey itself.

Because the maps were of two types.

The folded map of the whole country, which you started to unfold, which was bigger than the car and which you ended up crumpling up whole.

Or the one that was bound and divided into sheets. First you located the start and the destination on a general map that indicated the leaves you had to look at.

So, in these you could start on sheet 21, follow the road and when you reached, for example, the left edge of the plan from there it sent you to sheet 48, in this one you reached the lower edge and it sent you to sheet 74 and this was repeated over and over again, but at least you didn’t cover the windshield with the plan.

Now we have GPS, an increasingly essential element, because they not only help us to locate our destination. They also help us, for example, to know where we are or remind us where we have left our car or bicycle.

They are really useful. Although I know of a case of someone who left Madrid to go to San Sebastián de los Reyes (about 15 Km away), and ended up in Donostia-San Sebastián (more than 400 Km away).

In a world in which it is increasingly easier to move around, it is important to have references.

And it’s the same in our lives.

We need references to help us discern if we are making the right decisions or if our attitudes are the right ones.

Some time ago I listened to a talk by a sociologist in which he explained that, for many years, society had four institutions that served as universal referents.

These were school, politics, family and church.

Critical thinking and openness to other ways of being were taught in school.

Respect and coexistence were taught in the family.

Politics was an example of service to society, dialogue and striving for the common good, and the church showed the path of morality.

The problem he found is that all these institutions, which apparently worked, were degrading in their functioning and were losing their prestige and their light as referents.

School has become synonymous with indoctrination by the government of the day.

The family has broken down and there is no longer respect for anything or anyone.

Politics has become the epitome of the “and you’re next” and the pursuit of personal or partisan interest.

And what can we say about the church as a moral reference after so many cases of abuse?

Those four stars that served as a reference in the night ended up going out, leaving people lost in their own paths.

When human beings try to serve as an example to other human beings, we become blind leading other blind people. Lost people trying to show the right path to others. And this does not work.

That is why God has left us his perfect map, the most accurate GPS in existence. Let us turn to the 2nd epistle of Timothy, chapter 3 and verses 16 and 17:

TAll Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is a map that does not depend on human lights and that can shine in the darkest night, because it itself is the source of light that illuminates the path we must travel.

Moreover, there is no need to update it, because it is perfect from the beginning, and it is specifically designed for human beings to find their destiny.

But, like physical GPS, this spiritual GPS is useless if you put it in your pocket and forget about it.

The Word of God must always be before your eyes, to verify that every step you take is in accordance with its indications.

Because your every step is bringing you closer to your eternal destiny.

And because it helps you to be prepared for your work, for your service in Christ.

Whether that eternal destiny is in the presence of God or in the lake of fire and brimstone will depend only on your vigilance and your attention to follow the course marked in the Bible.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Tabea Schimpf on Unsplash

Crecer en la fe

Descubre una vida de plena libertad y gozo en Cristo.

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La entrada Equipped for every good work se publicó primero en David Gómez.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

A few days ago I was listening to a radio announcer commenting that he had a terrible weekend. Everything went wrong.

And there are days when it seems better not to have gotten out of bed, and in some cases, there are even whole months.

I remember when I was a child there was an event that, if it weren’t so serious, would be comical.

We were on vacation at the mill where my maternal grandparents worked, and one day, as my grandmother was leaving the main building she tripped and fell. There were three steps and the ground outside was paved with boulders because loads of wheat were still coming in on mules.

My grandmother fell from the top of the steps and hit one of those stones. This caused him to be shocked and knocked out for a few minutes, as well as a gash on his forehead that began to bleed profusely.

And I, who was the only one who saw it all, instead of approaching to see if I could help, I started shouting, “it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me”.

Fortunately my screams alerted my parents and grandfather and they attended to her immediately.

The truth is that I had been having a season in which many things had broken. Maybe because my curiosity led me to get into places I shouldn’t and to observe everything. And of course, to observe better, sometimes you had to pick things up, or move them aside, and they had the bad habit of falling down.

The thing is that when something appeared broken, all eyes turned to me. And since they were usually right, I didn’t mind taking the punishment.

But this time I didn’t want to take a punishment that I didn’t deserve and that, given the severity of the consequences, I estimated would be considerable.

Thank God my grandmother recovered well, and it was made clear that I had nothing to do with the incident.

And no, if you think that after that I stopped getting into trouble you are very wrong. But I did learn something, I had to be more careful not to break so many things.

Since then I have continued to research and learn, and not only have I become somewhat skilled at not breaking so many things, but I became an expert at maintaining and fixing them.

So it seems that the passage in Romans, chapter 8 and verse 28, the one that says: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose, was fulfilled.

However, I seem to be back to my old ways. With the difference that now I don’t break things, now I seem to break myself, well me and my circumstances.

Many of you know José Ortega y Gasset’s phrase, “I am me and my circumstances”, alluding to the fact that not everything that happens to us is under our control. Because a simple unforeseen event can ruin the most careful of projects.

Although the truth is that the phrase is a little longer and goes like this: “I am me and my circumstance, if I don’t save it, I don’t save myself”.

So, in a way, this man encourages us to try to understand and change our circumstance in order to help ourselves.

It sounds reasonable. However, the concept contains an important trap. The word “circumstance” comes from Latin and literally means “that which surrounds us”.

If we apply this to the previous sentence, the philosopher is telling us that if we act on the environment we can change our self.

And it is true that if we take care of our environment we can have a better world, but those things do not help us to be better people.

For the truth is that, as Jesus teaches us, it is not what goes in, but what comes out of the person, that contaminates.

Therefore, although we Christians take care of the things that surround us, as a sign of our stewardship towards what we have received from God, our efforts should be focused on taking care of and changing our inner self, with the help of the Holy Spirit. For only a heart and mind renewed by Christ can help us on the path to eternal life.

So do not be afraid of circumstances, nor let yourself be discouraged by them, because if you love God, if you walk in His will, every circumstance that God allows in your life is one more step towards your final victory in Christ.

For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God..

God bless you.

Cover photo by OJ on Unsplash

En el Valle de Sombra de Muerte

A lo largo de nuestras vidas, todos vamos a pasar por valles de oscuridad y dolor.

Pero la Palabra de Dios da ánimo, y nos muestra cómo seguir adelante en dichos momentos, y vencer.

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La entrada All things work together for good se publicó primero en David Gómez.

But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge (Psalms 94:22)

We have had a difficult few years.

Pandemics, volcanoes, wars, heat waves, uncontrolled inflation, rising mortgages, droughts, floods…

And this in general, because, then, in particular, each one has had his or her own problems, work, health, accidents, family losses…

To use a Spanish saying, it would seem that all mankind has been looked at by a one-eyed man.

But the truth is that no visually impaired person is to blame for this.

In some cases we are faced with the consequences of living in a world separated from God, and all that this represents in terms of evil, lies and selfishness.

In other cases, they are the consequences of our own limitations and shortcomings when making decisions.

And in others, they are situations that God allows or propitiates for our growth and maturity.

So now that 2022 is over and we look back, why deny it, what many of us see is a time of difficulty and pain.

But, if we look closely, in the midst of that darkness, there is something that has never been missing. And that something is God.

It is true that, at times, situations become very uphill and that there are tunnels that seem to have no end.

But always God’s presence has been made real. Perhaps not as we would like, as a wave that carries away everything that prevents us from moving forward, but as that peaceful whistle that brings us peace and hope.

Something that King David also experienced. Thus, in Psalm 94, after crying out for God to intervene in his situation, he states in verse 22:

But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

Yes, David was having a hard time. He was having a very hard time. But it was always clear to him that God was his refuge.

And, as it happens to all of us, the psalmist would also have liked God to put a quick end to the pain or injustice he was experiencing.

But David was not afraid of what might happen, because he knew he was in God’s hands.

So yes, 2022 will not go down in history as an easy year. But what we will be able to affirm, with joy, when we remember this year, is that God has always been with us.

And, if we remain faithful to Him, He always will be.

Happy 2023 and may God bless you.

Cover photo by Marcus Woodbridge on Unsplash

La entrada But the Lord has become my fortress se publicó primero en David Gómez.

Have you ever been approached on the street by a stranger to congratulate you and give you a gift?

But a real gift, not one of those promotions whose objective is that you end up buying something from them.

For me, at least, no.

Nor is it usual for someone with whom you have a terrible grudge to approach you to give you gifts. And if it does, before you open them you x-ray them. Just in case.

And that happens because we give gifts to people we love and know.

People who have helped or taught us in a selfless way. People who have granted us the privilege of their friendship, their time, or even their resources.

It is these people whom we honor with gifts, and whose achievements we congratulate and recognize.

But the rest of the population often remains invisible to our eyes. Because we understand that they have done nothing for us, nor are they anything for us.

At most, we make a donation to an NGO. But sometimes it is more out of remorse than out of true altruism.

And this is so because, by nature, we are selfish. Even, in some cases, these gifts are a way to “maintain a relationship” that, perhaps, we are neglecting.

However, Jesus shows us the true nature of the attitude of giving. Thus, in the Gospel of Luke chapter 14 Jesus speaks about a wedding, and tells his host that when he holds a celebration he should not invite friends, but the poor and needy.

Because friends could return the invitation and repay the favor. But the needy could not, and that is what God would value and reward.

In fact, that is what God did with us.

Although God loves us, for many He was a perfect stranger. At most someone we had heard of, but with whom we either had no relationship at all, or our relationship was one of hatred or contempt. But, in all cases, we lived outside their ways and their will.

And in spite of that contempt, God gave us the best of gifts.

Let’s see what Luke’s Gospel tells us, chapter 2 and verses 10 and 11:

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

God had no obligation to us.

We had done nothing to reciprocate.

In fact, we had earned his back.

And yet, his love for us, a genuine and selfless love, impelled him to give us redemption and eternal life.

He paid the price for our sins, for our rebellions, for our indifference against Him. And in Christ he gave us eternal life, granting us the right to be his children.

It doesn’t matter what our attitude toward God is. He looks at us through His mercy and wants us to recover the perfect relationship that we human beings had with Him at the beginning of Creation.

And that is why he sent Christ to rescue us. No strings attached, no fine print. A gift of love.

But like all gifts, you can only enjoy this one if you accept it and unwrap it to use it.

So this Christmas I invite you to accept the gift that God offers you, because no other gift will transform your life as Christ will.

And if you already have it, remember to share it with everyone else, known or unknown.

Because, as valuable as the things you can share are, Christ is the only gift that will bring them life.

God bless you.

And a very Merry Christmas.

Cover photo by Gareth Harper on Unsplash

La entrada The best Christmas gift se publicó primero en David Gómez.