Psalm 81:1–16, June 27, 2025 (Friday)

“If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways…”(Psalm 81:13)

Yesterday evening, I registered at the Annual Conference venue and spent the first day quietly. Now I sit in the worship hall before the morning service begins. From afar, I see familiar faces I haven’t seen in a while and also many new ones. Though most of the songs are in English 😊, the worship filled with praise for the whole Conference and the Church resonates with a shared heart that honors the God who continues to work across time.

More than anything, this first morning has been a time of deep prayer—an opportunity to ask myself again, Why am I here? What was I called for?

I’ve met those who are beginning new appointments with hopeful expectation, others who are retiring after a long journey, and many pastors who have come weary from years of faithful service. These encounters feel like a harmony of life stories gently weaving themselves into my own.

Even in my brief life, I can sense how God is filling me with so many things to shape who I am. And when I think about the Church—its long history, its suffering, and how God has worked beyond it all—I’m overwhelmed by the thought that I get to be a small part of such a grand story. What a blessing it is to offer even a small piece of my heart and hand to God’s great plan.

This morning, the psalmist invites us to a place of praise. But then, he reflects with lament on Israel’s failure to trust God—even after the deliverance from Egypt.

“If only my people would listen… if only they would walk in the way I command.”

That longing still echoes powerfully today. It pierces our hearts. The Lord still loves us, still pours out grace, and still invites us to walk in the way He has laid out for us.

Meditation

Regret. If only…It may feel like there’s nothing we can do about the past. But sometimes, that echo becomes the voice that leads us back to the right path.

Intercessory Prayer

• Please pray that the Annual Conference will conclude in grace and unity (through Monday, June 30).

• Please also pray that the preparation and every part of our upcoming Vacation Bible School will be guided by God’s grace.