Psalm Meditation 502
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
January 31, 2010

Psalm 21
1 In your strength the king rejoices, O LORD, and in your help how greatly he exults!
2 You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3 For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life; you gave it to him-- length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great through your help; splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6 You bestow on him blessings forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them like a fiery furnace when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth, and their children from among humankind.
11 If they plan evil against you, if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12 For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows.
13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
(NRSV)

Many of us believe that when things are going well it is because God is rewarding us for something we have done, even if it is something as simple as asking for what we want and getting it. When we are in God’s good graces all we have to do is ask and we will receive even more than we asked because God is on our side and favors us over all those others who are not like us. Good things come to good people it is as simple as that.

We have trouble when things are going poorly. In those times God is testing us to see if we are willing to be faithful in those seasons in which we do not get all our heart’s desire. We find ways and make ways to feel as if we are not at odds with God. It may be someone else’s fault and we simply got caught in the crossfire, we are being tested and all will be well again once we prove ourselves faithful and worthy, we have done something wrong and are being disciplined for a time in order to make us pure once again. We do not willingly see ourselves as those who hate God.

Like it or not, God is not bound by our categories of good and of evil, right and wrong, deserving and undeserving. God is beyond our categories and limits. God promises to be with us without promising to be good to us and bad to our enemies and adversaries. God promises to love us no matter what. God seems much more willing than we are to live with chaos and randomness. We want things to make sense and God wants to be with us and wants us to desire and seek a relationship with God.

As people of God we will have good things happen to us and we will have bad things happen to us. We will notice that people around us who agree with us and those with whom we disagree will have good things and bad things happen to them. It will not always be about anyone’s relationship with God. Good things will come and bad things will happen; the task and joy for us is to continue to love and trust God through it all.

© January 25, 2010