Psalm Meditation 650
First Sunday of Advent
December 2, 2012
Psalm 114
1 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 Why is it, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.
(NRSV)
Attitude makes a lot of difference in perception. To watch the sea and river disappear from their usual spots and to watch mountains and hills rock and sway like leaping animals would be pretty scary in normal circumstances. It would be reason to be afraid for one’s life in normal circumstances. These do not seem to be normal circumstances for the psalmist. When seen from a vantage point of rejoicing and trust in the presence of God, this whole scene is a party rather than a cataclysmic event.
From one side of an event it is a great tragedy while the other side sees it as a cause for celebration. At any sporting event the fans of the losing team will see this as a terrible thing while the fans of the winners will be celebrating the outcome. In the next meeting the result may be the opposite, but for now the winners rejoice and the losers bemoan their fate. For the psalmist, God is great beyond measure and the response of the earth is to tremble and leap in celebration of the greatness of God.
There certainly are psalms in which the reaction to events is terror as the waters roll and the earth shakes. In this instance the psalmist sees rolling, jumping and trembling as a good thing, a rejoicing in the presence of God. When we are able to see God as a present partner in our lives we can more easily find ways to rejoice in a given situation. It is not the situation itself that leads us to rejoice, it is the presence of God in the situation that makes it possible to find something good in the midst of any and all parts of our lives.
November 26, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Psalm Meditation 649
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 25, 2012
Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
(NRSV)
I have been taught that hospitality is a gift God gives to some people. The rest of us can welcome folks into our houses but folks with the gift of hospitality can welcome folks into their homes. Even the most unwelcome guest can be made to feel at home by those who have the gift of hospitality. God has the gift of hospitality and offers it freely to all who enter God’s presence. Yes, there are those who can short-circuit God’s gift of hospitality and make us feel less than welcome in God’s house, however it is the intent of God that all will feel welcome.
The psalmist has certainly felt the spirit of welcome in the house of God and has seen how other creatures live out their sense of home in God’s presence with nests and families within the Temple. The psalmist notes too that the welcome is so broad that the anticipation of arriving at the Temple can lift the hearts of those making the journey, which in turn lifts the appearance of the whole land.
The welcome that God offers is so thrilling and life altering that the psalmist would rather be on the periphery of God’s presence than be fully included in the worship of any other deity. There is something fulfilling and gratifying about being in the presence of God, a sense of peace and wholeness that comes from being in a relationship built on trust and honor.
November 19, 2012
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 25, 2012
Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
(NRSV)
I have been taught that hospitality is a gift God gives to some people. The rest of us can welcome folks into our houses but folks with the gift of hospitality can welcome folks into their homes. Even the most unwelcome guest can be made to feel at home by those who have the gift of hospitality. God has the gift of hospitality and offers it freely to all who enter God’s presence. Yes, there are those who can short-circuit God’s gift of hospitality and make us feel less than welcome in God’s house, however it is the intent of God that all will feel welcome.
The psalmist has certainly felt the spirit of welcome in the house of God and has seen how other creatures live out their sense of home in God’s presence with nests and families within the Temple. The psalmist notes too that the welcome is so broad that the anticipation of arriving at the Temple can lift the hearts of those making the journey, which in turn lifts the appearance of the whole land.
The welcome that God offers is so thrilling and life altering that the psalmist would rather be on the periphery of God’s presence than be fully included in the worship of any other deity. There is something fulfilling and gratifying about being in the presence of God, a sense of peace and wholeness that comes from being in a relationship built on trust and honor.
November 19, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Psalm Meditation 648
Twenty fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 18, 2012
Psalm 54
1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. (Selah)
4 But surely, God is my helper; the LORD is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
(NRSV)
Not all of our enemies are intentional and certainly they are not all human. The most pressing enemy for many of us is circumstance. We find ourselves in the midst of situations that threaten to crush our spirits without a single person who has set themselves against us. If we do have a person or group on whom to focus as the enemy, it is likely that they did not set themselves the task of destroying our lives. This does not mean they are not the enemy; it means that their destruction will not change our lives any more than our destruction would have changed theirs.
In the midst of these situations God offers us comfort and strength to stand in the face of all that stands against us. In some cases, the very awareness of the presence of God gives us a calm assurance even though nothing around us has changed. In other instances, the presence of God, through the people of God, dissipates the evil forces arrayed against us. It is not the vengeance that is satisfying, it is the calming assurance of the presence of God. The power of our enemies is broken as we rest in the arms of God.
When we can thank God for being present in the ugliest, most painful situation, we discover that some of the sting is gone. Things around us may or may not change. Our hearts are changed as we are touched by the presence of God in all the ways God is made known to us. We mourn our losses and we give God thanks for being with us. We stand in triumph over the situations that have assailed us.
November 12, 2012
Twenty fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 18, 2012
Psalm 54
1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. (Selah)
4 But surely, God is my helper; the LORD is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
(NRSV)
Not all of our enemies are intentional and certainly they are not all human. The most pressing enemy for many of us is circumstance. We find ourselves in the midst of situations that threaten to crush our spirits without a single person who has set themselves against us. If we do have a person or group on whom to focus as the enemy, it is likely that they did not set themselves the task of destroying our lives. This does not mean they are not the enemy; it means that their destruction will not change our lives any more than our destruction would have changed theirs.
In the midst of these situations God offers us comfort and strength to stand in the face of all that stands against us. In some cases, the very awareness of the presence of God gives us a calm assurance even though nothing around us has changed. In other instances, the presence of God, through the people of God, dissipates the evil forces arrayed against us. It is not the vengeance that is satisfying, it is the calming assurance of the presence of God. The power of our enemies is broken as we rest in the arms of God.
When we can thank God for being present in the ugliest, most painful situation, we discover that some of the sting is gone. Things around us may or may not change. Our hearts are changed as we are touched by the presence of God in all the ways God is made known to us. We mourn our losses and we give God thanks for being with us. We stand in triumph over the situations that have assailed us.
November 12, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Psalm Meditation 647
Twenty fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 11, 2012
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Selah)
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. (Selah)
(NRSV)
There always seem to be those who, when gifts are being given out, know that they deserve to get one. They have gone through all the right motions, said all the right things and been in all the right places at the right times. What they don’t seem to get is that gifts are given rather than earned. A gift is not a reward for putting up with the desires and demands of another. A gift is something given out of the goodness of the giver’s heart. It is true that every action has a cost and a promise, which means we are aware that there will be a pay off for being in a relationship. If we are in the relationship in order to receive the gifts that are a part of that promise, it will be a very unfulfilling relationship.
There are those who are in a relationship with God only for what they feel they can get out of it. The sole reason for any action or inaction on their part is to earn their place in heaven. It is not nearly so much about cultivating a fulfilling relationship with God as it is about getting the perks of that relationship without actually having to invest too much of themselves. They seem to end up disappointed in both the relationships and the gifts.
The real gift of a relationship with God, is the relationship itself. A phrase the Christian mystics use is, ‘wasting time with God.’ It is not a bad thing, it is simply being together with God, no agenda, no time frame, no reason other than to be together with God. To be able to add other people who are also interested in spending time with God is an added benefit to the relationship. Those who enjoy the presence of God for the sheer joy of being together find that they receive countless blessings and a sense of wholeness. The gifts God gives are not usually things we can hold in our hands. God’s gifts are not usually things that can be held at all. The gifts of God touch us and change us as they pass by us and through us.
November 5, 2012
Twenty fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 11, 2012
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Selah)
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. (Selah)
(NRSV)
There always seem to be those who, when gifts are being given out, know that they deserve to get one. They have gone through all the right motions, said all the right things and been in all the right places at the right times. What they don’t seem to get is that gifts are given rather than earned. A gift is not a reward for putting up with the desires and demands of another. A gift is something given out of the goodness of the giver’s heart. It is true that every action has a cost and a promise, which means we are aware that there will be a pay off for being in a relationship. If we are in the relationship in order to receive the gifts that are a part of that promise, it will be a very unfulfilling relationship.
There are those who are in a relationship with God only for what they feel they can get out of it. The sole reason for any action or inaction on their part is to earn their place in heaven. It is not nearly so much about cultivating a fulfilling relationship with God as it is about getting the perks of that relationship without actually having to invest too much of themselves. They seem to end up disappointed in both the relationships and the gifts.
The real gift of a relationship with God, is the relationship itself. A phrase the Christian mystics use is, ‘wasting time with God.’ It is not a bad thing, it is simply being together with God, no agenda, no time frame, no reason other than to be together with God. To be able to add other people who are also interested in spending time with God is an added benefit to the relationship. Those who enjoy the presence of God for the sheer joy of being together find that they receive countless blessings and a sense of wholeness. The gifts God gives are not usually things we can hold in our hands. God’s gifts are not usually things that can be held at all. The gifts of God touch us and change us as they pass by us and through us.
November 5, 2012
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