Psalm Meditation 811
Second Sunday After Christmas
January 3, 2016
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.
(NRSV)
It seems a good way to end and begin a new year; to, ‘go to the house of the LORD.’ While it is good to spend time in a place of worship, it is made better when it is populated with others who share an interest in being in the presence of God. The invitation received by the psalmist, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” becomes more than going to the sanctuary of God, it includes being part of a community at worship. Introverts and extroverts alike find a place in a worship gathering.
When any community gathers there will be those with whom we look forward to spending time as well as those whose presence will begin as a burden. Given time, some of those we anticipate as burdensome will be counted among those we look forward to spending time in worship. We will find those with whom we agree as well as those with whom we disagree, and we will find ourselves forming important links with some of each group of people. Genuine community is about being together in our differentness more than agreeing on everything.
As we gather from our various geographies and places on political and theological spectra we can find common ground in our prayers for peace. Our ideas of how that looks may be as different as our heart and mindsets, however our prayers continue to be for peace; in our hearts, our community, our nation and world. God hears our prayers and moves us in the ways that lead to God’s peace in and among us.
December 28, 2015
LCM
Monday, December 28, 2015
Monday, December 21, 2015
Psalm Meditation 810
First Sunday After Christmas
December 27, 2015
Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)
In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, it seems important to look up from all the things that concern us to see the glory of God that surrounds us. As Advent gives way to Christmas we can find ourselves putting our heads down and plowing into the final weeks and days. We lose sight of some of the most important parts of the season; the presence of God and the glory that streams out of that presence. If we can take a moment to look up we discover that it is the presence and glory of God that makes all this running and worrying seem a bit less intimidating.
If we don’t get everything done, God will still be with us and the people around us will still love us. If we miss a spot in our cleaning and tidying God will enjoy our company, as will our family and friends. To look up and see that everything on our list pales in the abiding presence of God gives us a moment’s peace at the very least. Sometimes all we need is one or two deep breaths in order to feel our shoulders relax, the tension fade from all the places we store it away, if even for a moment.
When, in the presence of God, we are able to calm our hearts in the face of stresses and strains of this or any other season, we find ourselves better able to face a variety of calamities. To see the glory of God as a regular part of our lives makes some of the things that overwhelm us seem a tad less intimidating.
December 21, 2015
LCM
First Sunday After Christmas
December 27, 2015
Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)
In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, it seems important to look up from all the things that concern us to see the glory of God that surrounds us. As Advent gives way to Christmas we can find ourselves putting our heads down and plowing into the final weeks and days. We lose sight of some of the most important parts of the season; the presence of God and the glory that streams out of that presence. If we can take a moment to look up we discover that it is the presence and glory of God that makes all this running and worrying seem a bit less intimidating.
If we don’t get everything done, God will still be with us and the people around us will still love us. If we miss a spot in our cleaning and tidying God will enjoy our company, as will our family and friends. To look up and see that everything on our list pales in the abiding presence of God gives us a moment’s peace at the very least. Sometimes all we need is one or two deep breaths in order to feel our shoulders relax, the tension fade from all the places we store it away, if even for a moment.
When, in the presence of God, we are able to calm our hearts in the face of stresses and strains of this or any other season, we find ourselves better able to face a variety of calamities. To see the glory of God as a regular part of our lives makes some of the things that overwhelm us seem a tad less intimidating.
December 21, 2015
LCM
Monday, December 14, 2015
Psalm Meditation 809
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 20, 2015
Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
(NRSV)
It seems that the harshest judgment of God is reserved for those who have been claimed as followers and children. We, like the psalmist, would much rather that God’s ire be reserved for ‘those people,’ the ones outside the fold, the ones who are even worse at following the ways of God than we are. If only God would beat up on the bad guys and leave us alone to follow the ways of God when it suits us. However, it is hard to follow the rules when they are unknown. As we are more strict with our own children, so God is more apt to judge us when we stray.
It is so much easier to see the sins of folks whose ways already trouble us that we can fail to look at ourselves as people in need of correction and redirection. We would rather stand up and point our fingers at the faults and flaws of ‘those people’ than look to where we are in need of confession and repentance. Yes, those people may be in the wrong by our standards, however we can actually do something about our own behavior.
God is with us when other people are out to get us through no fault of our own, because God loves us. God is with us when people are out to get us because we have done something to provoke them, because God loves us beyond measure. That God is with us does not mean that we are always right, that we deserve better than anyone else or that we are exempt from humility, grace, forgiveness and repentance.
December 14, 2015
LCM
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 20, 2015
Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
(NRSV)
It seems that the harshest judgment of God is reserved for those who have been claimed as followers and children. We, like the psalmist, would much rather that God’s ire be reserved for ‘those people,’ the ones outside the fold, the ones who are even worse at following the ways of God than we are. If only God would beat up on the bad guys and leave us alone to follow the ways of God when it suits us. However, it is hard to follow the rules when they are unknown. As we are more strict with our own children, so God is more apt to judge us when we stray.
It is so much easier to see the sins of folks whose ways already trouble us that we can fail to look at ourselves as people in need of correction and redirection. We would rather stand up and point our fingers at the faults and flaws of ‘those people’ than look to where we are in need of confession and repentance. Yes, those people may be in the wrong by our standards, however we can actually do something about our own behavior.
God is with us when other people are out to get us through no fault of our own, because God loves us. God is with us when people are out to get us because we have done something to provoke them, because God loves us beyond measure. That God is with us does not mean that we are always right, that we deserve better than anyone else or that we are exempt from humility, grace, forgiveness and repentance.
December 14, 2015
LCM
Monday, December 7, 2015
Psalm Meditation 808
Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2015
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
In winter months especially, it is easy to let the darkness of a day work its way past our skin and get into the cracks and recesses of our lives. Given the proper conditions we can feel lost, abandoned, forsaken. The psalmist is going through one of these dark times and laments the infectious darkness while at the same time having an awareness of God’s presence in the past. God has been present in the community as well as in the personal details of the psalmist’s life from birth. Darkness and God’s presence wrestle for the top spot in the psalmist’s awareness.
The psalmist chooses to dwell on the presence of God and to move from the sense of having been forsaken to an awareness that God is, and has always been, a watcher over and a protector of those who feel abandoned and defeated in the face of what would otherwise be overwhelming. When we feel as if we have options, the psalmist models making the choice for God. From a sense of having been forsaken, the psalmist moves to a remembrance of the presence of God. The dark thoughts crash back in to be met again by the active engagement of God in the life of the whole community, including the psalmist.
When we are in a position to choose our feelings and mood, it is good to have this pattern from the psalm. We decide, in the midst of bearing the weight of the world, to focus on the presence of God. When the weight of the darkness worms its way back in, we re-focus on the presence of God in our own lives and in the lives of those who have taught us by word and example that God is ever available to us. As we see God at work more and more clearly the darkness of feeling forsaken fades in the light of the company and community of God and the people of God.
December 7, 2015
LCM
Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2015
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
In winter months especially, it is easy to let the darkness of a day work its way past our skin and get into the cracks and recesses of our lives. Given the proper conditions we can feel lost, abandoned, forsaken. The psalmist is going through one of these dark times and laments the infectious darkness while at the same time having an awareness of God’s presence in the past. God has been present in the community as well as in the personal details of the psalmist’s life from birth. Darkness and God’s presence wrestle for the top spot in the psalmist’s awareness.
The psalmist chooses to dwell on the presence of God and to move from the sense of having been forsaken to an awareness that God is, and has always been, a watcher over and a protector of those who feel abandoned and defeated in the face of what would otherwise be overwhelming. When we feel as if we have options, the psalmist models making the choice for God. From a sense of having been forsaken, the psalmist moves to a remembrance of the presence of God. The dark thoughts crash back in to be met again by the active engagement of God in the life of the whole community, including the psalmist.
When we are in a position to choose our feelings and mood, it is good to have this pattern from the psalm. We decide, in the midst of bearing the weight of the world, to focus on the presence of God. When the weight of the darkness worms its way back in, we re-focus on the presence of God in our own lives and in the lives of those who have taught us by word and example that God is ever available to us. As we see God at work more and more clearly the darkness of feeling forsaken fades in the light of the company and community of God and the people of God.
December 7, 2015
LCM
Monday, November 30, 2015
Psalm Meditation 807
Second Sunday of Advent
December 6, 2015
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(NRSV)
My depths and yours are different. Yours may make mine seem shallow or the other way around. It is tempting to turn emotions into a contest; to see who has the deepest depths and the highest heights. Depending on the conversational topic each side can chalk up a win. If we are discussing how easy our lives have been then the person with the least drama comes out the winner. If we are talking about how hard life can be then it is the person who has suffered the most who wins that discussion. When everything is a contest we lose out on one of the most important parts of life, the connections forged by a life together.
When we allow the connection to take precedence over the contest we find ourselves living and working together in ways that are helpful to each of us. When we let another person touch our emotions we discover that we have common feelings even if the heights and depths between us are at different levels. While it is temptingly common to discount the emotional rollercoaster that is the teenage years, the emotions are no less real and raw than for anyone else who struggles and rejoices through life.
In our life together we discover a path toward hope. When it is more important to form bonds with another than to stand in judgment against one another we find hope, love and redemption together. Despair has a way of separating us from those around us, thus the psalmist’s solitary plea for the presence and deliverance of God. By raising this plea to God the psalmist is reminded that it is not necessary to be a lone ranger. From individual despair to the inclusion of the whole nation, the psalmist reminds us that we are not alone. We are in the presence of God and of each other.
November 30, 2015
LCM
Second Sunday of Advent
December 6, 2015
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(NRSV)
My depths and yours are different. Yours may make mine seem shallow or the other way around. It is tempting to turn emotions into a contest; to see who has the deepest depths and the highest heights. Depending on the conversational topic each side can chalk up a win. If we are discussing how easy our lives have been then the person with the least drama comes out the winner. If we are talking about how hard life can be then it is the person who has suffered the most who wins that discussion. When everything is a contest we lose out on one of the most important parts of life, the connections forged by a life together.
When we allow the connection to take precedence over the contest we find ourselves living and working together in ways that are helpful to each of us. When we let another person touch our emotions we discover that we have common feelings even if the heights and depths between us are at different levels. While it is temptingly common to discount the emotional rollercoaster that is the teenage years, the emotions are no less real and raw than for anyone else who struggles and rejoices through life.
In our life together we discover a path toward hope. When it is more important to form bonds with another than to stand in judgment against one another we find hope, love and redemption together. Despair has a way of separating us from those around us, thus the psalmist’s solitary plea for the presence and deliverance of God. By raising this plea to God the psalmist is reminded that it is not necessary to be a lone ranger. From individual despair to the inclusion of the whole nation, the psalmist reminds us that we are not alone. We are in the presence of God and of each other.
November 30, 2015
LCM
Monday, November 23, 2015
Psalm Meditation 806
First Sunday of Advent
November 29, 2015
Psalm 71
1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
7 I have been like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my life consult together.
11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person whom God has forsaken, for there is no one to deliver.”
12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed; let those who seek to hurt me be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long, though their number is past my knowledge.
16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come. Your power
19 and your righteousness, O God, reach the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my honor, and comfort me once again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have rescued.
24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help, for those who tried to do me harm have been put to shame, and disgraced.
(NRSV)
A teddy bear, a body pillow, a friend, a significant other, a spouse; just a few of the things and people we grab onto for comfort in times of stress and trial. The psalmist calls God a rock and a fortress which are good strong, immoveable images when strength and protection are required. Strength is not always found in hard, cold places. There are times in which we gather strength in the softness of a loving touch or the warmth of another. (even if that warmth is simply our own reflected back to us from a teddy bear or pillow.) Whatever the source, whatever the image there is strength and restoration in the company of another.
Often it is those least able to ask for help who are most in need of it. The silent nerdy types are the best targets for those who grasp and pick and bully those around them. Because they are more withdrawn in a variety of ways they are easier marks for those who look for people who ‘deserve’ to be picked apart. The recipients of the grasping, picking and bullying don’t have the interest or wherewithal to make friends and connections so they are already isolated from a larger community. They have no one to stand with them against ‘the hand of the wicked.’
These are the people held in God’s heart. The downcast and the outcast are dear to God; if for no other reason than that they are dear to so few others. The presence of God does not make the grasping, picking and bullying any less relentless than before, it can make the sting of it all more bearable. To know that one is precious in the eyes, mind and heart of God makes one better able to suffer ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ Being aware of God’s love also opens a person to the love of the community of God’s people. To be in community with others give us hope, strength and a voice of our own, all of which we can use for ourselves and for others.
November 23, 2015
LCM
First Sunday of Advent
November 29, 2015
Psalm 71
1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
7 I have been like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my life consult together.
11 They say, “Pursue and seize that person whom God has forsaken, for there is no one to deliver.”
12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
13 Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed; let those who seek to hurt me be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long, though their number is past my knowledge.
16 I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come. Your power
19 and your righteousness, O God, reach the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my honor, and comfort me once again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have rescued.
24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help, for those who tried to do me harm have been put to shame, and disgraced.
(NRSV)
A teddy bear, a body pillow, a friend, a significant other, a spouse; just a few of the things and people we grab onto for comfort in times of stress and trial. The psalmist calls God a rock and a fortress which are good strong, immoveable images when strength and protection are required. Strength is not always found in hard, cold places. There are times in which we gather strength in the softness of a loving touch or the warmth of another. (even if that warmth is simply our own reflected back to us from a teddy bear or pillow.) Whatever the source, whatever the image there is strength and restoration in the company of another.
Often it is those least able to ask for help who are most in need of it. The silent nerdy types are the best targets for those who grasp and pick and bully those around them. Because they are more withdrawn in a variety of ways they are easier marks for those who look for people who ‘deserve’ to be picked apart. The recipients of the grasping, picking and bullying don’t have the interest or wherewithal to make friends and connections so they are already isolated from a larger community. They have no one to stand with them against ‘the hand of the wicked.’
These are the people held in God’s heart. The downcast and the outcast are dear to God; if for no other reason than that they are dear to so few others. The presence of God does not make the grasping, picking and bullying any less relentless than before, it can make the sting of it all more bearable. To know that one is precious in the eyes, mind and heart of God makes one better able to suffer ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ Being aware of God’s love also opens a person to the love of the community of God’s people. To be in community with others give us hope, strength and a voice of our own, all of which we can use for ourselves and for others.
November 23, 2015
LCM
Monday, November 16, 2015
Psalm Meditation 805
Reign of Christ
November 22, 2015
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
(NRSV)
Some days it would be great if God stood by us in some physical way, some way we could see and feel. As we stood against the evils of the world around us, we would know that God was on our side as real, tangible presence. With God right next to us we would know with assurance that we were among the ‘good guys’ doing the work of God in the world. We would also know that God would be there to back up any action we took and would protect us from the ‘bad guys’ we would have to confront in our battles.
The difficulty is that God does not pick sides in most of our arguments and disagreements. God does not join one side or the other so much as God works in us to move us to take the side of God on a daily basis. God is not in the business of beating people up, using force to get us to live the right way. God is love. As such, God leads us in the way of love through the example of a variety of people past and present. It is possible that God is embarrassed by some of our arguments since we continue to force our way into the hearts and minds of others, all in the name of the God of love.
Rather than looking to God to help us beat up our list of ‘bad guys’ perhaps we would serve God better by cultivating the love to which God calls us. Rather than name calling and attacking each other’s positions, we find and make ways to love each other with our similarities and differences intact. It is a difficult way to go and it takes much longer than using force to win the day. As people of God we do well to care less about winning as we spend more time following the lead of those who love.
November 16, 2015
LCM
Reign of Christ
November 22, 2015
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
(NRSV)
Some days it would be great if God stood by us in some physical way, some way we could see and feel. As we stood against the evils of the world around us, we would know that God was on our side as real, tangible presence. With God right next to us we would know with assurance that we were among the ‘good guys’ doing the work of God in the world. We would also know that God would be there to back up any action we took and would protect us from the ‘bad guys’ we would have to confront in our battles.
The difficulty is that God does not pick sides in most of our arguments and disagreements. God does not join one side or the other so much as God works in us to move us to take the side of God on a daily basis. God is not in the business of beating people up, using force to get us to live the right way. God is love. As such, God leads us in the way of love through the example of a variety of people past and present. It is possible that God is embarrassed by some of our arguments since we continue to force our way into the hearts and minds of others, all in the name of the God of love.
Rather than looking to God to help us beat up our list of ‘bad guys’ perhaps we would serve God better by cultivating the love to which God calls us. Rather than name calling and attacking each other’s positions, we find and make ways to love each other with our similarities and differences intact. It is a difficult way to go and it takes much longer than using force to win the day. As people of God we do well to care less about winning as we spend more time following the lead of those who love.
November 16, 2015
LCM
Monday, November 9, 2015
Psalm Meditation 804
Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 15, 2015
Psalm 30
1 I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O LORD, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
8 To you, O LORD, I cried, and to the LORD I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
(NRSV)
Our foes are not always other people and they are not always outside of us. Some folks have internal foes along the lines of illness and disease, others have foes that shout out fears and inadequacies more loudly than any other internal voices. Illnesses and diseases can drain us of our strength and energy in such a way that we can’t bring ourselves to do anything. I have heard that, in cases of serious illnesses, we are not fighting an illness we are the battleground on which the battle is fought between disease and medicine.
Those who go up against fears and anxieties can be drained as easily as those whose battles are with outside forces.
The psalmist thanks God for deliverance from a bout with something that could have been fatal. There is also the recognition that this was punishment for sinful arrogance on the part of the psalmist. By turning to God in this time of distress, not only has the illness been removed there is a companion healing of the sin that brought on the illness in the first place. There is both physical healing and a restoration of the broken relationship between the psalmist and God.
While we no longer see every illness as a punishment for sin, we can continue to turn to God for comfort in the face of any and all foes. With different knowledge and several more years of experience, we see God as present with us in every time and place rather than the cause of our disease or prosperity. God continues to turn mourning into dancing, sorrow into joy and to be with us in every time and circumstance of life.
November 9, 2015
LCM
Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 15, 2015
Psalm 30
1 I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O LORD, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
8 To you, O LORD, I cried, and to the LORD I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
(NRSV)
Our foes are not always other people and they are not always outside of us. Some folks have internal foes along the lines of illness and disease, others have foes that shout out fears and inadequacies more loudly than any other internal voices. Illnesses and diseases can drain us of our strength and energy in such a way that we can’t bring ourselves to do anything. I have heard that, in cases of serious illnesses, we are not fighting an illness we are the battleground on which the battle is fought between disease and medicine.
Those who go up against fears and anxieties can be drained as easily as those whose battles are with outside forces.
The psalmist thanks God for deliverance from a bout with something that could have been fatal. There is also the recognition that this was punishment for sinful arrogance on the part of the psalmist. By turning to God in this time of distress, not only has the illness been removed there is a companion healing of the sin that brought on the illness in the first place. There is both physical healing and a restoration of the broken relationship between the psalmist and God.
While we no longer see every illness as a punishment for sin, we can continue to turn to God for comfort in the face of any and all foes. With different knowledge and several more years of experience, we see God as present with us in every time and place rather than the cause of our disease or prosperity. God continues to turn mourning into dancing, sorrow into joy and to be with us in every time and circumstance of life.
November 9, 2015
LCM
Monday, November 2, 2015
Psalm Meditation 803
Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 8, 2015
Psalm 80
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4 O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches;
11 it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted.
16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.
19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
(NRSV)
Many of us know what it is like to be picked on; to be the go to person for venting when the actual target of ire is too scary to approach. In pack animals, dogs for instance, we know about the alpha male and female, there is also a position called the omega dog. This animal interjects itself into fierce fights in order to give the strong animals a different target for their aggression thus saving the stronger animals from each other. The upper level dogs take a few nips and swipes at the omega animal and then go away recognizing it is not worth the effort to pick on this poorer specimen. The omega animal is also vulnerable to attack without having interrupted a fight. Any animal who needs to vent can do so on the omega animal. It is not rough enough to do permanent damage to the omega, only enough to get that little bit of aggression out of the attacking animal’s system.
Because humans are communal creatures we also have an omega person or group among us. Within a group there is a person who gets all the abuse from almost everyone else. As a group we will pick another group to receive our undifferentiated aggression. A racial or ethnic group or groups usually fits the bill. One or more of those groups may change from time to time.
The psalmist voices the concern that Israel has become one of those groups for the peoples who surround them. They feel as if they are a vineyard with no wall that can be harvested at will by any and all who come their way. The cry goes up to God to restore to the people a sense of security as well as the wherewithal to stand up against the folks who bully us. And those who are bullied and picked on join the psalmist in asking that, at the very least, God be present with us and give us a sense of wholeness in the face of the trials we face. Knowing we are not alone makes a tremendous difference.
November 2, 2015
LCM
Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 8, 2015
Psalm 80
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4 O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches;
11 it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted.
16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name.
19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
(NRSV)
Many of us know what it is like to be picked on; to be the go to person for venting when the actual target of ire is too scary to approach. In pack animals, dogs for instance, we know about the alpha male and female, there is also a position called the omega dog. This animal interjects itself into fierce fights in order to give the strong animals a different target for their aggression thus saving the stronger animals from each other. The upper level dogs take a few nips and swipes at the omega animal and then go away recognizing it is not worth the effort to pick on this poorer specimen. The omega animal is also vulnerable to attack without having interrupted a fight. Any animal who needs to vent can do so on the omega animal. It is not rough enough to do permanent damage to the omega, only enough to get that little bit of aggression out of the attacking animal’s system.
Because humans are communal creatures we also have an omega person or group among us. Within a group there is a person who gets all the abuse from almost everyone else. As a group we will pick another group to receive our undifferentiated aggression. A racial or ethnic group or groups usually fits the bill. One or more of those groups may change from time to time.
The psalmist voices the concern that Israel has become one of those groups for the peoples who surround them. They feel as if they are a vineyard with no wall that can be harvested at will by any and all who come their way. The cry goes up to God to restore to the people a sense of security as well as the wherewithal to stand up against the folks who bully us. And those who are bullied and picked on join the psalmist in asking that, at the very least, God be present with us and give us a sense of wholeness in the face of the trials we face. Knowing we are not alone makes a tremendous difference.
November 2, 2015
LCM
Monday, October 26, 2015
Psalm Meditation 802
Twenty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 1, 2015
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)
We do like our lives to be predictable and sensible. I have heard that those who claim to like change are most often talking about self-imposed, self-directed change. These folks are as upset as the rest of us by change that comes from a place outside their control, especially unpleasant change. We don’t like to discover that our fortunes have suddenly changed for the worse, that those we count as our enemies have taken the upper hand. In those situations even those who claim most loudly that they like variety and change are going to call on God to rescue us from this unwanted and unwelcome change.
The psalmist raises up the king as one who is, and always has been, unfailingly quick to praise and exult God for all the help directed toward the king. Because the king has been predictable, it would be good if God were to remain predictable as well. Since our enemies and God’s enemies overlap at this point it would be good if the skills of the king of God would come together to defeat this enemy in a convincing display of military precision. The psalmist is so sure that the aims of king and God are the same it seems that the two are being addressed simultaneously.
Change comes whether we like it or not. Sometimes change is good for us. When things go from bad to good we like that change. When we find ourselves challenged by the changing conditions of our lives we may come to see those challenges as having been good for us despite the pain caused by it. When things go from good to bad we can be disheartened by the changes even as we discover new connections between ourselves and others. And sometimes change is bad from every angle and we would not wish that kind of change on anyone. In all of these, God is with us. God rejoices with us, helps us discover ways to grow through changing circumstances, is present with us in our suffering and stays with us in the most calamitous of circumstances.
October 26, 2015
LCM
Twenty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 1, 2015
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)
We do like our lives to be predictable and sensible. I have heard that those who claim to like change are most often talking about self-imposed, self-directed change. These folks are as upset as the rest of us by change that comes from a place outside their control, especially unpleasant change. We don’t like to discover that our fortunes have suddenly changed for the worse, that those we count as our enemies have taken the upper hand. In those situations even those who claim most loudly that they like variety and change are going to call on God to rescue us from this unwanted and unwelcome change.
The psalmist raises up the king as one who is, and always has been, unfailingly quick to praise and exult God for all the help directed toward the king. Because the king has been predictable, it would be good if God were to remain predictable as well. Since our enemies and God’s enemies overlap at this point it would be good if the skills of the king of God would come together to defeat this enemy in a convincing display of military precision. The psalmist is so sure that the aims of king and God are the same it seems that the two are being addressed simultaneously.
Change comes whether we like it or not. Sometimes change is good for us. When things go from bad to good we like that change. When we find ourselves challenged by the changing conditions of our lives we may come to see those challenges as having been good for us despite the pain caused by it. When things go from good to bad we can be disheartened by the changes even as we discover new connections between ourselves and others. And sometimes change is bad from every angle and we would not wish that kind of change on anyone. In all of these, God is with us. God rejoices with us, helps us discover ways to grow through changing circumstances, is present with us in our suffering and stays with us in the most calamitous of circumstances.
October 26, 2015
LCM
Monday, October 19, 2015
Psalm Meditation 801
Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 25, 2015
Psalm 131
1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
(NRSV)
Every now and again it is good to remind ourselves that we are not as important and impressive as we feel the need to appear. All of our compensations come to naught in the presence of God. Sometimes we compensate for a sense of inadequacy and make ourselves seem larger than we feel. Sometimes we deal with an overconfidence based on a misjudgment of our abilities in an area. Either way, we do well to stand in the presence of God aware that we are not our skills or lack thereof; we are beloved children of God.
In the presence of God we can rest easy; no bluster of ego or false modesty is required. We simply settle into the comfort of being in the presence of one who knows us completely and loves us as we are. This is no in-spite-of or because-of love. God loves us, pure and simple. In the awareness of that loving presence we relax into it with a quiet assurance.
In the midst of one of these moments, the psalmist wishes each one of us that kind of peace, rest and assurance found in the presence of God. The wish for us is not a moment of peace and contentment; the wish is that we feel this now and into the eternal future.
October 19, 2015
LCM
Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 25, 2015
Psalm 131
1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
(NRSV)
Every now and again it is good to remind ourselves that we are not as important and impressive as we feel the need to appear. All of our compensations come to naught in the presence of God. Sometimes we compensate for a sense of inadequacy and make ourselves seem larger than we feel. Sometimes we deal with an overconfidence based on a misjudgment of our abilities in an area. Either way, we do well to stand in the presence of God aware that we are not our skills or lack thereof; we are beloved children of God.
In the presence of God we can rest easy; no bluster of ego or false modesty is required. We simply settle into the comfort of being in the presence of one who knows us completely and loves us as we are. This is no in-spite-of or because-of love. God loves us, pure and simple. In the awareness of that loving presence we relax into it with a quiet assurance.
In the midst of one of these moments, the psalmist wishes each one of us that kind of peace, rest and assurance found in the presence of God. The wish for us is not a moment of peace and contentment; the wish is that we feel this now and into the eternal future.
October 19, 2015
LCM
Monday, October 12, 2015
Psalm Meditation 800
Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 18, 2015
Psalm 70
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(NRSV)
Being one of the low folks in the pecking order of a group can be a problem. It leads to being picked on and taken advantage of as a daily circumstance. The consolation is that one is still a member of the group. When an outside threat arises there are at least some members of the group who will come to the defense of anyone who is part of the group. It may not be the alpha members, however, someone will stand with any member of ‘our’ people.
Social groups do not confine themselves to picking on and taking advantage of their own, they branch out to pick on folks of other folks of lower standing then the omega member of their own group. The higher the social standing of this group the more likely at least one member of the group will reach down to pick on someone from another grouping. The greater the social distance between the groups the more likely the interactions will be dangerously abusive as the abuser discounts the personhood of the one being abused.
God does not reach down to rescue folks from the abuse; a relationship with God gives a person of even the lowest social standing a sense of worth as a child of God. When we feel loved and cared for by God and the community of God’s people we are better able to withstand the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” to use Shakespeare’s phrasing. As people of God those who heap us with abuse do not get the last word. We may be hurt, even killed and we will remain in the presence of God as a person of sacred worth.
October 12, 2015
LCM
Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 18, 2015
Psalm 70
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(NRSV)
Being one of the low folks in the pecking order of a group can be a problem. It leads to being picked on and taken advantage of as a daily circumstance. The consolation is that one is still a member of the group. When an outside threat arises there are at least some members of the group who will come to the defense of anyone who is part of the group. It may not be the alpha members, however, someone will stand with any member of ‘our’ people.
Social groups do not confine themselves to picking on and taking advantage of their own, they branch out to pick on folks of other folks of lower standing then the omega member of their own group. The higher the social standing of this group the more likely at least one member of the group will reach down to pick on someone from another grouping. The greater the social distance between the groups the more likely the interactions will be dangerously abusive as the abuser discounts the personhood of the one being abused.
God does not reach down to rescue folks from the abuse; a relationship with God gives a person of even the lowest social standing a sense of worth as a child of God. When we feel loved and cared for by God and the community of God’s people we are better able to withstand the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” to use Shakespeare’s phrasing. As people of God those who heap us with abuse do not get the last word. We may be hurt, even killed and we will remain in the presence of God as a person of sacred worth.
October 12, 2015
LCM
Monday, October 5, 2015
Psalm Meditation 799
Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 11, 2015
Psalm 120
1 In my distress I cry to the LORD, that he may answer me:
2 “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
3 What shall be given to you? And what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech, that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
(NRSV)
I don’t know what the psalmist means with these verses, however the last two speak to me of being in a minority on an important topic. For the psalmist, it is being for peace in a time of war. Once talk of war begins the voice of peace is a very unpopular one; even if it is the more sensible course it is drowned out by the sabre rattling of those who want war. War and peace is one of several topics in which it is difficult to be in the minority, especially when it feels as if it is a minority of one.
In some cases the lone voice need only speak out to discover that there are others who agree and kept silent out of fear. Those others were so sure that they were alone it was easier to go along than to speak out. Two or three may still be a minority, however a dissenting group of two or three is stronger than a solo voice and stronger still than one suffering in silence.
The voice of God rarely booms with the authority of the majority. The way of God is rarely the easy way.
October 5, 2015
LCM
Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 11, 2015
Psalm 120
1 In my distress I cry to the LORD, that he may answer me:
2 “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
3 What shall be given to you? And what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech, that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
(NRSV)
I don’t know what the psalmist means with these verses, however the last two speak to me of being in a minority on an important topic. For the psalmist, it is being for peace in a time of war. Once talk of war begins the voice of peace is a very unpopular one; even if it is the more sensible course it is drowned out by the sabre rattling of those who want war. War and peace is one of several topics in which it is difficult to be in the minority, especially when it feels as if it is a minority of one.
In some cases the lone voice need only speak out to discover that there are others who agree and kept silent out of fear. Those others were so sure that they were alone it was easier to go along than to speak out. Two or three may still be a minority, however a dissenting group of two or three is stronger than a solo voice and stronger still than one suffering in silence.
The voice of God rarely booms with the authority of the majority. The way of God is rarely the easy way.
October 5, 2015
LCM
Monday, September 28, 2015
Psalm Meditation 798
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time World Communion
October 4, 2015
Psalm 31
1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—terror all around!—as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.” 23 Love the LORD, all you his saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.
(NRSV)
It is tempting to believe that we have been abandoned by God, and everyone else, from time to time in our lives. We feel broken and abandoned. A friend of mine would say that we feel ‘helpless, hopeless and worthless.’ Whatever comes we know that we will have to face it alone. It is a scary feeling. The sense of abandonment overpowers and overwhelms all of our emotions and senses. There is no room in our lives to feel anything but the fear that accompanies our sense of abandonment. We are paralyzed by fear. It is no fun to live through and no fun to look back on should we ever get through this time of fear and dread.
The psalmist is aware that God is present in some way all the time even when we have no idea how or where. In the depths of abandonment we, like the psalmist have the sense, “I had said in my alarm, “I am driven from your sight.”” We know that we are totally abandoned, even by God. However, the psalmist continues, “But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.” Even though we feel as if we have been left alone by everyone including God, the psalmist assures us that this is not the case. The psalmist mentions the presence of God and that is often accompanied by at least a few of the people of God who stand with us as well.
The feeling of abandonment is deep and real. In most cases, there is more to a situation than what we are feeling. At the deepest point of abandonment God is with us. At the deepest point of abandonment there are people waiting for an opening and opportunity to make themselves known to us. The psalmist’s advice, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.” is easier given than received. It is good advice nonetheless. It will not happen all at once and it will ebb and flow. Know that even though it feels as if you are alone, there is more to this than what you are feeling.
September 28, 2015
LCM
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time World Communion
October 4, 2015
Psalm 31
1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—terror all around!—as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.” 23 Love the LORD, all you his saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.
(NRSV)
It is tempting to believe that we have been abandoned by God, and everyone else, from time to time in our lives. We feel broken and abandoned. A friend of mine would say that we feel ‘helpless, hopeless and worthless.’ Whatever comes we know that we will have to face it alone. It is a scary feeling. The sense of abandonment overpowers and overwhelms all of our emotions and senses. There is no room in our lives to feel anything but the fear that accompanies our sense of abandonment. We are paralyzed by fear. It is no fun to live through and no fun to look back on should we ever get through this time of fear and dread.
The psalmist is aware that God is present in some way all the time even when we have no idea how or where. In the depths of abandonment we, like the psalmist have the sense, “I had said in my alarm, “I am driven from your sight.”” We know that we are totally abandoned, even by God. However, the psalmist continues, “But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.” Even though we feel as if we have been left alone by everyone including God, the psalmist assures us that this is not the case. The psalmist mentions the presence of God and that is often accompanied by at least a few of the people of God who stand with us as well.
The feeling of abandonment is deep and real. In most cases, there is more to a situation than what we are feeling. At the deepest point of abandonment God is with us. At the deepest point of abandonment there are people waiting for an opening and opportunity to make themselves known to us. The psalmist’s advice, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.” is easier given than received. It is good advice nonetheless. It will not happen all at once and it will ebb and flow. Know that even though it feels as if you are alone, there is more to this than what you are feeling.
September 28, 2015
LCM
Monday, September 21, 2015
Psalm Meditation 797
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 27, 2015
Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a voice I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever.
16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
(NRSV)
The first time I read verse 9 today I read it as a commandment, a word to the people that they were not to pick up the habits and religious observances of the people around them. It may seem easier to worship one whose demands are less stringent, whose feast days are filled with different activities than what they were used to doing. Somehow, new and different seems more compelling and exciting than the same old same old. For whatever reason they might choose to follow the ways of another religious culture, the God of Israel warns them against it.
The second time I read it as a promise. God says, “I am not going to let you be overrun by folks who will force a new and strange religion down your throats. I have delivered you in the past and I will continue to deliver you in the present and future. Open your mouth, your throat, your heart and I will fill you with great and wonderful things.” There are no commandments at this point, there is only the invitation to be open to all that God offers. Openness to the promise leads to its fulfillment.
The way we read the psalm, this one verse, may make all the difference in what we expect and what we receive from God. The words are the same either way. How we hear God said those words to us makes a world of difference. When we read and hear them as a command we experience God as a judge, asking that we follow the rules as they are set forth in the letter of the law. When we read and hear them as a promise we experience God as one who wants to give us good things if only we are open to those things. Yes, it is more of a sliding scale than a one or the other choice. The important question we face is, do we, do I, see God as more of a judge or as one who is ready to make and keep promises out of a deep love for us, for me?
September 21, 2015
LCM
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 27, 2015
Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a voice I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever.
16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
(NRSV)
The first time I read verse 9 today I read it as a commandment, a word to the people that they were not to pick up the habits and religious observances of the people around them. It may seem easier to worship one whose demands are less stringent, whose feast days are filled with different activities than what they were used to doing. Somehow, new and different seems more compelling and exciting than the same old same old. For whatever reason they might choose to follow the ways of another religious culture, the God of Israel warns them against it.
The second time I read it as a promise. God says, “I am not going to let you be overrun by folks who will force a new and strange religion down your throats. I have delivered you in the past and I will continue to deliver you in the present and future. Open your mouth, your throat, your heart and I will fill you with great and wonderful things.” There are no commandments at this point, there is only the invitation to be open to all that God offers. Openness to the promise leads to its fulfillment.
The way we read the psalm, this one verse, may make all the difference in what we expect and what we receive from God. The words are the same either way. How we hear God said those words to us makes a world of difference. When we read and hear them as a command we experience God as a judge, asking that we follow the rules as they are set forth in the letter of the law. When we read and hear them as a promise we experience God as one who wants to give us good things if only we are open to those things. Yes, it is more of a sliding scale than a one or the other choice. The important question we face is, do we, do I, see God as more of a judge or as one who is ready to make and keep promises out of a deep love for us, for me?
September 21, 2015
LCM
Monday, September 14, 2015
Psalm Meditation 796
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 20, 2015
Psalm 20
1 The LORD answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O LORD; answer us when we call.
(NRSV)
This psalm is a pep rally for the king as he leads the army out to battle. The psalmist is aware that, while the king may lead the army, God has a hand in the victory. As the king has been faithful in the practice of his faith, has a good sense of the direction God is leading, the king and the nation will achieve a resounding victory against this enemy. Once this victory has been achieved, the people can rejoice over the victory that God has given to the king.
While most nations are engaged in multiple wars and battles on multiple fronts making it impossible for one person to lead the military into any particular fray, we do have something in common with the psalmist. We continue to have folks who put their trust in guns, bombs and the wide variety of military might available to us and we have folks who look to God for the lasting resolution to any conflict.
It is not in the decisive victories brought by strength of arms that solve the world’s problems. History teaches that the most belligerent and violent nations and movements see themselves as protecting themselves from the aggressions of those around them. We find and make ways to convince ourselves that ‘those people’ are out to get us and we lash out to protect ourselves. When we can put our trust in God instead of in our caches of mighty weapons we will be able to see a way forward into a world of relationships with people of God, even people who see and experience God differently than ourselves.
September 21, 2015
LCM
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 20, 2015
Psalm 20
1 The LORD answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O LORD; answer us when we call.
(NRSV)
This psalm is a pep rally for the king as he leads the army out to battle. The psalmist is aware that, while the king may lead the army, God has a hand in the victory. As the king has been faithful in the practice of his faith, has a good sense of the direction God is leading, the king and the nation will achieve a resounding victory against this enemy. Once this victory has been achieved, the people can rejoice over the victory that God has given to the king.
While most nations are engaged in multiple wars and battles on multiple fronts making it impossible for one person to lead the military into any particular fray, we do have something in common with the psalmist. We continue to have folks who put their trust in guns, bombs and the wide variety of military might available to us and we have folks who look to God for the lasting resolution to any conflict.
It is not in the decisive victories brought by strength of arms that solve the world’s problems. History teaches that the most belligerent and violent nations and movements see themselves as protecting themselves from the aggressions of those around them. We find and make ways to convince ourselves that ‘those people’ are out to get us and we lash out to protect ourselves. When we can put our trust in God instead of in our caches of mighty weapons we will be able to see a way forward into a world of relationships with people of God, even people who see and experience God differently than ourselves.
September 21, 2015
LCM
Monday, September 7, 2015
Psalm Meditation 795
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 13, 2015
Psalm 132
1 O LORD, remember in David’s favor all the hardships he endured;
2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool.”
8 Rise up, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your faithful shout for joy.
10 For your servant David’s sake do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation:
14 “This is my resting place forever; here I will reside, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless its provisions; I will satisfy its poor with bread.
16 Its priests I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.
17 There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
18 His enemies I will clothe with disgrace, but on him, his crown will gleam.”
(NRSV)
While this psalm may have been used in a coronation it reminds us that each of us has to have a relationship with God that is our own. Any previous generations of faithful folks have taught us and given us an example of what it means to follow God, however it is up to each of us to take that example and claim our own relationship with God. Whether we are the richest of rulers or the poorest of the poor each of us forms our relationship with God in a unique way.
The friends our parents and grandparents have do not automatically become our friends as well. If we choose, we develop our own relationship with these folks. It will be different from the ones our parents have with them for all sorts of reasons. Over the course of time it may become a deep and meaningful relationship based on our own shared history that includes our mutual and very different relationships with the people who introduced us. This includes our relationship with God. It may have been our parents who introduced us to God, however it is up to each of us to develop our that relationship with God on our own.
While the psalm points out a family history of a relationship with God, the psalmist also reminds us, “If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them, their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.” The relationship with God, the dynasty of the royal house is based on the historic relationship with David as well as the ongoing relationship with God fostered by the individual who is next in line for the throne. While our parents and grandparents may have had deeply fulfilling relationships with God, we do not automatically have that same kind of relationship. It is up to each of us to build our relationship with God.
September 7, 2015
LCM
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 13, 2015
Psalm 132
1 O LORD, remember in David’s favor all the hardships he endured;
2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool.”
8 Rise up, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your faithful shout for joy.
10 For your servant David’s sake do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them,
their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation:
14 “This is my resting place forever; here I will reside, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless its provisions; I will satisfy its poor with bread.
16 Its priests I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.
17 There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
18 His enemies I will clothe with disgrace, but on him, his crown will gleam.”
(NRSV)
While this psalm may have been used in a coronation it reminds us that each of us has to have a relationship with God that is our own. Any previous generations of faithful folks have taught us and given us an example of what it means to follow God, however it is up to each of us to take that example and claim our own relationship with God. Whether we are the richest of rulers or the poorest of the poor each of us forms our relationship with God in a unique way.
The friends our parents and grandparents have do not automatically become our friends as well. If we choose, we develop our own relationship with these folks. It will be different from the ones our parents have with them for all sorts of reasons. Over the course of time it may become a deep and meaningful relationship based on our own shared history that includes our mutual and very different relationships with the people who introduced us. This includes our relationship with God. It may have been our parents who introduced us to God, however it is up to each of us to develop our that relationship with God on our own.
While the psalm points out a family history of a relationship with God, the psalmist also reminds us, “If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them, their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.” The relationship with God, the dynasty of the royal house is based on the historic relationship with David as well as the ongoing relationship with God fostered by the individual who is next in line for the throne. While our parents and grandparents may have had deeply fulfilling relationships with God, we do not automatically have that same kind of relationship. It is up to each of us to build our relationship with God.
September 7, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 31, 2015
Psalm Meditation 794
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 6, 2015
Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; many are those who would destroy me, my enemies who accuse me falsely. What I did not steal must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6 Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord GOD of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.
7 It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
19 You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies.
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.
27 Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29 But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall live there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall live in it.
(NRSV)
There is a tendency among us to be competitive in any number of categories. In regard to this psalm we compete in feeling bad. If someone is going through a difficult time, I have gone through worse. At the very least we are tied for the deepest difficulty. With some folks we can be downright dismissive of their suffering because it seems minor compared to the level of our own. Do we remember that what is an inconvenience now was once a major malfunction in our own lives? The depth of each person’s suffering is relative to the experiences each has had. The sufferings of a typical teenager may seem trivial to an adult, however they are the deepest emotions this person has experienced in life so far. When we can be compassionate rather than competitive we honor the person and their suffering in a way that they can turn to us, and through us turn to God, in the next time of suffering.
Several verses of this psalm have a familiar ring to them since they have been used by Gospel and Epistle writers to refer to the suffering of Jesus. While we have not borne the weight of the sins of the world, we have suffered greatly as people of faith. That level is different for each of us and is unique for each of us as well. When I asked my doctor a question about my medication his answer was memorable, “I don’t know; you are not a robot.” While the answer is open to lots of interpretations I took it as a reminder that each of us is special. What works well for one person fails miserably for another, what is too much for one is not enough for another. Even though I do not bear the sins of the world I have had an experience of the deepest suffering ever, as far as I’m concerned.
The psalmist requests compassion from God in the face of suffering. As people of God we get to be agents of compassion in a variety of ways. Some offer compassion as a part of their work. My guess is that the folks who are most compassionate in that work have a relationship with God that opens their hearts to the needs of others. Some offer compassion as volunteers. They go above and beyond the minimum requirements and touch lives in a way that honors the worth and dignity of each person with whom they come in contact. The folks for whom compassion is a gift from God will find a way to offer it no matter where they are and what they are doing.
August 31, 2015
LCM
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 6, 2015
Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; many are those who would destroy me, my enemies who accuse me falsely. What I did not steal must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6 Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord GOD of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.
7 It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
19 You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies.
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.
27 Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29 But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall live there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall live in it.
(NRSV)
There is a tendency among us to be competitive in any number of categories. In regard to this psalm we compete in feeling bad. If someone is going through a difficult time, I have gone through worse. At the very least we are tied for the deepest difficulty. With some folks we can be downright dismissive of their suffering because it seems minor compared to the level of our own. Do we remember that what is an inconvenience now was once a major malfunction in our own lives? The depth of each person’s suffering is relative to the experiences each has had. The sufferings of a typical teenager may seem trivial to an adult, however they are the deepest emotions this person has experienced in life so far. When we can be compassionate rather than competitive we honor the person and their suffering in a way that they can turn to us, and through us turn to God, in the next time of suffering.
Several verses of this psalm have a familiar ring to them since they have been used by Gospel and Epistle writers to refer to the suffering of Jesus. While we have not borne the weight of the sins of the world, we have suffered greatly as people of faith. That level is different for each of us and is unique for each of us as well. When I asked my doctor a question about my medication his answer was memorable, “I don’t know; you are not a robot.” While the answer is open to lots of interpretations I took it as a reminder that each of us is special. What works well for one person fails miserably for another, what is too much for one is not enough for another. Even though I do not bear the sins of the world I have had an experience of the deepest suffering ever, as far as I’m concerned.
The psalmist requests compassion from God in the face of suffering. As people of God we get to be agents of compassion in a variety of ways. Some offer compassion as a part of their work. My guess is that the folks who are most compassionate in that work have a relationship with God that opens their hearts to the needs of others. Some offer compassion as volunteers. They go above and beyond the minimum requirements and touch lives in a way that honors the worth and dignity of each person with whom they come in contact. The folks for whom compassion is a gift from God will find a way to offer it no matter where they are and what they are doing.
August 31, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 24, 2015
Psalm Meditation 793
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2015
Psalm 119:153-176
153 Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
(NRSV)
In junior high gym class we played a game our teacher called Texas basketball. It was supposed to be extra fun because there were no rules. The class was divided into two groups and everybody played at once. Even in this free for all atmosphere we still had rules to follow. A basket only counted for a team if it went into the basket at the proper end of the court, a basket only counted one point and we all had to stay on the court while the game was in progress.
This psalm is a celebration of the rules, of the laws and precepts of God. In each set of eight verses the first word of each line begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These verses are the last three sets of eight. It may seem extravagant to spend so much effort and energy to celebrate something that so many of us spend so much time trying to get around. This may be the point of the psalm. Even though the rules drive us nuts sometimes it is important to have them. Much as we complain about them we like to know that we have limits and boundaries in our lives.
God’s rules are about how we get along with each other and with God. The rules are about our relationships. We can treat each other with respect and dignity or we can be selfish and unruly. God recommends that we treat each other as people of sacred worth, people loved by God, people who are bound to us in a variety of ways including faithfulness to the laws and precepts of God.
August 24, 2015
LCM
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2015
Psalm 119:153-176
153 Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
(NRSV)
In junior high gym class we played a game our teacher called Texas basketball. It was supposed to be extra fun because there were no rules. The class was divided into two groups and everybody played at once. Even in this free for all atmosphere we still had rules to follow. A basket only counted for a team if it went into the basket at the proper end of the court, a basket only counted one point and we all had to stay on the court while the game was in progress.
This psalm is a celebration of the rules, of the laws and precepts of God. In each set of eight verses the first word of each line begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These verses are the last three sets of eight. It may seem extravagant to spend so much effort and energy to celebrate something that so many of us spend so much time trying to get around. This may be the point of the psalm. Even though the rules drive us nuts sometimes it is important to have them. Much as we complain about them we like to know that we have limits and boundaries in our lives.
God’s rules are about how we get along with each other and with God. The rules are about our relationships. We can treat each other with respect and dignity or we can be selfish and unruly. God recommends that we treat each other as people of sacred worth, people loved by God, people who are bound to us in a variety of ways including faithfulness to the laws and precepts of God.
August 24, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 17, 2015
Psalm Meditation 792
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2015
Psalm 32
1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
(NRSV)
One way to understand ‘the wicked’ is in terms of their pride. They are centered on themselves and see relationships in terms of what the other person or group has to offer them with no thought of what they might offer in return. Wickedness is about taking with no sense of obligation to the others involved. While the folks who live with and around these wicked folks notice how tormented they are, there may be no awareness of the torment on the part of the wicked person. We notice that they are separate from the rest of us in any number of ways. As a part of the one sidedness of their relationships they get no enjoyment out of the company of others, only out of the ‘stuff’ the other brings to add to their storehouse.
The psalmist notices that the wicked are tormented even though they may not notice it themselves. The rest of us notice the torment, the resentment, the anger roiling just below the surface waiting for an opportunity to explode. Any system that takes without giving will fail at some point. If it doesn’t shut down it will explode. Some will rejoice at the impending explosion, believing that it will signal a redistribution of all that stored ‘stuff’ not realizing the potential for damage to all in the blast range. The psalmist is hoping for a change of heart before the explosion takes place.
The psalmist sees the torments of those who hold on to ‘stuff’ at the expense of relationships and invites us to surround ourselves with the steadfast love of God. The love of God sets us free from the bonds of ‘stuff.’ We know that each of us need a certain amount of resources to make life possible, however amassing resources at the expense of relationships is unnecessary and problematic. As we allow God to deliver us from the bondage to ‘stuff’ we find ourselves better able to, “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”
August 17, 2015
LCM
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2015
Psalm 32
1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
(NRSV)
One way to understand ‘the wicked’ is in terms of their pride. They are centered on themselves and see relationships in terms of what the other person or group has to offer them with no thought of what they might offer in return. Wickedness is about taking with no sense of obligation to the others involved. While the folks who live with and around these wicked folks notice how tormented they are, there may be no awareness of the torment on the part of the wicked person. We notice that they are separate from the rest of us in any number of ways. As a part of the one sidedness of their relationships they get no enjoyment out of the company of others, only out of the ‘stuff’ the other brings to add to their storehouse.
The psalmist notices that the wicked are tormented even though they may not notice it themselves. The rest of us notice the torment, the resentment, the anger roiling just below the surface waiting for an opportunity to explode. Any system that takes without giving will fail at some point. If it doesn’t shut down it will explode. Some will rejoice at the impending explosion, believing that it will signal a redistribution of all that stored ‘stuff’ not realizing the potential for damage to all in the blast range. The psalmist is hoping for a change of heart before the explosion takes place.
The psalmist sees the torments of those who hold on to ‘stuff’ at the expense of relationships and invites us to surround ourselves with the steadfast love of God. The love of God sets us free from the bonds of ‘stuff.’ We know that each of us need a certain amount of resources to make life possible, however amassing resources at the expense of relationships is unnecessary and problematic. As we allow God to deliver us from the bondage to ‘stuff’ we find ourselves better able to, “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”
August 17, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 10, 2015
Psalm Meditation 791
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2015
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
It is easy to believe that when we disagree on a definition or characteristic of God we must be talking about completely different divinities. Since you and I do not agree, we must be worshipping two separate holy ones. And of course, since you are wrong, yours is a small g god while mine is a capital G God. When all of the heavenly beings meet together, mine is the one who leads the group and scolds all the others for their faults and failings in acting less than divinely.
What if there is only one God and our various faiths and religions are multiple ways of understanding what it means to be divine. In the story of the blind folks meeting an elephant for the first time, each describes the elephant as if the whole of the animal is the same as the part each is touching. The elephant is described as a snake, a tree, a rope and a wall. Each is accurate as far as it goes. Even as we gather the various descriptions into a single conception, we miss some of the important parts of what it is to be an elephant. We misunderstand and misconstrue the glory, majesty and immensity of God when we believe that we can describe all that it means to be God in a single set of experiences.
Despite our differences we do well to follow the words the psalmist uses to summarize the will of God for the divine council and for us: “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” As our definition of who God is differs, we will also differ on fits some of these categories of those for whom justice is lacking. And so we echo the psalmist as we join in praying: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!”
August 10, 2015
LCM
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2015
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
It is easy to believe that when we disagree on a definition or characteristic of God we must be talking about completely different divinities. Since you and I do not agree, we must be worshipping two separate holy ones. And of course, since you are wrong, yours is a small g god while mine is a capital G God. When all of the heavenly beings meet together, mine is the one who leads the group and scolds all the others for their faults and failings in acting less than divinely.
What if there is only one God and our various faiths and religions are multiple ways of understanding what it means to be divine. In the story of the blind folks meeting an elephant for the first time, each describes the elephant as if the whole of the animal is the same as the part each is touching. The elephant is described as a snake, a tree, a rope and a wall. Each is accurate as far as it goes. Even as we gather the various descriptions into a single conception, we miss some of the important parts of what it is to be an elephant. We misunderstand and misconstrue the glory, majesty and immensity of God when we believe that we can describe all that it means to be God in a single set of experiences.
Despite our differences we do well to follow the words the psalmist uses to summarize the will of God for the divine council and for us: “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” As our definition of who God is differs, we will also differ on fits some of these categories of those for whom justice is lacking. And so we echo the psalmist as we join in praying: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!”
August 10, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 3, 2015
Psalm Meditation 790
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2015
Psalm 19
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(NRSV)
We have a tendency to push back against rules, regulations and guidelines. It is as if rules exist for the sole purpose of keeping us from doing what we want to do. When someone we don’t like breaks the rules we are quick to pounce on them and call them to account for their actions. (Tom Brady, as an example.) When someone we do like breaks the rules we are quick to celebrate the rebellious spirit still alive and kicking in our day and time. We notice the rules most as we bump up against them; when our desires are at odds with them.
The law, decrees, precepts and commandment of God teach us how to relate to God and to each other as people of God. Rules are the backbone of a relationship. They give it structure. They guide us in how we are going to get along when all is well and when all is not well. Even in a workplace in which the two rules are: 1. The boss is always right. 2. If the boss is wrong see rule 1, we know where we stand in relation to the boss, like it or not. The psalmist knows that the rules God sets for us are to make this relationship possible and understandable. God’s rules tend to be boundary type rules, here is the line we are not to overstep because of the damage it can do to a relationship with God or someone else.
A colleague of mine said, “Rules were made to be guidelines.” They set some boundaries and leave others hazy so we can work together for the best way forward. As we live into the rules we discover that some that seem hard and fast have some wiggle room in them, while some that seem porous are reasonable solid. Following the rules to the exclusion of relationships gives one a goody two shoes reputation. Following the rules for the sake of relationships is, “more to be desired ... than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.”
August 3, 2015
LCM
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2015
Psalm 19
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(NRSV)
We have a tendency to push back against rules, regulations and guidelines. It is as if rules exist for the sole purpose of keeping us from doing what we want to do. When someone we don’t like breaks the rules we are quick to pounce on them and call them to account for their actions. (Tom Brady, as an example.) When someone we do like breaks the rules we are quick to celebrate the rebellious spirit still alive and kicking in our day and time. We notice the rules most as we bump up against them; when our desires are at odds with them.
The law, decrees, precepts and commandment of God teach us how to relate to God and to each other as people of God. Rules are the backbone of a relationship. They give it structure. They guide us in how we are going to get along when all is well and when all is not well. Even in a workplace in which the two rules are: 1. The boss is always right. 2. If the boss is wrong see rule 1, we know where we stand in relation to the boss, like it or not. The psalmist knows that the rules God sets for us are to make this relationship possible and understandable. God’s rules tend to be boundary type rules, here is the line we are not to overstep because of the damage it can do to a relationship with God or someone else.
A colleague of mine said, “Rules were made to be guidelines.” They set some boundaries and leave others hazy so we can work together for the best way forward. As we live into the rules we discover that some that seem hard and fast have some wiggle room in them, while some that seem porous are reasonable solid. Following the rules to the exclusion of relationships gives one a goody two shoes reputation. Following the rules for the sake of relationships is, “more to be desired ... than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.”
August 3, 2015
LCM
Monday, July 27, 2015
Psalm Meditation 789
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 2, 2015
Psalm 133
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
(NRSV)
There are folks who are stingy with their resources. They use just enough of everything they have; not too little and certainly not too much. Extravagances are totally out of the question. If too much is used there probably won’t be enough for the next time and certainly not enough for the time after that. To be extravagant is to be wasteful. My dad defined the difference between extravagance and waste this way, “Extravagance is having all the lights on when you are in a room alone. Waste is leaving the lights on when you leave.”
The psalmist lets us know that when we get along in a family setting, it is a wonderful extravagance. It is not something we have to do, it is a gift that we give to each other. Our temptation is to hold out for, to hold onto as much as we can possibly get for ourselves without regard for anyone else involved. The psalm reminds us that when we consider the needs and wants of others we have a different mind set. We may not get as much actual stuff, but what we have will not have any bad feelings from others attached to.
When we make the effort to get along, with brothers and sisters, we cultivate an atmosphere of generous and abundant life among ourselves. Generosity and abundance are contagious. When we practice them in the family we find ourselves living that way in other parts of life as well. Extravagant amounts of oil, enough to run from the top of one’s head to the neck and shoulders, is lots of precious anointing oil. Dew so thick that it runs off leaves and branches is a lot of dew. There is a difference between extravagance and waste and the psalmist invites us to be generous and extravagant, especially with those with whom we are closest.
July 27, 2015
LCM
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 2, 2015
Psalm 133
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
(NRSV)
There are folks who are stingy with their resources. They use just enough of everything they have; not too little and certainly not too much. Extravagances are totally out of the question. If too much is used there probably won’t be enough for the next time and certainly not enough for the time after that. To be extravagant is to be wasteful. My dad defined the difference between extravagance and waste this way, “Extravagance is having all the lights on when you are in a room alone. Waste is leaving the lights on when you leave.”
The psalmist lets us know that when we get along in a family setting, it is a wonderful extravagance. It is not something we have to do, it is a gift that we give to each other. Our temptation is to hold out for, to hold onto as much as we can possibly get for ourselves without regard for anyone else involved. The psalm reminds us that when we consider the needs and wants of others we have a different mind set. We may not get as much actual stuff, but what we have will not have any bad feelings from others attached to.
When we make the effort to get along, with brothers and sisters, we cultivate an atmosphere of generous and abundant life among ourselves. Generosity and abundance are contagious. When we practice them in the family we find ourselves living that way in other parts of life as well. Extravagant amounts of oil, enough to run from the top of one’s head to the neck and shoulders, is lots of precious anointing oil. Dew so thick that it runs off leaves and branches is a lot of dew. There is a difference between extravagance and waste and the psalmist invites us to be generous and extravagant, especially with those with whom we are closest.
July 27, 2015
LCM
Monday, July 20, 2015
Psalm Meditation 788
Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 26, 2015
Psalm 68
1 Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—his name is the LORD—be exultant before him.
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad; you restored your heritage when it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the command; great is the company of those who bore the tidings:
12 “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!” The women at home divide the spoil,
13 though they stay among the sheepfolds—the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with green gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings there, snow fell on Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, where the LORD will reside forever?
17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
18 You ascended the high mount, leading captives in your train and receiving gifts from people, even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that you may bathe your feet in blood, so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”
24 Your solemn processions are seen, O God, the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last, between them girls playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in a body, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your might, O God; show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt; let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens; listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
(NRSV)
It seems that these days, especially in sporting events, we are quick to credit our victories to our talents and skills, over and above all those other folks who are now wallowing in the agony of defeat. We do our happy/victory dance in the sight of all, so that friend and foe alike can experience this victory of ours. If any of ‘those’ people protest our victory in any way they are sore losers who need to go away and lick their wounds in the privacy of their own locker room. Leave the victory celebration to the victors. On those occasions in which we do lose, we are quick to blame someone or something other than ourselves or our enemies for the loss. It can’t possibly be our fault and it certainly has nothing to do with the superiority of ‘those’ people.
The role of the psalmist is often the same as that of the prophet; to remind us that God is in the midst of us. For the psalmist, it was God who was with us in our victories and it was an absence of God in our defeats. While views of God’s presence and absence have changed, it is always a helpful reminder that God is in our midst. Knowing that God is with us in victory reminds us to have a sense of humility in the presence of God. Knowing that God is with us in defeat reminds us we are not alone in the worst of times. And these types of victories and defeats are not final.
It is good to celebrate victories as celebrations of skills in the face of adversity. It is good to learn from our defeats and even to celebrate how much we were able to do in some cases. It is good to keep a humble perspective in either victory or defeat. God is not as concerned about the outcome of our sporting events as what kind of relationships we form in and around the events with our supporters and our opponents. Are we ‘in your face’ winners and pouty name calling losers or are we humble, gracious and aware of God’s presence in victory and defeat.
July 20, 2015
LCM
Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 26, 2015
Psalm 68
1 Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish before God.
3 But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—his name is the LORD—be exultant before him.
5 Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a parched land.
7 O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad; you restored your heritage when it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11 The Lord gives the command; great is the company of those who bore the tidings:
12 “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!” The women at home divide the spoil,
13 though they stay among the sheepfolds—the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with green gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings there, snow fell on Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, where the LORD will reside forever?
17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
18 You ascended the high mount, leading captives in your train and receiving gifts from people, even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that you may bathe your feet in blood, so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”
24 Your solemn processions are seen, O God, the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 the singers in front, the musicians last, between them girls playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in a body, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 Summon your might, O God; show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt; let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens; listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
(NRSV)
It seems that these days, especially in sporting events, we are quick to credit our victories to our talents and skills, over and above all those other folks who are now wallowing in the agony of defeat. We do our happy/victory dance in the sight of all, so that friend and foe alike can experience this victory of ours. If any of ‘those’ people protest our victory in any way they are sore losers who need to go away and lick their wounds in the privacy of their own locker room. Leave the victory celebration to the victors. On those occasions in which we do lose, we are quick to blame someone or something other than ourselves or our enemies for the loss. It can’t possibly be our fault and it certainly has nothing to do with the superiority of ‘those’ people.
The role of the psalmist is often the same as that of the prophet; to remind us that God is in the midst of us. For the psalmist, it was God who was with us in our victories and it was an absence of God in our defeats. While views of God’s presence and absence have changed, it is always a helpful reminder that God is in our midst. Knowing that God is with us in victory reminds us to have a sense of humility in the presence of God. Knowing that God is with us in defeat reminds us we are not alone in the worst of times. And these types of victories and defeats are not final.
It is good to celebrate victories as celebrations of skills in the face of adversity. It is good to learn from our defeats and even to celebrate how much we were able to do in some cases. It is good to keep a humble perspective in either victory or defeat. God is not as concerned about the outcome of our sporting events as what kind of relationships we form in and around the events with our supporters and our opponents. Are we ‘in your face’ winners and pouty name calling losers or are we humble, gracious and aware of God’s presence in victory and defeat.
July 20, 2015
LCM
Monday, July 13, 2015
Psalm Meditation 787
Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 19, 2015
Psalm 118
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
(NRSV)
Alarm systems can be breached by someone who is intent on getting past them. Even if the alarm is triggered it is often possible to get in and out before anyone has time to respond. Also, guard animals can be bypassed in most cases. If someone can come up with a method of protection, someone else can come up with a way to get around it. Knowing that if one can make a way to protect something another will take it as a challenge to get past it will not stop folks from rising to meet the companion challenges. Wanting to protect something practically invites another to covet it.
The psalmist invites us to turn to God for protection. Does this mean that our stuff is now safe from harm or theft? Are we protected from any and all bodily harm because we have given ourselves over to God? The answer to both questions is, no. There have been times in which folks did believe that God protected people and things from loss and harm. I believe the protection of God means something very different.
When we give ourselves over to God for protection we have a new idea of what it means to be safe. To be in the arms of God is to be watched over and loved no matter what happens to us. It means to value things less and a relationship with God more. In plenty or in want, we are in the hands of God. In life or death, we are in the hands of God. We see things from the perspective of God’s abiding presence in and among us in a rich variety of ways.
July 13, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 19, 2015
Psalm 118
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
(NRSV)
Alarm systems can be breached by someone who is intent on getting past them. Even if the alarm is triggered it is often possible to get in and out before anyone has time to respond. Also, guard animals can be bypassed in most cases. If someone can come up with a method of protection, someone else can come up with a way to get around it. Knowing that if one can make a way to protect something another will take it as a challenge to get past it will not stop folks from rising to meet the companion challenges. Wanting to protect something practically invites another to covet it.
The psalmist invites us to turn to God for protection. Does this mean that our stuff is now safe from harm or theft? Are we protected from any and all bodily harm because we have given ourselves over to God? The answer to both questions is, no. There have been times in which folks did believe that God protected people and things from loss and harm. I believe the protection of God means something very different.
When we give ourselves over to God for protection we have a new idea of what it means to be safe. To be in the arms of God is to be watched over and loved no matter what happens to us. It means to value things less and a relationship with God more. In plenty or in want, we are in the hands of God. In life or death, we are in the hands of God. We see things from the perspective of God’s abiding presence in and among us in a rich variety of ways.
July 13, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, July 6, 2015
Psalm Meditation 786
Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 12, 2015
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(NRSV)
How would our lives be different if instead of thinking, ‘I should do…’ we did those things as we thought of them? And if we did those things that led to a helpful, positive outcome for those around us? My guess is that many of our days would end with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. We would be tired from having done so many great and small things and exhilarated by the sense of having served others by the activities of the day.
Imagine how different our lives would be if God did not act in steadfast love and righteousness in our lives. We would never know if or when God might show us the love we need. We would have no idea what it means to be righteous because we would have no example from God. Our concept of justice would be based on something other than a sense of fairness for each and all of us.
We are probably not going to be able to bring ourselves to do all the good things that come to mind for the sake of others through the day. We can take great comfort in these words, “For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.” Precisely because we can’t do it ourselves it is good to know that God acts in faithful righteousness and love toward us and all people.
July 6, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 12, 2015
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(NRSV)
How would our lives be different if instead of thinking, ‘I should do…’ we did those things as we thought of them? And if we did those things that led to a helpful, positive outcome for those around us? My guess is that many of our days would end with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. We would be tired from having done so many great and small things and exhilarated by the sense of having served others by the activities of the day.
Imagine how different our lives would be if God did not act in steadfast love and righteousness in our lives. We would never know if or when God might show us the love we need. We would have no idea what it means to be righteous because we would have no example from God. Our concept of justice would be based on something other than a sense of fairness for each and all of us.
We are probably not going to be able to bring ourselves to do all the good things that come to mind for the sake of others through the day. We can take great comfort in these words, “For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.” Precisely because we can’t do it ourselves it is good to know that God acts in faithful righteousness and love toward us and all people.
July 6, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 29, 2015
Psalm Meditation 785
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 5, 2015
Psalm 83
1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane.
16 Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.
(NRSV)
When YHWH was seen as a tribal deity, watching over one group of people, it was easier to know what the will of God was and who the enemies of God were. At that time YHWH wanted justice and righteousness for this one group of people and anyone who challenged the sovereignty of Israel was an enemy of both God and the people. Even then, the concept of justice and righteousness was hard to agree upon. At least the outside enemies were easy to identify; they were the folks who wanted to take the land and destroy the people who lived on the land given by YHWH.
As our concept of God broadened it became more and more difficult to see who the enemies of God were. In land wars there were people on both sides who claimed to follow the same God. We were still quick to proclaim that God was on our side even as those we fought against made the same claim. It is probably closer to the truth to say that God was with the people on both sides of the fight and was saddened that we chose such an evil way of settling our differences. There were truth and lies on both sides, as has often been the case.
While there are still the life and death battles of guns and bombs over resources, we also have battles of ideas as to what constitutes justice and righteousness. It is quite likely that there is sincerity on every side as we declare that we have the complete word of God in this matter. Here is where the difficulty arises. If one person or group can plumb the depths of the mind of God on any question we have a god that is too small to meet all the complexities of life as it has always been. The task we have before us is to refuse to draw hard lines about God’s truth in our discussions and disagreements. There is a kernel of truth, a word of justice and righteousness in each argument and idea. It is a process of listening to each other, a refusal to pick sides, all while keeping our hearts tuned to God.
June 29, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 5, 2015
Psalm 83
1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane.
16 Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.
(NRSV)
When YHWH was seen as a tribal deity, watching over one group of people, it was easier to know what the will of God was and who the enemies of God were. At that time YHWH wanted justice and righteousness for this one group of people and anyone who challenged the sovereignty of Israel was an enemy of both God and the people. Even then, the concept of justice and righteousness was hard to agree upon. At least the outside enemies were easy to identify; they were the folks who wanted to take the land and destroy the people who lived on the land given by YHWH.
As our concept of God broadened it became more and more difficult to see who the enemies of God were. In land wars there were people on both sides who claimed to follow the same God. We were still quick to proclaim that God was on our side even as those we fought against made the same claim. It is probably closer to the truth to say that God was with the people on both sides of the fight and was saddened that we chose such an evil way of settling our differences. There were truth and lies on both sides, as has often been the case.
While there are still the life and death battles of guns and bombs over resources, we also have battles of ideas as to what constitutes justice and righteousness. It is quite likely that there is sincerity on every side as we declare that we have the complete word of God in this matter. Here is where the difficulty arises. If one person or group can plumb the depths of the mind of God on any question we have a god that is too small to meet all the complexities of life as it has always been. The task we have before us is to refuse to draw hard lines about God’s truth in our discussions and disagreements. There is a kernel of truth, a word of justice and righteousness in each argument and idea. It is a process of listening to each other, a refusal to pick sides, all while keeping our hearts tuned to God.
June 29, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 22, 2015
Psalm Meditation 784
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 28, 2015
Psalm 18:1-7,40-50
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you made me head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me;
48 who delivered me from my enemies; indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries; you delivered me from the violent.
49 For this I will extol you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
(NRSV)
Most of us do not lead nations and armies so this psalm can appear to have no meaning for us as this king confronts enemies in the presence of God. While we do not have experience leading nations and unknown peoples we do have the experience of knowing that God is with us as we face enemies, adversaries and struggles in our lives. We may even know the satisfaction of having defeated one of those opponents in such a way that we will not have to fight that battle again. The presence of God makes a difference for us.
We revel in the knowledge that this particular enemy is so soundly defeated that there is nothing left but dust. It is an exhilarating feeling to know that this battle is over and this enemy will not rise again. There is a sense of relief and freedom that fills us as we realize that this is something with which we will never have to deal again. These battles are internal battles for many of us as we face our fears and unexamined decisions of years before. The important part is not the battleground so much as it is the recognition that we could not have won this victory without the presence of God.
Even in cases in which the battle is not finally and definitively won or lost we can find strength in the presence of God. As we win, this time, we are aware that the presence of God made this partial victory possible. As each successive battle becomes easier we are aware that it is in part due to the presence of God in our lives. Win or lose, the presence of God offers us the assurance that we are not alone. God and the people of God stand with us.
June 22, 2015
LCM
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 28, 2015
Psalm 18:1-7,40-50
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you made me head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me;
48 who delivered me from my enemies; indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries; you delivered me from the violent.
49 For this I will extol you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
(NRSV)
Most of us do not lead nations and armies so this psalm can appear to have no meaning for us as this king confronts enemies in the presence of God. While we do not have experience leading nations and unknown peoples we do have the experience of knowing that God is with us as we face enemies, adversaries and struggles in our lives. We may even know the satisfaction of having defeated one of those opponents in such a way that we will not have to fight that battle again. The presence of God makes a difference for us.
We revel in the knowledge that this particular enemy is so soundly defeated that there is nothing left but dust. It is an exhilarating feeling to know that this battle is over and this enemy will not rise again. There is a sense of relief and freedom that fills us as we realize that this is something with which we will never have to deal again. These battles are internal battles for many of us as we face our fears and unexamined decisions of years before. The important part is not the battleground so much as it is the recognition that we could not have won this victory without the presence of God.
Even in cases in which the battle is not finally and definitively won or lost we can find strength in the presence of God. As we win, this time, we are aware that the presence of God made this partial victory possible. As each successive battle becomes easier we are aware that it is in part due to the presence of God in our lives. Win or lose, the presence of God offers us the assurance that we are not alone. God and the people of God stand with us.
June 22, 2015
LCM
Monday, June 15, 2015
Psalm Meditation 783
Father’s Day
June 21, 2015
Psalm 134
1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the LORD.
3 May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.
(NRSV)
At some point we have done something so that God will do something for us in return. We believe somehow that we can get ahead of God in terms of actions and favors. A psalm like this one even opens up the possibility that maybe we can get ahead. If we bless God and lift up our hands, we will have earned a blessing from God. It sounds possible only because we leave out an important first step.
We bless God because of all that God has already done for us. Everything we do is in response to something that God has already done in our lives. Our blessings of God do not earn us favor, they serve to remind us how dependent we are on God for all that we have. We can’t get ahead of God when it comes to blessings bestowed on the other.
We will continue to look for ways we can get ahead of God so that we are owed something out of the rich storehouse of God. We will also continue to come up short in out doing God. It is because of who God is and what God does that we offer our blessings to God just as it is that God continually blesses us.
June 15, 2015
LCM
Father’s Day
June 21, 2015
Psalm 134
1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the LORD.
3 May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.
(NRSV)
At some point we have done something so that God will do something for us in return. We believe somehow that we can get ahead of God in terms of actions and favors. A psalm like this one even opens up the possibility that maybe we can get ahead. If we bless God and lift up our hands, we will have earned a blessing from God. It sounds possible only because we leave out an important first step.
We bless God because of all that God has already done for us. Everything we do is in response to something that God has already done in our lives. Our blessings of God do not earn us favor, they serve to remind us how dependent we are on God for all that we have. We can’t get ahead of God when it comes to blessings bestowed on the other.
We will continue to look for ways we can get ahead of God so that we are owed something out of the rich storehouse of God. We will also continue to come up short in out doing God. It is because of who God is and what God does that we offer our blessings to God just as it is that God continually blesses us.
June 15, 2015
LCM
Monday, June 8, 2015
Psalm Meditation 782
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 14, 2015
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
When I think of praise, my first image is one of the noise and activity of people raising hands and voices in joyful celebration. Praising God for all the gifts given to us in a variety of situations. The next image is the excited noise of parents whose child has acted or reacted in a way that calls for positive reinforcement. A toddler learning to use good manners, a child learning to share with others, a young adult reaching a milestone of achievement each cry out for exclamations of praise. It is good to give and receive praise with the excitement that something good requires.
There is also the calm, quiet word of praise whispered into the ear of God, the ear of an adult child, or the ear of an accomplished friend or colleague. Though it comes quietly it is as heartfelt as the more noisy and active praise. These can be more memorable because they are more intensely personal. To offer praise to God, or to family, friend or colleague, in an intimate moment can draw us into deeper relationship.
There is a place for each type of praise. I believe that God appreciates hearing praise from our lips and hearts. Whether we express our praise with noise and motion or in quiet moments God is touched by our praise and our relationship together is deepened. “May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.”
June 8, 2015
LCM manifold@lightbound.com
lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 14, 2015
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
When I think of praise, my first image is one of the noise and activity of people raising hands and voices in joyful celebration. Praising God for all the gifts given to us in a variety of situations. The next image is the excited noise of parents whose child has acted or reacted in a way that calls for positive reinforcement. A toddler learning to use good manners, a child learning to share with others, a young adult reaching a milestone of achievement each cry out for exclamations of praise. It is good to give and receive praise with the excitement that something good requires.
There is also the calm, quiet word of praise whispered into the ear of God, the ear of an adult child, or the ear of an accomplished friend or colleague. Though it comes quietly it is as heartfelt as the more noisy and active praise. These can be more memorable because they are more intensely personal. To offer praise to God, or to family, friend or colleague, in an intimate moment can draw us into deeper relationship.
There is a place for each type of praise. I believe that God appreciates hearing praise from our lips and hearts. Whether we express our praise with noise and motion or in quiet moments God is touched by our praise and our relationship together is deepened. “May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.”
June 8, 2015
LCM manifold@lightbound.com
lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 1, 2015
Psalm Meditation 781
Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 7, 2015
Psalm 117
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
When something happens on a regular basis we tend to block it out and take it for granted. We have a mantle clock that chimes every fifteen minutes and I have become so used to the chime that it does not register in my consciousness even when I am sitting in the same room as the clock. Guests in our house have been unable to sleep without disabling the clock for the night.
The love of God can be experienced the same way. We get so used to feeling God’s love for us that we forget how much God loves us. We get the sense that we have been abandoned by everyone and everything because the love that surrounds us fails to register. It takes an effort for our senses and hearts to register what already surrounds us on a regular basis.
Just as not everyone has a noisy clock, not everyone has experienced the love of God. It is not that they have gotten used to it, they have no awareness of it. Here is where the psalmist’s call impacts us. We who have experienced the love of God are invited to tell people about it in such a way that they know it is available to them in the same way it is to us. The steadfast love of God is for all people at all times.
June 1, 2015
LCM
Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
June 7, 2015
Psalm 117
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
When something happens on a regular basis we tend to block it out and take it for granted. We have a mantle clock that chimes every fifteen minutes and I have become so used to the chime that it does not register in my consciousness even when I am sitting in the same room as the clock. Guests in our house have been unable to sleep without disabling the clock for the night.
The love of God can be experienced the same way. We get so used to feeling God’s love for us that we forget how much God loves us. We get the sense that we have been abandoned by everyone and everything because the love that surrounds us fails to register. It takes an effort for our senses and hearts to register what already surrounds us on a regular basis.
Just as not everyone has a noisy clock, not everyone has experienced the love of God. It is not that they have gotten used to it, they have no awareness of it. Here is where the psalmist’s call impacts us. We who have experienced the love of God are invited to tell people about it in such a way that they know it is available to them in the same way it is to us. The steadfast love of God is for all people at all times.
June 1, 2015
LCM
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