Psalm Meditation 773
Second Sunday of Easter
April 12, 2015

Psalm 85
1 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
(NRSV)

We want to know that God is in charge in such a way that both good things and bad things are in the hands of God. At the same time we want to know that our behavior influences how God acts toward us. If we are good we get good things from God, if we are bad God turns from us and either leaves us unprotected or sends punishment our way. We want to know that God behaves by the same rules that we follow. We want to know that a set of actions leads to the same reaction in every case. If things are going well God is with us and if things are going poorly God is angry with us.

The psalmist follows this thought process. Things used to go well for us so God must have been with us in a good way. Now that we are going through a rough patch we must have done something to anger God. If we promise to be good then God will be good to us again and all will be well between us. Things will be going so well that we will notice the change immediately.

What if God loves us no matter what? When good things are happening God loves us beyond measure and stands with us in these good times. When bad things are happening God loves us beyond measure and stands with us in these bad times. No matter what God loves us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and nothing will make God loves us less. We can change the distance between us in our relationship with God, however we cannot change the love God has for us.

April 6, 2015
LCM