Psalm Meditation 1184 ¶First Sunday in Lent ¶February 26, 2023 ¶Psalm 62 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+62&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶One of the most difficult things to do is to wait for God, especially to wait in silence. Our inclination is to jump in wanting to fix things ourselves. We are not very patient when it comes to our own pain and suffering. We want it all to go away immediately, if not sooner. So we rant and rave and maybe even yell at God to keep the promise to protect us from all harm and pain of any kind. We do not want to be shaken from our confident security for even a moment. ‘It must be a test because I have done nothing to deserve this kind of suffering.’ ¶And yet, we do suffer. We suffer losses, failures, headaches, heartaches, as well as the physical pains that are a part of any kind of active life. What we do with our suffering tells more about us than the sufferings we endure. Some people are ground down and eroded by their suffering; every incident takes a toll on them that presses them more deeply into their pain. Others are able to lean into the presence of God in a way that keeps them from collapsing into the pit of despair. Yes, it is painful and yet there seems to be a light at the end of every tunnel. ¶It is the awareness of the abiding, steadfast love of God that offers the glow of hope in the lives of these people. They are rattled, and they are supported by God and the people of God so that they do not collapse into hopelessness. It isn’t the amount of ‘stuff’ they have, or what they lack that helps them stand firm, it is the beloved community that holds them up in even the deepest trial or tragedy. ¶February 20, 2023 ¶LCM