Psalm Meditation 1226 ¶Third Sunday of Advent ¶December 17, 2023 ¶Psalm 104 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+104&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When you ask a group of preschoolers how many of them can sing, or dance, or draw, they will each say, and perhaps show, that they can do all of those things and more. Creativity and confidence in our ability to create seems to be innate in us. These preschoolers know that they can do all sorts of creative things, and look for ways to demonstrate their willingness and ability to do any number of things that call on their imagination and creativity to do all sorts of wonder-full activities. ¶Somewhere along the line many of us lose confidence in our creativity for any number of reasons. Someone is bound to make fun of us as we begin to polish our skills and abilities. If we are sensitive to that kind of pressure, we will hide that talent from others and eventually from ourselves so that we forget about our ability to create in some form. We reach a point in our development in which it is important to fit in with those around us. When we are told that there is someone much better at a skill than we are, we set it aside and let the ‘expert’ take over. ¶God creates confidently. If we like what God does we can give thanks. If we don’t like what God does we can complain. Either way, God continues to act in creative ways grateful for our thanks, saddened by our complaints, creating newness in a variety of ways as gifts for those who choose to enjoy them. The psalmist is glad to be in the presence of God’s creative energy and sings out praise to God. It is possible to continue to use our gifts even if there are people whose offerings are more to the liking of a majority. “I will sing praise to my God while I have being.” ¶December 11, 2023 ¶LCM