Psalm Meditation 1290 ¶First Sunday in Lent ¶March 9, 2025 ¶Psalm 12 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2012&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶It is a lot easier to fall into despair than it is to make our way to hope. Despair is feeling beat down and giving up on ourselves and everyone else, past, present, and future. We block all the entrances to our souls and psyches, and wonder why no one comes to buoy us up and give us the hope we so desperately want and need. It must be because there are no good people left, our lives have been overtaken by the fear mongers, the haters, and all the other folks who can ruin the day, and beyond for us. ¶Hope, though, takes work. We have to claw our way through the gruesome parts of life in the world, in order to see that it is the folks who live in the depths and refuse to despair who are the real source of hope. The unicorns and rainbows crowd are not the source of hope, they often don’t have space in their lives for people who suffer and ache. For them, those who suffer deserve it. The rainbows and unicorns are reserved only for those, like them, who have been served up life on a platter of deliciousness and ease. ¶Those who live in hope have had their dreams broken to pieces, fallen into despair and climbed back out with the help of God and God’s people. They know that even if we never achieve our dreams, we are in the presence of God, who is the source of the good things that restore us in ways that all the ‘stuff’ of life simply cannot. People of God probably won’t be rich in the materialistic sense, however they will have a wealth of memories, of friends, families, and deep, abiding relationships that last beyond all the ‘stuff’ the world has to offer. ¶March 3, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1289 ¶Transfiguration Sunday ¶March 2, 2025 ¶Psalm 17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2017&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶It is so much easier to see ourselves as victims than as oppressors. As victims we get to identify with the psalmist and all the others who have reason to depend on God for refuge, safety, and the strength to stand firm in the face of those more powerful than we. Yes, victims suffer all sorts of ills at the hands of the oppressors, however they do not have a lot of responsibility for the ills that befall them. “None of this is your fault.” is a statement that offers a victim release from responsibility for their suffering even if it does not relieve it. ¶Beginning in verse 8, the psalmist asks to be delivered from those who rain down evil onto those who take refuge in God. The folks who bring this evil close their hearts to pity, speak arrogantly, surround their victims to cast them down to the ground. These are the folks who find ways to make adversaries feel less than human. If they are not human we can treat them as the animals we perceive them to be. I know I have lists of ‘those people’ who are ‘other’ than me and mine. These are the people who turn us from victims into victimizers, those who have the need to turn from our evil ways to the shadow of God’s wings. ¶Once we have reveled in our victimhood, as the ‘good guys’ in a psalm, we do well to look at ourselves through the eyes of those we may have victimized, intentionally or inadvertently. It will be a difficult process since we will have already depersonalized and dehumanized some of those people. That means we do well to look at ourselves, our victims, and victimizers through the eyes of God, who sees each of through eyes of steadfast love and concern. God calls each of us to be free of both victimhood and victimization, to be whole persons in a whole world. ¶February 24, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1288 ¶Seventh Sunday After Epiphany ¶February 23, 2025 ¶Psalm 22 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2022&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The feeling of being abandoned by God is a part of our growth toward God. As a parent, and pastor it is necessary to step back sometimes so that someone can make progress toward maturity and responsibility. My mother used to lay out all my clothes for me so all I had to do was put everything on. One morning my younger brother went downstairs to let mom know that she had forgotten to put out socks for us. She responded that it was time for us to do more about dressing ourselves and she would start with letting us pick our own socks. We felt as if mom had forgotten, when in fact she was trusting us. ¶It seems fitting that God steps back from us sometimes in order to allow us to make progress toward maturity and responsibility. It will feel as if we are hanging from a fraying thread because we are not used to having this much responsibility for ourselves. In reality, God is standing back allowing us, forcing us to make our own way. God is much more patient and trusting of us than humans are, so it may seem that God has walked away from us. In reality, God is beaming with pride over our willingness to exercise a bit more agency in moving toward the way of God in our lives. ¶As a disciple, a learner and follower, our teachers will first show us a process, then ask or allow us to do it alone while the teacher observes. Eventually, the teacher will leave us to do it on our own. They may be right outside the door, ready to rush in at first, however, there comes a time when they will leave us to do it alone. These folks are the best teachers, instructors, and mentors, rather than the ones who continually step in to help even when we don’t need it. These folks are known as helicopter or even lawn mower parents, and in the work place they are micromanagers. God trusts us and wants us to pass on the loving trust we have received to others. ¶February 17, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1287 (1) ¶Sixth Sunday After Epiphany ¶February 16, 2025 ¶Psalm 1 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%201&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶I am not sure how important it is, however it seems worth mentioning, that in other translations the first three verses are singular and the last three are plural. I imagine it was done in the interest of non-sexist, non-gendered language which I support wholeheartedly. I know that the singular could have been preserved without too many grammatical gymnastics, so I wonder why it was not done. If the singular is important it is likely because so many of us see good people as rare while the wicked are plentiful. ¶I think we notice wicked folks more often because they are so willing to put themselves in a position to be seen. The narcissists, the power hungry, the fearmongers etc., want to be seen so that everyone knows that they deserve all the attention they get. The folks who are good, kind, helpful, etc., are much more likely to work quietly, blending in with the folks who are struggling under the various weights loaded on to those who suffer oppression in its many expressions. ¶The test of good vs evil is not in the visibility of either one; it is in the lasting impact left on the people around them. Are they viewed kindly, or rarely mentioned? Are they honored, or feared? Do they stand tall in the memory of those they have touched, or are they objects of derision and disdain? Are they remembered for their quiet strength, or for their weakness masquerading as power? “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. ¶February 10, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1286 ¶Fifth Sunday After Epiphany ¶February 9, 2025 ¶Psalm 2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%202&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Even when we are listening intently to someone, and especially to God, it is possible to hear something other than what was intended. We run everything around us through the filters we have developed in our years and experiences. On top of, that we may hear the words as we misinterpret the tone of voice or miss a facial expression that changes the meaning of the word, phrase, or sentence. Yet again, some words have multiple meanings, for instance ‘nuts’ that can be used to hold the open end of a bolt or acts as a seed to plant peanuts, cashews, etc. ¶When God speaks to this psalmist king I have no doubt that God said, “You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. “ I suspect that the psalmist may have added the parts about breaking those nations and dashing them to pieces. How else would a ruler of that age take over a nation except by force? With many years of experience, and other forms of government available to us, we see that it is possible to engage another nations through peaceful means. Aaand, those peaceful means are more permanent than using force ever has been. ¶An important aspect of speaking and listening is knowing the other person. God’s ways are more aligned with peace, justice, and mercy than with needing to be the biggest and strongest and turning the world into a battlefield. God is much more likely to encourage the building of connection and community than in being overpowering. “Happy are all who take refuge in [God}.” ¶February 3, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1285 ¶Fourth Sunday after Epiphany ¶February 2, 2025 ¶Psalm 4 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%204&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶A friend will find us when we are in distress and do all in their power to bring us out of it, using all of their energy and resources to make everything right again. A best friend will come and sit with us, saying nothing until we break the silence. Even then, they may not speak, simply continue to sit and listen. They may go in and out fixing and bringing us something to eat and drink, without insisting that we eat or drink it. They will give us the room we need to consider next steps without judgment. ¶The psalmist reminds us that God is not one to come in riding a white horse, wearing silver armor, to fix whatever ails us at the moment. Even if the solution seems obvious to an outsider, God is in control in a way that does not demand that we follow the most obvious solution, since we are the ones who will live with the consequences of our choice for good and ill. One of my seminary professors asked a group of us,” As parents, how do know you have lost control of your children.? Since none of us answered, he gave us the answer, “When you have to reach out and physically restrain your child. God does not lose control.” ¶The psalm goes on to instruct us to give our situation some time. Knowing that we are not alone, with God sitting with us, we can take some time to collect ourselves, consider our options, and make our choices. We might even be able to lie down and rest in the safety of God’s overarching presence, steadfast love, and peace. ¶January 27, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1284 ¶Third Sunday After Epiphany ¶January 26, 2025 ¶Psalm 7 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%207&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶It is cause for great celebration when it appears that God has risen up to give our enemies their just deserts. When they suffer all manner of disasters, both of natural and human origin, we celebrate their losses. They are getting what they deserve, what we would mete out to them if it were in our power to do so. It is wonderful to see God take an active role in the revenge that we wished on our enemies and adversaries. We rejoice that God heard our prayers and rained down death and destruction on the bad people. ¶However, when disaster strikes us and those we love, we are left to wonder why this could possibly be happening to us. We are good people; just ask us. God couldn’t possibly have anything against us because we are the good and righteous people, who do all the good and righteous things, at least most of the time. And all those people who are celebrating our calamity are just perpetuating the evil we always knew they were capable of practicing. It is neither right nor fair that ‘those’ people believe we are being punished by God. ¶The psalmist had the advantage over us of believing that every nation had a deity of their own who waged war on behalf of their own people. As we take the monotheism we profess seriously we see that one God watches over each and all of us. So, perhaps God does not mete out the punishments we deserve, rather allows us to reap the consequences of our own actions. Or, as one of my mentors said, “We are not punished for our sin, so much as we are punished by our sin.” Rather than being quick to judge those who suffer as evil, we do well to pray for all who suffer and do what we can to alleviate that suffering. ¶January 20, 2025 ¶LCM