Psalm Meditation 735
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 20, 2014

Psalm 142
1 With my voice I cry to the LORD; with my voice I make supplication to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit is faint, you know my way. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see—there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low. Save me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
(NRSV)

Most of us feel abandoned from time to time, as if no one cares about us at all. There are some folks for whom that is true, who have no one who calls them by name, any name. They have few choices in their lives, especially when it comes to leaving a legacy. They can attempt to make a name for themselves through an incredible act of violence that draws attention from all of us who have previously ignored them. They can give up and let themselves fade away without any notice from the rest of us. They can turn to God, who knows each one of us, and live in the assurance that God is aware of their presence even if no one else is.

The psalmist chooses to turn to God, to take refuge in God’s presence. In the face of persecution the psalmist turns to God for relief rather than giving up or lashing out at these persecutors. Do the externals of the situation change? Probably not. Aren’t folks still out to get this person? Probably so. In many cases, the presence of God makes a world of difference even if the external pieces of a situation remain unchanged. The presence of God does more to change us than what is going on around us.

God is always a choice. When we turn to God feeling helpless, hopeless and worthless we find, at the very least, a sense of worth in the presence of God. As we find the assurance that our lives matter to God we find a new or renewed sense of hope in the future. As we grow in hope we find the strength to do things for ourselves and for others. We may not be remembered outside a small circle of influence, however we will know that we are in the presence of God who is the source of our help and hope and worth.

July 14, 2014
LCM