Psalm Meditation 810
First Sunday After Christmas
December 27, 2015

Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)

In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, it seems important to look up from all the things that concern us to see the glory of God that surrounds us. As Advent gives way to Christmas we can find ourselves putting our heads down and plowing into the final weeks and days. We lose sight of some of the most important parts of the season; the presence of God and the glory that streams out of that presence. If we can take a moment to look up we discover that it is the presence and glory of God that makes all this running and worrying seem a bit less intimidating.

If we don’t get everything done, God will still be with us and the people around us will still love us. If we miss a spot in our cleaning and tidying God will enjoy our company, as will our family and friends. To look up and see that everything on our list pales in the abiding presence of God gives us a moment’s peace at the very least. Sometimes all we need is one or two deep breaths in order to feel our shoulders relax, the tension fade from all the places we store it away, if even for a moment.

When, in the presence of God, we are able to calm our hearts in the face of stresses and strains of this or any other season, we find ourselves better able to face a variety of calamities. To see the glory of God as a regular part of our lives makes some of the things that overwhelm us seem a tad less intimidating.

December 21, 2015
LCM