Psalm Meditation 1186 ¶Third Sunday in Lent ¶March 12, 2023 ¶Psalm 40 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+40&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are people who make a lifelong impression on us because they were there for us at a critical time in our lives. It may be someone we know, an acquaintance, or a total stranger who reaches out with what we need at the time. We look for ways to pay them back only to realize it is a debt that can never be repaid. The closest we can come to repaying the debt is to pass on acts of kindness to others in similar situations. We may find ourselves more willing to offer a listening ear, a helping hand, or a financial help to the best of our ability. ¶The psalmist has a need that God is willing and able to meet. God offers a helping hand which leads to a change in attitude. As a part of the change of attitude and its expression a number of people find their lives changed for the better. There is something uplifting about seeing a friend released from a burden of any kind. As the psalmist tells the story of God’s redeeming work others open themselves to the changes God works in their lives as well. In many cases it is not that God suddenly acts it is that folks are open to seeing that it is God who has been acting in their lives for quite some time. ¶God rarely works in flashes of light and puffs of smoke as if by magic. The ways of God are subtle as God uses us to meet the needs of those around us. It may have been an actual person who pulled us out of the desolate pit, however, it is God at work through that person who gave us a new sense of hope and a new lease on life. God’s touch of steadfast love on a person’s heart can set off an avalanche of random acts of kindness, consideration, and compassion. ¶March 6, 2023 ¶LCM