Psalm Meditation 1302 ¶Seventh Sunday of Easter ¶June 1, 2025 ¶Psalm 30 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2030&version=NRSVUE ¶I know someone who describes serious illnesses with these words, “First, I was afraid I was going to die, and then I was afraid I wouldn’t.” It appears that this is the type of illness the psalmist was experiencing before writing this psalm. Having been healed, there is much rejoicing over the ability and willingness of God to offer the kind of help and healing that was needed in this discomforting illness, including the rescue from the pit of Sheol, a place of silence, inactivity, and separation from God. ¶The psalmist is very pleased to have been either kept out or pulled out of Sheol by the healing hand of God. Sheol is the place of death. It is neither a place of torment nor shame, it is simply where people go after death. In this era, eternal life is being remembered by those still alive, and Sheol is essentially nothingness, and separation from God. The psalmist is bold enough to ask, “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be my helper!” ¶The healing power of God has a way of turning mourning into dancing, of reminding us that there is a time to mourn and a time for joy. Those times may intermingle so that we experience loss and joy, mourning and dancing in the same moment. In every moment, God is with us, “so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.” ¶May 28, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1301 ¶Sixth Sunday of Easter ¶May 25, 2025 ¶Psalm 27 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2027&version=NRSVUE ¶Fear can protect us or ruin us, depending on how we react in the face of fear. We can allow our fear to keep us from doing things, ‘because, what if…’ or we can allow our fear to raise our awareness of danger and still walk into a situation. If we don’t know what is going to happen to us, we can go in with a heightened sense of awareness. We might get hurt, or worse, however we might find that the experience is worth the risk, which is not as great as we feared. How many of us have taken a chance, only to discover that the pay off was more than worth the risk. ¶Secure in the presence of God the psalmist is willing to take greater risks than would be possible alone. Knowing that we are not alone makes it possible to take risks that we would not consider on our own. In some cases, simply knowing that we are not the first makes the risk less intimidating. The psalmist wants to know what it means to live the way that God wants us to follow in an ever deepening way. Not content to live on the fringes as a person of God, the psalmist wants to drink deeply from the well of God’s presence and way of life. ¶The psalm ends with a word of hope that each of us can take as our own, “I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” We don’t have to wait for heaven to experience the abundant goodness of God, we can find it in the delights of the world around us. ¶May 19, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1300 ¶Fifth Sunday of Easter ¶May 18, 2025 ¶Psalm 24 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2024&version=NRSVUE ¶In fourth grade, I appointed myself bathroom monitor to make sure the boys in the bathroom with me washed their hands before they went back to class. Sometimes I ran after someone to drag them back to the sink to wash his hands. One day, the one male teacher in the school was walking in as I was grabbing for a boy who had not washed his hands. The teacher and I almost collided. He caught me by the arm and asked what I was doing. When I answered, he assured me that it was not my job to see that everyone left the room with clean hands. ¶The psalmist tells us that those who have clean hands and pure hearts will stand in the holy place on the hill of the LORD. Nowhere does this psalm tell us that we are responsible for the cleanliness of the hands or hearts of those around us. We are each responsible for our own hygiene of hand and heart. We don’t get extra points for dragging people into cleanliness. Our task is to set an example that one or more people may follow as we ascend the hill of the LORD. ¶The psalmist also does not tell us that we are free to ignore those around us. We do well to offer others the same encouragement that we received and continue to receive in our own ascent of the hill of the LORD. ¶May 12, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1299 ¶Fourth Sunday of Easter ¶May 11, 2025 ¶Psalm 6 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%206&version=NRSVUE ¶Many of us have an image of God as angry and judgmental; waiting for us to mess up so that we can be punished for our faults and failings. When bad things happen it is because we did something to deserve it. God could not possibly want to give us good things on a regular basis so when things are going too well we can’t believe that it will last beyond a few hours, a few days at most. The psalmist can’t name any sin committed, however when things start going badly it must be that God is angry for some reason that deserves punishment. ¶We like to know that creation is well ordered and well oiled and that there is a cause and effect for everything that happens. Some people will trace cause and effect all the way back to God. If something happens and there is a harmful consequence to it, it has to be God who caused it. It can’t possibly be that people have moments of thoughtlessness or anger that spills into the lives of folks who had no connection to the original action. It isn’t right, and it isn’t fair, and sometimes bad things simply happen. ¶YHWH is God of steadfast love and mercy. When we are hurt and heartbroken God is with us in the midst of the situation offering us a loving presence. Even if God is the source of our pain, God loves us and does not abandon us. Especially when we feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless God is present as a source of gracious, steadfast love and mercy. ¶May 5, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1298 ¶Third Sunday of Easter ¶May 4, 2025 ¶Psalm 9 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%209&version=NRSVUE ¶Every now and then, we notice how much we have to be thankful for and our hearts and minds explode with thankfulness. Something as simple as turning on the faucet to get hot water, or any temperature water, was unheard of not that long ago. And that is one of the simple things that we usually take for granted. Fortunately, we have moments from time to time in which we are overwhelmed by the gifts we have come to expect from the hand of God through the marvels of modernity. ¶Part of my mealtime prayer is to thank God for all the people who had anything to do with bringing the meal to the table and for all those who will clean up after us. When I began using these words I thought of family and friends who had bought the food, prepared, and served it. As time has passed, I have become aware that the grocery shelves did not stock themselves, that the products did not arrive at the grocery on their own, that the packaging did not simply appear, the farmers and producers had to have seeds, machinery and so on that had to come from somewhere. And that is just the supply side. The disposal side is just as long and involved. If I were to name all of the groups involved in getting a meal to the table, including the folks who built the table and chairs, my food would be cold by the time I finished my prayer. ¶When we follow the trail of our thankfulness back through all the sources, we eventually work our way to God whose providence, seeing our need before we notice, and all the ways and all the things, people, etc that provide for the needs we have. God watches out for us and provides for us in times of plenty and in times of want, in ways we notice and ways we miss. “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1) ¶April 29, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1297 ¶Second Sunday of Easter ¶April 27, 2025 ¶Psalm 13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2013&version=NRSVUE ¶Object permanence is the knowledge that even though we cannot see someone or something, it can exist. The child’s game, ‘peek-a-boo’ intends to teach children that things exist when we can’t see them. There are people for whom object permanence is not a thing. If these folks don’t see you for awhile they forget you exist in an ‘out of sight out of mind’ kind of way. If your name comes up in a conversation or you pop into their heads somehow, they know you exist, at least for that moment. ¶The psalmist is going through something that has driven any thought or feeling of the presence of God completely away. With a sudden remembrance of the presence of God in the past, the psalmist cries out to God with a renewed longing for God in this, and every situation. The pain of God’s seeming absence or impermanence is as deeply painful to the psalmist as it is to anyone who has ever had the feeling that God is absent. In addition to the feeling that God is missing, there is the feeling that any enemy is gloating over the victory signaled by the total deflation of the psalmist in the face of all of the efforts of these foes. ¶Remembering the trust in the steadfast love of God has given the psalmist new energy and focus for facing the future with the assurance of God’s salvation and presence. The reminder that God’s love and presence are steadfast, “firmly loyal and constant; unwavering” is the assurance that the psalmist needed to be able to stand firm and sing a song of the bountiful salvation that God offers to each one of us. ¶April 21, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1296 ¶Easter ¶April 20, 2025 ¶Psalm 18 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2018&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶There are times in which the presence and protection of God can be seen as passive, in the same way a cleft of a rock does not actually do anything and protects us from all manner of storms by simply being there. We had to find the cleft ourselves and hide ourselves away in it. However, the cleft was there at a time and place we needed such a refuge. It is possible for some to say that it was simply serendipitous happenstance, and for others to see it as the presence of God giving us the wherewithal to find what we need in a given moment. ¶Later, verse 25, the psalmist reminds us that we find what we expect in an encounter with God. To the loyal God shows loyalty, to the blameless blamelessness, and on through the characteristics in verse 26. All to say that what we bring to God is what we see when we look to God. It is not that God is some great chameleon, rather that we approach God from the direction of our own attitude. There are folks who believe that God is angry and vengeful, at least in part because they are angry and vengeful themselves. There are folks who see God as open and loving because that is the way they are themselves. God meets us where we are in order to lead us to a deeper union with God and with the people of God. ¶God provides for us out of a rich and steadfast love for us. And yet, God does not force that providence on us. The tools and treasures are there for us, and it is up to us to pick them up and use them. Some will find those tools and treasures and be grateful that they are lucky enough to find them on their own. Others will see everything around them as gifts of love from God. The rest of us will fall somewhere in between. I believe that in each case the providence of God is at work in our lives. “The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation,” (Ps18:46) ¶April 15, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1295 ¶Palm/Passion Sunday ¶April 13, 2025 ¶Psalm 25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2025&version=NRSVUE ¶There is a tendency these days for every side of a conflict to claim victory after a confrontation with the other side. Each side twists facts or takes small pieces of a situation and turn them into major victories for our side. None of us want to be proven weak or wrong, especially in relation to those we see as our enemies and adversaries. Sometimes we even call on God to show those other people that we are right, they are wrong, and they should be embarrassed for ever thinking they could best us in any way. ¶The psalmist wants to be on the side of God/YHWH, and asks to be taught what that means, and how to go about it. The psalmist knows that YHWH is the God of our salvation, and that if we wait patiently we will find the ways that lead to God. YHWH is a God of mercy and steadfast love who does not dwell on our past sins, transgressions, and foolhardy actions. YHWH leads us to new ways of thinking and acting that move us in the directions that a person of God follows. ¶As we begin to follow the way of YHWH we find ourselves seeing more and more through the eyes of God. We find ourselves filled with, at least, a portion of the steadfast love and faithfulness we have received ourselves. That faithful love leads us to see people and groups in a new light, the light of God’s steadfast love. ¶April 7, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1294 ¶Fifth Sunday in Lent ¶April 6, 2025 ¶Psalm 23 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶As a child, I remember asking my dad why I would not want God as my shepherd. I interpreted the first verse of this psalm as meaning that I did not want God as my shepherd. My dad assured me that I had misinterpreted the meaning. Some newer translations have the second part of the verse as, nothing do I lack. Once I understood, I could get on board with the meaning of the psalm. With God as my shepherd, mentor, kahu, I have everything I need. ¶Just as important to me, is the assurance that God has a place for me at the heavenly banquet. It may be at a table with people I don’t know, or with people I have never liked, however it will be my place. One of the interesting things about being put in a situation with people I don’t particularly like, is that I may discover that we have some things in common that will make our time together tolerable if not downright pleasant. It could be seen as a test, it is much more likely to be an invitation to expand my horizons, interests, and circle of friends. ¶Recently, I read that how full the host had one’s cup filled was a mark of the esteem in which a person was held. I have no idea if it is true or not, however, it is a fine description of the love God has for each of us. Our cups are not simply filled to the rim, they are filled to overflowing as a reminder that God’s love fills us beyond our ability to contain it. ¶March 31, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1293 ¶Fourth Sunday in Lent ¶March 30, 2025 ¶Psalm 3 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%203&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶For some of us, a single critical comment can be all the evidence we need of persecution against us, at the other extreme is those who can be inundated with criticism without noticing, and the rest of us fall somewhere in between. Also, depending on who it is offering the criticism, makes a difference in how we accept it and deal with it. I imagine that many of us would feel oppressed if we heard and believed that, “There is no help for you in God.” It is one thing to be criticized, and quite another to believe that even God stands against us. ¶The psalmist has heard folks say, “There is no help for you in God.” without letting in burrow deeply enough to be convincing. The psalmist is aware that God is a protective presence acting as a shield against actual persecution. The presence of God sustains the psalmist in every time and place, no matter how many stand in opposition. There is always hope for deliverance from foes when God is involved. ¶God delivers us from our foes in any number of ways. The psalmist is willing to stand back and watch God wreak havoc on the faces of all the ‘baddies’ out to get us. It is also possible that God will work within each of us to bring us to some agreement as we move into a future together. And, God can take us fully into the divine presence if our foes really do want us to be wiped out by death. In some form God does deliver us from the evils and challenges that beset us behind and before. ¶March 24, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1292 ¶Third Sunday in Lent ¶March 23, 2025 ¶Psalm 5 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%205&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶We are perfectly content to know that the steadfast love of God is what will get us into the eternal presence of God. Yes, we have done silly, stupid, maybe even illegal things however God loves us because we do our best to follow, most of the time. We take refuge in God. Sometimes that means we know that God has us wrapped up in a divine embrace to keep us as close as we want to be. It can also mean that we run to God every time we feel threatened or bullied by other folks. God’s steadfast love will protect us from all the people we don’t like ¶All of the people we don’t like are purposely belligerent, and anti-God all of the time. If they join us in worship we see that they are ‘just going through the motions and don’t really mean any of it. They are only making a show and sham of religion to look good to the gullible folks around them who think they are wonderful and righteous.’ We know that they can’t be included in God’s steadfast love because we don’t like them or trust them. God’s love can’t possibly extend beyond the limits that we set for our love and concern. ¶I believe that God’s love is not dependent on my actions. God’s love is steadfast, firmly loyal or constant. It is not swayed or influenced by anything I do or say, for good or ill. I also believe that those who consciously move toward God on a regular basis are more likely to experience God’s love than those who don’t. That does not mean that those of us who feel God’s love are more loved than those who don’t, only that we are aware of how much God loves each one of us. It also means that God can be frustrated, disappointed, and annoyed with us, all while loving us more than we can know. ¶March 17, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1291 ¶Second Sunday in Lent ¶March 16, 2025 ¶Psalm 8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%208&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” is a statement that can be used as a compliment, or an insult. Much as we sometimes wish it were not true, it does seem to be the case. Having friends and colleagues with more wisdom or information than we can be helpful when we get stuck in a project, especially those who are willing to share with us. Knowing someone who can put in a good word for us at an opportune moment is a great help. Knowing that God is standing with us in every time and place is a great source of comfort. ¶The psalmist is appropriately humbled by the knowledge that God is with us. God’s presence and advocacy is not something to be taken lightly or to be taken advantage of. God is not likely to come down and flick our enemies in the head, or to magically/miraculously lift us out of a situation unscathed. God is going to stand with us, reminding us that we are loved and treasured beyond measure. God is mindful of us, knows who we are and what we need, and opens us to see beyond our own resources to those who are willing and able to help us in time of need. ¶We humans are pretty special in the eyes of God. Not in a privileged, elitist way, more in a having the skills and sense to look out for those around us, human, flora, and fauna. Some believe that their privilege gives them the freedom to treat others as disposable, interchangeable things. I believe, that having a divine privilege is for the sake of all those around us We are to serve and lift up those around us so that they become more deeply aware that they are children of God. ¶March 16, 2025 ¶LCM

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

Psalm Meditation 1283 ¶Second Sunday After Epiphany ¶January 19, 2025 ¶Psalm 11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2011&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Often there seem to be people taking potshots at people of faith. In some cases we deserve it, for instance when we stand in judgment against people with whom we disagree. We condemn them to hell, as if we had the final say in such matters. Since they do not believe the same things we believe, they must be wrong, and probably evil. When we act as if we are the final arbiters of truth and faith, we take on at least a few of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. ¶Other times we are all painted with the same broad brush of anger. If one person of faith has treated someone poorly that person may decide that all people of faith are as bad as that one person. In those cases it is up to us to demonstrate by our own example that we are not the same as those who have treated them badly. We can’t simply say that we are not all like that, we have to put in the effort to demonstrate that many people of faith are humble, generous, patient, willing to rejoice over the accomplishments of others, etc. ¶The psalmist reminds us that when God is present, all the time, God is watching over us. And since God’s judgment is most harsh on those of us who claim to follow the way God teaches, we are just as likely to receive the coals of fire and sulfur, and the scorching wind, all meant to purify us and return us to the faithful and righteous folks we claim and intend to be. “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” ¶January 13, 2025 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1282 ¶Baptism of the Lord ¶January 12, 2024 ¶Psalm 16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2016&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Some of the religions of the world have groups within them who have fallen prey to the siren song of empire. They no longer want to follow the tenets of the faith that move people toward tolerance, peace and unity. They would rather have power and control than live in the presence of people who follow another way of living in the world. It is more important to have the power to coerce others into their way of doing things than to convince others of the helpfulness of their faith by living it out in the world. ¶The psalmist knows that there are people who follow other faiths; whose choices seem to leave them without the refuge and hope of those who follow the way of YHWH. Yes, they are wrong as far as the psalmist is concerned, however it is in this life where the sorrows multiply with no mention of those carrying over to an after life. Their practices are discomforting to the psalmist, all without condemning the people or the practice. ¶The important thing is to be able to stand firm in our own faith, with humility, knowing that for us YHWH is the way we want to be. When we find and follow our path, “my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.” We become people who are content with having enough rather than desiring more and more of anything and everything. We are filled with joy as we live in peace. ¶January 6, 2025 (Epiphany) ¶LCM