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