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