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