Psalm Meditation 824
Second Sunday of Easter
April 3, 2016
Psalm 74
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage. Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your foes have roared within your holy place; they set up their emblems there.
5 At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
6 And then, with hatchets and hammers, they smashed all its carved work.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the dwelling place of your name, bringing it to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom?
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You cut openings for springs and torrents; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the luminaries and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the bounds of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild animals; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.
21 Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember how the impious scoff at you all day long.
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of your adversaries that goes up continually.
(NRSV)
In the midst of devastation and conquest, in which the psalmist describes the overthrow of the government and the destruction of the Temple, there rises the reminder that God has a long history with the people that cannot be discounted. Crying out for God to step in and fix this problem, the psalmist is brought up short with the reminder that this is not the first time the people has been in trouble, the first time a battle or war has not gone their way. The psalmist continues to hope that God will fix this situation and that hope is given credence by remembering God’s history with the people.
Certainly the God who created the earth and all that is in it, who subdued the wild creatures of the chaotic seas, can deliver this chosen people safe from a human enemy. ‘And in the event another incentive is needed, this human enemy is also making fun of you, God. If you won’t stop them for our sakes, do it for your own.’ It is a human tendency to believe that our God has the same temperament as we; that God would be offended by the scoffing and reviling of those who have conquered God’s people.
When we begin to feel defeated by all that rises against us we too can remember that we have a long history with the God of all creation. That long history is made up of God acting in God’s good time, rather than according to our time schedule. Problems arise for us when we are more intent on God’s timing than on God’s acting. While we get impatient for God to take some action, God is waiting for the opportune time in which to act. The important part to remember is that God is with us, has been for a long time and is likely to be for a long time yet.
March 28, 2016
LCM
Monday, March 28, 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
Psalm Meditation 823
Easter
March 27, 2016
Psalm 124
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side —let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(NRSV)
This enemy of Israel is compared to the power of the sea; floods, torrents and raging waters. The psalmist describes Israel as a bird trapped in a snare. There is no contest between a trapped bird and a raging sea, except when the presence of God is factored in. When God is present the trap is broken open and Israel is able to escape the sure destruction awaiting them. The victory is not in defeating the enemy, it is in escaping the battle and surviving. Survival is something for which to give God thanks.
For most of us, our daily battles are not against armies in full combat gear marching against us. Our battles tend to be with our fears and doubts that rise up against us from the inside. These fears know our weaknesses and look for ways to exploit them in ways that make us feel weaker and less prepared than we need to given our skills and abilities. The fears trap us and threaten to overwhelm us like the trapped bird of the psalm.
The presence of God in our lives frees us from the traps set by fear and doubt. We may not be able to rise to full scope of our skills and abilities but we can escape the doubts and fears in a way that allows us to see ourselves as survivors in the face of all that might come our way. God is with us to use our doubts and fears to push us forward. God is with us to quiet our doubts and fears to allow us to move forward. God is with us despite our doubts and fears to move us forward. God is with us to allow us to escape our doubts and fears. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
March 21, 2016
LCM
Easter
March 27, 2016
Psalm 124
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side —let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(NRSV)
This enemy of Israel is compared to the power of the sea; floods, torrents and raging waters. The psalmist describes Israel as a bird trapped in a snare. There is no contest between a trapped bird and a raging sea, except when the presence of God is factored in. When God is present the trap is broken open and Israel is able to escape the sure destruction awaiting them. The victory is not in defeating the enemy, it is in escaping the battle and surviving. Survival is something for which to give God thanks.
For most of us, our daily battles are not against armies in full combat gear marching against us. Our battles tend to be with our fears and doubts that rise up against us from the inside. These fears know our weaknesses and look for ways to exploit them in ways that make us feel weaker and less prepared than we need to given our skills and abilities. The fears trap us and threaten to overwhelm us like the trapped bird of the psalm.
The presence of God in our lives frees us from the traps set by fear and doubt. We may not be able to rise to full scope of our skills and abilities but we can escape the doubts and fears in a way that allows us to see ourselves as survivors in the face of all that might come our way. God is with us to use our doubts and fears to push us forward. God is with us to quiet our doubts and fears to allow us to move forward. God is with us despite our doubts and fears to move us forward. God is with us to allow us to escape our doubts and fears. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
March 21, 2016
LCM
Monday, March 14, 2016
Psalm Meditation 822
Palm/Passion Sunday
March 20, 2016
Psalm 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
(NRSV)
One of the images that comes to mind here is of a child hiding behind a parent’s leg, taunting the person who has been previously the aggressor. A stuck out tongue, thumbs in ears saying, ‘come and get me now, bully.’ It works well until the parent catches the child in the taunting. Having removed the child from the immediate danger, the parent bends down and says, ‘Yes, you are protected; that does not give you free rein to pick back at the one who has been bullying you.’
In time of trouble we seek the presence of God where we have come to expect protection from our enemies and adversaries. Once we experience the reassuring presence of God we begin to want a life that follows the pattern and example we find in God’s presence. We want to learn the ways of God because of the comfort and assurance we have received. We want to be able to bring others into the presence of God so that they too can find comfort and joy for themselves.
As we have taken refuge in the presence of our parents and in the presence of God, some of us get the privilege of offering that sense of safety and strength to others. Some may take physical refuge in our presence, hiding behind our legs for protection, others will find in us an assurance of peace and acceptance from us. Hopefully, prayerfully, we can guide those folks into the presence of God where they can, “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
March 14, 2016
LCM
Palm/Passion Sunday
March 20, 2016
Psalm 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
(NRSV)
One of the images that comes to mind here is of a child hiding behind a parent’s leg, taunting the person who has been previously the aggressor. A stuck out tongue, thumbs in ears saying, ‘come and get me now, bully.’ It works well until the parent catches the child in the taunting. Having removed the child from the immediate danger, the parent bends down and says, ‘Yes, you are protected; that does not give you free rein to pick back at the one who has been bullying you.’
In time of trouble we seek the presence of God where we have come to expect protection from our enemies and adversaries. Once we experience the reassuring presence of God we begin to want a life that follows the pattern and example we find in God’s presence. We want to learn the ways of God because of the comfort and assurance we have received. We want to be able to bring others into the presence of God so that they too can find comfort and joy for themselves.
As we have taken refuge in the presence of our parents and in the presence of God, some of us get the privilege of offering that sense of safety and strength to others. Some may take physical refuge in our presence, hiding behind our legs for protection, others will find in us an assurance of peace and acceptance from us. Hopefully, prayerfully, we can guide those folks into the presence of God where they can, “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
March 14, 2016
LCM
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Psalm Meditation 821
Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 13, 2016
Psalm 77
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago.
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(NRSV)
We each have events in our lives that are life altering. Some of those are lessons learned and the actual events are forgotten as inconsequential even as the learning remains. Other life changing experiences are memorable as events as well as in lessons learned. The important part may not be the event or series of events themselves as much as the lessons we learn as we go through these trials. Is the psalmist going through things that will be remembered years from now or will the only memory be of the importance of calling to mind the deeds of the Lord?
Whether it is a first time to feel abandoned by God or something deeper that opens the psalmist to question God’s presence, there is a darkness to face. The psalm teaches us to face the question of God’s absence or presence by looking to all the ways God has been present in the past. With a slight change of perspective we can see that God is at work in a variety of ways no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
If God is not always directly involved in the resolution of events in my life, God has been at work in and around me. I may not be able to notice how God is active in my life without looking back on the events with a bit more wisdom and a more distant view of a particular experience. While we may not notice in the heat of the moment we know with the assurance of history and experience that God is with us.
March 8, 2016
LCM
Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 13, 2016
Psalm 77
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago.
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(NRSV)
We each have events in our lives that are life altering. Some of those are lessons learned and the actual events are forgotten as inconsequential even as the learning remains. Other life changing experiences are memorable as events as well as in lessons learned. The important part may not be the event or series of events themselves as much as the lessons we learn as we go through these trials. Is the psalmist going through things that will be remembered years from now or will the only memory be of the importance of calling to mind the deeds of the Lord?
Whether it is a first time to feel abandoned by God or something deeper that opens the psalmist to question God’s presence, there is a darkness to face. The psalm teaches us to face the question of God’s absence or presence by looking to all the ways God has been present in the past. With a slight change of perspective we can see that God is at work in a variety of ways no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
If God is not always directly involved in the resolution of events in my life, God has been at work in and around me. I may not be able to notice how God is active in my life without looking back on the events with a bit more wisdom and a more distant view of a particular experience. While we may not notice in the heat of the moment we know with the assurance of history and experience that God is with us.
March 8, 2016
LCM
Monday, February 29, 2016
Psalm Meditation 820
Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 6, 2016
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
(NRSV)
Each person benefits from the creative power of God in a variety of ways though it is ‘those who seek the face of the God of Jacob’ who are best able to notice. Those who believe that they receive as they achieve will look for ways to give credit to themselves for the good things that come their way. Those who believe that it is all a matter of luck will find ways to ascribe good luck to those who receive good things and bad luck to those who end up with little or nothing. Those who look to God will see blessings coming in a variety of ways to a variety of people.
The blessings do not change according to how we believe they come to us, however out attitude about those blessings will be colored by the perceived source. If we believe we get what we deserve for our hard work or lack thereof, we will be quick to judge those who do not live up to the standards we set for ourselves. If we believe it is all a matter of luck we will find a way to justify our blessings or lack as a simple turn of luck. If we believe that what we have comes from God we will be grateful for the providence and willingly offer it to others as a part of God’s bounty to all.
I have yet to come to terms with why some of us receive a lot and others receive so little. I am convinced that those with lots have a responsibility to share with others as generously as we have received. I am aware that the more one has the more reluctant one is to share with others without some experience of what it is like to be without for even a brief time. As people of God we are called upon, no matter what our station in life, to offer a portion of what we have to others. It is not a display of largesse, giving presents or money to a large number of people, on our part, it is a way of raising the gates so the King of glory may come in.
February 29, 2016
LCM
Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 6, 2016
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
(NRSV)
Each person benefits from the creative power of God in a variety of ways though it is ‘those who seek the face of the God of Jacob’ who are best able to notice. Those who believe that they receive as they achieve will look for ways to give credit to themselves for the good things that come their way. Those who believe that it is all a matter of luck will find ways to ascribe good luck to those who receive good things and bad luck to those who end up with little or nothing. Those who look to God will see blessings coming in a variety of ways to a variety of people.
The blessings do not change according to how we believe they come to us, however out attitude about those blessings will be colored by the perceived source. If we believe we get what we deserve for our hard work or lack thereof, we will be quick to judge those who do not live up to the standards we set for ourselves. If we believe it is all a matter of luck we will find a way to justify our blessings or lack as a simple turn of luck. If we believe that what we have comes from God we will be grateful for the providence and willingly offer it to others as a part of God’s bounty to all.
I have yet to come to terms with why some of us receive a lot and others receive so little. I am convinced that those with lots have a responsibility to share with others as generously as we have received. I am aware that the more one has the more reluctant one is to share with others without some experience of what it is like to be without for even a brief time. As people of God we are called upon, no matter what our station in life, to offer a portion of what we have to others. It is not a display of largesse, giving presents or money to a large number of people, on our part, it is a way of raising the gates so the King of glory may come in.
February 29, 2016
LCM
Monday, February 22, 2016
Psalm Meditation 819
Third Sunday in Lent
February 28, 2016
Psalm 128
1 Happy is everyone who fears the LORD , who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD .
5 The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
(NRSV)
The cynic in me wants to argue with the first two verses, at the very least. I know that not every person of faith has enough to eat and the lives of those people are not very happy. Then I read it all again. There is no promise that there is enough or that the happiness of people of faith lives up to my definition of happiness. There are folks who don’t have enough by my standards who are content with what they have. It is not a sit back on their heels and never have another worry contentment. Theirs is a contentment of knowing that they are in the hands of God, no matter what.
Their happiness is not based on what they have so much as their awareness that they are in the hands and heart of God when the world is good to them and when it is not. This happiness has much more to do with what God thinks of them, how God treats them and loves them than what the rest of the world thinks of them. Yes, more stuff might be nice, especially necessities like enough food and water for everyone, however God’s gifts and presence are more important than the stuff of life.
The psalmist does not recommend that we surrender our necessities or that we give up our ‘enough’ so that we are able to depend more fully on God. The psalmist is calling us to depend on God so that we can more easily see how much is enough. As we place our emphasis on the presence of God we discover a sense of contentment that has very little to do with how much stuff we have and more to do with the quality of our relationships with God and with the people around us.
February 22, 2016
LCM
Third Sunday in Lent
February 28, 2016
Psalm 128
1 Happy is everyone who fears the LORD , who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD .
5 The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
(NRSV)
The cynic in me wants to argue with the first two verses, at the very least. I know that not every person of faith has enough to eat and the lives of those people are not very happy. Then I read it all again. There is no promise that there is enough or that the happiness of people of faith lives up to my definition of happiness. There are folks who don’t have enough by my standards who are content with what they have. It is not a sit back on their heels and never have another worry contentment. Theirs is a contentment of knowing that they are in the hands of God, no matter what.
Their happiness is not based on what they have so much as their awareness that they are in the hands and heart of God when the world is good to them and when it is not. This happiness has much more to do with what God thinks of them, how God treats them and loves them than what the rest of the world thinks of them. Yes, more stuff might be nice, especially necessities like enough food and water for everyone, however God’s gifts and presence are more important than the stuff of life.
The psalmist does not recommend that we surrender our necessities or that we give up our ‘enough’ so that we are able to depend more fully on God. The psalmist is calling us to depend on God so that we can more easily see how much is enough. As we place our emphasis on the presence of God we discover a sense of contentment that has very little to do with how much stuff we have and more to do with the quality of our relationships with God and with the people around us.
February 22, 2016
LCM
Monday, February 15, 2016
Psalm Meditation 818
Second Sunday in Lent
February 22, 2016
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth.
10 Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 They are[d] like a dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to tell of all your works.
(NRSV)
In this political season it is easy for us to identify the arrogance of the candidates with whom we disagree. All we need do is look at them, listen to them awhile and their arrogance jumps out at us. Sometimes we are able to identify the arrogance in the candidates with whom we agree. It may take a bit more effort to get through the pleasing words and phrases even though we know it takes a tremendous amount of ego, bordering on arrogance, to be willing to run for public office. Are we willing to hear past the pleasing words to find the threats against those on the outside of our party, nation or people.
On our own we will have difficulty separating out the wheat from the chaff, the promises from the threats, the possible from the rhetoric. We will find a way to hear with our hearts when we join the psalmist in going into the sanctuary of God. In the presence of God we find a new set of eyes and ears, a humbleness of heart and life that makes it possible to get through the trappings of politics, to walk past the fear mongering and finger pointing, to get to the place in which God speaks of freedom from oppression and seeking justice for each and all.
Whether we enjoy politics or seek to avoid it as much as possible, we do well to echo the psalmist, “But for me it is good to be near God.” As we make our way to the presence of God we will find that we see and hear and experience our lives, and the lives of those around us differently. In the presence of God we find a new perspective, a new way of living in the world. We find a way to honor every aspect of creation.
February 15, 2016
LCM
Second Sunday in Lent
February 22, 2016
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth.
10 Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 They are[d] like a dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to tell of all your works.
(NRSV)
In this political season it is easy for us to identify the arrogance of the candidates with whom we disagree. All we need do is look at them, listen to them awhile and their arrogance jumps out at us. Sometimes we are able to identify the arrogance in the candidates with whom we agree. It may take a bit more effort to get through the pleasing words and phrases even though we know it takes a tremendous amount of ego, bordering on arrogance, to be willing to run for public office. Are we willing to hear past the pleasing words to find the threats against those on the outside of our party, nation or people.
On our own we will have difficulty separating out the wheat from the chaff, the promises from the threats, the possible from the rhetoric. We will find a way to hear with our hearts when we join the psalmist in going into the sanctuary of God. In the presence of God we find a new set of eyes and ears, a humbleness of heart and life that makes it possible to get through the trappings of politics, to walk past the fear mongering and finger pointing, to get to the place in which God speaks of freedom from oppression and seeking justice for each and all.
Whether we enjoy politics or seek to avoid it as much as possible, we do well to echo the psalmist, “But for me it is good to be near God.” As we make our way to the presence of God we will find that we see and hear and experience our lives, and the lives of those around us differently. In the presence of God we find a new perspective, a new way of living in the world. We find a way to honor every aspect of creation.
February 15, 2016
LCM
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