Sunday's Child

Have you not known? Reflection on Isaiah 40:21-24

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Chapter 40 begins the portion of this book that Bible scholars call 2nd Isaiah. The original audience for this material was living in the time of the Babylonian exile.

We can imagine their plight. Many of us can remember our own plights--times of feeling lost or uncared for. The prophet reminds us that we are not solely at the mercy of whatever, whoever, stands for Babylon in our lives: Have you not known? Have you not heard? Come on, haven't you always known who always was in charge?

In their time, they were to be rescued from exile by the Persia army led by Cyrus. God saved them from unbelievers through the efforts of unbelievers. Nothing that unusual here. After all, Pharaoh let them leave their unpleasant jobs at pyramid building.

Babylon that seems so powerful to everyone who was alive did not seem like that big a deal to God. "Scarcely are they planted, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them like stubble."

Daily Prayer, Wednesday, February 1, 2012

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

How good it is to sing praises to you;
   for you are gracious,
   and a song of praise is fitting. (from Psalm 147:1)

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into the Lord’s presence with singing.

We know that you are God.
It is you that made us, and we are yours.
we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.

We enter your gates with thanksgiving,
and your courts with praise.
We give thanks to you, bless your name.
For you, O Lord, are good;
your steadfast love endures forever,
and your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 12
Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
   the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
They utter lies to each other;
   with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
   the tongue that makes great boasts,
those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
   our lips are our own—who is our master?”
“Because the poor are despoiled,
   because the needy groan, I will now rise up,” says the Lord;
   “I will place them in the safety for which they long.”
The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
   silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
       purified seven times.
You, O Lord, will protect us;
   you will guard us from this generation forever.
On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say,
   “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.
If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me,
   you will find no wickedness in me;
   my mouth does not transgress.
As for what others do,
   by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
   O savior of those who seek refuge
       from their adversaries at your right hand.
Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who despoil me,
   my deadly enemies who surround me.
They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
They track me down;
now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
   from mortals—by your hand, O Lord
   — from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their little ones.
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Isaiah 40:21-24
21 Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard?Wasn’t it announced to youfrom the beginning?Haven’t you understoodsince the earth was founded?22 God inhabits the earth’s horizon—its inhabitants are like locusts—stretches out the skies like a curtainand spreads it outlike a tent for dwelling.23 God makes dignitaries uselessand the earth’s judges into nothing.24 Scarcely are they planted,scarcely sown,scarcely is their shootrooted in the earthwhen God breathes on them,and they dry up;the windstormcarries them off like straw. [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: O God, we have been told over and over. Over and over, we have been told. Yet, we haven't always been listening very well. You were there in the beginning, have always been here with us. Yet, we have so often turned to some one else for counsel, someone whose judgment and influence is eventually found wanting. O God, we ask that you speak to us once again. Open us to understand your will and to participate in your work. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:17-24
Deal bountifully with your servant, so that I may live and observe your word.
Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
I live as an alien in the land; do not hide your commandments from me.
My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.
You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments;
    take away from me their scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your decrees.
Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
Your decrees are my delight, they are my counselors.

Evening
Psalm 18
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

so I shall be saved from my enemies.
The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of perdition assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.
Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked,

because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

He bowed the heavens, and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub, and flew;

he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering around him,

his canopy thick clouds dark with water.

Out of the brightness before him

there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire.
The Lord also thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his voice.
And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
Then the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke,

O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

He reached down from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of mighty waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,

and from those who hated me;

for they were too mighty for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity;

but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;

he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me,

and his statutes I did not put away from me.
I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the Lord has recompensed me

according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
With the loyal you show yourself loyal;

with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
with the pure you show yourself pure;

and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
For you deliver a humble people,

but the haughty eyes you bring down.

It is you who light my lamp;

the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
By you I can crush a troop,

and by my God I can leap over a wall.
This God—his way is perfect;

the promise of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God except the Lord?

And who is a rock besides our God?—
the God who girded me with strength,

and made my way safe.
He made my feet like the feet of a deer,

and set me secure on the heights.
He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand has supported me;

your help has made me great.
You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip

.....

The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation,
the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me;
who delivered me from my enemies;

indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;

you delivered me from the violent.
For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,

and sing praises to your name.
Great triumphs he gives to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his descendants forever.

The One You Want Is Coming, a Reflection on Malachi 3:1-14

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

Although not many Methodist churches recognize it, February 2 is designated for Presentation of the Lord, remembering the day that Mary presented her newborn son to the temple, Luke 2:22-40.

The first reading chosen by the lectionary is this passage from Malachi which is usually dated to the Persian period. The people have known exile, have felt that they had been forgotten by God, and are looking toward a word from God.

Christians read this passage in Malachi as a foretelling of the coming of Christ.

Consider the promises made about the messenger: The one you want is coming. But, who will be able to stand it? He will refine and purify the descendants of Levi (us, too?)

After the fire that refines and purifies, the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be as pleasing as it once was. (How does this promise relate to our situation? Should we translate the refinement as something that happens after death? Or, should we go ahead and repent immediately?)

Allen & Williamson in their Preaching the Old Testament see "the refiner's fire" to be a simile for the transformative love of God:

We are so accustomed to speaking of God's justifying, forgiving, and redeeming grace that we sometimes forget the basic point that God has a purpose in all that God does, and the purpose is that all people should have life and well-being (2:5). Yet clearly they cannot as long as we insist on and persist in living in ways that lead to death and curse. God's love is freely given to each and all, but it is a love that gives and calls us to become people who love God with all our selves and our neighbors as ourselves and to act accordingly in relation to our neighbors.

Lectio Divina: Malachi 3:2

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, January 31, 2012

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

How good it is to sing praises to you;
   for you are gracious,
   and a song of praise is fitting. (from Psalm 147:1)

MorningInvitatory Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow for herself
where she may lay her you, at your altars,
   O Lord of hosts, my Ruler and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.
....
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
who bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Psalm 9
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
When my enemies turned back,
   they stumbled and perished before you.
For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
….

You judge the world with righteousness;
you judge the peoples with equity.
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
   a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
   for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
….
Be gracious to me, O Lord.
See what I suffer from those who hate me;
you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,
so that I may recount all your praises,
   and, in the gates of daughter Zion, rejoice in your deliverance.
….
For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
   nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.
Put them in fear, O Lord;
   let the nations know that they are only human.

Psalm 10

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor
   — let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
  those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.
In the pride of their countenance the wicked say,
   “God will not seek it out”;
        all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.
They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might.
They think in their heart,
   “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Rise up, O Lord;
O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed.
Why do the wicked renounce God, and say in their hearts,
   “You will not call us to account”?
But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,
   that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
   you have been the helper of the orphan.

Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.

The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
   so that those from earth may strike terror no more.

Daily Lectionary Readings:

Malachi 3:1-4
Look, I am sending my messengerwho will clear the path before me;suddenly the LORD whom you are seeking will come to his temple.The messenger of the covenantin whom you take delight is coming,says the LORD of heavenly forces.2 Who can endure the day of his coming?Who can withstand his appearance?He is like the refiner’s fireor the cleaner’s soap.3 He will sit as a refinerand a purifier of silver.He will purify the Levitesand refine them like gold and silver.They will belong to the LORD,presenting a righteous offering.4 The offering of Judah and Jerusalemwill be pleasing to the LORDas in ancient daysand in former years.

Psalm 24

The earth is the LORD’s

and everything in it,

the world and its inhabitants too.

2 Because God is the one

who established it on the seas;

God set it firmly on the waters.

3 Who can ascend the LORD’s mountain?

Who can stand in his holy sanctuary?

4 Only the one with clean hands

and a pure heart;

the one who hasn’t made false promises,

the one who hasn’t sworn dishonestly.

5 That kind of person receives blessings from the LORD

and righteousness

from the God who saves.

6 And that’s how things are

with the generation that seeks him—

that seeks the face of Jacob’s God. (r) Selah

7 Mighty gates: lift up your heads!

Ancient doors: rise up high!

So the glorious king can enter!

8 Who is this glorious king?

The LORD —strong and powerful!

The LORD —powerful in battle!

9 Mighty gates: lift up your heads!

Ancient doors: rise up high!

So the glorious king can enter!

10 Who is this glorious king?

The LORD of heavenly forces—

he is the glorious king! Selah

_________________________________________________

r LXX, Syr; MT seek your face, Jacob

[Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: O God, prepare us for your coming into our lives. Prepare us to prepare. Help us to recognize you. Help us to live in ways that will help others to recognize you. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:9-16
How can young people keep their way pure?
   By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
I treasure your word in my heart,
   so that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth.
I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Evening
Psalm 11
In the Lord I take refuge;
   how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to the mountains;
   for look, the wicked bend the bow,
   they have fitted their arrow to the string,
   to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
   and his soul hates the lover of violence.
….
For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.

Psalm 14
Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
   to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
   there is no one who does good, no, not one.
Have they no knowledge,
   all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon the Lord?
There they shall be in great terror,
   for God is with the company of the righteous.

You would confound the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.
O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Psalm 15
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
Those who walk blamelessly,
    and do what is right,
    and speak the truth from their heart;
    who do not slander with their tongue,
    and do no evil to their friends,
    nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
    in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
    but who honor those who fear the Lord;
    who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
    who do not lend money at interest,
     and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 16
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I keep the Lord always before me;
  because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
   my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Still Healing, Reflection on Mark 1:29-34

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

Right after healing a man in the synagogue, Jesus and his disciples went to Simon and Andrew's house. As soon as he heard that Simon's mother-in-law was ill, he healed her, too.

I find interesting several things. One is we are given no indication that those needing healing asked Jesus to do so. Another is that we are not told that Simon's m-i-l had faith in Jesus' power to heal her. Also, interesting to me is her response. As soon as she is healed, she gets up and serves them a meal (my interpretation of "waited on them").

The word spreads. The whole town shows up including all who are ill or possessed.

Once again, Jesus won't let the demons speak because they know who he is.

Questions that linger: Do they have faith or knowledge in Jesus other than his ability to heal?

Application for our time:

The Global Health Initiative is major area of focus for the ministry of The United Methodist Church,which aims to combat diseases of poverty such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as well as provide health education, advocacy and infrastructure. We have long been a key player in the fight against malaria through the hospitals, clinics and missions centers we have operated across Africa for more than 160 years.

To read more about the history of Methodist efforts to promote healing and a current example of what the church is doing now see UMC efforts to heal

Daily Prayer, Monday, January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

How good it is to sing praises to you;
   for you are gracious,
   and a song of praise is fitting. (from Psalm 147:1)

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 95
O come, let us sing to the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
We come into your presence with thanksgiving;
we make a joyful noise to you with songs of praise.
You, Lord, are a great God,
…
In your hands are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you have made it,
and the dry land, which your hands have formed.

O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us we kneel before our Maker!
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture,
and the sheep of your hand.
….

Psalm 1
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
   or take the path that sinners tread,
   or sit in the seat of scoffers;
       but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
       and on it, they meditate day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
   which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
The wicked are not so,
   but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
….

Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire,
   and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
   against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
       “Let us burst their bonds asunder,
         and cast their cords from us.”

The One who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord has them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
   and terrify them in his fury, saying,
       “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
   He said to me, “You are my son;
   today I have begotten you.
….
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
….

Psalm 3
O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying to me,
   “There is no help for you in God.”
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
I cry aloud to the Lord,
   and he answers me from his holy hill.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
   who have set themselves against me all around.

Rise up, O Lord!
Deliver me, O my God! ...
Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
may your blessing be on your people!

Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
   my King and my God, for to you I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
   in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
   evil will not sojourn with you.
….
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
….
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
   so that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Mark 1:29-39
29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.Jesus’ ministry spreads32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He traveled throughout Galilee preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons. [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: We give you thanks that you still come to the sick, still offer healing. Help us then when we are healed to follow the example of Simon's mother-in-law to serve others. We ask that you continue to send your church where people need comfort or exhortation. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:1-8
Happy are those whose way is blameless,
   who walk in the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who keep his decrees,
   who seek him with their whole heart,
   who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways.
You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
   having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart,
   when I learn your righteous ordinances.
I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.

Evening
Psalm 6
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
   or discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
My soul also is struck with terror, while you, O Lord—how long?
Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
….
The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.

Psalm 7
O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
....
O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
   but establish the righteous,
   you who test the minds and hearts,
        O righteous God.
God is my shield, who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
   and a God who has indignation every day.
….
I will give you the thanks due to your righteousness,
   and sing praise to your name, O Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants
   you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
       to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
   and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
   all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
   the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Not for my own sake, a Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:10-13

2012-01-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

Beverly Gaventa, Texts for Preaching, A Lectionary Commentary based on the NRSV--Year B:

Paul's effort is to protect the weak not from being offended, but from imitating the behavior of others to their own hurt. Fear of offending others unfortunately has often made some church people tiptoe through life. They have catered to the whims of every moralist or legalist who raised a voice. They have kept silent in the face of injustices and enjoyed their freedom only in priate. They have not wanted to cause offense. In doing so, they have missed the point of 1 Corinthians 8. The text never hints that conflict is to be avoided, that discussion of the issue of eating of food offered to idols should be skirted. Paul's letters, in fact, consistently argue for the church as the forum for moral discouse. The scenario from 1 Corinthians 8 simply asks that every member of the community be taken seriously (even those without "knowledge") as a person for whom Christ died, and that one's actions reflect a compassionate and even restraining consideration for fellow members of the body of Christ.

On the other hand, if your own religion is strong enough not to be hampered in any way by some practice that you consider a scruple, shouldn't you just go ahead and to what's easiest on everybody?

It's not just the unbelievers that see what you do; the believers are watching, too.

Paul says to them (to us?): It's not only your conscience; think about how what you do will affect someone else's conscience.

How this passage intrudes on my own life: I stay out of casinos. I am opposed to state lotteries.

Lectio Divina: 1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

Daily Prayer, Sunday, January 29, 2012

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright,
   in the congregation.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
   the world, and those who live in it.
You have founded it on the seas
   and established it on the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in your holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of heir salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek you,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.

Who is this King of glory?
the Lord of hosts,
You are the King of glory.

Psalm 147
Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
   for he is gracious,
   and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted,
   and binds up their wounds.

He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.

The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.

He covers the heavens with clouds,
   prepares rain for the earth,
   makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the animals their food,
   and to the young ravens when they cry.

His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
   nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
   in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
   who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
   they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 148
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created.
He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
  you sea monsters and all deeps,
  fire and hail, snow and frost,
  stormy wind fulfilling his command!
  Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
  Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
  Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
  Young men and women alike, old and young together!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
    for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 149
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
   his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
   making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
    and two-edged swords in their hands,
    to execute vengeance on the nations
       and punishment on the peoples,
    to bind their kings with fetters
        and their nobles with chains of iron,
    to execute on them the judgment decreed.

This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!

Daily Lectionary Reading, 1 Corinthians 8:10-13
10 Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods? 11 The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way. 13 This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall. [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: O God of all times and places, we pray for your Church, which is set today amid the perplexities of a changing order, and face to face with new tasks. Baptize her afresh in the life-giving spirit of Jesus. Bestow upon her a great responsiveness to duty, a swifter compassion with suffering, and an utter loyalty to your will...Bid her cease from seeking her own life, lest she lose it. Make her valiant to give up her life to the good of others. (taken from UMBOW 504)

Evening
Psalms 144
Bless the LORD , my rock,
who taught my hands how to fight,
who taught my fingers how to do battle!
2 God is my loyal one, my fortress,
my place of safety, my rescuer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
and the one who subdues
people before me.
3 What are human beings, LORD ,
that you know them at all?
What are human beings
that you even consider them?
4 Humans are like a puff of air;
their days go by like a shadow.
5 LORD , part your skies and come down!
Touch the mountains so they smoke!
6 Flash lightning and scatter the enemy!
Shoot your arrows and defeat them!
7 Stretch out your hand from above!
Rescue me and deliver me
from deep water,
from the power of strangers,
8 whose mouths speak lies,
and whose strong hand is
a strong hand of deception!
9 I will sing a new song to you, God.
I will sing praises to you
on a ten-stringed harp,
10 to you—the one
who gives saving help to rulers,
and who rescues his servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
from the power of strangers,
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose strong hand
is a strong hand of deception,
12 so thatv our sons can grow up fully,
in their youth, like plants;
so that our daughters can be like pillars carved to decorate a palace;
13 so that our barns can be full,
providing all kinds of food;
so that our flocks can be
in the thousands—
even tens of thousands—in our fields;
14 so that our cattle can be loaded
with calves;
so that there won’t be any breach
in the walls,
no exile, no outcries in our streets!
15 The people who have it like this
are truly happy!
The people whose God is the LORD
are truly happy!
[Common English Bible]

Psalm 145
I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.
I will bless your name forever and always.
I will bless you every day.
I will praise your name forever and always.
The LORD is great and so worthy of praise!
God’s greatness can’t be grasped.
One generation will praise your works to the next one,
   proclaiming your mighty acts.
They will talk all about the glorious splendor of your majesty;
I will contemplate your wondrous works.
They will speak of the power of your awesome deeds;
I will declare your great accomplishments.
They will rave in celebration of your abundant goodness;
they will shout joyfully about your righteousness:
“The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
   very patient, and full of faithful love.
The LORD is good to everyone and everything;
God’s compassion extends to all his handiwork!”
All that you have made gives thanks to you, LORD;
all your faithful ones bless you!
They speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they talk all about your power,
   to inform all human beings about God’s power
   and the majestic glory of God’s kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingship that lasts forever;
your rule endures for all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all that he says,
   faithful in all that he does.
The LORD supports all who fall down,
   straightens up all who are bent low.
All eyes look to you, hoping,
    and you give them their food right on time,
opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, faithful in all his deeds.
The LORD is close to everyone who calls out to him,
   to all who call out to him sincerely.
God shows favor to those who honor him,
   listening to their cries for help and saving them.
The LORD protects all who love him,
but he destroys every wicked person.
My mouth will proclaim the LORD’s praise,
and every living thing will bless God’s holy name forever and always.
[Common English Bible]

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:1-9

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

People who believed in idols also believed it was beneficial to offer gifts, including food, to those idols. The idols, of course, couldn't actually eat that food. Some enterprising entrepreneurs didn't see why that uneaten food should be left to spoil. They would gather the food and offer it for sale. So, if you were invited to eat with someone, you couldn't be sure whether you were being served some of that food.

It wouldn't make any difference whether that food has been sacrificed to idols if you know that idols aren't really real. Jews knew that there was only one God. They would not have considered it harmful to their religion to eat that meat. Christians who were Jews would being able to eat the meat served to them without worrying about whether it had been part of idol worship.

But, not all Christians in Corinth had a Jewish background or understanding. Paul was writing to believers who lived among nonbelievers. Think about the difference between preaching to the already converted and teaching those who really don't have a good idea about just what it is that sets us apart.

In his time, if you wanted to eat meat, you got it from the meat place, and the meat place didn't stamp it "not from idol sacrifice." If you accepted an invitation for supper, you would not know whether that meat fit your religious scruples.

Should you refuse to eat with people who had different standards?

On the other hand, if your own religion is strong enough not to be hampered in any way by some practice that you consider a scruple, shouldn't you just go ahead and to what's easiest on everybody?

Paul advises that the Christians he terms as strong should refuse to eat meat from an unknown origin because other Christians, the ones he terms as weak, would misunderstand.

Is he asking us to be politically correct?

In our own time, we aren't faced with the question of idol meat, but we still face circumstances in which our behavior might be misinterpreted by someone else.

Lectio Divina: 1 Corinthians 8:1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Daily Prayer, Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright,
   in the congregation.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 67
God, be gracious to us and bless us
and make your face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere you.

Psalm 141
I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
   give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not turn my heart to any evil,
   to busy myself with wicked deeds in company
   with those who work iniquity;
do not let me eat of their delicacies.

Let the righteous strike me;
let the faithful correct me.

Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,
   for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
   then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
   so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord;
   in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
   and from the snares of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.

Psalm 146
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals,
   in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
   on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
   whose hope is in the Lord their God,
   who made heaven and earth, the sea,
       and all that is in them;
   who keeps faith forever;
   who executes justice for the oppressed;
   who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
   but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion,
   for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Daily Lectionary Reading, 1 Corinthians 8:1-9
Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up. 2 If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know. 3 But if someone loves God, then they are known by God.4 So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God. 5 Granted, there are so-called “ gods, ” in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords. 6 However, for us believers,There is one God the Father.All things come from him, and we belong to him.And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.All things exist through him, and we live through him.7 But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged. 8 Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat. 9 But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak. [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: Strong covenant God, save us from being self-centered in our prayers, and teach us to remember to pray for others. Save us from being self-centered in our actions, and teach us to live in ways that help others to know you and to be yours. May we be so bound up in love with those for whom we pray and with whom we share worship of you, that we feel their needs as acutely as our own, and intercede for them, and shape our lives for them, with understanding and with imagination and loyalty. Amen. (adapted from UMBOW 518)

Evening
Psalm 140
Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from those who are violent,
   who plan evil things in their minds
   and stir up wars continually.
They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
   and under their lips is the venom of vipers. Selah

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent who have planned my downfall.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
   and with cords they have spread a net,
   along the road they have set snares for me. Selah

I say to the Lord, “You are my God;
give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.”
O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
   you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
do not further their evil plot. Selah

….
I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
   and executes justice for the poor.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall live in your presence.

Psalm 142
With my voice I cry to the Lord;
with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.

When my spirit is faint, you know my way.
In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
Look on my right hand and see—
   there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for me.

I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.”
Give heed to my cry,
   for I am brought very low.
Save me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison,
   so that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me.

Psalm 143
Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness; answer me in your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
For the enemy has pursued me, crushing my life to the ground, making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
   or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul.
Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
   and destroy all my adversaries, for I am your servant.

The Unhidden God, a reflection on Psalm 111:6-10

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

We can discern historical references in this psalm. For example, we can read the provision of food in verse 5 to be the manna in the wilderness and the heritage of the nations to be the promised land, the covenant to be the specific covenant with those ancient Hebrews.

But the psalm is more than a history lesson about specific people in a specific place on a specific date. It also extends into our lives, in our time, in our places. We have learned of what God has done. We have received undeserved gifts ourselves.

Those ancient people trusted the Lord not only for gifts but for instruction on how to live. As the psalm puts it, they trusted in the precepts of the Lord.

We can continue to pay attention to what God provides for us, and we can continue to pay attention to what God expects of us.

James Newsome, in Texts for Preaching, a Lectionary Commentary based on the NRSV-Year B writes:

The Epiphany season affirms that the old linkage between the deeds of God and the being of God is true...God has not remained hidden...but has stepped forth form the shadows, shaping and reshaping our world so that we may see the divine face. The Epiphany season marks the journey from Christmas to Good Friday and Easter, those most decisive moments in human history in which this self-revelation of God has occurred. In the incarnation and in the crucifixion and resurrection, God ... revealed a Deity whose concern for human life and whose involvement in human life--while proclaimed by Israel's teachers of old--achieved a new level of intimacy and immediacy.

Lectio Divina: Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

Daily Prayer, Friday, January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright,
   in the congregation.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm 118
O Lord, we give thanks to to you, for you are good;
your steadfast love endures forever!
….
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me?
….
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.

Psalms 131
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time on and forevermore.

Psalm 132
O Lord, remember in David’s favor all the hardships he endured;
   how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
   “I will not enter my house or get into my bed;
   I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
        until I find a place for the Lord,
             a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
“Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool.”

Rise up, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
   you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
   and let your faithful shout for joy.
For your servant David’s sake
   do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
The Lord swore to David a sure oath
   from which he will not turn back:
   “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant and my decrees that I shall teach them,
   their sons also, forevermore, shall sit on your throne.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation:
   “This is my resting place forever;
   here I will reside, for I have desired it.
   I will abundantly bless its provisions;
   I will satisfy its poor with bread.
   Its priests I will clothe with salvation,
       and its faithful will shout for joy.
   There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;
   I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
   His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,
      but on him, his crown will gleam.”

Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard,
   on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Psalm 111:6-10

6 God proclaimed his powerful deeds
to his people
and gave them what had belonged
to other nations.
7 God’s handiwork is honesty and justice;
all God’s rules are trustworthy—
8 they are established always and forever:
they are fulfilled
with truth and right doing.
9 God sent redemption for his people;
God commanded
that his covenant last forever.
Holy and awesome is God’s name!
10 Fear of the LORD
is where wisdom begins;
sure knowledge
is for all who keep God’s laws.
God’s praise lasts forever! [Common English Bible]

Prayer for Today: O God, help to understand what you want for us to do. Encourage us to behave with honesty and justice. You have promised to care for us. Inspire us to care for all that you care for and to live according to the ways that will show others your love and power. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:169-176
Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.
Let my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.
My lips will pour forth praise,
  because you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your promise,
  for all your commandments are right.
Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
  and your law is my delight.
Let me live that I may praise you,
  and let your ordinances help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
seek out your servant,
  for I do not forget your commandments.

Evening

Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down
   and there we wept when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there we hung up our harps.
For there our captors asked us for songs,
   and our tormentors asked for mirth,
       saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
   if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.
….

Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name
   for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.

On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
   for they have heard the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
   for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
   but the haughty he perceives from far away.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
   you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
   you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalm 139
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord,
   you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
   it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
   and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
   even there your hand shall lead me,
   and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
   and the light around me become night,”
   even the darkness is not dark to you;
   the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For it was you who formed my inward parts;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
   when I was being made in secret,
   intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written all the days
   that were formed for me,
   when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
I come to the end—I am still with you.
….
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

Praise the Lord--and not only in secret, a reflection on Psalm 111:1-5

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

This psalm begins with a call to praise the Lord.

Then, a promise to give thanks. To give thanks not in some private prayer in secret, but prayer expressed in the company of the congregation.

The Lord has done great works--and we have noticed, we have given thought to them, we have told others about them.

To summarize: notice, be thankful, tell others, continue to notice and be thankful. and not just tell with words.

The Lord is known for the wonderful deeds, even when we may not have earned any of them. For, the Lord is gracious and merciful. And, this is not a new thing with us. It didn't begin with us nor will it end with us. The Lord's righteousness endures forever.

Recognizing what God has done for us helps us to recognize the nature of God. It also helps us recognize what an appropriate response is.

Lectio Divina: Psalm 111:2 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.

Sunday's Child

Have you not known? Reflection on Isaiah 40:21-24

Daily Prayer, Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Psalm 17

The One You Want Is Coming, a Reflection on Malachi 3:1-14

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Psalm 9I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.I will be glad and exult in you;

Still Healing, Reflection on Mark 1:29-34

Daily Prayer, Monday, January 30, 2012

Not for my own sake, a Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:10-13

Daily Prayer, Sunday, January 29, 2012

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:1-9

Daily Prayer, Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Unhidden God, a reflection on Psalm 111:6-10

Daily Prayer, Friday, January 27, 2012

Praise the Lord--and not only in secret, a reflection on Psalm 111:1-5

Psalm 9
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;