Daily Prayer, Friday, September 9, 2011

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

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, 132, 133


Daily Lectionary Reading, Exodus 14:19-21

19 God’s messenger, who had been in front of Israel’s camp, moved and went behind them. The column of cloud moved from the front and took its place behind them. 20 It stood between Egypt’s camp and Israel’s camp. The cloud remained there, and when darkness fell it lit up the night. They didn’t come near each other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. 22 The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians chased them and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry. 24 As morning approached, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian camp from the column of lightning and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. 25 The LORD jammed their chariot wheels so that they wouldn’t turn easily. The Egyptians said, “ Let’s get away from the Israelites, because the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt! ”

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “ Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water comes back and covers the Egyptians, their chariots, and their cavalry. ” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. At daybreak, the sea returned to its normal depth. The Egyptians were driving toward it, and the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the cavalry, Pharaoh’s entire army that had followed them into the sea. Not one of them remained. 29 The Israelites, however, walked on dry ground through the sea. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left.

30 The LORD rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the amazing power of the LORD against the Egyptians. The people were in awe of the LORD , and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.


Today's Prayer: O Lord, open our eyes to recognize your presence among us. You prepare the way for us. Sometimes, we fear the path you have chosen for us. We worry about our own safety. We fear what's new enough that we are willing to return to the life that we know is not good for us. You prepare the way. You show us how to escape entanglements and harm. You give us courage to move on to a new way. You prepare the way. Amen.


Midday Psalm 119:169-176


Evening
Psalms 137, 138, 139

The Lord is merciful and gracious, a Reflection on Psalm 103:8-13

God loves us. God loves us even when we don't deserve being loved. We tend to think of who we call the Old Testament God as harshly punishing wrongdoers, but as the commentary provided by The New Interpreters' Bible points out "The psalmist knows better."

God is merciful to us, granting us grace. God is slow to anger but doesn't hold on to that anger. We don't get what we deserve; that is, God doesn't repay us according to our sins.

God's love is too big to be measured by any terms that we humans can come up with. God's steadfast love is greater than the distance from heaven to earth.

And God can make us worthy of that love. "As far as the east is from the west, so far the Lord removes our transgressions from us."

Daily Prayer, Thursday, September 8, 2011

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

Morning
Invitatory Psalm  150
Praise the Lord!

We praise you in your sanctuary;
we praise you in your mighty firmament!
We praise you for your mighty deeds;
We praise you according to your surpassing greatness!
We praise you with trumpet sound;
We praise you with tambourine and dance;
We praise you with strings and pipe!
We praise you with clanging cymbals;
We praise you with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 125, 126, 127, 128, 129
Psalm 125
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
   which cannot be moved, but abides for ever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
   so the Lord surrounds his people,
   from this time on and for evermore.
….
Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
   we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
   and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
   ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us,
   and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
   like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
   reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
   bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
   carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house,
   those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
   the guard keeps watch in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
   and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
   for he gives sleep to his beloved.

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
   the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
   are the sons of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has
   his quiver full of them.
He shall not be put to shame
   when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128
Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
   who walks in his ways.
You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;
   you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
….

Psalm 129
‘Often have they attacked me from my youth’
   —let Israel now say—
‘often have they attacked me from my youth,
   yet they have not prevailed against me.
Those who plough ploughed on my back;
   they made their furrows long.’
The Lord is righteous;
   he has cut the cords of the wicked.
....

Daily Lectionary Reading, Psalm 103:8-13

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse,
   nor will he keep his anger for ever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
   nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
   so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
   so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.


Midday Psalm 119:161-168


Evening
Psalms 135, 136


Psalm 135
Praise the Lord!
   Praise the name of the Lord;
   give praise, O servants of the Lord,
you that stand in the house of the Lord,
   in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
   sing to his name, for he is gracious.
….
Whatever the Lord pleases he does,
   in heaven and on earth,
   in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth;
   he makes lightnings for the rain
   and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
….
Your name, O Lord, endures for ever,
   your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
For the Lord will vindicate his people,
   and have compassion on his servants.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
   the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
   they have eyes, but they do not see;
they have ears, but they do not hear,
   and there is no breath in their mouths.
Those who make them
   and all who trust them
   shall become like them.
….
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 136
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the God of gods,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
who alone does great wonders,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
who by understanding made the heavens,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
who spread out the earth on the waters,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
who made the great lights,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
the sun to rule over the day,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
....
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
and rescued us from our foes,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever;
who gives food to all flesh,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

O give thanks to the God of heaven,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

Bishop Ward on anniversary of 9/11

Walls of Water There were walls of water to the left and to the right...  -- Exodus 14 Sunday is the tenth anniversary of 9/11/2001.  The Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial is remarkably designed, with two square pools of water in the footprints of the World Trade Center Towers, with water cascading down the four sides of each pool.  Nearby over 3,000 names are etched -- the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The walls of water echo God's delivering, redeeming and saving power.  The Exodus texts appointed for Sundays this fall are watery indeed -- the water of Hebrew wombs, the water out of which Moses was drawn, the dramatic walls of watery deliverance, thirst-quenching water for the desert journey, water-crossing into the Promised Land. On Sunday, let us acknowledge the painful memories of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the continuing grief of families directly affected, the on-going need for healing in our communities, and the clear call of Christ to be peacemakers and thereby children of God.  As we see the watery 9/11 Memorial unveiled, let us center ourselves anew in God who brings strength in this and every time of trial. Sunday is a time to pause and remember.  It is a time to mourn and to pray.  It is a time to live as Jesus lived, weeping over pain and loss while vanquishing every evil through the invincible power of love. With gratitude for our life together in Christ, Hope Morgan Ward   For materials to use in Remembering 9/11 click here.

Bishop Goodpaster Calls for Building Bridges on 9/11

Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, President of the Council of Bishops, is urging United Methodists to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11 with prayer and interfaith connection.

The text of a statement from Bishop Goodpaster follows: On behalf of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, I greet you in the name of Jesus the Christ in whom "all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven...." (Colossians 1:19-20, NRSV) On this, the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, I call upon United Methodists and all people of faith to a renewed commitment to ministry of reconciliation, and to being witnesses of God's love and grace for and in the whole world. As people of faith, we approach this anniversary with the gift of both memory and hope. None of us who watched in shock and horror as the events unfolded on that fateful day in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC will ever forget the images. We remember the innocent lives that were lost on that day. We remember the first responders who put their lives on the line to provide assistance in the midst of the devastation. We remember the ways in which the world reached out to embrace us in our pain and grief. And we remember the generous outpouring of more than $20 million through the United Methodist Committee on Relief and our "Love in the Midst of Tragedy" special offerings. Even as we recall all of these events of a decade ago, we are also a people whose faith and hope in Christ Jesus turn our hearts and lives toward the future. We proclaim the Resurrection message that the future belongs to God's reconciled new creation, and we live toward that time when the dividing walls of hostility will come down and God will wipe away every tear, and death will be no more. In a world of violence and revenge, of suspicion and fear, of mistrust and hatred, we dare to proclaim an alternative vision known throughout Scriptures as God's Shalom. We believe that God works for good in all things, and that the goodness and mercy of God can overcome even the most tragic events and experiences in this world. In the days and weeks ahead, communities will be marking this anniversary in a variety of ways, and we urge our churches to lead in planning for and providing services of worship and prayer. Let us build bridges of trust and reconciliation through these services by inviting and encouraging people of all faiths to come together for prayer. Let us work for personal and social holiness by practicing John Wesley's General Rules for the people called Methodist, especially to do no harm and to do good. Let us seek to restore a sense of hope for the future by praying for and working for the healing of broken relationships. Let us remember that day of pain, suffering, and grief; but let us also seek to bind up the wounds and renew our efforts to work for peace with justice. Above all else, let us live as faithful followers of the Prince of Peace and, in the words of the author of the Letter to the Colossians: "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other...." (Colossians 3:12-13, NRSV) May our memory and our hope unite to move all of us toward peace and inspire us to live with compassion, confidence and courage. Larry M. Goodpaster President, Council of Bishops The United Methodist Church

Bless the Lord, a Reflection on Psalm 103:1-7

This psalm is a psalm of praise. It calls for praise and gives reasons why this praise is due.

But, who is the psalmist addressing?

The psalm begins "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me." When I pray this psalm, I am calling on myself to pray with my total being--not just part of me but all of me. And I repeat--I am telling me to do that.

John Goldingay in his Old Testament Theology, Volume 3, points out that this psalm assumes we can argue with ourselves and that we may need to stir ourselves up to that praise that is due the Lord.

These verses provide us with a reminder of what God does that makes us so thankful: forgives, heals, rescues, loves,  satisfies, vindicates.

Daily Prayer, Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

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.



Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123, 124

Psalm 120
….
“Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
….
Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.


Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

The Lord will not let your foot be moved; the One who keeps you will not slumber.
....
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil....

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.


Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.


Psalm 123

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.



Psalm 124

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone the raging waters.

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Psalm 103:1-7

Let my whole being bless the LORD!
Let everything inside me
bless his holy name!
2 Let my whole being bless the LORD
and never forget all his good deeds:
3 how God forgives all your sins,
heals all your sickness,
4 saves your life from the pit,
crowns you with faithful love
and compassion,
5 and satisfies you
with plenty of good things
so that your youth
is made fresh like an eagle’s.


6 The LORD works righteousness;
does justice for all who are oppressed.
7 God made his ways known to Moses;
made his deeds known
to the Israelites. [Common English Bible]


Today's Prayer:
O Lord, we give you thanks for the love you have shown us. We have turned to you for help when we needed forgiveness or healing or compassion. Keep us mindful of your gifts and keep us mindful of how we can demonstrate that care of us by ourselves extending your help to others in need. Amen.



Midday Psalm 119:153-160


Evening
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in your word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. ….

Having Been Wronged, a Reflection on Genesis 50:15-21

Matthew tells us that Jesus warned his disciples what would happen to them if they did not forgive their brothers and sisters. We may presume that this lesson is about how to keep the church together, but we may also presume that it is about the brothers and sisters who are our kin.

Joseph's brothers had so resented him when, as a youth, he had lorded it over them that they had, after considering murdering him, instead, sold him into slavery. Later, he was able actually to lord it over them. He had risen to a high position in Egypt and had used it to bring his whole family there where they could escape the famine back home.

Now, their father is dead, and the brothers fear that Joseph will finally exact revenge on them. He doesn't. "God intended this for good," he says to them.

Joseph chooses not to do revenge. God gets to handle the revenge.

Daily Prayer, Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

Morning
Invitatory 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.

Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

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.



Psalms 97, 98, 99, 101


Daily Lectionary Reading, Genesis 50:15-21
15 When Joseph’s brothers realized that their father was now dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us, and wants to pay us back seriously for all of the terrible things we did to him?” 16 So they approached Joseph and said, “ Your father gave orders before he died, telling us, 17 ‘This is what you should say to Joseph. “Please, forgive your brothers’ sins and misdeeds, for they did terrible things to you. Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God.” ’ ” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers weptl too, fell down in front of him, and said, “We’re here as your slaves.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? 20 You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today. 21 Now, don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” So he put them at ease and spoke reassuringly to them. [Common English Bible]


Today's Prayer: Holy God, we regret those times that we have done something harmful to those near us. We ask your forgiveness. And we ask your guidance. Amen.


Midday Psalm 119:137-152


Evening


Psalms 115, 116, 117

Forgiveness, a Reflection on Matthew 18:21-35

Jesus had strong words for his disciples. Look back at 18:6-9 for the imprecation against the strong interfering with the humble. He commanded them to seek the ones who stray and to bring them back into the fold (10-15).

But, what happens when that sheep is back in the fold and you would really rather have him leave. Last week's gospel lesson outlined a procedure for helping the church member change behavior. "If he won't change," Jesus said, "Treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector."

[Look back at Matthew 9:9-10 and 14:21-15.]

Now Peter asks, "How many times do we have to go through this procedure before we can give up on somebody?" Jesus' response is a number too big to keep track of.

Don't read this message as a word to those who are being abused that they need to stay in relationship with someone who will continue to harm them.

Don't read these words of Jesus as saying that sin does not matter. This message is to Peter. If the church is going to make it, then church members have to work together.

On a tangent: Am I right to read a requirement for repentance to precede Peter's forgiveness? After all, in the parable, the debtor begs the king for forgiveness.

The Power of Forgiveness (http://www.thepowerofforgiveness.com/) explores recent research into the psychological and physical effects of forgiveness on individuals and within relationships under a wide variety of conditions and translates it into a popular, accessible documentary film for national public television.

The film also explores the role forgiveness holds in various faiths traditions. It provides an honest look at the intensity of anger and grief that human nature is heir to. We see in the film that there are transgressions people find themselves unwilling or unable to forgive. Through character-driven stories the film shows the role forgiveness can play in alleviating anger and grief and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with it.

This includes feature stories on the Amish, the 9/11 tragedy and peace-building in Northern Ireland, along with interviews with renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, best-selling authors Thomas Moore and Marianne Williamson and others.

And take a quiz to see how forgiving you are.

(Thanks to the heads-up from Alive Now, September/October 2008 that alerted me to this website.)