PRAYING THE PSALMS

Psalm 37

2009-08-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
3Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Lord,
What an incredibly difficult piece of instruction this is to follow! Do not fret! Do not be envious! Trust in the Lord and do good. Take delight in the Lord.

And the promise is nearly as challenging; the wicked “will soon fade like the grass” and “he will give you the delight of your heart.”

Here the spiritual and the ethical converge in perfect marriage. Doing good has its roots in “trust in the Lord” and trust produces good works. “Trust in the Lord and do good.” Like the old song my Daddy sang, “You can’t have one without the other.”

And the promise: “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Jesus said to seek first his Kingdom and all these things will be added and had said, “Whatever you ask in my name will be given to you.”

I’ll confess to some prayers that were disappointed, unanswered prayers. At the same time I cling to the hope of answered prayer. And I sit in the mystery of the way that “delight in the Lord” and “doing good” and the desires of the heart all come together in the poet’s experience. Grant to me trust and understanding.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to stir within you a delight in God, the will to do good, and trust that the desires of your heart will be fulfilled.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 36

2009-08-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
10O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart! 11Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12There the evildoers lie prostrate; they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Lord,
The Great Divide between your steadfast love and the behavior of those who know nothing of loyalty, honesty, mercy, love or justice! It is by the power of your love that those who do evil are disabled, so writes the poet.

Fatigue and fear are the great enemies of a sustaining trust in you. When we are weary, we forget all that you have done and even who you are and we become captives to the moment. When we are afraid, the object of our fear demands all of our attention and drives out an awareness of your grace and kindness. Perhaps that is why scripture so often says, “Do not be afraid.”
Lord, grant me this day the daily bread of a persistent awareness of your constant love. And grant me confidence in your loving power to meet and beat all forces that would do harm both personal and impersonal.

Personal Prayers: Ask God to wrap you in the certainty of God’s faithful love.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In the name of Christ,
Amen.

Psalm 36

2009-08-24T09:36:00.001-05:00

Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; before their eyes. 2For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good. 4They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil.
5Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgements are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

Lord,
The poet must have had a really bad day! Somebody must have done something really bad to him. The “Transgressors” were scheming and plotting and lying and willing to do anything, no matter how unethical or immoral or just plain evil, to destroy the poet, or so the poet thought.

Thank you that this experience of betrayal is not something that happens every day but it is an experience that every mature person knows first hand. Some trusted person turns out not to be trustworthy. Some sacred promise is broken. An ally turns his or her back or simply stands on the sideline and watches as you struggle for your life. We all know some version of the story and we all know the deep and bitter disappointment that brings.

In the midst of that bitter sorrow and deep anger the poet turns to you Lord and reflects on the nature of your love. His description of your love, Lord, is an eternal reminder of the only place where trust will never be violated.

Let me meditate on the words and phrases:
Steadfast love
Extends to the heavens
Faithfulness
Righteousness
Judgments that save humans and animals alike

Thank you God for being you.

Personal Prayers:
Ask God to continually remind you of the steadfast trustworthiness of God’s love.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 35

2009-08-11T08:23:00.000-05:00

Let them be put to shame and dishonour who seek after my life.Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me. 5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them on. 6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7For without cause they hid their net* for me; without cause they dug a pit* for my life. 8Let ruin come on them unawares.And let the net that they hid ensnare them; let them fall in it—to their ruin.
9Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his deliverance. 10All my bones shall say, ‘O Lord, who is like you?You deliver the weak from those too strong for them,

Lord,
This doesn’t sound like “Love your enemies” or “do good to them that misuse you.” But I get it, I totally get it. In the midst of the struggle to do the right thing in the right way, in the effort to be faithful to you and to your way, when the opponents are not impeded by the same rules and are free to lie and mislead and cheat and betray, there needs to be a great equalizer and the poet is praying that you will be the One who equalizes. The poet is praying that the misdeeds of those who would do him unjust harm will be turned back on them.

I wonder how Jesus would pray a prayer like this. From the cross he prayed, “Forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” He said to “love your enemies.” How did Jesus respond to those who would like and cheat and betray for the sake of defeating him? He went to the cross!

Hear my confession Lord. Most days, it’s easier to pray like the poet than like Jesus.

Lord, I pray that you would help me to do the right thing in the right way and, to borrow from Jesus’ prayer, that you will not “Lead me not into hard testing.”

I will pray with the poet, “You deliver the weak from those too strong for them.” Lord, deliver me from those things, circumstances and issues and problems and even principalities and powers, and even from opponents, who are too strong for me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Name the biggest challenge that you are facing and ask God for help to do the right thing in the right way and to deliver you from defeat.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 35

2009-08-10T09:11:00.000-05:00

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! 2Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to help me! 3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers;say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’

Lord,
With the poet, I really do want you to be on my side and I really do want for you to engage my struggles with me. Why would I pretend otherwise? Why would I want anything other thing?

Lord, never allow me to forget the other side of that holy equation. You have invited me to engage in your struggles. The fundamental vocation of life is to be on your side and to be a part of your mission in this world.

So, how am I to know that I am on your side? Two things come to mind. (1) Jesus commanded us in several ways to love you with all of our being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If love is the dominant characteristic of what I think and do, there is a pretty good chance that I am on your side. (2) Last week I heard Bill Tillman say that the Spirit is the ethicist of the Trinity. I think that it is true and I believe that your Spirit will lead me into the way that you want me to go.

It sounds like a holy covenant. You are on my side and invite me to be on your side and in that holy relationship; you engage the struggles of life with me. I believe that to be true.

With the poet I pray, “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation.’” Allow me, O God, to hear those words and to experience that reality at the very center of my being.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for a fresh awareness of the salvation that God grants to us through his presence and through the witness of Jesus.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In the Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 34

2009-08-05T10:09:00.001-05:00

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. 16The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. 18The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all. 20He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken. 21Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Lord,
Today I am grateful for the release of the journalists from North Korea. Your “rescue”, as promised by the Poet, is a remarkable thing to see. Of course it helps to have a former President, Vice President and First Lady who is now Secretary of State, involved. Regardless, I am grateful.

Lord, I pray that the poet’s vision is true, that the righteous will indeed be rescued and that Evil will be eradicated. I pray that those who do good and who are good will be blessed and those who do evil will be cut off from all of the resources that make evil possible.

I pray for your blessings. Grant me every grace for the living of my days. And bless those I love.

Lord, just when I am tempted to scream out against “hyper-optimism”, the poet injects a firm dose of reality into his hymn. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous”, he writes. The poet knows that the blessings of the righteous are sometimes delayed. Righteousness does not guarantee that the journey will be problem-free. “But the Lord rescues them from them all.”

As the poet sees it, or so it seems to me, we are not so much protected from difficulty and sometimes disaster as we are met in the midst of disaster by the rescuing and healing power of God. God meet us there, sees us through and sees us out.

Now for my personal experience Lord; sometimes the rescue comes on the other side. In death, we are made whole. In death, we experience eternal life in all of its fullness.

Here I confess my frustration and anger. Too many pandering preachers are promising more than you have promised to deliver. They seem to be promising inoculation against difficulty. “Say your prayers and send your money and you’ll never have another problem”, so they say. I am strongly tempted to use a scatological metaphor here but that would be a disservice to bulls. The truth is that cow manure has more nutritional value than the preaching of these false-prophets. Forgive me if I’m wrong – but I don’t think that I am.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Seek God’s blessing and, if needed, ask for God’s rescue as you wrestle with the problems that are afflicting you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 34

2009-08-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12Which of you desires life, and covets many days to enjoy good? 13Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. 14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Lord,
Help me to listen to the poet. Help me to learn to fear you, to stand before you with reverence and respect.

In this paragraph, the poet connects long life with the things we say and the things we do and all if it is summarized in the phrase, “seek peace and pursue it.”

His instruction is not so hard to understand though the implementation is difficult. If I want to live long, then I need to watch my mouth, especially its truthfulness. I need to walk away from evil and do good things. And, above all, I need to do those things that make for peace in all of its dimensions. How hard is that? It’s easy to say and, for whatever reasons, very hard to do and least it seems hard for me to do.

Long life, good words, good deeds and peace: they are all a part of fearing the Lord.
Thus the poet teaches.

Jesus said, in the Beautitudes, “Blessed are the peacemakers, they are the children of God.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to lead you to be a “peace maker” today.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 34

2009-08-03T09:14:00.001-05:00

10The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Lord,
Help me to understand the phrase “lack no good thing.”
Clearly, few of us become kings like David and live in mansions and have servants to attend our every whim. I have known hundreds, perhaps thousands, of faithful souls who have lived very frugally and lacked lots of “good things”. There are some good things that I don’t have. So what is this poet talking about?

Could it be the “peace that passes all understanding”? Or could it be the thing that Jesus was talking about to Martha and Mary when he talked about the better thing? Or perhaps the thing that he was saying to the rich young ruler, “one thing you lack”? Maybe it’s to be found in Jesus’ metaphor of “being born again” or being “born from above.”

It must be the ineffable or indescribable thing that happens when your grace is injected into our lives and some very good things become less important. It must have to do with the rearrangement of the priorities or the hierarchy of “good” when Jesus becomes Lord.

“The young lions suffer want and hunger” and I do not think that the poet is talking about “The King of the Jungle.” The poet is talking about the ambitions of the young, the up and coming, the young lions of commerce, or perhaps the young pastors who are determined to “make it”.

Lord, age has partly tamed the “young lion” in me but a part of him still lives in my soul. So I pray that You will keep my eye fixed on that “good thing” that is above all other good things and grant me joy in it.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God grace you with an experience of “The Good Thing” that is above all others.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 34

2009-08-02T09:43:00.001-05:00

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5Look to him, and be radiant; so your* faces shall never be ashamed. 6This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble. 7The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. 9O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.

Lord,
The poet wrote, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” This sounds like a “guardian angel” to me. There are times when I really believe it, when I know that you are looking out for me. There have been moments when I would only attribute my good fortune to your presence and to good gifts from you.
And yet, I had a conversation yesterday that involved a friend who died with cancer. Her last year or more was really tough. She suffered and her family with her. The family is still suffering. So Lord, where is the guardian angel?
I know, you have heard me question and complain and whine about this for a long time and to be honest, I’m not sure that I really expect an answer. The testimony of folk far wiser than I is that we live without knowing the answer to this one. But dog-gone-it Lord, it continues to perplex.
So now, Lord, I am stumbling into what may be the “prayer’s sin”. I have been invited into a moment of joy and gratitude and immediately my mind went to problems and frustrations and the moment of prayer became a season for frustration. Forgive me for not first seeing the wonder and beauty of life and the failure to celebrate the health and salvation and all of the escapes from disaster that you have provided.
Now, Lord, in the absence of words, let me sit for a time in the joy and peace of your presence.
Life really is good and for that, I am very very grateful.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
In the presence of God, enjoy the blessings that are yours today.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say thank you to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 33

2009-07-31T12:01:00.000-05:00

18Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. 21Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Lord,
To make personal the words of the poet, your eye is on me. Do I fear you? Absolutely! It is not that I am afraid of you, though perhaps I am, but I stand in absolute awe of you and your creation and Jesus whom you sent. Even with all my sin, I stand in awe of you and my mind and heart are overwhelmed with wonder and I fear you. Do I hope in your steadfast love? Yes I hope, help my uncertainty. Though I say the words with overwhelming humility and ineffable gaps in understanding, I believe that you love me with a steadfast love and I am grateful.

Even as I engage the day and the work that is before me, I wait for your continuing wisdom and guidance and I trust myself completely to your steadfast love.

Forgive my failures to trust and continually put me in the right path.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to receive the “steadfast love” that God has for you.
Affirm that God steadfastly loves you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 33

2009-07-29T09:16:00.001-05:00

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind. 14From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth— 15he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds. 16A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.

Lord,
As I follow the poet, you deserve to be praised because you are God. More than that, you are a supremely ethical God, one who is inherently moral. You created the world to embody your justice and righteousness.

Now he comes to the “nations”. Standing next to you, no nation has much to brag about. Those who would create their own “wisdom” and an independent sense of power, apart from your wisdom and ethical structure, will come to nothing – sounds like annihilation to me.

Lord, we must remember the poet’s wisdom, “A king is not saved by his great army.” That which contradicts the Creator and the Creator’s ethical universe, you and your universe, will, some day becomes nothing. But there is another way, your way, that leads to life.

Now Lord, now that we know the rule, what is the strategy? How do we, as a people, attune ourselves to you and your way?

Show us the way. Show me my way.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to lead you to see and follow your personal path to bring the nations into conformity with God’s ethical universe.
Name 5 things for which your are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.”
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 33

2009-07-28T08:42:00.002-05:00

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 7He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Lord,
As I read this poet, first he exhorts praise, second he affirms your highly ethical character and third he reflects on your creation. We praise you because the creation itself is marked by your justice and righteousness – so the poet seems to imply.

We know all about “The Law of the Jungle”; The big cats eat Bambi! But the poet doesn’t seem to be thinking about the laws of the animal kingdom. This poet is moving towards your expectation of the nations, your expectation of human nature. Woven into the fabric of the universe is your expectation that humanity, individually and corporately, will conform to your character. What a mess we’ve made of it!

So how does all of this fit with the debate about health care and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Palestinian conflict and racial stress in America and children in poverty? You know, O Lord, and in some measure, so do we.

Well, perhaps we know what we want to know or what our fears and greed allow us to know.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for wisdom and will to personally reflect God’s character in the affairs that so powerfully shape the lives of God’s children everywhere.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 33

2009-07-27T08:50:00.002-05:00

For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Lord,
The words that the poet uses to describe your character:
Upright
Faithfulness
Righteousness
Justice
Steadfast love
And the Genesis writer declares that we were made in your image!
What do you think when you see this world populated be women and men “made in your image"?
What do you think when you look at me as one made in your image?
How do I measure up against this check-list; upright, fruitful, righteous, just and steadfastly loving?
I immediately run to Christ, to forgiveness and grace and I am grateful. But I don’t want to cop out either. I don’t want to use grace as an excuse for bailing out on my own essential identity, "made in your own image". So I pray that you will shape my character to conform to your own and forgive me when I fail.
I just noticed; I immediately went from a description of your character to a preoccupation with my own. For some reason, I did not give a lot of time to thinking about You. How’s that for arrogance and self-absorption? These next quiet moments I give myself to you, considering you and your character and offering prayer and praise. You are God; upright, faithful, righteous, just and steadfastly loving.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
In God’s presence, consider God’s character.
Ask God to shape your character to conform to God’s own.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 33

2009-07-26T09:24:00.002-05:00

1Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright. 2Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. 3Sing to him a new song; play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

Lord,
Here I confess my learning disability.
“Rejoice in the Lord”, I do with joy. But the lyre and harp and strings are beyond my ability. What’s a non-musician to do? The poet said, “play skillfully on strings”. That leaves most of us out.
I think that I could do it if music were indeed an instrument of praise. But in recent years, instead of being an instrument of praise, it’s been an occasion for performance and narcissistic self-aggrandizement. I recently attended “worship” and came away wondering if the organ was God and You were merely an excuse to listen to the music. The preacher nearly apologized for preaching the sermon!
Forgive me Lord. I really don’t want to be this way. But I am weary of the arguments and the egos and even the wars that have marked my church musical experience.
In a few minutes, I’ll go to worship and try again to praise you with singing but, please do not expect too much. Forgive me where I am wrong.
Don’t let me stop here. The poet began with the word “Rejoice.” For the beauty of this day, the deep security of your love, the promise that you listen even to my nonsense, the guidance of your Spirit, the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, the joy of abiding friendship, the memory of loving parents, the experience of children and grandchildren, a lifetime with a loving wife, the hope of heaven and more than I can enumerate, I rejoice and give you thanks.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Be aware of God’s presence and declare your joy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen

Psalm 32

2009-07-25T15:49:00.001-05:00

10Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. 11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Lord,
“Steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.”
Lord, I pray for your blessing and my best guess is that this is the blessing that underlies all others blessings, your “steadfast love.” I’m wondering how many hours of fretting would never have been if I had trusted in your steadfast love. How many times would “gut-emptiness” not have happened if I had but trusted? How many knee-jerk reactions and impulsive decisions?
Erickson said that the very first issue in life, nearly from the moment of birth, revolves around the question of trust. Upon that, says the psychologist, everything else depends. If it is true psychologically, it is even more true spiritually. Everything depends upon the development of trust in your steadfast love.
So Lord, is this trust a gift or is it something that is developed or grown? I’m thinking that both dimensions are necessary. You give the possibility but I must receive it and nurture it. It is a gift-seed to be grown, or so it seems to me. Lord, grow in me the seed of trust in your steadfast love.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Say to God, “I trust in our steadfast love. Help my distrust.”
Name 5 things for which your are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 32

2009-07-24T09:25:00.001-05:00

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.

Lord,
What an amazing promise, “I will instruct you…teach you…counsel you.” Jesus promised to send a counselor, an advocate, a paraclete. You are the instructor. What an amazing promise it is!
Now the question, how are we to learn your lessons? How are we to discern your instruction? The answer we know but tend to ignore: Jesus, scripture, community, prayer, attentiveness to the still small silent voice.
Be the instructor, teacher and counselor of my life, today and every day, O Lord.
Personal Prayers: Ask God to lead you in the way that you should go today – large matters and small.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 32

2009-07-22T08:44:00.001-05:00

Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you;at a time of distress,* the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. 7You are a hiding-place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah

Lord,
“Let all who are faithful offer prayer to you.” Do we pray because we are faithful or are we faithful because we offer prayer? This morning I pray that you will make me faithful. I ask that through the course of this day, I will be attentive to your wisdom and grace. And I pray that through the course of this day, I may hear, as Jesus heard a the time of his baptism, “This is my son and I am well pleased.”

Personal Prayers:
Pray that you will be attentive to the grace of God through this day.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 32

2009-06-24T15:10:00.001-05:00

While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity;I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress,* the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.

Lord,

The Poet is clear. When he refused to face and name his sin, he was miserable. “My body wasted away.” The inability to face and name his own sin in the presence of God seems to have affected, not only his spiritual connection with God, it affected him physically as well. Sin, guilt is a powerful force. The denial of sin can hurt, even kill the denier.

The he looked to you and confessed. He named this destructive reality in his own life. He faced it and he named it both to you and, I suspect, to himself. He is not even explicit that he repented, that he promised to do better – though I suppose it could be assumed.

He confessed and he was forgiven! Now, why is that so hard? Why is it so hard to face the simple destructive realities of my own life? Why is it so hard, even in secret prayer, where nobody else is listening and nobody else has to know, to say to you, “Let me tell you about me. Here are the sordid details.”?

Maybe, when I am in the midst of the mess, I don’t really want to talk to you. It could be the embarrassment of the thing. Or, as likely, I don’t want deal with me. When I name it, it’s mine to own. I cannot pretend to myself any more. Maybe that’s it. All I know for certain today is that honest confession is a hard thing to do.

But the poet is clear that confession is indeed good for the soul. And it is really good for the body too. So grant me the grace I need to stand before you in complete honesty. Grant me the courage to face myself in those moments when it’s ugly do so.

Lord, in this world, we need good strong defenses to protect ourselves. But, in your presence, grant me the grace to let my defenses down and to trust you with the stories of my life, the all too true stories of my life. Allow me to trust you to love me anyway and to have confidence in your pardon.

Personal Prayers:
Name one personal sin before God. You can name other sins later but start with just one that you can say. Name it in the fullness of its reality and ask God to forgive.

Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you to God.”

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 32

2009-06-21T07:53:00.002-05:00

Psalm 32
Of David. A Maskil.1Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity;I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Lord,
You give the gift of guilt as a warning that we are moving away from you, that we are seriously off the track. You shape the conscience as an inner navigational system to keep us, as the poet of the 23rd said, “in the paths of righteousness for your name sake.” The loss of conscience and the capacity for guilt would mean the loss of our humanity. Compassion, mercy, love and all of the virtues of our humanity would all be swept away in orgies of self-centeredness. No longer would be we men and women created in your image, so thoroughly would be our spiritual and moral degeneration.

But, thank you, thank you, thank you, the guilt that is given is also taken away by the power of your forgiveness. You intend for guilt to go away once it has served its purpose. You want us to live as a forgiven people, choosing to live as you made us to live. Happy are those whose transgressions are forgiven!

So for the guilt that keeps me close to you and for the forgiveness that takes the guilt away, thank you.

Name your transgressions to God and ask forgiveness.
Say, “Lord, I accept my forgiveness. Please take the burden of guilt away.”
Name 5 things for which you are grateful.
In Christ’s name.
Amen.

Psalm 31

2009-06-19T13:40:00.002-05:00

To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. 2Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily.Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, 4take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Lord,
It’s been a while since I have written. Forgive me. Not that the excuse matters much to you, nor to me for that matter. Life just got busy and I slipped out of the habit. Apologies.
The Poet writes as if he or maybe she, is in a really rough place. This poet needs a rescue.
I don’t feel quite so desperate. Maybe if I knew the dangers around me, I would abandon this computer and fall on my knees and beg for mercy. But I don’t feel that needy.
Even so, I ask that you will be my rock, my refuge, my fortress. I cannot fulfill all of the obligations that are before me and without your guidance and presence, I am doomed to failure in some ways. That’s the truth and I need your wisdom and help.
Do I feel strange asking for your help? Yes! I should be helping you. But here we are: I want to do what you ask me to do and to do that, I need you to be my Paraclete; my counselor, my companion, my advocate, my protector, my wisdom.
Here is my case. If I am doing what you want me to do for the sake of your purpose, then it is in your best interest to help me out! As the poet said, I cannot sing your praises from the Pit! (Dog gone it,that sounds arrogant.)
So while I will do everything that is within my ability to do, I also will rely on the presence of your Spirit to take me through. And, you will be praised and your purpose served.

Name 5 things for which you are grateful.

In Christ’s name we pray,
Amen

psalm 31

2009-02-24T10:12:00.000-06:00

Psalm 31 (NRSV)
19 O how abundant is your goodness
that you have laid up for those who fear you,
and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from human plots;
you hold them safe under your shelter
from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was beset as a city under seige.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am driven fard from your sight.”
But you heard my supplications
when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints.
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord.
[1]

Lord,
The poet has settled his inner argument, at least for the moment. With a clear awareness of the dangers that surrounded him and with a glaring honesty about his own sense of uncertainty, he chose to remember your faithfulness and to trust himself into your loving care.

Lord, help me to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me to love you with reason and emotion and will. Help me to love you with behavior as much as with feeling. As the potter shapes the clay, shape my character so that I may be more like Christ himself.

Lord, the economic avalanche that has rolled over so many people continues its rumbling rush downhill. For all who are being buried in its destructive path, I pray your protection. Lord, see us through. And keep the words of the poet firmly planted in our hearts, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Speak your fears to God even as you remember God’s abundant blessings over time.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

d Another reading is cut off

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 31

2009-02-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

Psalm 31 (NRSV)
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,b
and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horrorc to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord,
for I call on you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled
that speak insolently against the righteous
with pride and contempt.

Lord,
The poet is having a really bad day and he is in a battle for his own soul. Despair or faith, which will claim his core identity?
Thank you for his honesty. He feels as worthless as worthless can be. He feels that everybody is against him and that his life has been wasted. Is there an objective reality to his complaint? I don’t know. It really doesn’t matter. He is honestly confessing the reality of his soul to You.
But he refuses to stop with whining. He chooses to remember your faithfulness and he deliberately baptizes himself in the recollections of your goodness and grace. He chooses to place his trust in you. He chooses to trust in you rather than allow himself to be defined by the despair of the day.
Lord, let it be so with me. I know well the dark times of the soul. There are seasons when the emotions of the poet are my emotions too. Let me choose with the poet to trust in you – to trust you. And grant me the joy and hope of that constant trust.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give the darkness of your soul to God and ask for the ability to trust God.
Say with the poet, “But I trust in you.”
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1]

b Gk Syr: Heb my iniquity

c Cn: Heb exceedingly

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 31

2009-02-22T09:49:00.001-06:00

Psalm 31 (NRSV)
1 In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 You hatea those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.

Lord,
I confess that this doesn’t feel very “prayerful.” I’m sitting in the Denver airport between flights and wanting to get this done! How is that for prayer? But it’s all I have and I will either write to you here or maybe, today, not write at all.

Years ago, Malcom Boyd wrote a little book of prayers called “Run with Me Jesus.” How about, “Fly with me Jesus?” So here I sit, wanting to meet you through the Psalm.

Help me to pray with the poet, “But I trust in the LORD.” The question that, like you, is always as near as the air we breath is this, “In whom or in what do you trust?” The presence or absence of trust shapes every decision and controls every attitude. When there is nobody to trust, anxiety prevails, the stomach roils, and every decision is pushed by the need to find a safe place. When anxiety and fear prevail, every decision will be a quest for security and the quest for security, by itself, is seldom sufficient for wisdom and never the ground for courage.

Idolatry is always the misplacing of trust. It is trusting something or someone as being more trustworthy than you.

The questions Lord, I have always been stalked by questions. How can I trust you? For what can I trust you? In what way can I rely on you?

This is the bottom line for me. I pray that I am right. Show me more. I trust you never to abandon me and to grant me the grace to meet anything that comes my way.

I place my trust in you.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
As God to grow the spirit of trust in God within you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen

a One Heb Ms Gk Syr Jerome: MT I hate

Psalm 31

2009-02-14T18:15:00.001-06:00

Lord,
It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I’ve been in several worship services and have certainly prayed along the way but it’s been a long time since I have sat with the poet and contemplated your presence. It’s been a while since I’ve prayed the Psalm.

Why? I’ve been travelling a lot and I’ve been busy and it’s not been convenient. And, for reasons that I do not know, I found this Psalm to be intimidating. It’s feels long. I know that longer ones are coming but this seems like a lot.

And since I am confessing, I’m feeling a bit of repetition. The newness of the thing has worn off and you know how I with routine. I am addicted to periodic doses of adrenalin, the rush that comes with things new. Staying with things has never been the strength of my life.

Lord, make these moments fruitful. Grant to me your presence, your Spirit.

Psalm 31 (NRSV)
1 In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Lord,
The poet is praying for deliverance from defeat and failure. To speak the obvious, he wants to win. And he believes that he deserves to win, that he really should win, because his cause is your cause.

He is anxious and fearful and decidedly short of confidence. (Who hasn’t been in that place?) So he declares that he is taking refuge Lord, in you. He wants you to do for him what he cannot do for himself.

You, he prays, you are capable of stepping up and saving the day. In his anxiety, he deliberately speaks of your ability to save and he calls you his Rock and Fortress.

Lord, I don’t want to fail either. I don’t want to be caught in the net of frustration and incompetence. So, with the poet I pray, be my strength, my fortress, my rock, my protection and my guide. May your cause be mine and grant me victory in it.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Give your fear and anxiety to God and ask God to be your rock and fortress.
Ask God to make the intentions of your life consistent with God’s purpose and character.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1]
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 30

2009-01-28T08:44:00.000-06:00

Psalm 30 (NRSV)
8 To you, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soulb may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
[1]

Lord,
I love the way that the poet negotiates with you, or thinks that he is negotiating. To paraphrase; “Look Lord, what good am I to you if I am dead?” Did he think that you would be worse off without him?
Perhaps he really did believe that you needed him.
Perhaps you did need him.

In what way do you need us? In what way do you need me? It’s clear that there are some things that you won’t do without us. You don’t build bridges over rivers and you don’t build power grids to light the cities. You don’t hold babies in warm physical arms and you certainly use your people to tell your story. It appears that in some real ways, you do need us to fulfill your intention for your world. Perhaps it not too bold to say that, in some way, you need me to fulfill that part of your purpose that you have entrusted into my keeping.

Emotionally it’s nearly paradoxical to say that you need me. It’s a direct highway to arrogance – the Lord needs me! And it is a driver to deep humility, that you would entrust a part of your purpose to me.

I suppose that I should remember that you needed the ancient poet for only a very short time. He left the stage thousands of years ago. And so it will be with me. That is a very humbling thought.

The poet negotiates and then the poet is made whole and the poet gives you the credit and praise. He brings his hymn to a crescendo of praise and thanksgiving. What a great way to live! He was neither too proud to ask nor was he too proud to say “thank you”. Let it be so with me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Speak candidly to God about your deepest need and perhaps even to negotiate a little.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

b Heb that glory

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 30

2009-01-26T09:17:00.001-06:00

Psalm 30 (NRSV)
1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.a
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

Lord,
How wise is this poet! “I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’” You had made him as strong as a mountain. And then, in the midst of all of that prosperity and security, “you hid your face; I was dismayed”!

It could have been written this morning. We were wealthy. The market was sky high. We were indestructible. Like the Rockies, nobody could do anything to us. And then it crashed. Portfolios and annuities evaporated like shallow water on a hot day. Jobs have disappeared and suddenly it seems as if “you hid your face.” We are dismayed.

So here we are, making our supplication. Take us through this time. Where in our prosperity, we took you for granted, restore us to a rightful relationship with you. Let our fear be the occasion for our repentance and our losses the cause of a new quest for justice and mercy.

Do we ask for the restoration of our resources? We do. We pray for jobs and the financial means necessary for all to have the lives that you intend for all of your children. Do not forsake us Lord in our time of confusion and anxiety. And make true again the ancient words of the poet that your anger is but for a moment but your favor lasts a lifetime.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to calm your fears and to transform your anxiety into confidence in God’s gracious favor.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1]

a Or that I should not go down to the Pit

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 30

2009-01-25T09:47:00.002-06:00

Psalm 30 (NRSV)
1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

Lord,
The poet give you thanks for having been brought up from the pit. He gives thanks for being healed. It seems clear to me that he could not have been brought up if he had not gone down! He could not have been healed if he had not been sick. Even the biblical poet gives testimony to the ebb and flow of the spiritual life. The unbroken brightness of spiritual bliss doesn’t happen here. Instead our walk with You is one that involves both the dark night of illness and the bright day of healing. Let me be neither surprised nor faithless in the dark times nor allow me to neglect you when all seems to be well.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

Lord,
The poet knows better than to expect You to protect him from all disturbance and difficulty. Faith is not an inoculation against hard times but is instead the anticipation that You will take us through the darkness toward the bright dawn of a fresh tomorrow. In the words of another generation’s wisdom, “This too shall pass.”
And here is another piece of wisdom demonstrated by the poet. He makes a point of saying “thank you.” He remembers the difficulty and he remembers who led him through and he remembers to say “thank you.” In his spirituality, there is an inherent gratitude. “Sing praises”, he says and “give thanks.”

Lord, to you I give my struggles of today. Some things seem too heavy to bear; some things are too heavy to bear without you. Help me to carry the load and keep me forever mindful of the poet’s wisdom that “weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” About some things we simply say, “This too shall pass.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give the sorrow of this day to God and ask God to take you to a brighter tomorrow.
Name 5 thing for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 29

2009-01-14T09:36:00.001-06:00

Psalm 29 (NRSV)
1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,a
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,b
and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
[1]

Lord,
This morning I want to affirm with the poet your glory and strength.
I want to affirm glory:
In the mystery of your being
In the majesty of creation
In the crisp cold air of a Midwestern January
And in the gentle breezes of a southern winter day
In the wonder of being alive
In the beauty of the senses
And the ability to absorb the majestic hues of day and night
In children and grandchildren
In all the is right and just and good
Lord there is not enough time nor do I have the words to declare your glory.
And your strength, I want to affirm your strength.
You speak and:
The universe is created
Lives are transformed
Nastiness becomes the opener to something good
Death becomes life
Crucifixion becomes resurrection.
Lord, give strength to your people.
Lord, give strength to me.
As I live through this day, give me eyes to behold your glory and a heart to receive your strength for the journey.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Name the places where you see God’s glory.
Ask for strength to meet the day.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Heb sons of gods

b Or causes the deer to calve

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 28

2009-01-05T15:18:00.000-06:00

Psalm 28 (NRSV)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their work,
and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 O save your people, and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd, and carry them forever.
[1]

Lord,

Let me speak personally. It’s been a wonderful holiday season and it’s been aggravating beyond description and I have to confess that my heart has been a little shaky. I love the family Christmas gathering. Nearly everybody is there, brother and sister, nieces and nephews, in-laws and potential in-laws, children and grandchildren all together in one place. Only one family had to miss and while grieving their absence I am grateful for all who could gather. It was wonderful and that is the good part.

But there was the accident. I drove the car straight into the ditch and we had to be pulled out. We had to get a brake job. There was a nail in the tire. Our old puppy Christie nearly died and still may. Peggy took on a virus (we think) that completely disabled her for 36 hours. (I would tell you more but you already know and those sharing this prayer may not be able to pray and imagine her plight at the same time.) On the way home, the brakes started to smell and then we saw the smoke and then the garage discovered that a caliper on one of the brakes had frozen and nearly turned one brake pad to charcoal. Then we drove in rain that made us think that Noah’s ark was coming. O, and on the way home, Peggy accused me of being grumpy!
And I began to pray, “What’s wrong here?”

In the midst of all of this stuff, I want to remember that you are the strength of my heart. Help me to distinguish between things that are inconvenient or aggravating and things that are genuine problems. I confess that there were times when the aggravations were a little hard to handle.

While the dog is sick and the vet sent a substantial bill, some among us cannot afford to take medical care of their children. While our old car cost us some significant money (by our standards) others have no car at all. While we had to come back to work, some cry out for a chance to work. Lord, keep our perspective. Let perspective be a part of the confidence that we have in you.

So, I’m giving it to you Lord, confessing both my frustration and my gratitude which are all mixed up in the weeks surrounding Christmas.

Emmanuel, God is with us.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for the grace that you need for this new year.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 28

2008-12-19T09:13:00.000-06:00

Psalm 28 (NRSV)

1 To you, O Lord, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your most holy sanctuary.a

Lord,
Please hear me, hear my plea for help. You have entrusted a great opportunity into my hands, a chance to contribute to the lives of men and women who have responded to your call to serve as leaders in Christ’s church. What a remarkable crowd this is, these who have heard your invitation and answered by giving their lives to the ministry of Christ and church. What a remarkable vocation this is, representing your people in prayer to you and representing you to your people in proclamation! And I have been invited to be of service in this holy arena within your Kingdom. If I feel a little unworthy and perhaps more than a little daunted, please understand.

This morning, I ask for help in being a good steward of the ministry that has been given to me. Grant me wisdom to do those things that will best serve your people in ministry and, through the ministers, serve your church and Christ.

Only 6 days to Christmas and pastors are preparing Christmas and Christmas Eve worship services. The only thing I can offer today is a prayer. Let the spirit of Christ, whose life we celebrate in this season, empower all that is done so that your people might know, love, and serve him more fully.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask for the special grace that you need from God in this season.
Give thanks for women and men who are serving as ministerial leaders in our churches and communities.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Heb your innermost sanctuary

psalm 27

2008-12-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

Psalm 27 (NRSV)
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!
[1]

Lord,

In one line, the poet is full of confidence and in the next he is not so sure. In one line, he knows that you will protect him and in the next he is begging for protection as though his firm confidence is losing its grip.

Confidence: “For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble….”
Less confidence: “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!”
Confidence Again: “If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.”

So why is this important to me? Why do I see this so quickly? It is as though my heart is looking into the mirror image of itself: faith and less faith, confidence and less confidence and not confidence and then confidence again. I know all about that!

So, Lord, I say to myself as the poet said, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! “

For you I wait, seeking strength for the season and courage for all that meets me today.

It’s the Advent season and the economy is going into the tank. Never in my life have I seen such a conspiracy between the corrupt and the incompetent in high places. And the irony is this, if a man steals a purse, he can go to jail. When a man drives a company into the ditch and thousands of people lose jobs and health care and pensions, that man gets a golden parachute! I know, it’s not the same but there ought to be some kind of accountability somewhere. From those, to whom much is given, much is required.

Lord, it’s all above me. Help us please,

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for the courage and faith that you need for today.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 27

2008-12-15T09:56:00.000-06:00

Psalm 27 (NRSV)
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strongholda 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.

Lord,

The poet prays, “Yet I will be confident”. And his confidence is grounded in the reality that “the Lord is the stronghold of my life.”

Today I pray with the poet, “You are the stronghold of my life. You are the one on whom I rely. You are the source of strength and wisdom and grace.

The days come, as they came for the poets of the Psalms, that are filled with danger and very good reasons to be afraid. How many do we know who are: Facing death, gravely ill, fearful for a child or spouse or parent, struggling with the current economic melt-down, jobless or homeless or barely squeaking by in some other way, caught in webs spun by immoral and unethical people. The harsh truth is that bad things really do happen to good people.

The poets knew well the harsh realities of life in this broken and sinful world and still this poet prays, “The Lord is the stronghold of my life…Yet I will be confident.” Let this be my prayer today.

As we move towards Christmas morning and the celebration of Jesus’ birth, we are aware of your greater remedy for the darkness in this world. We are aware of the one who opened, in fresh ways, the doors of heaven so that we might again experience the grace of your spirit and the salvation that you want for all.

In the days before Christmas, I say again to you, You are the stronghold of my life and I will be confident.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Remember the hymn that says, “Give to the winds thy fears, hope and be undismayed….”
Ask for the assurance of the presence the gives confidence for today.
Name 5 people who are struggling with life’s harsh realities and ask God to be present to each one.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Or refuge

Psalm 26

2008-12-12T10:07:00.000-06:00

Psalm 26 (NRSV)
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,
and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners,
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10 those in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.
[1]

Lord,

Help me to pray with the poet, “I walk in my integrity.” In the midst of all that life brings, all that is wonderful and all that is painful, grant me the grace to remember who I am; one of your sons, a follower of Jesus Christ, an “Image-of-God” human being, one who enjoys the grace that you give. Help me to never forget the two great commandments of life, to love you with all of my being and to love my neighbor as I love myself. Keep me grounded in the community of Your Spirit and grant me the grace of joyful worship.

The poet prays, “Do not sweep me away with sinners.” I pray, forgive me my sin and do not abandon me because of my mistakes and misdeeds. Grow me to be the man that you intended in my birth so many years ago.

And in all things, I will remember to say “thank you” both in public and private places.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to remember your core identity as a child of God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 26

2008-12-09T09:55:00.001-06:00

Psalm 26 (NRSV)
1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.a
4 I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Lord,
This poet is making his case. He needs your help, and so do I, and he is pleading his worthiness. Look at his claim: integrity, trust, and faithfulness. And what has he avoided? He has steered clear of the worthless, hypocrites, evildoers and the wicked. And then he claims the merit of worship – singing and testimony. This is really good stuff, excellent behavior, and virtue worthy of God’s reward.

But, isn’t there always a “but”? we know that if this poet is David, it was not always true. He did some pretty nasty things, things that deserve the label of “moral depravity”, do you remember Bathsheba and Uriah? Maybe he wrote this before the fall.

I don’t want to belittle the virtues and behavior that he claims. Integrity, trust, faithfulness are good things and refusing to succumb to the influence of bad people is always commendable. Lord, I pray that those virtues will be mine. But I also know that while there is nothing in my history to match the moral depravity that David demonstrated with Bathsheba and Uriah, neither can I claim untainted virtue.

So, Lord I am left to pray, help me to be as virtuous as I can be and forgive me when I fail. While I want to stand before you with good character and some achievements and the claim of contributions made to your world, I know that I will forever be indebted to your forgiveness and grace. I know that I will forever be dependent on the grace of Christ and for that grace I pray.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to do the right thing in the right way at the right time.
Ask God’s forgiveness for your failures.
Rest securely in the Gospel of Christ.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen

a Or in your faithfulness

psalm 25

2008-12-08T10:26:00.001-06:00

Psalm 25:19-22 (NRSV)
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
[1]

Lord,

How many are my foes? And how many of them live within my own psyche? Fear, anger, ambivalence, guilt, shame, faithlessness, ancient memories that still get in the way of fruitful living, how many are my foes? As Jesus exorcised demons from the lives of those whom he physically touched, take my inner foes away.

And the external foes, there are a few. Help me to remember that most of my external foes are people who have been taken over by their own personal internal enemies.

But there are others, women and men who hate or ignore you and have little use for me because of my intention to be faithful to you. Selfishness and stinginess and the unfailing quest for power and money have driven some to be full participants in the causes of evil.

So, with the ancient poet, I pray, “guard my life and deliver me… for I take refuge in you.”

Lord, you have given us two great weapons in the struggles of life, integrity and uprightness. Too often these “Kingdom Instruments” have been too little used and too often ignored. Too often, integrity and uprightness have been under valued and underdeveloped. Too often, perhaps, that has been true of me.

Nurture those great virtues in my own soul. I have no expectation of achieving any kind of perfection but if you could just grow those great virtues a little within me, perhaps the world will be a little blessed.

Take care of your church and your people God; take really good care of them.

A personal word: Saturday I attended a wedding and Sunday afternoon I returned to the same Christmas decorated sanctuary for a funeral. Take care of you people, O God, take really good care of our people.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Pray, in the manner of the ancient poet, to be safeguarded from all of your foes.

Ask God to nurture the habits of integrity and uprightness in your life.

Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you to God.”

In Christ’s name,
Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 25

2008-12-05T08:56:00.000-06:00

Psalm 25:11-18 (NRSV)
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring mea out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
[1]
Lord,

We live between promise and peril. With the poet I pray, “pardon my guilt, for it is great.” Peril: the possibility that misdeeds and mistakes will ultimately lead to destruction. And promise: we live with the assurance of pardon. We live between the two.

And this amazing promise, those who walk with the Lord will abide in prosperity – some day.

But the poet is not yet living in the state of prosperity. All is not well. He writes, “I am lonely and afflicted.” His heart is troubled and he is distressed. And he is pleading for forgiveness.

Peril and promise, despair and hope, fear and faith, the poet gives it all to you Lord believing, at least hoping, that you will receive the contradictions of his heart with grace and that you will bless him with your presence.

You know the peril in which we now live and we beg your help. Restore the prosperity that you promise.

You know the despair of so many of our neighbors. Restore your hope within us.

You know the fear that distorts our ability to see the world clearly and relate to one another lovingly. Grow within us the faith that leads to salvation.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Confess your guilt and fear to God and ask for the pardon and faith that you need.
Attend to the promise of prosperity and allow that promise to grow within your heart and mind.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Or The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 25

2008-12-04T10:24:00.000-06:00

Psalm 25 (NRSV)
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Lord,
Because you are good, you give instruction to sinners and you lead the humble. Your goodness causes you to reach out to sinners, to the lost, to the mistaken and to the willfully wrong. You do not keep yourself separated from sinners but reach into the orbits of their lives with wisdom and grace and the offer of pardon. You are always whispering in the sinners’ ears, “There is a better way.” You go to the bars and the boardrooms, into the streets and the bedrooms of the broken, into the lives of those incarcerated in jails and chained by habits of futility and self-destruction. You give instruction to sinners.

And who can receive the gift of instruction? Only the humble! You lead the humble, you teach the humble. What you offer to all sinners is received by the humble, by sinners who are open to the possibility that they may be wrong and in need of fresh instruction and guidance. Only to those who realize the need for guidance and grace are able to receive it, or so implies the poet.

So Lord, I pray for renewed humility. Open my soul to a new awareness of your presence and grace and help me to go where you lead and to embody that which you teach.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Speak your sin to God and ask for the pardon that he has promised.
Ask for the courage to be humble enough to receive the grace of God’s guidance and instruction.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

psalm 25

2008-12-02T06:48:00.000-06:00

Psalm 25 (NRSV)
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Lord,
Even as I ask for guidance, I ask as one who knows that he has no right to ask. I seek your guidance because you have invited me to do so. You have made the offer. You have asked me to accept the gift that comes from you.

As I extend my hand to receive the gift of guidance from you, I am mindful, with the poet, of the sins of youth and maturity and I ask that you will continue to be merciful. Do not allow my mistakes, either old or new, to get in the way of following you as the One who knows the way through this life.

Lord, your mercy and kindness are grounded deeply in the essence of your character. You are God and you are merciful and it is with this assurance that I ask that you will remember me. “According to your steadfast love, remember me.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give thanks that mercy, kindness and pardon form the shape of God’s heart.
Ask God to be your companion through the course of your day and week.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 25

2008-11-20T21:59:00.003-06:00

Psalm 25 (NRSV).
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Lord,

Here’s my struggle. I am convinced that the fundamental principles of your ways, your paths can be known through a prayerful walk with Jesus and the study of scriptures that finally bear witness to him. Mercy, kindness, justice, love, forgiveness are the trail markers that we follow in our walk with you.

What is harder is to know the individual path that you have for each of us. Have you created an individual trail for each of us to follow and how can we find the signs? I can follow Jesus and learn about mercy and justice and love but I can not read the Bible and know specifically where you would lead me each day. I guess what I would love to have is a kind of personal cosmic spiritual GPS system.

The poet wrote that he waits for you all day long. It seems that in some spiritual way, you are personally the spiritual GPS system in our personal walk with you.

And yet, if that is so, why is that so many who claim to be perfectly tuned in to you walk so many different kinds of trail? And why is it that too many seem too often to be at war with one another, all for the love of Jesus? Why is it that so many who claim to be disciples of Jesus are willing to damage and sometimes destroy others who claim to be disciples of Jesus – all for the love of Jesus? And why are some so willing to disobey the commandment of Jesus that we love one another and that we love even our enemies all the while claiming to serve him?

So Lord, teach me your path. Grant me your truth. Indeed I wait for you. And I dare to even pray for that spiritual GPS system that would lead me along the life trail that you wish me to follow.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to teach you God’s ways so that you might follow God’s path.
And seek pardon for those times in which, in the passion to be right, you have violated the commandment to love neighbor and enemy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 25

2008-11-20T21:59:00.001-06:00

Psalm 25

2008-11-17T09:13:00.001-06:00

Psalm 25 (NRSV)
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Lord,
Today, I trust my life into your father-like care. I choose to trust you with my my good intentions, good deeds, mistakes, sin, frustrations, successes, conversations, travel, work and rest – all I trust into your tender care and keeping.

I confess that I completely understand the poet when he first declares his trust in you and then quickly adds, “do not let me be put to shame.” Don’t let my trust be misplaced. Don’t let me down.” Such ambivalence in faith, I fully understand and ask to be delivered from it.

But, on the other hand, if there were no uncertainty, would it be the faith that you ask? OK, I’m out of my depth here. Is faith without some sense of doubt, really faith? Do you really want a faith that squelches all questions and silences all uncertainty? Are not those the very faith based stimulants that stir the heart and soul to seek more intently after you? I suspect that I’ll never know. So take me as I am, full of faith that has its fair portion of uncertainty and grant me some comfort in knowing that the poet seems to share my quandary.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God will stir trust within your heart.
And pray that God will stir you to seek after God more intently.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

psalm 24

2008-10-27T08:59:00.001-05:00

Psalm 24 (NRSV)

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
[1]
Lord,
Just as the gates of the ancient fortress were lifted for the friend and stranger to enter, so I ask that the gates of my mind and heart will be lifted today so that you may find you place within me. You are the Lord of hosts, the Lord of all that is; be my Lord today.

Help me to be the person of integrity and love that you created me to be.

As you live within, help me to hear your voice, the Inner Voice of your Spirit, giving direction and encouragement, courage and peace, wisdom and compassion to the movements of my day.

You are the King of Glory
You are the King of Glory
You are the King….

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to lead you through your days and nights, to be the Lord of your heart and mind.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 24

2008-10-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

Psalm 24 (NRSV)
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.a Selah

Lord,
What high standards your have! The people who are invited to stand next to you have:
Clean hands
Pure heart
True worship
Honesty
I am grateful for the power of forgiveness. I have, at one time or another, violated every one of those standards and I trust that you have cleansed the dark stain from my heart and soul. If I meet your standards, it is only because you have given me chance after chance after chance to try again.
I am grateful for the power of aspiration. The poet describes the way that I want to live. It is my intention to live according to the highest spiritual and moral standards.
I am grateful for the examples of those who have embodied these virtues and demonstrate for all who will see the inherent rightness of this way of life.
I am grateful for the saints who have brought light to me life.
I am especially grateful for Jesus who is the embodiment of these holy virtues.
For the promises of your presence,
For the promise of your blessings,
For countless blessings already experienced,
For your eternal grace,
Thank you.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for the grace needed to live according to the virtues described in this Psalm.
Ask God for forgiveness for your spiritual and moral failures.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Gk Syr: Heb your face, O Jacob

psalm 24

2008-10-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

Psalm 24 (NRSV)
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.

Lord,
The earth is yours by the rights of creation. The earth:
The mountains, rivers, plains and seas;
The oil and natural gas, the top soil and water rights;
Cattle, chickens, tuna, and the legs of crab and frog;
And all of the acreage, it all belongs to you according to the rights of creation. You were before the earth and you will be after the earth and when all else is done, it’s yours.

The people of the world are yours:
Men of every hue and women of every language and children of every size, all are yours.
The oil sheiks of the middle east and the moguls of Wall Street;
Generals and privates and civilians who pray not to become collateral damage;
Plumbers and carpenters, lawyers and doctors, preachers and beggars;
We all belong to you.

Now this is the hard part. Some of us do not know to whom we belong. We see ourselves as the masters of our own universe. And some of us do not know that the others belong to you. We simply cannot bring ourselves to believe that the damaged children of Iraq and the people of Iran and Sudan, and Moslem and Hindu and the practitioners of Native American traditional spirituality – all are yours. All are yours.

Lord, if the earth is yours, and it is, make me a good steward of the earth. And if all people belong to you, grant me to see every boy and girl and man and woman as a person created by you and beloved by you. Help me to see the beauty and value in each.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you see the creator in the creation.
Ask God to help you to see the image of the creator in each person you meet.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

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.a 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
[1]

a Gk Syr: Heb your face, O Jacob

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 23

2008-10-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

Psalm 23 (NRSV)
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,d
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

Lord,
Oh how I admire the courage of the poet! “I will fear no evil.” What faith he has, “for you are with me.” What a powerful peace, “they comfort me.” This courage, faith and peace I would have as my own.

You and I both know that I do not always walk in the pathways of righteousness. You know my sin. But if this poet was David, we know his sin too. So I ask that you will be with me in days dark and bright. Grant me the courage that comes with a firm faith in you and grant me the peace of your comforting presence.

In this quiet moment, I know that you are here. In the spirit of the Quakers, let me hear the voice that speaks from within. Let me hear the voice that speaks through scripture. Let me hear your voice and know that you are with me.

Lord, some among us are experiencing some very dark days. The economic plight of our nation, indeed our world, has put families and homes and the necessities of life at risk for many many people. Even more than I, they need faith, courage, and comfort. Bless each one with the peace that only your presence can offer.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to grant you assurance of God’s presence.
Sit quietly for a time in an awareness that the Spirit lives within you and around you and with the community of God’s people.
Name 5 things for with you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

d Or the valley of the shadow of death

Psalm 23

2008-10-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

Psalm 23 (NRSV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;a
3 he restores my soul.b
He leads me in right pathsc
for his name’s sake.

Lord,
Restore my soul. I am not confessing to any unusual distress today, though the economy has me a bit worried and I’m always concerned for my family and friends, but I am confessing the need for daily restoration. As my body needs daily bread, so my soul requires daily attention, the ongoing nurture of your Spirit.

And I pray for those who need more than daily bread, for those whose souls are being damaged by the challenges and tragedies of life – the poor and bankrupt, the ill, dying and grieving, all who care for the vulnerable and wounded, all who must choose between the bad and the worst, for all who require significant soul-restoration.

Lord, it appears that there are times when you restore our souls without fixing the circumstances that wound and even destroy. So, I pray, that in the midst of danger and death, you will restore souls. When illness will not be cured and when death will not be denied and when bankruptcy is inevitable, please grant to your servants soul-wholeness in the midst of the worst that this world has to offer.

Lead us in the path of righteousness. Teach us to do the right thing in the right way at the right time. Above all, keep us in right relationship with You and with our neighbors.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God will keep your soul whole.
Pray that the wounds on your soul will be healed and that all around you will be made whole.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Heb waters of rest

b Or life

c Or paths of righteousness

psalm 23

2008-10-12T09:06:00.000-05:00

Psalm 23 (NRSV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Lord,
We could use a really good shepherd now. The market is down about a third and our annuities are down nearly that much which means for those who are about to retire, their annual income from their annuity will be reduced by a third and that, dear Lord, is a powerful kick in the sensitive places of life. Your servants are being hurt in powerful ways and need your shepherding. Quiet waters and green grass are wonderful things but some green money would be helpful too.

Lord, I look at my colleagues and the faithful servants they have given all of their adult lives to you and then I look at the corporate executives who, with the blessing of our political leaders, have driven our economy into near-oblivion and I see the “golden parachutes” they are given to provide soft landings following the chain collision crashes they have created and, to be honest, I am really angry. Where is the justice? Oh that they would live on the reduced incomes of some of your faithful servants! (I know. It’s a little vindictive but I prefer to call it justice.)

Lord, for the sake of your faithful servants, for the sake of ministers and missionaries who are about to retire, for the sake of all sisters and brothers of faith who are being seriously damaged by our current economic crisis, be a good shepherd. Grant us your relief and return us to ample prosperity. And as we wait for better days, walk with us through the valley of financial fear and failure and grant us your grace in every needed way.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for all who are being hurt by the current economic crisis, including yourself, your family, and those you love.
Give God thanks for the good shepherd we know in Jesus.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 22

2008-10-03T09:39:00.001-05:00

Psalm 22 (NRSV)
12 Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my moutha is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me;
a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shriveled;b
17 I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my lifec from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescuedd me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;e
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor
the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,f
but heard when Ig cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poorh shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.i
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29 To him,j indeed, shall all who sleep ink the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.l
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 andm proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.
[1]

Lord,
I marvel at the poet’s faith and ask that his faith will inform my faith. He is clearly in serious trouble. And he is free to proclaim his problems to you with no pretension. As he engages you in prayer, he takes his problem to you in a state of absolute desperation. That desperation forces him to confess his absolute dependency on you. And in that state of physical, emotional and spiritual dependency, he becomes aware of your listening presence. In your presence he remembers desperate prayers long ago answered. Those memories, both personal and historical, remind him of your long persisting faithfulness. And remembering past faithfulness, he is made bold to proclaim that you will be faithful for all generations to come. It’s nearly paradoxical but it seems that his desperation becomes the tap root for hope.

In the words of Paul, it becomes grace delivered through faith. But this time, faith has been stirred by fear.

Lord, I confess that I would be more than happy to avoid those circumstance that generate fear and desperation – though with the present economy we may all be driven to that place. But I do confess my dependence on you and I seek your grace.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Speak your fears to God and ask for help.
As you speak, be aware of God’s listening presence and allow yourself to hope.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen

a Cn: Heb strength

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb my only one

d Heb answered

e Or kindred

f Heb him

g Heb he

h Or afflicted

i Gk Syr Jerome: Heb you

j Cn: Heb They have eaten and

k Cn: Heb all the fat ones

l Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb and he who cannot keep himself alive

m Compare Gk: Heb it will be told about the Lord to the generation, 31they will come and

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 22

2008-10-02T10:06:00.001-05:00

Psalm 22 (NRSV)
6 But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

Lord,
The poet is having a bad day, a really bad day! His soul is arena for a grand wrestling match. On the one hand he is struggling with the horrible events of the season and, on the other hand, he is remembering the eternal reality of your care. On the one hand, “I am a worm, and not human.” And on the other hand, “Yet it was you who took me from the womb.” Who am I, worm or child of God?

It was the poet’s soul-struggle and some days it is my struggle. Lord, who am I and who are you? Am I a worm to be ignored or a child whom you delivered into this life? Are you a God who ignores the plight of your people or are you the One who responds with grace and love?

I pray with the poet, “Since my mother bore me you have been my God.” And I continue, “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give God thanks for being your God and for giving you life.
Confess to God whatever conflict may be present within your soul today.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say, “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 22

2008-10-01T08:59:00.002-05:00

Psalm 22 (NRSV)
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

Lord,
Women and men around the world are crying, “Lord, where are you?” Hurricanes, tornadoes, flood and drought have taken lives and destroyed homes and livelihoods and the cry is, “Where are you?” Tyrants, both political and economic, have reduced men and women to the bare necessities and less and they cry, “Where are you?” The ravages of disease and crashing of relationships cause us to wonder, “Where are you?” And across America today, as the gods of Greed are bringing forth their flowers of economic destruction, we wonder, “Where are you?”

And, with the poet we pray, “Yet you are holy.” “In you our ancestors trusted…and you delivered them.” Look with mercy on all of your suffering people and grant your salvation.

“Yet”, the poet prayed “Yet”. He remembered the experience of his ancestors and he chose to trust in you, even when the immediate evidence called for panic and distrust. He remembered that there is more to our reality than our immediate experiences. That which dominates our senses does not include all that is. He remembered that which came long before the experience of the moment and he chose to trust himself into your care.

Lord, make it so with us, with me, today and every day.

Help me to trust even when I cannot find you. Even when I cry, “My God…why have you forsaken me?” remind me to pray, “Yet….” Help me to choose to believe and trust.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to grant you the power of trust even when everything calls for fear and panic.
Affirm with the poet, “Yet you are holy”, and remember the faith of those who have gone before.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 21

2008-09-30T09:19:00.001-05:00

Psalm 21 (NRSV)
8 Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them like a fiery furnace
when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth,
and their children from among humankind.
11 If they plan evil against you,
if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12 For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bows.
13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.
[1]

Lord,

Some day in some way, you are going to make this world right. All that violates the two great commandments will be removed and all that is in harmony with those great commandments will be fulfilled and all of your people will live together in peace and love. This is the singular promise of your Kingdom and you invite us to live as though it were so now. You invite us to do those things that help to create peace and love.

But how far away we are now! The American economy seems on the verge of collapse and our leaders, for the moment, are stymied. Clearly greed has been the reigning god of the season and we will now all drink from the bitters waters of her well. Some have acquired wealth beyond all imagination and the rest of us will pay for their excess. I can feel the prayer of the next Psalm, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken us?”

If your kingdom is to prevail, if love and peace and justice are to reign, then some things will have to go and some gods will have to be defeated. Greed will have to be disciplined and reigned in and defeated. And those who have knelt at the altars of greed will have to change or be changed for the sake of the rest of your people.

Dear Lord, let it be so and let it begin in me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to shape your attitude and behavior according to the values of God’s Kingdom.
Seductive as the god of greed is, ask God to keep you from Greed’s worship.
Pray for our nation’s leaders in this time of crisis.
Name 5 thing for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 21

2008-09-24T09:47:00.002-05:00

Psalm 21 (NRSV)
1 In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord,
and in your help how greatly he exults!
2 You have given him his heart’s desire,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3 For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life; you gave it to him—
length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great through your help;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6 You bestow on him blessings forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
[1]

Lord,
Help me.

This psalm (21) rejoices in the victories that you give. “You (Lord) have given him (the king, the poet) his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips.”

The next psalm (22) begins, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”

And Psalm 23 begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

Each psalm is ripe with the emotions of the moment. In moments of success, the poet celebrates your faithfulness. In seasons of danger, the poet wonders aloud, where in the world are you? And the next psalm declares, “The Lord is my shepherd.

So, as I pray through the psalms, the invitation seems to be clear. You invite me to offer to you the current truth of my heart and soul. I am invited to say in times of success, “Thank you.” In times of uncertainty and danger, I may say to you “Help.” In times of confusion, I may say, “I really don’t understand” and I may say, “I doubt it.” When the soul is dry, I may say, “Why have you forsaken me?” When illness and death intrude, I am invited to ask for healing and help. And, I may always say, “Praise belongs to you. The heavens and earth belong to you. And though I doubt, still I believe.”

I believe that above all, you invite a living and honest conversation, a relationship grounded in the reality of life. If I am wrong, forgive and correct me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Speak to God the truth of your life now and ask God to give you the grace that you need in this season of life.
Ask God to strip all pretention from your prayers and to help you to see yourself as God sees you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 20

2008-09-23T08:48:00.000-05:00

Psalm 20 (NRSV)
6 Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O Lord;
answer us when we call.a
[1]

Lord,
You can bet your life (as though you, the Lord God could “bet your life”) that I want to believe the prayer of the poet, “I know that the Lord will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.”

Lord, I’m in a new place in life trying to do a new thing in a new way and I need all the help that I can get. You know the reasons for my doubts. I have experienced unanswered prayer. My nephews are dead and family members have experienced what must be glimpses of hell. While you did not protect us from evil, you walked through the torments of evil with us and saw us through.

Still I believe that you help your people, those who call on you. As I engage my new assignment, I ask for your help. I ask for your wisdom and energy so that the work of your kingdom might be advanced. I believe that you have a “victory” that will contribute to the mission of your kingdom. I believe that you will answer my prayer.

Jesus said, “ask and you will receive.” I believe. Let it be so.

Lord, I pray for my country. We have “horses and chariots” like no other in the world and still the headlines scream that we are on the verge of disaster, crumbling from the inner rot of greed and corruption. Have mercy O Lord, have mercy.

The poet says that “they will collapse and fall.” I pray that the “they” is not “we”.

Lord, answer our prayers.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Place your personal mission before God and ask for the victory that God would give.
Pray for out nation.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen
a Gk: Heb give victory, O Lord; let the King answer us when we call

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 20

2008-09-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

Psalm 20 (NRSV)
1 The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Lord,

I’m reminded of an Irish blessing. “May the road rise up to meet you and the wind be always at your back.” I take this Psalm as a “Psalmic Blessing.”

Jesus once said, “Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

And where in the Christian writings does it say, “You have not because you ask not”? We are clearly invited to place the dearest desires of the heart before God.

Lord, I ask that you lead me to give careful attention to my petitions and requests. I ask that you will inform the desires of my heart.

As the poet sets his requests in the context of sacrifice and offering, set my requests in the context of worship and faithful discipleship.

And, Lord, I ask that you will fulfill my petitions.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to shape the fundamental desires of your heart and to fulfill them.
Name 5 things that you want, pray that your desires are consistent with the character of Christ and ask God to open the doors necessary to their accomplishment.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name.
Amen.

[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 19

2008-09-21T07:49:00.000-05:00

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
[1]

Lord,
Countless sermons have begun with this verse and rightly so. But this morning I pray that my life will begin with these words, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Words, the flowers of the heart; roses and dandelions, orchids and thistles, words bless and curse, heal and wound, help and hurt – let the words of my mouth be acceptable today.

Meditation, that to which we give our attention, those to whom we listen, the focus of our thoughts and fantasies, the pondering and wondering that we do – let my meditations be acceptable to you today.

Lord, you are the One to whom I pledge my ultimate loyalty, the one to whom I am, both by choice and necessity finally accountable.

My rock, you are the stability in my life, the One who cannot be broken, the One upon whom I finally rely.

My redeemer, You, God of heaven and earth, You are the father of Jesus, the one in whom salvation is found. In Jesus, we find the final testimony that your love is beyond measure. You have redeemed us for yourself.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to so breathe God’s Spirit into you that your words and meditations will be pleasing to God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 19

2008-09-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;d
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.

Lord,
Your ordinances are “more desired than gold”, “sweeter than honey.” Jesus once talked about a treasure buried in a field that cost the buyer everything and was worth it. Your law, your words, your instruction, your way, your salvation is worth it – more desired than gold and sweeter than honey.

You make it clear that those who live according to your ordinances discover great rewards and those who know your words avoid life-destroying mistakes.

Allow me an observation or two. Lord, correct me if I am wrong.

Too many of us claim to love you and your ordinances and words and claim to hold the Holy Scriptures sacred and all the while do not know you nor your words nor your Son.

And too many of us know scripture but never really know the character of Jesus and believe that the words about you and the words about Jesus are the same as knowing your character and living with your Spirit. That is the way it seems to me. Lord, let that not be the way it is with me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to know not only the ordinances of God but also the Spirit of God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
[1]

d Or from proud thoughts

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 19

2008-09-16T09:17:00.001-05:00

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.

Lord,

That which comes from you revives, makes wise, gives joy, enlightens, endures and is entirely right.

Does it follow that what revives, is wise, grants joy and enlightens always comes form you? Careful Joe, what looks like wisdom and joy may merely be attractive counterfeits. Of course, we attribute some things to the Lord that the Lord would clearly reject. Be careful as to what is attributed to the Lord.

Even so, the poet is clear that all that comes from You, Lord, is given with the clear intention of blessing and enriching our lives. You are for us and not against us. You created us for joyful and abundant living and you give us the resources necessary, the resources of your “law”.

As for me, I know that a law or rule or insight or instruction comes from you when it is consistent with Jesus, his life, instruction, and behavior. He is the fulfillment of the law, the law’s highest expression, the “word made flesh.”

For your gifts, for the way of life revealed in your law and fulfilled in Christ, O God, thank you.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to attune your life with the “law of God” as fully revealed in Jesus.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thanks you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 19

2008-09-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmamenta proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voiceb goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavensc he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.

Lord,
How magnificent is this? I stand nearly speechless. The heavens tell, there is no speech, yet their voice is heard. My, oh my, I get it. The poet points towards that which is beyond speech and defies description. There is something holy in the sun and moon, in day and night, in the stuff of life and in life which inhabits stuff. Pure literal description is essential for some forms of communication. There can be no science without it. But the poet knows of things which lie beyond the capacity of pure literal description. He points toward that which words cannot describe and neither mind nor heart can define. The poet points us towards God, that for which the only sound is a gasp and the only word is “Ahhhhh.” After that, we use thoughts, words, concepts, poetry, and art to point towards the Ineffable, the Indescribable, and the Felt but always in part. The heavens and the earth tell the glory of God.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Sit quietly before God and live within the Mystery and confess that we can know only in part.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Or dome

b Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb line

c Heb In them

Psalm 18

2008-09-12T10:22:00.002-05:00

Psalm 18 (NRSV)
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
38 I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;c
you made me head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart,
and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me;
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from the violent.
49 For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
[1]

Lord,
I celebrate the poet's victory. I celebrate his deliverance. I celebrate your faithfulness. And I fully understand his attitude “I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.” In his anger that turned to hatred with a surplus of adrenalin spilling through his veins and the yearning for revenge dominating his spirit, he ground them into dust and threw them out like garbage into the streets. Who cannot understand that?

I understand that you work with the people you have, as they are. I fully understand, by looking in the mirror, that human perfection is not guaranteed by the intent to be faithful. Sometimes we get better but for most of us perfection is reserved for heaven.

But you have given us Christ and I do not see the poet’s response as the response that Christ would make in similar circumstances. With Jesus' focus on reconciliation, forgiveness and love even for the enemy, I think that he and his disciples would behave differently in victory, regardless of the enemy’s behavior. And I pray that America, populated with Christians and shaped by Christian tradition would behave differently too.

The war with Germany was brutal in ways beyond description and, following victory, America responded with the Marshall Plan. We rebuilt Japan. We have normalized relations with Viet Nam.

Lord, as we move forward with the current wars, grant us the wisdom of your spirit. Grant us peace through reconciliation and justice.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to grant you a Christ-like spirit in the midst of conflict.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In the name of Christ,
Amen.

c Gk Tg: Heb people

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 18

2008-09-11T11:28:00.002-05:00

Psalm 18 (NRSV)
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
And who is a rock besides our God?—
32 the God who girded me with strength,
and made my way safe.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer,
and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand has supported me;
your helpb has made me great.
36 You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.

Lord,
Today is 9-11, the anniversary of the attack on The World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and the thwarted assault on the capital. The images of the planes striking and buildings collapsing and fires burning and ashes everywhere and living people running for their survival and others seeking and mourning the dead, those images will never be erased form memory. No doubt, some who suffered are men and women who are faithful to you Lord. For all who still suffer, please give your grace in super-abundant measure.

Tell me again how your way is perfect, how your promises prove true and how you are a shield for all who take refuge in you. Please do not regard my question as skepticism or cynicism or irreverence or even disbelief. I just want to know and I wish to be faithful. I want to believe if I can know what to believe. How do you provide?

I have experienced your provision in my own life. In times of serious uncertainty, that which was needed has been provided and I believe that you are the source of that provision. Once we were involved in a serious roll-over auto accident and we all escaped without injury, your protection.

And yet, a lot of people died on 9-11.

So Lord, this is what I believe today. I submit it for our corection and improvement. I believe that you provide what is needed to meet the tragedies and difficulties that come. You do not always prevent tragedy and you clearly do not protect us from all difficulty, but you never abandon us and you always show us the way through. You give us what we need to cope and thrive even when thriving means thriving on the other side of the great river.

I believe Jesus when he said, "I am with you always...."

Keep your spirit with me, even when I fail you. And in failure, please forgive me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God for the grace to meet both the tough and the good times in life.
Pray for all who suffer the aftermath of 9-11.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.
b Or gentleness

psalm 18

2008-09-10T09:48:00.001-05:00

Psalm 18 (NRSV)
.
25 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
26 with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
27 For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 It is you who light my lamp;
the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 By you I can crush a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

Lord,

I am reminded of the teaching of Jesus that we are forgiven only as we forgive others. The poet believes that our God-like behavior is the window through which we can see your character: Our loyalty reveals your loyalty, our blamelessness allows us to see your own, our purity becomes the window through which we can see yours.

Thank you that you reveal yourself also to the disloyal, the rightly blamed, and the impure. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

However, the poet is on to something profound. Those who have received much will receive even more. Those who have absorbed your character and live your character will see even more of you. And those who refuse first insights and first lessons will be denied that which comes later.

The poet is quick to speak of humility. Living the character traits of God is more than a self-help exercise. They are the gifts of a relationship with you and come ultimately only from you. So, the poet confesses his humility in the midst of his grand victory celebration.

“It is you “who light my lamp;” you who “lights up my darkness.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give thanks for the light that comes only from God.
Ask for light in the midst of your darkness.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen

Psalm 18

2008-09-09T09:13:00.002-05:00

Psalm 18 (NRSV)
Psalm 18
Royal Thanksgiving for Victory
(2 Sam 22.1—51)
To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 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.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 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.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub, and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.a
14 And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
15 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.
16 He reached down from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity;
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Lord,
I love the phrase, “he delivered me, because he delighted in me.” I love to believe that you take delight in me, that you take delight in each of your children. Jesus caught this spirit when he proclaimed that you know each of us so intimately that you have counted the hairs of our heads. That kind of intimate knowing only comes out of powerful loving. I gasp to think of the way in which you pay attention to us and in the way that you delight in us…in me. I can hardly take it in.

Now I’m struggling. The poet is convinced that he has been rewarded for his righteousness. Maybe so. But I also remember the Apostle’s teaching that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. What am I to make of that? And is it a contradiction? I’m certain that somebody can explain it away. That’s what we do with apparent contradictions. Perhaps, even though we all sin, you reward the higher achievements in righteousness? It’s not that anybody can claim absolute righteousness but the higher grades are rewarded. Then, I wonder, how to explain Job?

Lord, I really don’t know. So how about this? Help me to do the right thing in the right way at the right time and forgive me when I am wrong. And, in the words of the old preachers, let Christ’s righteousness stand in for me. If I cannot come to you as one who is righteous, allow me to come before you as one who has been forgiven.

And when this forgiven sinner needs help, please hasten to my rescue.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to guide you through this day, to do the right thing in the right way at the right time.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Psalm 18

2008-09-08T09:14:00.002-05:00

Psalm 18 (NRSV)
Psalm 18
1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 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.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 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.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub, and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.a
14 And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
15 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.
16 He reached down from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity;
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Lord,
I’ve never had an experience like this, smoke and fire and glowing coals. Perhaps because I have never been in the poet’s fix, I’ve never experienced that kind of rescue. For whatever reason, it’s hard for me to identify.

My moments of rescue have been less dramatic: a friend appears at just the right time, a stranger proffers a deed of unexpected kindness,a quiet “coincidence” seems to make things just right, an insight “out of the blue” reveals something never before seen. These are the rescue moments that I know.

And, if I be honest, there have been times in the midst of the danger and rescue that I did not recognize your hand. I was simply trying to get out of the mess. Only in prayerful reflection did I recognize your spirit seeing me through. Accept both my confession of spiritual blindness and my profound gratitude for allowing me to see that which truly was and is.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Name the danger that you now experience and ask for God to see you through.
Give thanks to God for the escapes from danger that you have experienced in the past.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
26 with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
27 For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 It is you who light my lamp;
the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.
29 By you I can crush a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the promise of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God except the Lord?
And who is a rock besides our God?—
32 the God who girded me with strength,
and made my way safe.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer,
and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand has supported me;
your helpb has made me great.
36 You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
and did not turn back until they were consumed.
38 I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the peoples;c
you made me head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart,
and came trembling out of their strongholds.
46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me;
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
you delivered me from the violent.
49 For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name.
50 Great triumphs he gives to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
[1]

a Gk See 2 Sam 22.14: Heb adds hailstones and coals of fire

b Or gentleness

c Gk Tg: Heb people

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 18

2008-08-22T12:02:00.001-05:00

Psalm 18 (NIV)
1 I love you, O Lord , my strength.

Lord,
I love you…my strength.

We are in the anxious season, Lord. Some the key anchors in my life have been pulled up and things are changing. I’m leaving a church community that I love to accept a call to a job the likes of which I have never done. My network of friends is changing. My schedule is changing. My responsibilities and opportunities are changing. In some ways, my identity is changing.

So today, I call on you, “my strength.” As the anxiety roils and the thick fog of uncertainty creates a short-distance visibility into the future, be the certainty of my life. Grant me such a confidence in your faithfulness that all other threats, known and unknown are put into their secondary places. Calm the waters of my soul just as Jesus calmed the stormy sea.

I give you thanks for the constancy of your love and grace.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to be the strength of your life.
Give your anxiety to him and ask for faith to meet the uncertainties before you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horna of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the Lord , who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the graveb coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called to the Lord ;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.c
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord ,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord ;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, O Lord , keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29 With your help I can advance against a troopd ;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord ?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the Lord , but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.
44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord ;
I will sing praises to your name.
50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
[1]

a Horn here symbolizes strength.
b Hebrew Sheol
c Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Samuel 22:14); most Hebrew manuscripts resounded, amid hailstones and bolts of lightning
d Or can run through a barricade
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

psalm 17

2008-08-06T09:57:00.001-05:00

Psalm 17 (NRSV)
Psalm 17
Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors
A Prayer of David.
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord ; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.
3 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.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Lord,
“Guard me as the apple of the eye,
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.”
What a pleasant thought to compare myself with “the apple of the eye!” It is simply astounding to believe that I could have that much value to you, that you could take such delight in me, one of your simple ordinary children.

This feels a little strange to me. It feels like an exercise in arrogance to allow myself to consider my significance to you and I do so only under the influence of the poet. If the poet can claim a special place in your heart, why should the rest of us claim a similar status? I would deny this privilege to no other person. I am looking for no advantage over others. But, dear Lord, in these few moments, I will allow myself to sit and absorb the amazing love that you have for me and for each of your people. And I follow the poet and also ask that you will give me a region of security "in the shadow of your wings".

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give thanks to God for the love that God has for you, the apple of his eye.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

9 from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down;a now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O Lord , confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 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.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
[1]

a One Ms Compare Syr: MT Our steps
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 17

2008-08-04T19:36:00.002-05:00

Psalm 17 (NRSV)
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.
3 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.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.

Lord,
What amazing confidence the poet has, what a wondrous faith! He is apparently under siege. His opponents, his enemies, are out to get him and he dares to declare his own righteousness and to seek your protection. He asks, believing that you will answer, not only with warm feelings that all will be well in time, but that you will protect him in the time of immediate danger.

He believes that you command the forces of protection required to get him out of his jam. Secure in the rightfulness of his cause, he believes that his enemy will be destroyed.

So, Lord, how shall I pray? Shall I simply assume that I’m right and that you are on my side and that all who disagree should be destroyed? Knowing my own propensity for error, that seems a little brash. It seems better to ask that I will be on your side, that I will discern your character and will, and that I will conform to your mission and purpose in this world. And, in that spirit, I indeed pray. I pray that you will first make me right with you.

I remember that Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and so I pray for those who disagree with me and, indeed, for those who have gossiped, lied, and distorted the truth about me. And while, as a disciple of Jesus, I cannot pray for their destruction, I do pray that you will heal and correct their misunderstanding and distorted perceptions. Where it is I who have been wrong, correct my mistakes and sins. Forgive me and attune my life again to you.

And while I may never really deserve it, indeed I seek your protection for myself, my family, my church, and all that I love.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to attune your life to his character and purpose.
Ask God to protect you and all you love from that which is threatening.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

8 Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down;a now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 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.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
[1]

a One Ms Compare Syr: MT Our steps

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 16

2008-08-02T14:43:00.002-05:00

Psalm 16 (NRSV)
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 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.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
11 You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[1]

Lord,
What a promise! “The path of life”, “fullness of joy”, and “pleasures forevermore”; these are the promises that you offer to all who will walk with you. Forgive us when we distort faith into a fear that your primary desire is to condemn and that your character is marked by a punitive righteousness.

Of course, you call us to follow Jesus and to live with character and integrity. But above all, you promise joy to all who live in you. Help me to receive the joy. Help us all to live the joy that you bring. Give us the indescribable joy that comes only in loving and being loved by you.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Be still for a moment and allow yourself to dwell in the love of God.
Tell God how much you love him and try to describe your your love for God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 16

2008-08-02T13:53:00.002-05:00

Psalm 16 (NRSV)
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 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.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Lord,
I have cast my lot with you. If it is a wager, then I have bet my life that you are God and that you have revealed yourself in Jesus. I believe that your character is Jesus’ character and that you want all people to follow Jesus. There is an abundance of evidence that I could be wrong so by faith I choose to believe in you. Empower my faith.

The poet trusted you for counsel and instruction. In the same way that you spoke to him, through his heart, I trust that you live at the center of my heart and that if I listen to the center of my heart, I will hear you there. Help me to listen. Help me to hear. Above all, help me to know the difference between the yearnings of my mistaken self and the counsel of your voice.

Jesus promised the Paraclete, the counselor. Perhaps the poet knew him too. Holy Spirit of God, be my counselor and guide, my wisdom and strength.

Lord, we are in the political season. Forgive me for saying so, but it is embarrassing to see good, well-intentioned, intelligent politicians being less than they are. It is painful to see good people play the role of pandering supplicants. They must be better than they show. So, help us all to discern the good sense and the nonsense and to find those men and women who will best lead this nation to become a place of “liberty and justice for all.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to speak through the center of your heart to you and ask for “ears to hear”. Pray for God’s gracious guidance.
Ask God for the spiritual courage that comes from knowing that God is at your right hand.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
11 You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 16

2008-07-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

Psalm 16 (NRSV)

1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord , “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.

Lord,
“The holy ones in the land….” The realities of corruption and destruction are so pervasive that we are sometimes blinded to the reservoir of goodness that surrounds us. Your saints are scattered around us. Men and women of character and integrity bless us every day. Folk of faith encourage and instruct and sometimes even correct us. You have not left yourself without witnesses in this broken world. Thank you.

Lord, keep our eyes open to the holy ones who surround us. Bind us together with folk of faith for the sake of our own spiritual vitality. Help us all to be faithful together in you mission for the healing of your world.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Name 5 persons who have nurtured you in the journey of faith.
Ask God to help you to live in such a way that another may see something “holy” in you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” t0 God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

4 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.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
11 You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 16

2008-07-29T14:43:00.001-05:00

Psalm 16 (NRSV)
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

Lord,
“Protect me.”
Lord, I mean no impertinence nor disrespect but I need to ask, what kind of protection can we expect from you? Today, we prayed for more than a dozen people in my congregation who have cancer. I know a young woman recently abused. I have buried children and adolescents and men and women before their aloted time. I have watched the horrors of war and seen children and youth maimed only because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We have seen horrific storms take the lives of persons too many to count. My mother died of Alzheimer Disease and my Dad sacrificed years of his life to take care of her. He would have it no other way. Even Paul was beheaded and Jesus was crucified. Lord, what kind of protection can we expect?

This I have seen. I have seen your people struggle with life’s toughest challenges and hold on to courage and faith. Perhaps I should say, I have seen you hold on to them. I have seen those whose bodies have been destroyed but never lost their souls. If that is the protection that you promise, then I believe. Strengthen the weakness of my belief.

And I believe in resurrection. The realities of life may indeed take this life from me. Indeed, this life will be taken from us all. But eternal life belongs to you and you alone and that is forever protected.

Is that all? Is there something more? Are there other protections that you offer? I hope so but that is enough.

Dear Lord, I indeed take refuge in you. “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to protect you in the dangerous places in life.
Ask God to strengthen you to meet whatever life may bring.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 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.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
11 You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 15

2008-07-28T13:58:00.001-05:00

Psalm 15 (NRSV)
1 O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
3 who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
5 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.
[1]

Lord,
It’s clear that integrity and character are really important to you. At the same time, you have promised to love us as we are. And, there are times when character and integrity are challenged and sometimes fail. Do you kick us out of the tent? Are we in and out according to the rating on the integrity scale?

I am so grateful for the gospel that speaks of grace and pardon. And I am grateful for the promise of the Paraclete, the Spirit, who guides and instructs and corrects and accompanies us along the way. I am grateful for that love of yours which is never dependent upon the state of my character analysis nor the strength of my integrity in any given moment.

Lord, grow me to embody the way of life that you intend for all of your people. Abide within me so that I may indeed be and become the man of character and integrity that you call me to be. Grow me to live according to the standards of your tent and when I fail, forgive me, set me straight, and help me to try again.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God’s help to embody the wisdom of Psalm 15.
Ask God’s pardon and open you heart to receive forgiveness when you fall short.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 14

2008-07-25T11:05:00.001-05:00

Psalm 14 (NRSV)

1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.
3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the Lord ?
5 There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
6 You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.
7 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.
[1]

Lord,

What a majestic hope! Those who “eat people as bread” and ignore you will come crashing down. You will take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. You will restore the fortunes of your people!

Dear Lord, let the wind of Your Spirit ignite the embers of hope into fire within me and among all of your people. Let your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let this hope be the air that we breathe as we live in you.

It comes to mind that we modern Americans benefit greatly from the plight of the global poor. Cheap labor around the world provides inexpensive goods which we all enjoy. When the poor lose their poverty, we’ll all have to pay more and some of us may earn less, the money going to those who actually make the products. Lord, if we are complicit in the misuse or abuse of others, we seek your pardon. But let it be so, be “the refuge of the poor.” And deliver us all into the regions of your righteousness.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to stir hope within your mind and heart.
Ask God to shape your life according to God’s concern for the least and lost.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 14

2008-07-24T13:07:00.002-05:00

Psalm 14 and Psalm 53:1-6 (NRSV)

1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God.
3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and do not call upon the Lord ?
5 There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
6 You would confound the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is their refuge.
7 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.
[1]

Dear Lord,

Lord, the number of Americans who say, “There is no God” is a tiny minority. Everybody believes in God. Or, everybody believes “that there is a god.” There are few unbelievers here!

What we have forgotten is that You have an ethical agenda. We have so made religion a matter of personal comfort, which it is, and personal salvation, which it surely is, that we have forgotten that you are the God who passes judgment on ethical behavior. And should we think of the ethical dimensions, we immediately default to the issues of abortion and homosexuality. We used to worry about adultery and fornication, and living together without marriage, and out-of-wedlock children but those behaviors have become so commonplace that we no longer ponder the moral implications.

So, we believe “that there is a god” , which according to the book of James makes us the spiritual and moral equal of the devil but we do not believe that You have an ethical agenda and the morality that we do honor has been so diluted that it never gets in the way of our primal impulses.

We Americans believe that “there is a god” but we don’t believe that there is “a god” to whom we should pay attention. Regular and systematic worship, personal and private devotions, deeds of compassion, a driving desire that “justice will roll down like waters” full participation in “The Body of Christ”, all of that has been ignored.

It seems that we have taken just enough “god medicine” to inoculate ourselves against the real thing!

Are there not many faithful believers? Of course there are. Thank God! But Lord, there are many American fools who have found an American way to say “There is no God.”

Lord, God, grant that we may know you in the fullness of your being. Give us your comfort and grace and reveal to us the depth of your commitment to the righteous and the poor. Help me to believe that some day, in some way, you will make it right for those who have been trampled down by the circumstances of life and for all who have been faithful.

I believe. Help my unbelief.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Ask God to help you to know all of God that you can know.
Rejoice in the reality that we walk with many who are faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 13

2008-07-23T11:13:00.002-05:00

Psalm 13 (NRSV)

1 How long, O Lord ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear paina in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord ,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
[1]

Lord,
The mystics call it “the dark night of the soul.” There are seasons when you seem to be so very very far away. I know the old platitudes, “If God seems to be far away, guess who moved!” And there is truth to be found in that witticism. But who wants to accuse the poet of moving out on God?

No, there are seasons when prayers seem to never get out of the room and you, dear Lord, seem to never come in. This is the mystery. The experience of your absence seems to afflict the most faithful as much, maybe more, than the casual Christian. Wasn’t it Mother Teresa who confessed to a very long season, many years, of spiritual drought?

I do not pretend to know your mind about this. But I know that my droughts send me searching anew for the springs of living water and I come to a new awareness of my dependence on you. Usually, when I am spiritually dehydrated, I go looking for the water to drink! (Waiting for dehydration may be stupid.)

Now this is faith! In the season of spiritual drought, the poet proclaims, “But (what a powerful word, BUT) I trusted in your steadfast love….” In seasons, lush and lean, Lord, grant me that faith. Whether emotionally warm or not, spiritually full or empty, personally secure or at risk, grant to me that faith. And grant me the grace to love you back with all of my being.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to see you through your own seasons of spiritual difficulty.
Ask God to grant you the mighty faith of the poet in seasons lush and lean.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Syr: Heb hold counsels
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 12

2008-07-18T09:37:00.002-05:00

1 Help, O Lord , for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2 They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”
5 “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.”
6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord , will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
[1]

Lord,
I think that I see it. The reason that the poet is so comfortable in voicing his complaints is that he has ultimate confidence in your response. He is able to voice the reality of fear because he is ultimately confident in your help. He is able to voice doubt because beneath his doubt resides the core of faith. Because he finally trusts in you, he is able to voice his uncertainties about you. He dares to ask questions because he believes that there will, some day, be answers.

There is a counterfeit faith that serves as a vehicle for denial. Rather than being a force for confronting the toughest realities, it becomes an excuse for denying those hard realities. Rather than being a power for genuine forgiveness, faith becomes a way of avoiding guilt and shame. And because it avoids the tough issues, this counterfeit faith never has the experience of confronting and overcoming the really hard realities and the power of genuine faith is never experienced.

The poets of the Psalms never avoid an issue. They look the hardest realities of life in the eye, name them, fret and complain about them, give them to God in prayer, and then dare to trust and hope that God is sufficient to the challenge.

Lord, grant me this kind of faith.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God will grant you the power to meet the toughest realities in your life with genuine faith.
Pray that God will strengthen those in your personal web of friendship with faith.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 12

2008-07-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

Psalm 12 (NRSV)

1 Help, O Lord , for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2 They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”

Dear Lord,
Flattering lips and forked tongues are powerful weapons in the arsenals of the wicked. They can convince a hungry man that starvation is a good thing even when he is sitting next to a rich man’s mountain of food. They persuade men of integrity to kill others for reasons nearly-good, bad and purely spurious. Lord God, for the onslaught of words, we need a giant spam filter. We need a defense shield against the word bombs that damage souls and corrupt characters.

But your words are as pure as refined silver – so declares the poet. Open my heart to your word. Let the world hear.

“For the oppression of the poor,
for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise”, says the Lord. (12:5,KJV)

Is this not consistent with Jesus? Did you not rise up in Jesus? How did we ever come to believe that a person could follow Jesus and neglect the needy or misuse the vulnerable? It seems that under the spell of sin-shaped words, even the gospel is corruptible.

The poet promises that you will keep your word. You will take care of the vulnerable and the week. You will provide protection for those unable to protect themselves. Lord, now would be a really good time!

Bless the Rescue Missions and the helping hand agencies of our world. Bless all who volunteer. In this political season, keep the poor before us as we choose our leaders.

Last week, my neighbor told me about his father’s funeral and the scores who visited to say, “He helped me when I needed it.” My friend said, “Nobody ever knew what my father did. May his tribe increase.

PERSONAL PRAYERS”
Ask God to show you your personal place in the protection of the poor.
Ask God to help you to faithfully follow Jesus.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen,

5 “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.”
6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord , will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 12

2008-07-11T13:27:00.001-05:00

Psalm 12 (NRSV)

1 Help, O Lord , for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2 They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

Lord,
The poets who wrote the Psalms are full of faith but they are never optimistic. In the end, they fully believe that you will prevail and you will make all things right but in the meantime the world is a terrible mess and is populated by liars and hypocrites. To paraphrase the old folk song, where have all the faithful gone, long time passing?

The prophet and the apostle both declare that “all have sinned” which is true enough. Neither spiritual, moral, nor ethical perfection happens often in this world – Never! And some people will lie to you and some will lie about you and some will smile and say “Sweet Jesus” as they insert the verbal knife into your back. It does get very personal sometimes and the pain serves as a reminder of the fires of hell.

But Lord, there is more to the truth than this. You have blessed me to be companioned by some wonderful image-of-God human beings who really do reflect the character of Christ. There are some who tell the truth and keep promises and walk the path of integrity. Thank you for these better souls.

So, Lord, hear my prayer. Give me a gift of discernment in order to tell the difference between those who have integrity and those who don’t. Save me from the temptation to listen to honeyed lips and those who present a handsome appearance and grant grace to look into the heart and mind.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Ask God to give you discernment in relationships.
Ask God to help you to walk the path of integrity.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?”
5 “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.”
6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord , will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 11

2008-07-10T09:36:00.001-05:00

Psalm 11 (NRSV)

1 In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains;a
2 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.
3 If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord ’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
and his soul hates the lover of violence.
6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.
[1]

Lord,
The missing word between verses 3 and 4 is “but.” “If the foundations are destroyed (BUT) the Lord is in his holy temple.” The foundations have not been destroyed and will not be destroyed because you are where you are supposed to be. You are God as you have always been God and always will be God. And you know what is happening in your world. You know and, according to your own wisdom, you will make things right.

I confess that some days it is hard to believe. Yesterday’s flyer from the Board of International Ministries listed the world’s “Biggest Issues”, human trafficking, 25 million refugees and 5 new cases of AIDS every minute.

The wars are terrible and more war is threatened. Iran is testing its ability to deliver weapons to Israel and Europe. Speaking of Iran, it seems that two of America's largest exports to Iran are cigarettes and bull sperm. What happens if we cut off the cigarettes? Do we impose a massive societal nicotine withdrawal? Is it a secret weapon to use? Cut back on the missiles or we will cut off your nicotine! And what will they do without our bull sperm?

Forgive me, I digress. This I believe with the poet:
You are righteous,
You love righteous deeds;
And the upright shall behold your face.
And you have a sense of humor.

Let it be so.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Describe to God your personal faith in God through Christ.
Ask God to empower you to do “righteous deeds.”
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 11

2008-07-09T11:16:00.001-05:00

1 In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains;a
2 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.
3 If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

Lord,
It does indeed sometimes seem that good people are the targets of irrational and inexplicable sorrow. Those who live ethically and behave morally and love you and neighbor sometimes suffer more than others who are unethical, immoral and grossly self-centered. It is simply not true that the faithful are always blessed with health and wealth.

“The wicked bend the bow…to shoot …the upright in heart.” The poet knows about sin and evil. The poet knows the eternal struggle. Save us from surprise when Sin and Evil raise their ugly heads to harm your children.

The poet was advised to run to the mountains and I understand the temptation. There are days when it seems to be not worth the fight. And yet, I still believe. In days of difficulty, I choose to believe that you are with us, paying attention to our plight, granting strength for the struggle and preparing a future that just and good.

Lord, I talked with a family this morning. You know them. You know their faithfulness. You know the kindness of their hearts. And, truth is, life is beating-up on them in ways nearly too bizarre to imagine. I cannot believe that they have earned their sorrow. But, earned or not, they have it. Comfort, encourage and bless them. Turn their sorrow to joy and their suffering to celebration.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for faith in the midst of struggle
Pray for those who are suffering unfairly.
Name five things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord ’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.
5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
and his soul hates the lover of violence.
6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur;
a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.
[1]

a Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 10

2008-07-07T21:51:00.002-05:00

1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.
4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5 Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
6 They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
7 Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
8 They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.
Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 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.
10 They stoop, they crouch,
and the helpless fall by their might.
11 They think in their heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12 Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God,
and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?
14 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.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
18 to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.a
[1]

Lord,
Will it ever really be so? In the words of Jesus, will the meek ever inherit the earth? When will the orphan and oppressed ever receive justice? When will You act?

I know! You will act when we make ourselves available to you for action. When we become the Body of Christ, quickened by the Spirit of Christ, you will act through us. When we become the hands and feet of Christ and the voice of Christ, you will act through us.

Allow me an irreverent thought. Wouldn’t it be easier if you would just do it yourself? Who, after all, are we? We can hardly see the problem due to our fixation on our own problems-- at least we are fixated on ourselves in some way. It’s a complicated world and the answers seem to be beyond us. We are not smart enough, courageous enough, faithful enough and probably not willing enough. Wouldn’t it be easier, less complicated, more direct, if you would just step in and make justice work?

It’s a fair question. In the meantime.… It appears that you have cast your lot with us. You have chosen to work with us and through us and perhaps even to depend on us to do the work that you want to have done.

The poet is clear. It is a violation of your will, a contradiction of your character, for the weak to be trampled, for the orphan to be abused, for the needy to be neglected, for injustice to reign. If that is true and if you are waiting for your people to sign on, then it must be your will for your people, those who have freely chosen to be a part of the Body of Christ, to take on the struggle for justice in your name.

If I am wrong, show me. If I am right, lead me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Pray for the weakest persons you know.
Pray for the victims of war who, by the sheer accidents of life, happen to live in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Ask God to show you your proper place in the ministry of the Body of Christ.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank You.”

In Christ’s name,
Amen

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 10

2008-07-07T09:22:00.001-05:00

Psalm 10 (NRSV)
Psalm 10
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.
4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5 Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
6 They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
7 Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
8 They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.
Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 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.
10 They stoop, they crouch,
and the helpless fall by their might.
11 They think in their heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Lord,
What a description of evil this is! What a devastating proclamation of the reality and the destructive power of sin! And Lord, we know that it is so. “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.”

I think of Lazarus and Dives, Jesus’ parable of the rich man who was so insulated from the reality of life at his front door, he just did not see. And Jesus said that the rich man who was blind to his neighbor went to hell for it. That’s harsh! He did not set out to do bad things to the poor man. He did not deliberately abuse him or misuse him. The poor man at the door was just ignored and that was sin enough. Forgive us all our blindness.

For those of us who sit on the far outer circles of power, it’s hard to know what to do. Today I pray with the poet. Lord, see the evil that is around us. See the sin the drives the evil as the poor and the weak are trampled. See it and stop it.

I may be wrong but I believe that most people with great power do not set out to be oppressors or tyrants. They just become insulated and isolated from the realities of life in other parts of town. Convert them. Open their eyes. Open their hearts.

Open my heart O God. Open my eyes. Show me the way that you would have me walk as you minister to the wounded, the defeated, the oppressed, the weak and vulnerable.

Last week Peggy volunteered at Doorstep, a helping agency in town. She sorted clothing and offered a warm welcome to all who entered. In the face of global poverty, it doesn’t seem like much but it is more than nothing. It is a testimony and I am grateful for that.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you see those who are near you, all who are near you.
As God to lead you in God’s walk of rightful living.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

12 Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God,
and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?
14 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.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
18 to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.a
[1]

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

psalm 9

2008-07-05T13:27:00.001-05:00

Psalm 9
God’s Power and Justice
To the leader: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
their cities you have rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever,
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds among the peoples.
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 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,
14 so that I may recount all your praises,
and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
19 Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord;
let the nations know that they are only human. Selah
[1]

Lord,
I want to affirm with the poet that:“The needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.” I remember well my own days of financial frugality. Was I poor? I don’t know. But I know that we lived with financial limitations that would embarrass most members of our church and would require a very difficult adjustment should I be required to live that way again. Five of us lived in a house, 36 by 8, providing a grand living space of 288 square feet. Thank God for the great Florida out-of-doors. Out of my own memory, I pray that the needy will not be forgotten. As the economy seems to deteriorate and as the gap between the richest and the poorest widens, I pray that the poor will not perish forever. Touch the hearts of those who are financially able to help those who are not.

The poet speaks of the nations who have forgotten God and the destination of the wicked. He speaks of the neglect of the poor and needy and the nations who are wicked in nearly the same breath. I pray that my nation will not forget the poor and needy and be sent to Sheol. Let us not self-destruct on our own greed and selfishness and arrogance.

A personal matter: Lord, members, friends, and perhaps others, are reading my retirement letter today. It’s an awkward season. It will be emotionally and spiritually mixed-up for all of us. Grant the grace of you Holy Spirit. Most of us are not financially needy, though some are indeed pressed tight. But in this season we are indeed needy. Do not be absent to us in our season of need.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for the poor and needy.
Pray that God will meet your own needs.
Ask God’s grace for your church.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

Amen
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 9

2008-07-03T10:26:00.002-05:00

1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
their cities you have rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever,
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord , have not forsaken those who seek you.

Who are you Lord?

You are “enthroned forever.” You are the Sovereign of the Universe.
You are the ethical, moral, and spiritual arbiter of all that is and all who are. You are the judge, the evaluator, the One who sets the standards. Your throne is “for judgment.” You sit in judgment with each of us. You sit in judgment with me.

Bad news and good news; there are times when I fail the test (bad news) but what I do and what we do and what the nation does really matters. Our behavior is worthy of your attention and consideration and judgment.

Jesus declared that you pay attention to the slightest details of our lives. You care enough to watch and listen – good news indeed. You call it love.

Righteousness and equity are the standards by which you judge both individuals and communities. “You judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.” And how do equity and righteousness look? “You are a stronghold for the oppressed.” You have a special place in your heart for the underdog, for the disadvantaged, for the one who needs extra help. If I am reading the poet correctly, “equity” and “righteousness” mean that you want to level the playing field. Those who cannot protect themselves have your protection and because they have your protection, they have a right to the protection of the community and the nation.

Lord, how shall I pray? “Those who know your name, put their trust in you.” I pray for those who need for the playing field of life to be leveled. I pray for your righteousness and equity to be made manifest.

At the same time, as I struggle with the issues that are mine, though I am not particularly oppressed, I pray for your protection and grace. And I pray that I will be an instrument of your righteousness and equity. I pray that our churches will be instruments of equity and righteousness.

Lord, I believe the poet. “You…have not forsaken those who seek you.” Thank you Lord for this remarkable promise. You are with us now. You are with us in our need and in our success. You are with us as we celebrate and as cry for help. You are with us as we seek you. Thank you.

Lord, a change of subject: The story is in the news. A black high school student in Kansas, I think the only black student in the town, was tied up at a party, had a bucket put on his head, was pissed on and had his arms spray painted white! The oppressors have been arrested and are headed for trial but that will never be enough to heal the wounds of that young black man. I pray for him.

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. I pray for our nation, that righteousness and equity might be the hallmarks of our national character. In the words of our pledge, I pray for “liberty and justice for all.”

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for God’s righteousness and equity for those who have been denied the necessities of life.
Ask God to be present to you in your places of need.
Name 5 things for which your are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

11 Sing praises to the Lord , who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds among the peoples.
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 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,
14 so that I may recount all your praises,
and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
19 Rise up, O Lord ! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord ;
let the nations know that they are only human. Selah
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 9

2008-06-30T10:26:00.001-05:00

Psalm 9 (NRSV)
Psalm 9
God’s Power and Justice
To the leader: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
their cities you have rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.

Lord,
The poet is one happy person. He has apparently won the war and he is giving you the credit. He assumes that his enemies are your enemies and that your enemies have been destroyed for their wickedness and that his cause is just. There is within him neither doubt nor uncertainty and he is ecstatic beyond description.

Lord I pray that your cause will forever be my cause and, your mission my mission, and for that reason, should opposition arise, and opposition seems to happen, I pray that my cause will be just and right and good because the mission is yours.

I know the danger of my prayer. I confess to the capacity to be blind to my own mistakes and the temptation to assume that my cause is your cause simply because it is mine. Protect me from that arrogance and forgive me when I stumble into that pride. I remember that Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. Grant me grace to embody the teaching his instruction

I trust that in all things, in your own time and way, you will prevail. I believe that justice will win and wickedness will be destroyed. I trust that you are with me, leading and correcting as necessary, and that you are taking me with you in your journey to ultimate victory. Help me to forever be faithful and I will be thankful, today and all days.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Ask God to align your personal purpose in life with God’s.
Ask for grace in the presence of opposition.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen

7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever,
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord , have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord , who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds among the peoples.
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 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,
14 so that I may recount all your praises,
and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
19 Rise up, O Lord ! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord ;
let the nations know that they are only human. Selah
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 8

2008-06-18T16:31:00.002-05:00

Psalm 8 (NRSV)

1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]

Dear Lord,
Tell me, what is a person to do with the responsibility to “have dominion over the works of your hands”? How does stewardship work here?
I cannot slow down the population of human beings.
I cannot slow down the growing international demand for oil and all of its derivatives?
What difference does the difference that I can make really matter as megatons of pollutants are pumped into the atmosphere daily?
If I cut back on the use of the air conditioner in the summer and the furnace in the winter, does it really matter when billions of people are cranking crap into the environment?
I’ve read a page or two about global warming and climate change and I know that my understanding of the issues is rudimentary at best.
So, Lord, this is the best that I can do for now and I ask for your intensified guidance.
I’ll just do the best that I can.
Regardless of the competing technical analyses, I can not see that pumping pollutants into the air and burying garbage under the ground and dumping waste into the oceans are good things. So I’ll do my part to slow it down. I’ll take care of my little corner of the world as well as I can. And I’ll look for the political candidates who seem to care and seem to have the best plan available and they’ll get my votes. I’ll do my best not to leave to our grandchildren “Planet Garbage”.
How simple can this be? It is as simple as I. I’ll do the best I can with my little piece of earth and pray God to forgive me when I’m wrong.

God if there is more for me to do, show the way and grant the wisdom and courge to go with you.

Lord, a change of subject. I visited a lady in hospice care today. The pain medication is wonderful but it pushes her to sleep when she would like to be awake and it is clear that her time is short. And, I received a call from a daughter whose mother has entered hospice care. Her time is also short. Grant to each one the grace that she needs for this final part of the journey. Touch each with your Spirit and grant a glimpse of the heaven that is to come. And help the families as their beloved mothers and grandmothers and aunts and friends are ripped from them.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you with your stewardship of your own little part of this world.
Pray for those who need God’s help in special ways.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 8

2008-06-17T08:59:00.000-05:00

Psalm 8 (NRSV)

1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]

Lord,
Who am I? “Mortals”…the son of Adam, the child of humanity, who am I? That is the question. Who am I in the order of the universe?
The poet declares:
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
That is who I am, so says the poet.

Within the vastness of the Universe, I am small indeed but you have made me and all like me to be something spectacular; made by God a little lower than God, crowned with glory and honor and steward of creation.

For arrogance that forgets that I have been made by you, forgive me.
For the faithlessness that refuses to accept the grand place and purpose that you have given, forgive me.
For the sloth that refuses to accept the calling to be your steward, forgive me.

Empower me to accept both the place and purpose that you have given in creation and grant wisdom and strength to fulfill that part of the stewardship which has been entrusted to me.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Before God, gratefully affirm your place in God’s order.
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
Ask and receive forgiveness for your failures.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In the name of Christ,
Amen

a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 8

2008-06-14T13:39:00.002-05:00

Psalm 8 (NRSV)

1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.

Lord,

I confess that I don’t quite get it. “Out of the mouths and infants…you have founded a bulwark…to silence the enemy….” Whatever the poet is trying to say is a mystery to me.

So let me tell you about our grandchildren. What miracles they are! How two cells can combine in the womb, divide and sub divide and sub divide again until a person emerges is beyond mystery to me. And that they, at least biologically, continue my life and will do so long after I am with you; Lord, words cannot express the deep deep feelings that swirl within my heart.

Does this cell division that leads to the formation of an “Image of God” human being speak to your glory? It does! Does it “silence the enemy”? Not yet.

Even so Lord, for the birth of children that reminds us of the mystery of life itself, I am grateful. For time with children and grandchildren, thank you. For the future into which they are being thrown, I seek your blessing and grace.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for the grandchildren, for the infants and toddlers of this world, especially those close to you.
Ask God to lead you to the way that you can make this world a little better for them.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]

a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man

b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 8

2008-06-13T08:40:00.001-05:00

Psalm 8 (NRSV)
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Lord God, Maker of Heaven and Earth,
You know the life-long struggle of my soul and I confess it again.
If, indeed, you are Sovereign of all and if, indeed, you love us all with the perfect love revealed in Jesus, then why the incalculable innocent suffering in this world? I mean no disrespect in asking. I do not want to challenge you nor your authority.

The tornado ravages the Boy Scout camp and little boys are killed. For argument’s sake, let’s assume that they are all sinners. At that age, it’s a safe assumption. But did they do anything to deserve the death penalty? You see my struggle. You have always seen my struggle.

So Lord, forgive me if I am wrong, I choose to believe that your character shines through the love of Jesus and that the shape of your love takes the form of a cross. In other words, for whatever reasons, you do not control everything. You did not aim that tornado at the scouts.

Instead, your love shines through the kindness and compassion and love of all who are caring for the victims and for all who are working to prevent such tragedies from happening again. You grieve the tragedies with the rest of us and you are leading us to the time and place where they will never happen again. Why not now, Lord?

So where is the majesty of your name in all of this? I see it in the love of Christ, in the boundless, limitless, indescribable love of Christ. Your majesty is in the glory of your love that some day, in some way, will finally be made real in all of the universe.

Lord you are my Sovereign. I choose you as my Sovereign. I choose to respond to your majestic love by inviting you to shape my heart and soul and mind and behavior. I choose to be in the community of people who choose you as Sovereign of their lives and of our lives together. I choose to make you Sovereign of my life by following Jesus.

O Lord, our Sovereign….

PERSONAL PRAYERS:

Tell God how much you love God.
Name the places where you see the majesty of God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]

a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man

b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 7

2008-06-08T21:48:00.001-05:00

Psalm 7 (NRSV)
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 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.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]

Lord,
“If one does not repent, God will whet his sword….”
I sometimes forget your hatred for evil. It is just that there is so much of it, it is so common, that it is hard to remember the hard edge of your opposition to it. It is so easy to take it for granted.

So, the evil that you hate, how does it look? How will I know it when I see it?
Wait…. Is it really such a silly question?

How about the reality of millions of Americans without access to health care and countless more around the world without resources for health, is that evil?
Little children caught in the cross-fires of war, that seems evil enough to me!
Millions of women trapped in the sex-trade, many barely into their teens,
Education systems that don’t work,
Parents who refuse to demand education for their children that is adequate to the twenty-first century,
Laziness and sloth – not caring enough about the not-so-far-away neighbor,
Greed and the abuse of workers in the name of sound business practice,
Employees who steal time and material from their employers,
Adultery and everything other thing that damages the families of our world,
Churches that don’t know the difference between nationalism and faithfulness to your Kingdom,
Government that protects the interest of the powerful, who need no protection, rather than the vulnerable; that gleefully advocates the growing gap between rich and poor,
And perhaps people like me who are often too timid to speak up,
Lord, how am I doing?

Am I close to describing the evil that you hate, the evil against which you have taken aim with the weapons of your spirit?

Lord, help me to see, help us all to see.

A slight change of subject: I’m on my way to visit my 18 day old granddaughter. If you would Lord, I pray that you will make this world better for her, for each of my grandchildren, and, even with a tinge of timidity, I ask you to show me my role in the advancement of your Kingdom on Earth.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to distinguish between that which is right and wrong in your own world and to show you your personal responsibility in God’s struggle with evil.
Pray for those who need God’s special help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say, “thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Or awake for me

b Cn: Heb return

c Heb he

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 7

2008-06-07T16:27:00.002-05:00

Psalm 7 (NRSV)
Psalm 7
Plea for Help against Persecutors
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.

Lord,
I’m not a bad person. When I look in the mirror, I see a man who has given his life to ministry within the church and who wants to follow the way of Jesus. I do not intentionally use my friends nor do I abuse those who oppose me. Looking at all the big sins, the really big ones, I think of myself as innocent. Like the poet, I claim my righteousness before you. I really want to say, “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.”

HUH OOOO! When I look in the mirror, I see the integrity of my life mostly because the mirror is a little foggy. But when I look at myself in the light of Jesus, I am not sure that I can use the words integrity and righteousness without qualifications.

Lord, I don’t want to swim in the dark pool of guilt and shame. I’m not into self-flagellation. But if honesty in the presence of Christ is your invitation to me, then my imperfections are real. I have sin to confess.

Some may hear my prayer and gloat, “Look at him. He’s a Christian and admits to being imperfect.” Well, Lord, let them look at themselves in the light of Christ and together we’ll understand our need for mutual understanding and pardon.

Today, I stand before you as one who has heard the invitation to receive forgiveness and has accepted it. I stand in a restored, and restoring, bond with you as a follower of Jesus. And while imperfection has never been overcome, my imperfection is very different than it would have been without your intervention in Jesus and I give you thanks.

Lord, a change in subject: Last night, I was called to the hospital and was there when she died – a stroke victim. It happened quickly and for that I am grateful. She did not seem to suffer. Receive her into your eternal presence and, after so many years of physical struggle, make her whole again. For her life and contribution to the family of Christ through the church, thank you. For the faith evident in her family and friends, thank you. For Eternity in that fellowship unbound by time and space and centered in Christ, thank you. Bless those who love her with healing and hope.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Look at yourself in the light of Jesus, admit your imperfections, ask forgiveness and receive it in Christ. Ask God to help you to live as a forgiven person.
Pray for those who need God’s healing help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank You.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

9 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.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]

a Or awake for me

b Cn: Heb return

c Heb he

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 7

2008-06-05T10:05:00.002-05:00

Psalm 7 (NRSV)

1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.

Lord,
This is a dangerous world with forces that threaten our very lives. I am grateful to live in a place where personal enemies and competitors are less likely to physically threaten. I walk the streets in relative safety. I prepare to vote without fear of political violence. I engage in theological and moral debate with no fear of being burned or flayed as a heretic. I know that there are places in our world where violence of every kind is used to assure moral and religious uniformity and political acquiescence. There are streets not safe to walk or even to drive. For the safety and security that we have, thank you. Grant us wisdom to protect the institutions that grant the security with freedom that we now enjoy.

Lord, grant your safety to all who live in perpetual danger. Grant the wisdom and courage and resources that are necessary to create safe places where you’re your people may thrive and where the children may grow to become the women and men that you intend in their births.

Yesterday, I visited with ladies whose very lives are being pursued by cancer. Please take care of them. I pray for their healing, both for physical healing and for the healing of soul and spirit that will embolden them to face whatever must be faced with the sure hope of your grace in all things, in all places and in all times.

Lord, in you I take refuge. I seek your refuge for those of your people who are in danger.

PERSONAL PRAYERS
Ask for God’s deliverance for those whose lives are being threatened in unfair and unjust ways.
Ask God for help with that which may be a threat to you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord , in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord , according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 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.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord , the Most High.
[1]

a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 6

2008-06-04T10:10:00.002-05:00

Psalm 6 (NRSV)

1 O Lord , do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord , for I am languishing;
O Lord , heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord —how long?
4 Turn, O Lord , save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.

Lord,
I pray for all who are “weary with moaning”, for all who exhausted with the sorrow and pain that never goes away. I pray for all who pray for healing and never seem to experience health. God, let your healing waters flow. Where bodies will not be mended, grant the consolation and power of your Spirit that the soul might be made whole.
Transform our grief and tears into something strong and whole. Turn sorrow into celebration and fear into hope.
Some of our “enemies” are impersonal. We are struck down by illness. We are attacked by economic and political forces that are beyond any single soul’s control. We turn to you for help and comfort. Confront our foes with your own love and grace.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
[1]

Lord,

The poet knows that you have heard the sounds of his sorrow. I stand forever amazed that you hear the sighs of silent tears.

A question Lord, What the poet would do with the notion that grown men don’t cry? Not only does the poet weep, but he knows that you honor tears.

“The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer.” Grant to me that same confidence. Touch my heart and mind with a firm assurance of your love.

Pray that God will give you the grace necessary for your own circumstances.
Pray for others who are in need of healing.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say thank you to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 6

2008-06-02T10:54:00.002-05:00

Psalm 6 (NRSV)
Psalm 6
Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
To the leader: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord—how long?

Lord,
It seems that the poet is ill, threatened by death, and he is terrified. “My bones are shaking with terror…. My soul is struck with terror.”

This man of unquestioned faith is quaking in fear! Is that allowed? Of course it is. You take each of us exactly as we are in the moment. You do not flinch nor are you squeamish but rather you see clearly the deepest reality of our lives and you receive us exactly as we are.

If he is terrorized, does that mean that he is not completely trusting in you? Yes! If he were completely confident that you would heal him, he would not be fearful for his life. He would quietly and patiently wait for the healing.

Instead he boldly declares his fear, his anemic hope for healing, and he gives that fear to you in prayer. His faith? He dares to pray and plead and hope without resorting to the feigned piety of pretended optimism. He confesses his absolute dependence on you and prays that you are willing to respond.

He knows his own guilt and he prays that you will not hold his sin against him but will instead forgive and heal. He prays that illness is not the result of sinfulness and even if it is, he asks to be made whole.

Today, I’m healthy. Thank you. But there are many in our midst who struggle with cancer and heart disease and mental illness and they are terrified for their lives. Each of us is frightened for their well-being. So, knowing that we have no right to claim anything, knowing our faults and failures,we come to you, exactly as we are, seeking your healing and help.

Your Personal Prayer:
Ask God for the healing that you need.
Pray that God will make whole you know to need God’s special grace. Offer their names to God now.
Name 5 things in your life for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.

In Christ’s name,
Amen

4 Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 5

2008-05-31T08:41:00.002-05:00

Psalm 5 (NRSV)
Psalm 5
Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 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.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.
[1]

Lord,

How blessed I must be. I am not aware of a host of enemies who are trying to destroy me. I am grateful for the security of the moment.

Are there others who are under siege because of their loyalty to you? Absolutely. For Christians under attack in Iraq, Iran, Israel and Palestine, Sudan, I pray your protection and help. For those in America who are belittled and denigrated for their faith in you, it happens for too many people in too many places, grant the wisdom and courage of your Spirit.

Let me not forget to seek refuge in you simply because, for today, I am not aware of being in danger.Save me from the habit of ignoring you until I danger strikes and I need emergency protection. As I go about today, be a shield around me and indeed around all who seek to be faithful to your mission in Jesus Christ.

Ask God to grant you the grace you need to meet whatever threatens your life and faith.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you to God.”
In Christ’s name,

Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 5

2008-05-30T06:39:00.000-05:00

Psalm 5 (NRSV)
Psalm 5
Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

Lord,
I confess, I tend to be a scarcity person. My parents were children of the depression and I am the child of humble financial resources. The most used words in my house were, “We can’t afford it.” The word “abundance” has come late to me.

The poet rejoices in “the abundance of your steadfast love.” Lord, I’ve known a soul or two who had an abundance of things and experienced a scarcity of love, first from family and friends and, almost by default, never absorbed the abundance of your love. Theirs is the harder lot in life.

Lord, please help all who have never absorbed your love and therefore have never known how loveable they are. Please help me when I ignore your love or forget how you love me. Your love is the beginning and end of every form of grace and goodness. It is the foundation of all that is courageous and righteous. It is the source of all genuine integrity and morality. Knowing your love, being filled with your love is the ground of all salvation.

Fill me with your love. I know that it’s not something to be absorbed and kept. So let me be a conduit of your love, a transmitter of your love for the world. I’ve learned, though I often forget, that as I give your love away, like the mighty river Mississippi, there is always more coming.

And remind me this day of the great love that you gave us in Jesus Christ, the ultimate revelation of your love and grace. Thank you. Thank you.

Ask God to help you to absorb God’s love now. Try to sit quietly with a full awareness of that love.
Pray for those who need fresh experiences of God’s love.
Say “thank you” to God for at least 5 things.

In Christ’s name.
Amen.

9 For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 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.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 5

2008-05-29T09:43:00.002-05:00

Psalm 5 (NRSV)

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord ;
give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 O Lord , in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

Dear Lord,

Wickedness, evil, the boastful, evildoers, liars, the bloodthirsty and deceitful, all are excluded from your presence. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”, so Jesus taught.

I confess that I do not see myself as living in the community of the wicked. I am a Christian. And yet I know that in those perfect storms that threaten the things that I hold dear, I may be capable of anything and everything, perhaps even evil things. Even when storms seem to be approaching, and it's really not here,I can become capable of anything. And sometimes, when the media shouts that a storm is coming or when neighbors gossip about the storm that could be, or when I just remember the storms of the past, I am tempted to take up the weapons of evil. Fear, justified or not, rational or not, creates the opportunity for evil. In the state of fear, I am most likely to become the very thing that I most abhor.

So today, I pray for the courage that comes from your Spirit. I pray for the courage to be faithful in both belief and behavior. I pray for the courage to face fear without the instruments of evil.

Ask God for the courage you need to meet the storms of your life.
Pray for those who need God’s grace in special ways.
Name 5 things for which your are grateful and say “thank you” to God.

In the name of Christ,
Amen

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord , in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 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.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord ;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.
[1]

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Psalm 4

2008-05-28T10:45:00.001-05:00

Psalm 4 (NRSV)
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 When you are disturbed,a do not sin;
ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
7 You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.
8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
[1]

Dear Lord,

“The light of your face”, may it shine upon us. Please God, let it be so.

Here is my suspicion. I become so enthralled with the darkness in this world that I don’t see the light even when it is shining. I see shadows and fail to remember that shadows are the product of light. Forgive me this nonsense.

Grant me grace to see the beauty that surrounds us and the grace that envelops us and the mystery within which we live and move and have our being. Give me time each day to look for the marks of goodness and grace.

Recently, I spoke with a man who has cancer. It is tough and dark and difficult and threatens to be deadly. He told me about pilots who have flown his family back and forth to the hospital, free of charge. Lord, I cannot ignore the dark power of the disease but I also want to see clearly the bright light of goodness in the mission of those volunteer pilots.

Jesus said, “Seek and you shall find.” How true it is that when we seek the signs of grace and beauty and kindness and goodness, when we seek the marks of your Spirit, they are indeed there to be found.

Open my eyes that I might see….

For the comfort of your presence and the security that allows sleep in the night, thank you.

Ask God to help you to see the good things that fill your life.
Name five things for which you are grateful to God.
Speak the prayers that are stirring in your heart.

In Christ’s name.
Amen

a Or are angry

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Psalm 4

2008-05-26T10:16:00.002-05:00

Psalm 4 (NRSV)
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 When you are disturbed,a do not sin;
ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.

Lord,
Good advice, or is it a commandment? “When you are disturbed or when you are angry, do not sin.” Advice or commandment, it is easier said than done! When the emotions swirl and anger roils and fear boils, self-control is tough. That's the point of a tantrum, to let go of self-control. But, you know that. Don’t you? Of course you do.

You made us as we are. And you know that just because the saying is hard does not mean that the advice, the commandment, can be ignored. “But I was angry”, seems to be a weak excuse in your scheme of things.

Lord, I may need help with this. Instead of raging and ranting and seeking quick and feel-good revenge, the poet says to “ponder it on your beds, and be silent.” In common parlance, “Bite your lip before saying something that you’ll regret later. Just shut-up until you can think things through.”

And then, “Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord.” Does that mean, “Pray about it”? Take it to worship and offer it to God, is that your wisdom? Lord, by the time I do all of that, I won’t have much to say…which could be the point!

Lord, self-control sometimes seems to be beyond my reach. So I have to ask for help, for the help of your Spirit. As I remember it, self-control is a fruit of your Spirit, the fruit that prevents self-destruction. Give me, please, a double portion. Make me remarkably fruitful. Give me the gift and the fruit of self-control.

Ask God to bless you with the gifts of the Spirit, particularly the gift of self-control.
Ask God to bless those whom you know who need a double portion of grace.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you.”
In the name of Christ,
Amen

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
7 You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.
8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
[1]

a Or are angry

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989

Memorial Weekend Prayer

2008-05-26T10:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Lord,

This Memorial Day Weekend, we pause to give you thanks for this remarkable nation and for the men and women who have given themselves for her protection.
Most especially, we give thanks for all who have served in our military and accepted the ultimate risk to preserve our nation, her values and character.
We give you thanks for family members who have been required to say “good bye”, and then to live through months and years of anxious waiting before hoping to say “hello” again.
We remember those who never had a chance to say “hello” but instead received a message of condolences and a folded flag.
We remember the wounded and their families who returned to live normal lives but were never quite the same again.
For all who have given themselves to the terrible realities of war, we say “thank you” and we ask your blessings.
This day we pray for others who have given themselves in other ways for the welfare of our nations:
For ordinary citizens who participate in community activities for the welfare of neighbors,
For those who study election issues and cast informed ballots,
For elected officials and all who serve in government,
For those who speak and write and remind us of our essential character as Americans and consistently call us to the high virtues of “liberty and justice for all”,
For the prophets among us who dare to name our sin and identify those places where we fail to live out the highest calling of our nation’s creed; “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights…”,
For all among us who practice charity and hospitality, mercy and kindness, truthfulness and integrity,
We say thank you, O God.
God as your people, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we ask that you will empower us to be faithful witness to you, to your Christ, to your justice and righteousness, in this land of indescribable beauty so that some day, according to your own mysterious way, one by one, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Make your personal prayers to God.

In the name of Christ we pray,
Amen.

Lords Prayer.

Psalm 4

2008-05-24T10:04:00.003-05:00

Psalm 4 (NRSV)
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 When you are disturbed,a do not sin;
ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices,
and put your trust in the Lord.

Dear Lord, when do we ever love vain words? Do we ever prefer nice words to your truth? Do we ever seek lies?

Of course! When the truth is difficult I prefer the lie. True or not, I prefer it when people confirm my prejudice and affirm my ignorance and allow me to avoid the conversion or transformation that may be necessary for my soul.

Of course! When everybody else believes the lie or the partial truth and to see the truth and speak the truth will put me out of sync with the rest of my world, I prefer the lie. When the truth leads to opposition or competition or enmity or even persecution, I prefer the lie. Forgive me. Forgive all of us. Forgive us when comfort or safety or acceptance or advancement make the lie preferable to your truth.

Lord, it sometimes takes massive courage to face lies and mistakes and misdeeds, grace that comes only from your Spirit. It’s only in the certainty of forgiveness that I can confess sin. Grant me your Spirit, O God.

Ask God for the forgiveness that you need.
Pray for others who need God's grace in special ways.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say "Thank you" to God.
Amen

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”
7 You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.
8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
[1]

a Or are angry

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989