From the Pastor |
Out of all the psalms in the Bible, the 23rd is probably the most well-known and loved. For many people, it is their favorite scripture. Even people outside our faith communities recognize these words. This song of assurance, trust and comfort touches us in so many ways.
The 23rd Psalm is most often used for funeral services, but the truth is that these words are more about living a God-centered life than it is about our hopes for life after death. This is David’s song of his personal, intimate relationship with God… his confidence and trust in God… and it provides a wonderful picture of what living “as Children of light” looks like. How such a life is shepherded by God… So let’s take a closer look at this beloved psalm. “The Lord is my shepherd…” In his youth, long before becoming king… David had been a shepherd for his father’s sheep. He understood what that meant. The sheep were able to recognize which shepherd was theirs by the shepherd’s voice, and each shepherd was able to recognize which sheep belonged to their flock. Theirs was a very personal relationship that held a significant bond between shepherd and the sheep. David declares that he and God share in that same type of type of personal, intimate relationship… “The Lord is MY shepherd”… not just a shepherd… or the shepherd of Israel… but HIS own shepherd… and he follows that with the declaration: “… I shall not want.” The sheep rely upon the shepherd for everything: food, shelter, guidance and safety. A shepherd was one person who took care of all the sheep would need… making sure they did not lack anything they needed. And that is what the Hebrew text says: I lack nothing! Please note that “I shall not want” does not mean that if David wanted a brand new car, God would give him one… but it DOES mean that David realized that all that he did have came from God… who provided for all his needs. Verses 2-4 demonstrate this clearly. “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;” The shepherd provides what is needed most… The green pastures, where there is abundant food and a place to lie down and find rest. The still, quiet waters… where thirst can be quenched. David knows that his Shepherd goes all out for his sheep… knowing their needs and providing the very best. “He restores my soul.” When we look at the relationship of shepherd and sheep, we can understand that by providing physical nourishment and rest, the sheep are renewed and restored, reenergized. This is what David feels under the Lord’s care. “He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.” David goes on to say that God is the shepherd that guides him along the right paths. Shepherds (at least in those days), did not drive the sheep ahead of them. They lead them, often walking beside them, guiding them along the paths that led to those places of rest and provision. Now we have to acknowledge that sometimes David strayed from God’s path… sometimes he sinned quite egregiously… but he always heeded the voice of his shepherd and returned to God… putting his trust in the Lord to lead him throughout his life… This was true while he himself was a shepherd… in his battle against Goliath… while he was in fear for his life from King Saul… and through his own time as King… all for the glory of the God of Israel. But as David knew being a shepherd was not only about providing for and guiding one’s sheep. The Shepherd must also protect them. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” In Palestine, it was not uncommon for the flock to have to travel down and through dark, rocky ravines where danger was very likely to be present. There was the threat of injury from the rugged terrain and cliffs, or the danger of predators hiding nearby. And David knew that life was no different. Every day he was surrounded by danger and threats… but he would not be afraid. David knew that the Lord… HIS shepherd was with him… providing strength and comfort… After declaring his complete trust in the Lord to provide for, guide and protect him, David transitions to another metaphor… “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” The picture David paints for us with his words is that of God as a gracious host… preparing a banquet, sparing no extravagance and providing blessing and abundance… even though enemies are around it is clear that the grace of God is strongly evident in David’s life. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” Now most of us are probably more familiar with the KJV translation which says “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” It is this translation that makes people believe that this scripture is more appropriate for funerals. It seems to lead us to thinking about our future time in heaven. But that is not actually what David wrote. The Hebrew is better translated “length of my days.” Or as the NRSV put it… “my whole life long.” David wants for this relationship… this fellowship and communion with His God… not for some time in the future… but right then… He wanted for his life to remain centered on God… … in that moment and during all that remains of his earthly life… David was a human being just like we are. He had great successes but he also had faults and failures… there were times of joy, and times of sorrow and great fear. But David overcame his worries and fears by trusting and rejoicing in God. Today, Psalm 23 is our song about our own relationship and trust in God… It is a perfect model for us to follow every day of our lives, as we respond to all the fears, sorrows and difficulties that come our way. And boy, do we need it! Many of us may have no problem finding food or clean water… but how often do we really get to rest. We are always on the go. We live in an extremely fast paced world… we never seem to stop. There never seem to be enough hours in the day, and our society is such that fatigue and exhaustion are pretty common. What is one of the first things to go when we find ourselves running short of time? … Unfortunately, most often it is our relationship with God. Maybe we are just too tired from the week to go to church on Sunday. Maybe we put off spending time each day reading the Bible or praying. After all… There is just too much to do. How many of us can say with certainty that our relationship… our personal relationship with God is strong like David’s? How many of us can say we have placed our whole and complete trust in God? How many of us REALLY give over control to the shepherd? If we are to be honest… there are many times in our lives where we are as dependent and clueless as sheep. We have an innate tendency to wander off and to find ourselves lost. Sometimes we even make the conscious decision NOT to follow where the shepherd is leading. Then come the times when we find ourselves overwhelmed… in need comfort and guidance… longing for someone to provide some food (whether physical or spiritual) and a peaceful place to lay down and simply rest for just a little while. Times when we feel worried… anxious and afraid… When we don’t know which way to turn… Times like now. Honestly… That is probably one of the only good things to come from this Covid-19 crisis. People have been forced to slow down… to spend much needed time with family… much needed time to rest… and for many of us… much needed time with God. The truth is that the only thing we lack is an intimate relationship with God. Let’s face it… We are sheep. We wander. We seek comfort and provision. But this is not the ideal relationship to God. We are called to be in a much more meaningful relationship with the Lord of all Creation. Because, in truth, we are not sheep. We are human beings created in the very image of God. Jesus was born so that we could better understand and be in relationship with God. Jesus revealed the extent of God’s love for us and demonstrated what it was to truly live a God-centered life… A life given over to the Lord OUR shepherd. For as Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment…” Sometimes we act like sheep. We stray mindlessly and God needs to shepherd us back to where we are supposed to be. But as we mature in our relationship with the Lord, it is easier to remain on the right path… and then… we are empowered and given responsibility to “Live as children of light” This enables us to more fully live up to the second greatest commandment, to “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’…” All of this is only possible because of one thing… David knew it… I pray you know it too… Even in these days of anxiety-driven uncertainty… We have NOTHING to fear… because God is with us. That is the basic message of this psalm… the basic message of the entire Gospel… Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us… We are not alone. God will not magically stop all trouble from finding us, but God will be with us through it all… the good, the bad and the really scary. For if we will just put our trust in the Lord… we too can declare with certainty: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need… He renews my strength… I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me…. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will” [NLT] “follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”[NRSV] Amen!
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March 15, 2020 – During State of Emergency due to Covid 19 Outbreak - Transcript of Online Worship Message Given
As you are probably aware, many local congregations (including our own) are following recommendations to not hold public gatherings… including worship. While I do believe much of the hysteria that seems to have gripped a large portion of our society is unwarranted… I do believe that it is both reasonable and responsible to be cautious. Our church is part of an aging community and many of our members and neighbors fall into the “High Risk” category. So as we strive to keep all our people safe and cease the spread of this virus… let us take some time… relax in our homes and worship the Lord our God. Come, let us worship the Lord as we listen for God’s word and live in the hope it inspires. Let us Pray: Loving and caring God, we come this morning in hope… hope that will sustain us through these difficult times… times when we are more isolated than normal as we practice “social distancing.” Times that can cause us to feel more alone than usual. Refresh us this morning with the living water of your presence and love. Open us to the possibilities of encountering you in unexpected ways, the possibilities of seeing the your miraculous works every day. Help us move from the paths of selfishness and stubbornness, and back to your paths of hope and peace. Enable us to place our whole trust in your love. We pray in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen. Psalm 95 (NIV) – This is a wonderful Psalm filled with both a powerful invitation to worship 1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” John 4: 19-26 – Jesus, while resting at Jacob’s well in Samaria, meets a Samaritan woman, speaks to her about living water and reveals himself as the Messiah to her. She offers an important question for today: Where is the right place to worship God? 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” Worship the Lord Wherever You Are The third week of Lent is an appropriate time to take a breath and give God thanks for the amazing gift we have received… the gift of worship. As Disciples of Christ Jesus, there’s nothing more important than worship. Worship is what we were made for, and our Psalm this morning is a call to worship the Lord. Psalm 95 begins in exuberance as we are called to come into God’s presence with joy. “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Sing and extol God with music and song... Now THAT sounds like worship to me! But is that all there is to worshipping our Lord? What is worship? The dictionary defines worship as: “to honor or show reverence… to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.” But as we learn from this psalm, true worship is more than showing reverence and honor… worship involves our whole being… body, mind, spirit and emotions. We are instructed to “sing for joy… shout aloud… come before [the Lord] with thanksgiving…” to “bow down in worship… to kneel before the Lord” with open hearts “For the Lord is the great God… [and] he is our God!” We are to sing and shout… to pray and show reverence… To worship is to be actively engaged with all that we are. Simply going to church or another house of worship for an hour on Sunday… is not worship unless it affects both our emotions and our will to change. As the story goes: Satan was standing outside a church building one Sunday morning. Inside, the people were singing, praying, and listening to the preaching. A person walking by saw him there and asked Satan if it bothered him that so many people were in side. Satan chuckled and said “No! They get that way on Sunday, but they will be mine on Monday. It’s just a little habit they’ve picked up.” Just a little habit they have picked up? What does that say about our own times of worship? That reminds me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 15: 7-9: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” You see… worship is supposed to make a difference in who we are and what we do. This is what Jesus was telling the woman he met at the well in Samaria when he said “the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth...” During their conversation at the well, she had brought up a contentious subject between the Samaritans and the Jews. She said: “Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” She wanted his take on the question. He had greatly impressed her and she desired to know who was right… where is the correct place to worship God? But instead of taking sides, Jesus gave this woman a different perspective: “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” If we are to truly worship God… it does not matter WHERE we worship… but we must worship God in spirit and in truth. According to Jesus, God is not impressed by worship if it does not come from the heart. It does not matter where the worshipper is. Instead of worshipping God in a physical temple, synagogue, church or on a particular mountain… God is to be worshiped “in spirit and in truth.” True worship must be “in spirit,” that is, engaging the whole heart. Jesus tells us that worship is first and foremost an experience of the heart. Prayer without heart is in vain. Songs without heart are in vain. Confession and creeds and liturgies and sermons that don’t come from the heart are empty and worthless in God’s eyes. At the same time, worship must be “in truth” which includes the truth about who God is and what God does, and the truth of what is going on in our world. Given our current circumstances… I thought that these readings are very apropos. Too often we consider worship to be what takes place during the Sunday morning service at our local church. Although true worship certainly ought to take place whenever and wherever believers gather together, it should not stop when we go our separate ways. We should worship the Lord in everything we do, even down to the most basic actions of daily life. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) True worship is not limited to any particular location; it encompasses all of a believer’s life. So, as we are unable to gather together, let us remember to worship the Lord Our God. Let us take time to sing to the Lord with joy and thanksgiving… to bow down and offer the prayers of our hearts… “Enter his gates with thanksgiving [in your hearts] and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100: 4-5) Let us each… wherever we are… call out to God with joy and thanksgiving… let us kneel and pray with all our heart… “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. he sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land…. for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” Amen Sermon - March 8, 2020
Throughout our lives, we take many different journeys. We travel to and from different places… in and out of different roles, jobs and relationships… Even our faith is a journey. Sometimes the journeys are simple and easy… other times they seem huge and even a bit scary. The truth is that all of life is a journey and there are risks… dangers we have to face along the way. There are physical dangers such as illness, injury, accidents and natural disasters. There are psychological and emotional dangers like depression, heartache, anger, fear and anxiety. There are economic dangers: recessions, unemployment, debt and theft. There are even many spiritual dangers: doubt, sin, corruption and evil. The journeys we take and the dangers we face can fill us with fear. There are always times when we feel alone… like we are traversing the miles (whether literal or figurative) by ourselves. This is why we need Psalm 121… it is a hymn of trust and confidence in God. The quiet assurance of God’s protection. One of the 15 “Songs of Ascents”, Psalm 121 was sung by the People of Israel as they traveled to Jerusalem for the Jewish Festivals. The stark geographic diversity of the region was such that travel was difficult and often dangerous. Jerusalem is located in the Judean Mountains 14 miles west of the Dead Sea, and 33 miles east of the Mediterranean. The city is situated on a large plateau at an elevation of 2,550 feet. No matter which direction you are traveling from toward Jerusalem, basically you are going up. Add to that the fact that the temple was located on the highest part of the city of Jerusalem, and the journey upward was true in terms of altitude, but also in terms of theology. Although this psalm was used most often for the journey to worship, to ascend to the holy mountain… to abide in the presence of God… it is a psalm about all of life… every aspect, all the goings and comings. Psalm 121 is about the journey of life and the promise of God. “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?” The psalm begins with a pilgrim looking to the mountains. Acknowledging the dangerous journey ahead… The mountainous region, the arid climate… the hills and rocky passes that left many places for robbers to hide. Where can he or she find protection for this treacherous journey? The protection comes from, oddly enough… the mountain they raise their eyes to. Zion, God’s Holy Mountain… and the One who resides there. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” From the very first verse, the author sets his sights on God for the journey. Throughout this beautiful Psalm, there is a focus that reminds us of a spiritual journey, where God is the destination. The Hebrew word “shamar” appears six times in these eight verses. We have quite a few English words we use to translate it… It means “to keep, guard, protect and watch over” “… he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you… The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” The Psalm expands the notion of the Lord’s watching and protecting to include an entire lifetime. The image we receive is that life itself as a journey. It assures the people that God is with them… protecting and watching over them… from the most basic danger of a foot slipping… to the greater danger of sunstroke… even the light of the moon (which in ancient times was viewed with superstitious fears.) No matter what the danger… God is a constant companion both day and night… whether coming or going… an ever-present help at all times. What a source of assurance, hope and strength! Like the people of ancient Israel… we also have the assurance of God’s presence and “shamar”… protection. It is the protection... the salvation that is secured through Christ for all who believe. For as John reminds us, Jesus is the connection… the bridge between heaven and earth. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Jesus offered his own life… to be lifted up on the cross… to make eternal life possible for all who believe. Eternal Life… what a promise! But what does that have to do with God’s protection today? Everything! Too many people think that the promise of eternal life simply means immortality… it is our future life in heaven. But that is not what Jesus meant by “eternal life”. Jesus spoke many times about “eternal life”: John 5:24 says “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life…” Did you catch that… He said HAS… not will have! He even later defined eternal life when he was praying in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Eternal Life is knowing God… having a close, personal relationship with the God of Creation… it is living in the unending presence of God. Sin is the barrier that stands between humanity and God. It is because of sin that we were separated from God… we did not truly know God. So sin had to be removed! And that’s exactly what Jesus did when he was “lifted up” on the cross. Through Christ, sin no longer stands between God and human beings. Now, all who have faith… all who believe have been granted eternal life… the unending presence of God with us through every step of our journey through life. This is the promise NOW… not just in the future. So if we have been granted eternal life here and now… why do we need this Psalm today? Because we are still travelers… life AND faith is still a journey. There are still dangers and… well… we are human! We need the reminder that God is with us on our journey… God is protecting us now and forevermore… watching over us each and every day. Now, one problem we have is that too often we fall into the trap of thinking that if we are with God… nothing bad will ever happen to us. That is how the psalm makes it sound, doesn’t it? “(God) will not let your foot slip… The Lord will keep you from all harm”. Yet, experience tells us otherwise. We know that far too often “bad things happen to good people”. So, what’s up with that? I want to look at verse five for a minute: “The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;” The Lord is your “shade”… This word is also translated as “shadow,” as in “the shadow of [God’s] wings.” [Psalm 57:1] It is a comforting presence, an affirming assurance, a protective certainty when we think about what it means for a baby bird to be sheltered under… in the shadow of… its parent’s wing. It is a time of comfort and a sense of safety… We can embrace the shadow; relaxing in that grace. God’s shadow… is not a magical protection from the trials and pains of a dangerous and complicated world, but IS a constant companion and a source of comfort on the journey of our lives. And the more we claim that presence, the more we follow God’s guidance, the more we will be able to avoid the dangers ahead of us… for God is with us. Besides… when we are feeling hurt or victimized, it's useful to remember that Jesus himself endured horrendous treatment from others. There is nothing in life that could be worse than what Jesus endured on our behalf, when he was betrayed and deserted by his friends… ridiculed by those he came to save… beaten and tortured and then nailed to a cross… Therefore, you can be sure that God more than understands what you are going through. God’s protection is found in the eternal life promised through Christ… is God’s unending presence with us… When all is well and we are happy… God is there with us. When bad things happen, God is still right there with us… God feels our pain, and is very present with us, and through it all, God works to bring out the best in even the worst of situations. Life is a journey… our faith is a journey… and we have the assurance that: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going… both now and forevermore.” The strength and comfort that this Psalm brings to us goes with us from the beginning to end of our life's journey, as well as helps sustain and uplift us with God's presence and protection along the way. So lift your eyes to the mountains… and remember “My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth...” from the very one who made the mountains and valleys, the heavens and the earth: Our help… each and every day… comes from God! On Wednesday February 26th, we entered into the Season of Lent. Lent is a time of preparation… of repentance, prayer, self-examination and reflection, and this season begins with a call to repentance.
Repent… that’s one of those words we do not really like. After all, it requires that we take a good, long, hard look at ourselves… to recognize and admit that we have done wrong… that we have indeed sinned against God and one another. Not really a favorite past-time for most people. However, the truth is that we are all guilty of sin, and we need to repent in order to truly live as Disciples of Christ… but we often forget that repentance is not just a “one and done” action… we need to repent over and over again. Why? Because even after we have come to God and confess our sins and are baptized into the Christian faith… we are not suddenly made perfect! To repent means to turn around, to turn back… to make a change. Repentance does not eliminate our struggle with sin and make us perfect… because we are still human and very imperfect. Each time we break one of God’s commandments… each time we fail to fully and totally Love God… each time we fail, even in some small way, to love our neighbor… every time we slip up… even just a little bit… we move away from God. We wander from the path God has laid out before us. That is what the word we translate as “sin” means. In Hebrew it literally means “miss the mark” or “lost from the path.” Whenever we repent, we turn back to God… back to God’s path. That is the reason this season of Lent is so important for us. We are human… we tend to get busy and distracted and we forget… forget that we need to keep returning to God because we keep wandering from God’s path. Our Psalm today reminds us how important repentance really is. Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose [iniquity] the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. The psalmist speaks of three things that alienate us from God: Transgressions, Sin and Iniquity. In English, we tend to use those words interchangeably, however in the original Hebrew they were three very distinct words. As I said before, The Hebrew word for “Sin” literally means "miss the mark” or “lost from the path.” These can be either accidental or deliberate, but are anything that causes us to deviate from the path of God. “Transgressions” are defined as wrong-doings or acts of rebellion (nothing accidental about those), and finally, “Iniquity” means something that is crooked or twisted, and was used to mean perversity or depravity… great immoral behavior or injustice. This Psalm, believed to be written by David, tells of the consequences of not confessing our sins, transgressions and iniquities to God: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” Think about that… He felt like his bones, his whole body was wasting away… was being damaged and worn out… He groaned in pain all day long, feeling weighted down and weak… There is a story about a famous playwright in England, who as a prank sent identical letters to twenty of the most famous men in London. The anonymous note simply read: “Everybody has found out what you are doing. If I were you I would get out of town.” As the story goes, all twenty men actually left town. What may have been a joke demonstrates a serious truth: Guilt can be a powerful thing. Even thousands of years ago, David recognized that there are profound effects of ignoring feelings of guilt and shame… In fact, psychologists say that unresolved guilt can make it hard to concentrate and difficult to think straight… Guilt can cause insomnia, digestive issues and stomach pain, muscle tension and headaches. Feelings of guilt can literally make you feel heavier and more belabored. Even mild guilt can make you hesitant to embrace the joys of life. But when we confess our sins… when we acknowledge whatever it is we have done wrong… no matter how large or how small the infraction… when we repent and return to God… we are forgiven! This is important because the word we translate as “forgiven” means to be lifted up, carried, supported. When we confess our sins… the guilt… the weight of them is lifted up from our shoulders and we are supported by God… We Are Forgiven! “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven…” When we are forgiven of our sins… we are truly blessed… happy… or as the New Living Translation of the Bible puts it: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven…” “Oh, what joy…” You see… There is joy in repentance! This is not merely an attitude or feeling… but it is a declaration of God’s favor… of our being brought into a right relationship with God. For when we repent… we are forgiven… God takes our guilt and shame and becomes our shelter… our hiding place… our strength and protection… God sees us through even the most difficult times. Joy, true joy, is found in reconciliation with God and in living with a clear conscience. The good news for us is that God is always seeking reconciliation, always offering forgiveness. Psalm 32 reminds us that reconciliation is possible… that redemption is possible… forgiveness is possible. The amazing news is that a new start is available to us all. Unfortunately, living with a clear conscience seems a bit more challenging. We are human… we are too aware of our faults and failures and often we worry that these will keep us from living in right relationship with God. Too often we live under the weight of our brokenness. But God is will not give up on us… God longs to have each and every person to live and love and find the joy and pace that comes only from God; for everyone to live in harmony with all of God’s wondrous creation. That’s why we need to begin Lent… not with condemnation, but with encouragement. We begin with this psalm of hope, so that we can be reminded that we’re not alone. The African-American spiritual says: “Sometimes I feel discouraged / and think my work’s in vain. But then the Holy Spirit / revives my soul again” For “There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.” (There is a Balm in Gilead Hymn # 375 in the UM Hymnal) This happens through repentance… by turning back and confessing those things that separate us from God so that God can lift the weight of them from us… so that we are able to find true joy in our lives simply because we are brought closer to God. Repentance enables us to embrace the reality of life in the kingdom. So, “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” |
Yeon Shin
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