Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Saturday after Ash Wednesday – March 9, 2019 –Psalm 84:4

Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!

Those who experience God's real presence are brought into a new reality where a dry valley can yield springs and be covered with rain. The living God uplifts and empowers through this new reality in a way just as real as the Lord of hosts led and sustained his chosen people through the wilderness and into the promised land.

Psalm 84 invites readers to a similar experience. There are those special places and times in the life of faith where God's presence may be found particularly intense. Believers need these anchors amid the seas of life. Regular worship at one's home church and experiencing the Sacraments are both ways of profoundly entering God's presence and being uplifted and empowered by it.

God's presence may also be found, however, in the dry valleys and journeys of life where one may not expect to find God. Even here the Lord of hosts, who is also the living God, brings springs, rain, and strength to those who seek the ever-abiding presence of the one whose home is among His people. [1]  

In Lent we draw near to the Lord as He comes to us in His Word and Sacraments. As He comes to you speaking His promises of grace He will sustain you throughout your life journey sustaining and strengthening you with acts of mercy and grace. 

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Rejoice, O Lord, the countenance of Thy servants; and deliver our souls from the lowest hell, that protected by Thy mercy, we may with spiritual strength tread fleshly desires under foot; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen. [2] 

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth Your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. [3]

1  http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=703 

2 © 2005 Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood

3 Collect for Saturday after Ash Wednesday, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm