Psalm 37:3-5, 39; Antiphon, Psalm 92:1—The Old Testament lesson, the New Testament lesson and the Gospel for this coming Sunday give us a description of the Christian living in the world.
The
Introit from which is our reading for today tells us that trusting in the Lord
enables us to serve Him, and to have courage in the face of a world that is
hostile to the Lord and His people. The antiphon reminds us, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to
sing praises to your name, O Most High.”
How
do you wait for God? How do you stop yourself from becoming angry or frustrated
especially when it appears that others have everything that they want?
The
psalmist tells us do something else! In verse 3 he gives three directives.
· Trust in the LORD; as you ask God for
help.
· Do good things; give help to people
around us. The Lord does not need your good works. Yet your neighbor however
does. In your vocation you become the hands, the feet, the fingers and toes of
Jesus. You serve as the Lord has served you.
· Finally,
enjoy what the land gives, even if it
is not much. Look around. Everything you have is a gracious gift of God. Enjoy
the blessing which come to you from his gracious hand. The Lord has promised to
provide.
So
trust in His timing. Rely on His promises. Wait for His answers. Believe in His
miracles. Rejoice in His goodness. Relax in His presence. Come near to Jesus
and He will come near to you.
Collect for Psalm 37
– Lord Jesus, you bless the poor with the
kingdom of heaven. Teach us to put our trust in the Father and to seek his
kingdom rather than to imitate the powerful or envy the right; so may we serve
you now and forever.[1]
[1] Collect for Psalm 37, For All The Saints, A Prayer Book for and by the Church Volume II © 1995 American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
No comments:
Post a Comment