e-vo for week of June 11

Dear e-votees-

Another early installment. I am out of the office this week. Have a blessed day.

For this week’s installment I thought we might use the appointed Psalm—100.

Peace,
Karl

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Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100, NRSV

What a powerful psalm of praise and rejoicing. It is full of hope and belonging and inclusivity. Wouldn’t it be something to be walking along in a garden and overhear someone across the hedge—oblivious to your presence—singing or reciting this psalm to God? Wouldn’t it beckon you? Wouldn’t it stir you to hope and joy?

I wonder if strangers came into our worship—with us oblivious to their presence—if they would experience this psalm in the flesh. Do we make joyful noises? Do we worship with gladness and sing with enthusiasm? Do we know God made us? Do we know that we are God’s? Do we invite the whole earth to join in the song? Do we give thanks? Do we bless God’s name? Do we rejoice in God’s faithfulness?

Of course we aren’t always going to be oozing joy and enthusiasm towards God. There is a reason there are 150 psalms of all stripes and varieties. There are times for lament. There are times for rage. There are times for hope. There are times for joy. I like Deitrich Bonhoeffer’s construction as the Psalter (our psalms) being the prayerbook of the Bible. No matter where we find our hearts, our hearts can be found in the words of the psalms. Do we allow our hearts to be found in Psalm 100?

My hope and prayer is that all of us can know times reflective of Psalm 100. Sometimes we fall into despair. Sometimes church becomes a chore. Sometimes we feel as if we don’t belong. Sometimes we are certain others don’t belong. We let circumstances and people mute our worship. Perhaps committing Psalm 100 to memory would be a good discipline.

Jesus wasn’t reading from Psalm 22 when he was on the cross. He had taken that psalm into his heart and soul and mind and it was there for him when he needed it. Perhaps Psalm 100 is something we would do well to imbed into our heart and soul and mind as well.

God, help us to live into the joy and worship of Psalm 100. Stir us to beckon others into that place as well. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of earthly fathers. Help us celebrate and rejoice in, for and with them this coming weekend. Amen.