Dearest e-votees,
When you find yourself at the bottom of things there really isn't anywhere else to look but up.
As you cast your eyes upward and lift your voice with petitions of deliverance who do you hope to see? Who do you hope might hear your call? Who might deliver you? Who might redeem you? Psalm 130, our appointed psalm for this morning, reflects one in distress calling out for divine intervention and redemption.
Peace,
Karl
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Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Psalm 130, NRSV
Songs of ascents are ones that are raised to God. They are petitions lifted up to the heavens. They are songs that pilgrims might sing as they ascend the path on the way to Jerusalem. It is an acknowledgement that the petitioner is beset by something bigger and something more powerful than him or herself but also that that one has hope in one who is even bigger and more powerful than the afflicting circumstance.
Think of the proverbial Timmy stuck in the well crying out to faithful Lassie. Think of the person lying flat on their back in the hospital not knowing if they'll ever get back up again. Think of someone who was just managing to eke out existence and then a crushing shift in the economy strikes. Think of when you were at the lowest time you have ever found yourself.
Perhaps you had some hand in landing yourself in your fallen circumstance. Perhaps it came to you through no invitation or culpability of your own. That's not the point. Whenever folks ask Jesus things like "Why was this man born blind? Who sinned?" he seems to shun the fault finding. He dismisses culpability of the victims of the falling of the tower of Siloam and a massacre of folks bringing their offering. Jesus says that these are opportunities to turn towards God, to repent. Wherever you might find yourself today don't get lost in the despair or the self-flagellation. Instead turn your heart and your prayers upward and outward towards God. Repent.
With God, the one at the top of the well, the one hovering over any hospital bed, the one who knows the needs and despairs of everyone including the very most cutoff and despondent, the one who never leaves nor forsakes us no matter what we have done or left undone, we have hope. God has a steadfast love for us and for all. God has great power to redeem. (Psalm 130 in the cranberry hymnal (ELW) talks of God's plenteous redemption). God redeems us from every iniquity--our own and those of the ones who might afflict us. Thanks be to God.
God, out of the depths we cry to you. Bring your love and redemption to bear in our lives. And send us to others as bearers of your love and redemption as well. Amen.
When you find yourself at the bottom of things there really isn't anywhere else to look but up.
As you cast your eyes upward and lift your voice with petitions of deliverance who do you hope to see? Who do you hope might hear your call? Who might deliver you? Who might redeem you? Psalm 130, our appointed psalm for this morning, reflects one in distress calling out for divine intervention and redemption.
Peace,
Karl
------------
A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Songs of ascents are ones that are raised to God. They are petitions lifted up to the heavens. They are songs that pilgrims might sing as they ascend the path on the way to Jerusalem. It is an acknowledgement that the petitioner is beset by something bigger and something more powerful than him or herself but also that that one has hope in one who is even bigger and more powerful than the afflicting circumstance.
Think of the proverbial Timmy stuck in the well crying out to faithful Lassie. Think of the person lying flat on their back in the hospital not knowing if they'll ever get back up again. Think of someone who was just managing to eke out existence and then a crushing shift in the economy strikes. Think of when you were at the lowest time you have ever found yourself.
Perhaps you had some hand in landing yourself in your fallen circumstance. Perhaps it came to you through no invitation or culpability of your own. That's not the point. Whenever folks ask Jesus things like "Why was this man born blind? Who sinned?" he seems to shun the fault finding. He dismisses culpability of the victims of the falling of the tower of Siloam and a massacre of folks bringing their offering. Jesus says that these are opportunities to turn towards God, to repent. Wherever you might find yourself today don't get lost in the despair or the self-flagellation. Instead turn your heart and your prayers upward and outward towards God. Repent.
With God, the one at the top of the well, the one hovering over any hospital bed, the one who knows the needs and despairs of everyone including the very most cutoff and despondent, the one who never leaves nor forsakes us no matter what we have done or left undone, we have hope. God has a steadfast love for us and for all. God has great power to redeem. (Psalm 130 in the cranberry hymnal (ELW) talks of God's plenteous redemption). God redeems us from every iniquity--our own and those of the ones who might afflict us. Thanks be to God.
God, out of the depths we cry to you. Bring your love and redemption to bear in our lives. And send us to others as bearers of your love and redemption as well. Amen.
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