Devotional Messages

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

(NOTE: This message from August 14, 2020, seems still relevant to our lives five years later.)

Psalm 146:3-7 – Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.  When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.  Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.  (NRSV)

It seems like the news just keeps getting more wild and confusing.  The problems our nation is facing and failure of our leaders to deal with them are frightening.  Though I am usually hesitant to claim that our times are somehow more imperiled than previous eras, there seems little doubt that we are seeing unprecedented levels of division, dysfunction and damage.  How should a person of faith respond?

It is always a good idea to turn to scripture when we cannot make sense of our world.  Despite how much the world has changed in the many centuries since the Bible was written, human nature is not all that different and the heart of God is eternal.  These words from Psalm 146 can help us adjust our perspective.

First of all, by pointing out the temporary nature of those in power, the psalmist encourages us to take the long view.  By backing up a little bit, we can get a mental breath of fresh air and regain the courage to engage with the immediate situation.  It also helps us remember that God holds the world – the past, the present and the future – in divine hands, despite how we may feel trapped by current circumstances.

It is also imperative that we remember who our God is, that is, as the psalmist says, One who keeps faith and brings justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry.  If we are looking for the faithful approach to our shared life as a nation, we must consider the aims of God and try to follow them.  May we all find a faithful way forward.