Devotional Messages

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE

Psalm 22:23-25
²³ You who fear the Lord, praise him!  All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
²⁴ For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.  Let your ears pay close attention to my request for mercy!
²⁵ From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.  The poor shall east and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord.  May your hearts live forever.

The somber mood and long face may seem appropriate during Lent until we note that so much of scripture clashes with this choice.  The author of Psalm 22 began with the lament, “my God, my God!  Why have you forsaken me?” Yet the psalm ends with the exuberantly positive and faithful declaration that we quote in part above.  The dark powers will be exposed, evil will give way to justice, an ever-faithful God will have the last word.
During Lent, in every season for that matter, our best witness about faith in Jesus which, in my view, is the face of loving kindness even when crucifixion waits in the near future.
Have you learned yet that ‘Dust to dust, ashes to ashes’ affirms that we are in God’s hands?  Jesus taught us in so many ways that God is love.  Let that light up tour face!  It’s only right.
O Perfect Love that casts out all fear enliven us to serve Christ’s cause with joy.  Amen.