Meditation 232
Psalm 112
This week I am not following the lectionary readings for my meditations, because for the season of Lent I am using a book “Onward Through the Fog!” that has ideas related to Lenten worship that follow scriptures that are not identical to the readings in the common lectionary. I hope the reflections this week are still a blessing to those of you who are reading.
Psalm 112 gives a generous description of those who fear the Lord, and are therefore both those who receive blessing and those who are a source of blessing to others. We are told that those who fear God take delight in God’s commandments. A lot of time could be spent reflecting on what that means. To take delight in God’s commandments is a familiar theme to those who are used to the lessons of scripture, and the messages of spiritual songs. The commandments of God are more than a list of what is allowed and what is forbidden. The commandments of God give us insight to what God is like. We know that the commandments of God tell us to be kind and fair, they tell us to follow God faithfully and to worship God alone. If we choose to follow God, there is a need to worship only God. In the twenty-first century we are not likely to be tempted to worship idols as the ancient people were, but we can be tempted to put concerns for self-advancement over the concerns God has for humanity and the care for creation. The commandments of God that invite us to a life of faith, nurture, and obedience can indeed be the main source of our delight.
After the description of those who fear the Lord being the ones who delight in the commandments of the Lord, we have a list of the good things that will come to those who fear the Lord. They will have mighty descendants, they will be blessed, have wealth and righteousness. Then we are told that they will be a light for the upright. We are not told if they will be a light in a physical darkness or a metaphorical one, but we are told that in the darkness those who fear the Lord will be a light for the upright. I believe we can take hope in this. As we fear the Lord and take comfort in the commandments of the Lord, that we will be a light to the upright. It seems those who fear the Lord are gracious, merciful, righteous, generous and they conduct their affairs with justice. That is a pretty tall order, most of us would be happy to be called one of those things. Yet, in our walk of faith, we know that following God’s good way will help us to be like God and so we can be a light to others who are trying to follow God.
During Lent we are getting ready to celebrate Easter, which is the highlight of the Christian year. During Lent, many people follow dedicated observances spending more time in prayer and meditation, fasting from certain practices to be able to give more time to spiritual things or to have more money for offering, or choosing to do some extra good deed for Lent. The way you observe this time should be the way God leads you to do so. We want our spiritual practice to be a light to others, not a burden to ourselves. Yesterday I read a devotional shared at “Presby Can Daily Devotional.” It was written by a friend Rev Kenn Stright, who encouraged us to show thankfulness to those who perform essential and unnoticed jobs in our communities. There are so many, from school bus drivers, to custodians, to front line medical people, to teachers* who are keeping our communities safe right now. How would we view the pandemic if we looked about for those to thank as we progress through this time of challenge? Maybe this could be one way to be a light in the darkness.
*This list is far from complete, there are so many in our communities who are faithful and helpful.