Lent
March 16, 2022
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
This is my go-to scripture for refreshing my relationship with God. I memorized it years ago and rarely read it. Today’s reading reminded me that the version I memorized is slightly different from the verses quoted above, but the sense remains the same. I am not sure how satisfied my soul is currently and I avoid rich feasts for my health. I do remember lazily sitting with mostly the women in my family after Thanksgiving dinner when I was a child. I know what a rich feast with loved ones is about and that the riches come from the sharing of love, which can also be measured by the healthiness or quantity of the food.
Satisfying my soul, however, is a greater challenge. I am reminded of the third verse of the Christmas carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on Earth, ” I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on Earth, good will to men*
Hate is a symptom, not a cause. Greed and lust for power are the drivers of our lack of peace. I doubt seriously that those who war against others care about the people they hurt, the greedy want the other’s land or money or whatever else they may have that is of worth to the perpetrator. Greed is a fatal disease but before its death, many people can be damaged. Our great challenge is to share the love of God throughout the earth until the souls of all God’s children can be satisfied and they can end their quest for abundance by recognizing it only lies in sharing love with God and with one another.
Prayer: Lord, heal our souls so that we can be a conduit of your love to all your children. Amen.
*https://www.google.com/search?q=i+heard+the+bells+on+christmas+day+lyrics&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS987US987&oq=I+heard+t&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j46i512l4j0i512j46i512j0i512l2.4028j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.