Epiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 28, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 111

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
   studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is his work,
   and his righteousness endures for ever.  

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures for ever.  — Psalm 111:1-3, 10

 How much do we study the works of the Lord? I am amazed at the depth and breadth of the insights of Bible scholars who compare, contrast, test, and meditate on the scriptures. There work enables me to probe the significance of the stories. It is interesting to find the common threads that are woven throughout the acts of God. God cares for God’s people, all of them. The Lord meets us where we are and turns even our weaknesses into strengths. God is always with us and knows us thoroughly. All God asks of us is for our total commitment of love. Is that the beginning of the understanding of the fear of the Lord. How can we love like God?

What is the fear of the Lord? I am the youngest of three children and can attest to the truth that at least paying attention to the acts of parents can save you a lot of grief as you get older.  I observed early, for example, by watching my parents interact with my sister and brother that my parents did not countenance lying. So the better choice for me was to render the truth and face the music for whatever infraction I had committed rather than face the more serious reaction if I had lied about it. I learned that from observing the acts of my parents. My parents were loving me enough to prepare me for life beyond the walls of my home. God is trying to prepare us for life in a fractured world. The Lord is not just preparing us for surviving in that world, but for joining God in healing its wounds.

Prayer: Praise the Lord! I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
   in the company of the upright, in the congregation.  Amen.

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 American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.