Advent

November 27, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Restore us, O God;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.

O Lord God of hosts,
   how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
   and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
   our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved.

But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
   the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
   give us life, and we will call on your name.

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
   let your face shine, that we may be saved. —Psalm 80:3-7, 17-19

When I read through this scripture. I was refreshed. We have had a bad year. Racial injustice boiled over. A contentious and divisive political campaign was overshadowed by the worst pandemic we have faced in our lifetimes. Truth gave way to conspiracy; safety gave way to self-righteousness. Our souls do need to be healed. Our oneness and justice need to be reestablished.

Before we pray for restoration, we need to identify what we desire to regenerate. How much of our tribulation was brought on by our own acts of omission or commission? Will we go back to ignoring the plight of the poor and oppressed in our land/our world? Do we want to go back to avoiding our responsibilities as citizens in a country designed to be run by the people? Is striving for wealth and power more important than loving one another?

The out of control roaring twenties led to the Great Depression. The tax cuts of 1982 brought on recession. Oklahoma’s failure to participate in Medicaid Expansion for ten years resulted in the loss of hospitals in rural areas, reducing accessible, affordable health care. We are like the Israelites described in the book of Amos before being taken into exile.

We must reassess who we are and who we want to be. We do not need to be restored to the high times before the flood. We need to be restored to being created in God’s image and build a world community that recognizes that image in all people as the driving force in our way of being.

Prayer: Help us, O Lord, to discern what we must be in your acts of restoration. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.