Spirit & Life

Lent

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one.
The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.
When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall.
Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid;
even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.
I have asked the Lord for one thing; one thing only do I want:
to live in the Lord’s house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness,
and to ask for his guidance.
In times of trouble he will shelter me;
he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock.
So I will triumph over my enemies around me.
With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple;
I will sing, I will praise the Lord.
Hear me, Lord, when I call to you! Be merciful and answer me!
When you said, “Come worship me,” I answered, “I will come, Lord.”
Don’t hide yourself from me!
Don’t be angry with me; don’t turn your servant away.
You have been my help; don’t leave me, don’t abandon me, O God, my saviour.
My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me.
Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path,
because I have many enemies.
Don’t abandon me to my enemies, who attack me with lies and threats.
I know that I will live to see the Lord’s goodness in this present life.
Trust in the Lord.
Have faith, do not despair.
Trust in the Lord.

Reflection
This is the season for a Psalm. These sacred songs, or poems to be sung, have been voiced over millennia, echoing emotions that reflect living life in all its fullness. This psalm begins and ends with clear statements of belief. In between we hear conviction, aching uncertainty, fear, deepest grieving, humility and delighted joy. The current natural disasters and human atrocities we are witnessing, challenge our convictions of faith and rattle our emotions. Life with God is not about removing reality or magically fixing things. The yoke of faith enables us to carry more than we could ever imagine on our own. The power of prayer and living justly bring balance to the unbalanced world. Psalm 27 speaks with certainty and wobbly convictions, reflecting the very real emotions that have been expressed of late, linking us through an ageless connection between ancient and modern experiences. Our lives connect and intersect with experiences travelled previously, and that we know will be travelled again. This is the season for a psalm such as this, for in Kairos time and in God’s world, we are one.
Let us pray with one voice to our listening and loving God.

Prayer
A Psalm – Assurance Within

God is my light, my hope, my comfort, my friend.
My faith flows deep within my soul.
In loneliness, I am not alone.
I turn away from my fear and turn towards God.
Cruelty and violence cannot hide God
nor silence truth.
As certain as the sunrises on good and bad,
I am certain God is with me,
behind, beside, above, below and before me.
I may wander, and turn away, yet God’s grace is always present.
God’s Kairos time connects this moment with millennia
where redemption and renewal heal and restore.
God assures me when chaos surrounds me.
As the earth groans from neglect, I grieve with God.
I commit to justice, peace-making and response-ability in God’s Way.
When greed covets what is not theirs to own,
I am certain truth remains, and goodness will be revealed.
I delight in living in God’s Way of love and grace,
and marvelling at creation in all its beauty and wonder.
Teach me, O God, what you want me to do, and lead me along your path
for in you, I trust.

© Rev Anne Hewitt 09/03/2022
This reflection & prayer may be shared as long as the original writer is credited.

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