Tuesday of Holy Week, 2007
Hello and good evening, families!
I hope your Tuesday was good. Mine was a little busy, but good. I got some work done and sent off some much needed emails.
The passage from the Psalms for this day of Holy Week is chapter 71:1-12… it’s a life-spanning prayer of praise and petition. From youth the psalmist proclaims a trust and hope in God. In the New King James, verse 5, we hear, “You are my trust from my youth.” Then the psalmist makes a request of God, that in old age he not be discarded by God.
Oh, I’m sure this is rhetorical question. Can God really discard a person because their usefulness has run out? What a human prayer, born of an encounter with the Divine. If we believe what in faith we proclaim about the love and grace of God, then we cannot truly imagine God’s faithfulness to us being so short-lived. But, our hearts may fear it… we’ve known to much deceit and faithlessness in ourselves.
I’m glad the psalmist is able to say, “God, I’ve given you a life’s effort at being your person.” without being prideful or arrogant. I’m also glad that the psalmist can cry out a very human fear, “Oh God, don’t let that effort be in vain.” I’m glad that God can bear to hear both our strengths and weaknesses, our praises and pleadings, and love us through every one.
Psalm 71:1-12
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you.
7 I have become like a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.
9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him.”
12 Do not be far from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help me.
Peace to you…
toddthomas.net 