Psalm 68:1-10, 19-20 (NRSV)
God protects the widows
Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds--
his name is the Lord--
be exultant before him.
Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.
O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
Selah
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;
your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. ...
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.
Selah
Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
God protects the widows
Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds--
his name is the Lord--
be exultant before him.
Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.
O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
Selah
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;
your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. ...
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.
Selah
Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
Reflection
Have you ever noticed how God seems to come to those in need? I'm sure God comes to the wealthy and those who live a life of leisure as well, but, it doesn't seem to get recorded as much or nearly at all in Scripture. God comes to those of us who are sinful, sick, dying, poor or needy. God provides and saves us, not necessarily from our need, but for sure, God saves us in and through our need. In fact, to prove it, God sent Jesus to find out what that need is like. Jesus experienced true humanity. Jesus experienced our need and daily walks with us through that need, bringing us to new life, in and through him.
God daily bears us up, for God is our salvation. We don't need to worry about death due to our ills, because Jesus took on the act of escape from death. We will face death, but through Jesus graceful act, we will rise again. Through Jesus graceful act, we are becoming one in Christ. Jesus became like us so that we could become like him, through him. This is not because of any effort of our own, but because of the love of God through Jesus Christ.
So...sing to God...sing praises to his name! Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, daily I come to you...humble...needy...I need you...bear me up and make me into what you would have me be...today...tomorrow and forever. --- Amen
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