May 12th - Reflection

Psalm 93 (NRSV)
God reigns above the floods

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
more majestic than the waves of the sea,
majestic on high is the Lord!

Your decrees are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.

Reflection

For some this spring season; the floods have lifted up both literally and figuratively. But for most of us the flood waters lift up figuratively. There are times and even days when it seems that life is taking us under. There are times that we come to the realization that we can't do this on our own. There are those low times when we know for sure we need help. We all go through those times. I think the difference is the times that we come out of those lows.

As we come out of those low times; do we give the credit to our own hard work? If it's really a low time we could not have come out of it on our own. Sometimes I have sinned and thought it was all about my efforts that brought me out of the low times. I have sinned and failed to realize the blessing of God working through people to help in my rescue.

Luther teaches that we relive our baptism daily. Each day when we rise we go under those baptismal waters to bury our sin from the day past and rise again to a new life in Christ Jesus. In a sense we let the flood waters in over our head and drown to what is taking us under. But through the gracious gift of our baptism and because we are loved Children of God; God raises us to new life, forgives us and leads on in the Kingdom, day after day.

But...we must give that old sin away and go under. It's never anything we can accomplish on our own, this new life. This new life is freely given through the suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and presence of the Holy Spirit in and through Jesus Christ as we live a new life in love to those who are set before us day after day. We receive this new life, not because of our hard work, but because of the love and compassion God has for us. And we receive it freely.

Drown in those flood waters, daily and arise anew to this life in Christ so that day after day we may boldly walk with Jesus in his Kingdom, to his glory. Thanks be to God!

Prayer

Lord, when the flood waters cover me, I know of a Savior who is there for me. I give thanks to you as I drown to my old life and rise anew in you...today...tomorrow...and forever! --- Amen