September 15th - Reflection

Psalm 73 (NRSV)
God is my portion

Truly God is good to the upright,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pain;
their bodies are sound and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not plagued like other people.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them like a garment.
Their eyes swell out with fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth.

Therefore the people turn and praise them,
and find no fault in them.
And they say, "How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
Such are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain I have kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
For all day long I have been plagued,
and am punished every morning.

If I had said, "I will talk on in this way,"
I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I perceived their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
They are like a dream when one awakes;
on awaking you despise their phantoms.

When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
I was stupid and ignorant;
I was like a brute beast toward you.
Nevertheless I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me with honor.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;
you put an end to those who are false to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
to tell of all your works.

Reflection
Being close to God is wonderful. And one of the wonderful things about it is that God chose to be close to me. After all, how could I, ever on my own, draw close to God? But, God chose to be close to me. God chooses to be close to you also. For me, Jesus comes knocking at the door day after day. Can Billy come out to play? Each day we relive our baptism. Life giving water and Word are abundantly poured onto us, washing over us and onto the world in which we stand. The old man is washed away and a new man arises for another day. Each day God comes to us and we are gifted with the presence of God. Each day we are provided for in ways we can't even imagine or anticipate. God is truly our refuge. God is our shelter and protection from danger and trouble. God is our safety net of aid, relief and escape when needed. The things and ways of this earth will fail, but our relationship with God never fails. What more could I or you ever need? Thanks be to God?

Prayer
Lord, draw me close to you...never let me go. You are all I need. --- Amen