November 5th - Reflection

Psalm 70 (NRSV) You are my helper and deliverer Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!" turn back because of their shame. Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!" But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! Reflection Sometimes you reach the end of your rope. You don't know what to do next. A note of urgency. Seems like at those times you are most vulnerable in many ways. Frustration sets in and words and fur fly. Things are said that are mean, inappropriate, and hurtful. And then... The great and awesome pause. I think it might be the Holy Spirit that leads you to the pause and the prayer and the opening of your eyes. You realize that this situation is beyond yourself. You realize that the solution is outside of yourself. You realize that you are not the savior with a small "s" and that you can't fix everything. So you pause and you pray. You appeal to God. You confess your sin. You confess your pride and fall humble before God and seek help. Help in any form, any time, any place. You seek help from God as God sees fit to help. You turn it over to God and ask God to show you that next step you need to take. The great pause...the great prayer. That peace in the midst of the turmoil. You listen and you wait... And you realize that salvation belongs to God. That God is great and God is your help and deliverer. You realize that in this seeking of God you can finally rejoice and be glad...even in the midst of the storm of confusion, anger, pain, and life...with God you can rejoice. You listen and you wait... Thanks be to God! Prayer Lord, lead me through those times I need the great pause, to listen and wait and rejoice in your salvation. --- Amen