Read Psalms 49-51
Yesterday, we held close to our
hearts the truth that much of life is contradictory ~ a
compilation/collection of the good and not so great. Whereas some philosophy and religion suggest
that life is suffering or focus only on the brokenness, Christianity holds
suffering and salvation (or you could use the word, “heal” or “hope” or
“wholeness”) together in the symbol of a cross.
To be sure the cross in Jesus’ day evoked terror and torture and fear;
but as an Easter people we see the cross also as transformational. Our faith is built upon a contradiction that
wholeness and woundedness somehow are woven together, just as
creativity and chaos played/prayed together in the beginning. When you seek to be in that space (which is
not easy because the world craves ceasing all suffering forever and ever), we
can hold a verse like Psalm 49:5, “Why should I fear when evil days come, when
wicked deceivers surround me – those who trust in their wealth and boast of
their great riches?” One of the reasons I
invited you to sing the Psalms with me this summer is because of a verse like
this. I believe that is as true today as
it was when it was first sung. The
wealthy still boast and tell others what to do.
Evil persists and insists on hurting and harming, especially the most
vulnerable. Keep reading, “No one can
redeem life of another (not politics or economics or any
individual/institution/church or pastor) or give to God a ransom for
them…(skipping down to verse 15), “But God will redeem me from the realm of the
dead.” How? Not in some cookie cutter, one-size-fits all
plan offered to you by some trickster or traveling salesman who pedals
ointments for all that ills you. No, God
redeems our life both intimately and personally ~ as well as communally.
As you keep reading, I would encourage you to read Psalms 50-51 back-to-back. Psalm 50 is one of confidence and 51 is one of confession ~ hear again that juxtaposition of having a strong back and a soft heart. I am blessed and broken, I am beloved and breath/dust, I am full of moments when bad things happen and the glory of being a human fully alive. Let these Psalms speak to you, sing into your life right now. One suggestion is to select a verse from each Psalm you’ve read to lay side-by-side to seek how the words play together or contradict each other or maybe even ignore one another. The power of a Psalm is when you actively engage in letting the verses have a conversion in your sacred imagination and your life. The power of the Psalms is how they meet you right where you are even though you never met the Hebrew hymn writers who penned these words. Hold this truth and be held by this truth today. Amen.
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