Sunday 5th July | Richard Barber
Readings
Reflection
A lot of times I’ve heard the Psalms used to encourage people to lift their hands, dance and sing in uninhibited worship. This is a good thing to do. God is worth giving our all for in worship even when it feels uncomfortable! However, in my experience, it is less common to see the Psalms used to encourage people to bring their despair, pain and hurt before God even though it’s just as biblical. Despite this fact, Psalm 55 starts in the place of despair.
In verses 1-15 the Psalmist pours their heart out before God. There’s no airs or graces. No pretence. Just a child coming before their Father as they are. This is not just an event to read about but an example to follow. Whether we’re having the time of our lives or are in the depths of despair as the Psalmist is, we can always approach our Father in heaven unencumbered and in the knowledge that he is always willing to hear our prayer. However, Psalm 55 teaches us that we are not to stop at the point of inviting God into our pain and hurt. We are also taught to ask God to act in the midst of it.
From verse 16 onwards we see the Psalmist begin to remind themselves of God’s goodness, power and faithfulness to the point where they declare their unwavering trust in God in verse 23. The reason that the Psalmist is able to do this is because God doesn’t change when our circumstances do. Even in times of great hardship and difficulty, God is still on the throne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This seems particularly relevant at the moment. Covid – 19. George Floyd. Terrorism. Our world seems to find itself in a very similar place to that of the Psalmist. As a church let’s pull together in following the Psalmist’s example of coming before God with our grief and hurt at what’s going on around us but whilst always remembering that God is bigger, stronger and greater than it all.
Prayers
Dear God,
Thank you that we can come to you as we are. Thank you that you’re so transcendent that you created the world with a word yet are so immanent that you care about the plight of those that inhabit your world. Be with us as we seek to understand and navigate all that’s going on around us and remind us daily of how much greater you are than the troubles our world is facing. We pray your kingdom would come quickly and your peace would fall on this land.
Amen!
Collect
O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
Without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
Increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
That with you as our ruler and guide we may so pass through things temporal
That we not lose our hold on things eternal;
Grant this, heavenly Father,
For our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
Who is alive and reigns with you,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.
Amen.
