Thoughts for the Day

Lord, you were favourable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin.
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

Lord, you were favourable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin.
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The list of those individuals and situations on my prayer list gets longer, and the reasons ever more horrid. They range from wars particularly Ukraine and the Middle East; the economic situation in many countries that leaves people struggling to feed their families and heat the home; those waiting for operations in real pain; others undergoing cancer treatment; those suffering from dementia and their families who are losing their loved ones; and those with mental problems. The last grows longer each month.

The verses from Psalm 85 above show us a people who feel as though God has abandoned them. It is difficult to know the circumstances they faced, though it could be when part of the nation returned to Jerusalem after their captivity and exodus to Babylon, only to find the city ruined and the Temple destroyed. All their hopes of restoring the nation seemed to be at an end. We can understand their desolation, and their complaint to God, but we should note that they don't turn their backs on God, they appeal to Him for help. Notice the beauty of the final passage where:

• "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground and righteousness will look down from the sky".

The psalmist says that where God's people are steadfast and faithful God's righteousness and peace will descend on His people.

When life becomes seemingly impossible, we too need to hang in there, and recognise that God loves us deeply. He does not send illnesses or accidents to us. Indeed many things are caused by the way we live and the way we treat our world. What God does do is to stay with us through these times, for He knows what suffering is - His Son suffered death for us! When the pain is beyond bearing all we can do is turn to Him for help.

Lord God,
we pray for the people of the world
especially those who are oppressed in any way;
we pray for our loved ones and friends
who are struggling;
we pray for all in mental or physical pain this day;
and we pray for ourselves,
asking for physical/spiritual healing.
May 'faith and love meet righteousness and peace'.
Amen.