This last week I participated in a conversation with a young college student about the difficulty of finding a church and wanting to participate. He was saying that is difficult to connect to the love of the Lord during worship. It is difficult to grow up, difficult even for the fully grown to remember that it isn't all about us. Difficult to remember the priorities taught to us by the gospel and brought to us in Sunday School - God, others and ourselves in 3rd place.
What we recalled is the glory of having a difficult week and going to church to realize again the good news that it isn't all about us. The good news is that we love a God who loves us and forgives us, but it is about God.
God who is slow to anger, gracious, full of compassion, great kindness, loving to everyone, compassion over all of his works. God of power, an everlasting kingdom, dominion over all the ages, faithful in his words, merciful in his deeds. The Lord upholds the fallen, He lifts those who are bowed down, righteous in all of His ways, and loving in all of his works.
It is a mercy to remember that we do not have to work to pull ourselves into our best form and drag ourselves into first place. It isn't all about us and our failings we indulge, or overlook, or have secret pride in. It is about the glory of the Lord, rich in mercy and in love.
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
What we recalled is the glory of having a difficult week and going to church to realize again the good news that it isn't all about us. The good news is that we love a God who loves us and forgives us, but it is about God.
God who is slow to anger, gracious, full of compassion, great kindness, loving to everyone, compassion over all of his works. God of power, an everlasting kingdom, dominion over all the ages, faithful in his words, merciful in his deeds. The Lord upholds the fallen, He lifts those who are bowed down, righteous in all of His ways, and loving in all of his works.
It is a mercy to remember that we do not have to work to pull ourselves into our best form and drag ourselves into first place. It isn't all about us and our failings we indulge, or overlook, or have secret pride in. It is about the glory of the Lord, rich in mercy and in love.
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
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