Let us bring Thanks
Psalm 50: 23
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”
Part of the Pandemic unified us all. The desire to be safe and bring safety to each other.
And now we face fewer angry people, but still confusion and unhappiness.
If the fading Pandemic unites us again it is to try to upbuild each other and create a stronger life for ourselves, the people we love, the people we like and God has given us and, then, society as a whole. Always, this huge work, is with our prayers reaching toward what we know and trusting God for what we don't know.
Psalm 50 is a work about fake piety, fake rules and fake ways discerned only by God.
The counter to Psalm 50 is brutal, honestly.
Honesty without mercy. Jesus knew Zacharias' name. God's Messiah Son didn't stand up and humiliate sinners. Jesus never said something like - hey Zacharias, you live at 7867 Mulberry Lane, outside of Hill 3 in Jerusalem. You were fat as a child, your mother dressed you like a silk worm, now you have 5 bottles of wine a week. You live in fear of your brother, who reminds everyone what a loser you are. And today, you have dreadful anxieties and pimples. Most of your conversation and prayers are boring, you are self-centered. Your wife never loved you. Your children are unintelligent because you are never the brightest, shiniest thief of a tax collector. Jesus would sound more like the opposite of God.
Psalm 50 has a lot of God's true discernment into a soul in need of honesty.
If we do the opposite of what Psalm 50 rebukes. If we find the God of Love to see His Ways.
My grandmother lived next door to Virginia McMurray for almost 40 years. Grandmother had severe hardships, Virginia had severe hardships. They could jab all the wrong buttons, just having a conversation. Grandmother had joy and privilege as a child. Virginia had privileged been the wife of local good guy, Football Coach of Ole Miss. Virginia was known all over the county and then some. Then unexpectedly he fell ill and died fairly young. Suddenly, both women were widows. Grandmother could do this and that. Virginia was filled with good works no one programmed her to do. Rides to Churches. Done.
Grandmother was in heavy grief in a different decade. Virginia had overcome her widow grief, being a decade a head. Grandmother's only son was talented and sharp. Virginia's son struggled. My father moved away, far away and was selfish. Virginia had the company of her son, sometimes to the very last bone of hmm.
Virginia would brush past criticism and find a new path. Grandmother couldn't do this till she re-married a handsome Episcopalian Priest. Virginia was still a widow.
And then the two women could share a sorrow and remember why they enjoyed each other and find comfort in their being placed by God as neighbors. Virginia was eventually the Grand Marshall of July 4th for the county. Grandmother was in Heaven and her grandchildren would delight in Virginia rolling along. Something that might have irked Grandmother. However, her grandchildren would smile at her with enjoying the irk and Grandmother. Making Grandmother feel fine.
This is a Universal Story of friendship. We can all hope to find and be the honest, forgiving, true, gracious women.
Today, a circle of friends lost a long 40-year friendship.
I saw women put a true, cheerful, kind, honest remembering. Upon a death linked to the overflow of Pandemic. There was determination to remember the interesting, the witty, the worldly funny, the motherhood, the times we laughed. And a protection of each other from the darker side of a time filled with in-process recovery. A safety net we could all hold on to.
Abba, Father,
Father God, help us each day to put our hands out to do Your will in a way that stretches our lives and our will to find Your Will delightful.
When we find sad news, far from pleasing to us and to You, call us back to You.
In gratitude, let us remember all You have done for us. Being so very grateful for the people You bring us.
For the patience to bounce away from criticism. Not to create petty conversations. To be a joy bringer.
Help us find honesty within ourselves.
To be joy bringers rather than joy absorbers.
To see what You'd have us to see in the people around us. Admire Your people for their good points. Learning to be encouraging instead of fault finding. Yet not white-washers. To love with our heart and to love with our actions when the heart is not stirred. Being with Your efforts, joy to the people You give us around us. And wisdom to be the people we are created to be.
Help our sacrifices be Thanksgiving. Not the ashes of normal rituals requiring only the motions. Not to recite the right phrases, but to remember God is Joy and do the work of 'seekng;, when we don't readily find what is good. By faith and hope, discover goodness.
Help us not to take Your quietness, Father, as agreement for appearances without substance.
We ask Your Help to offer thanksgiving and set our lives ordered rightly by Your Love, Grace and Mercy.
So many areas pull us, Father God. Help us each day to sort out the priority.
In Your Love and Wisdom.
In the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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