A WORD FOR TODAY, June 26, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
I am on vacation this week, so instead of my usual pattern of regular devotions on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Midweek Oasis lectionary devotion on Wednesday, I’m going to post devotions on the lectionary scriptures, one each day of the week.
Scriptures for Sunday, June 30, 2024: Lamentations 3:22-33 or Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-23; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43
“I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: ‘What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!’ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” Psalm 30, WEB
Have you ever listened to a song that seemed written for you personally? Most couples have a song that they call their own, sometimes because those songs tell a story similar to theirs. Some songs speak of sadness or loneliness that the listeners have experienced. Sometimes the songs speak about things we would like to do, such as fall in love or climb a high mountain. We cry because we relive those experiences and laugh along with the singer when we are reminded of the lighter moments of our lives. Most of the time our reaction to the song has little to do with the actual reason the song was written, but we identify with it just the same, putting our own experiences into the music.
There was a son about fathers, although I don’t recall the title or the artist. The entire song was made up of phrases that every dad has probably said at some point in their life as a father. “You’re grounded.” “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” “Because I said so.” Which of us didn’t hear those words from our own fathers? Or mothers. And which of us parents have never used those same words with our own kids? That song made me laugh because I could hear my parents saying, “Turn that music down!” And it brought back fond memories of family road trips when the singer sang, “No we’re not there yet.”
Our psalm today was probably written by David for the dedication of the Temple. Though David did not actually build the building, he did dedicate the land and the materials that would be used. It was an exciting time for the people, but it was also a dangerous time. David was not safe. He was still in danger from enemies as were the people of Israel. David didn’t get to build the Temple himself because he had spilt too much blood, including that of the innocent man Uriah. But he was given the promise that his house would not end and that his heir would build the Temple, which happened during Solomon’s reign. David may have then planned for this psalm to be used when that Temple was complete.
It was also used later in the liturgy of God’s people. It became a regular part of the Hanukkah celebration. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus. Those who developed the liturgy recognized the worth of this psalm and its appropriateness for that occasion. It is a song of praise, a song that remembers a time when God’s people became arrogant and forgetful. It is a song that is still appropriate for us today. We are reminded of our own failure to live up to the expectations of our God, the God who has done great things for us. As we gather together to sing praise to God, we are humbled by His extraordinary love and mercy. He takes the reality of our failure and turns it upside down so that we can sing His praises and give thanks to Him forever.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org