Thursday, July 3, 2008

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Matthew 27:45-56

PSALM OF THE WEEK: Psalm 26

HYMN OF THE DAY: CH#203 “Hear Hangs a Man Discarded” (tune: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/s/osacredh.htm)

VERSE OF THE DAY: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?  O My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night and am not silent.  Psalm 21:1-2 NIV

 

Have you felt that way?  Be honest.  Of course, you have.  We all have.  The medieval mystics referred to it as “the dark night of the soul.”  David knew it.  He wrote Psalm 22 (quoted above).  Jesus knew it.  He quoted Psalm 22 (in Aramaic) while he was dieing on the cross.  However, he was in so much pain and agony that he could only get out part of the first verse (Matthew 27:46).  Read this Psalm all the way through and you will see what Jesus was trying to tell us in his last words before his death.  The first 18 verses are a lament about how bad we feel.  The next three are an appeal for help.  Then the last 9 verses are all praise to God.  Even in our worst of times, the Lord is with us and we can praise the Lord.  This is what David knew.  This is what Christ tried to tell us.  Even during their darkest moments, they still knew the glory of God and could still lift us praise to God.  So can we, even when we don’t feel like we can. 

 

PRAYER: O God, my God; there are times when you feel so far away and I feel so forsaken.  Let my heart and my words praise your name in those times.  For truly, you are always with me, and I know that.  You are my only God in times of trouble and times of rejoicing.  Allow me to always feel you near me. Amen.

 

See you in Church Sunday,

Pastor Sandy

 

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