Reflections
Psalm 78: 3-4, 23-24, 25, 54 (Read)
“The Lord gave them bread from heaven.”
Our Psalm this Sunday is once again
about our spiritual and physical food
that we receive from the Lord.
Just as the Israelites of old were fed
when the Lord “rained down manna
upon them for food,” so too we are fed
today with the body and blood of our Savior
in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
But are we worthy? Are we deserving
of this heavenly food, that comes to us
through the passion of our Lord,
the sacrifice of God's only Son?
Over and over again our spiritual ancestors
turned away from God and were deceitful
despite the “glorious deeds of the Lord
and the wonders that he wrought” on their behalf.
Must we too be chastised before
we repent and turn back to God?
Our own history isn't much different
from that of our ancestors –
a cycle of divine grace; followed by ingratitude;
then punishment; then renewed generosity.
We are obliged to repeat the history
of our ancestors, and in the end we are
at the mercy of God. In fact, without His grace
where would we obtain our 'daily bread'?
Do we grumble until our prayers are answered?
Do we persist in putting God to the test?
Are we grateful for the food we receive
from the Lord? Or are we quick to forget
what the Lord has done for us?
St Paul tells us that we really do need
to repent and that we should “put away
the old self of our former way of life,
corrupted through deceitful desires, and
put on the new self.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
And having repented, we are ready
to receive that precious bread from heaven.
Like the crowd at Capernaum (John 6: 34-35),
we plead with Jesus to give of Himself
to us each day, so that we may eat of
the bread of life and never hunger again.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist promises, "We will declare to the generation
to come the glorious deeds of the Lord." What part have you played
in passing on your faith to the next generation?
2. Our Psalm speaks of the Lord bringing His people to "His holy land,
to the mountains His right hand has won." What does it take for you
to be able to climb the mountain of
the Lord?
Reflections
Psalm 145: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18 (Read)
“The eyes of all look hopefully to you;
you give them their food in due season.”
Just as Elisha fed one hundred men
from a few barley loaves, so Jesus feeds
a multitude of us even today. We too are
among the hopeful ones who look to the
Lord for our food in due season.
“The hand of the Lord feeds us.”
His presence is shown in the help,
nourishment, and salvation that He shows
to us. We are dependent on our Lord to
feed us.
Just as Jesus fed five thousand men
from a few loaves and two fish, so Jesus
provides us with spiritual nourishment even
today. “The Lord satisfies the desire of every
living thing,” as our psalmist says. He opens
wide his hand for us. All we have to do is call
upon Him.
Our psalmist says it right – “You Lord are near
to all who call upon you.”
We are his faithful ones, and we praise God
and give Him thanks because of his divine
attributes of compassion and love.
And we sing this psalm in praise of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who shares fully in the perfection
of God, and in the works of the Father.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm Response this Sunday is, "The hand of the Lord
feeds us;
he answers all our needs." Tell of the ways you are being fed
by the Lord,
spiritually, and physically.
2. Our psalmist says, "The Lord is near to all who call upon
him." Explain
how you have reached out to the Lord and how He is
present to you.
Reflections
Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 (Read)
“The Lord is my shepherd.”
We are like sheep, and we look to the
Good Shepherd to lead us beside still
waters, and guide us along the right paths.
We fear no harm, because the Good
Shepherd is at our side. Where else
should we turn?
Our Lord restores us when we are down,
protects us with his rod and his staff when
we are threatened. We lack nothing when
we trust in the Lord. We fear nothing, even
when our lives are at a low point spiritually
or physically.
Our eyes are opened by our trust in the Lord;
we are led out of the dark valley of sin where
we did fruitless things in secret. Like our psalmist
King David, we are anointed with oil by the Lord,
and we make a covenant with Him.
Our trust in the Lord is rewarded. He sends His Son
to save us, and His Spirit to live within us. Surely
goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life.
“I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The promise that King David speaks of in his final days
is what Jesus died for. Jesus reconciles us with the
Father, and when Jesus is raised up, we too are resurrected.
Having been rescued by our Savior, and now counted
among His obedient sheep, we are ready to do His will.
We are groomed to enter the Kingdom and to sit at the
table that God sets for us. If we believe in Him, we too
shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm speaks of the Lord as our Shepherd. Do you believe
you are one of His sheep? What does it mean to be counted among His flock?
2. Our psalmist says that the Lord anoints his head with oil. Are you one of
the Lord's anointed? Describe how the Lord is using you as one of His anointed.
Reflections
Psalm 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (Read)
"l will hear what God proclaims, glory dwelling in our land.”
Our psalmist knows the importance of
listening carefully for the voice of the Lord. We too
must listen attentively for the voice of the Lord and
be careful not to miss his presence among us.
“I will listen for what God, the Lord, has to say.”
How do we seek Him out? Where do we find the Lord?
We find Him when we read and study His Word,
His living Word, as fresh now as it was thousands
of years ago. For His Word is as penetrating as
a two edged sword, able to separate bone from marrow;
convicting us; pointing the way to salvation; and providing
us with an instruction manual for life. (Hebrews 4:12 )
All we have to do is follow it.
As our psalmist cries out, “Near indeed is his salvation
to those who fear Him.” For us Christians the Psalm is
more than a cry. It is a promise of salvation --
the psalmist prepares the way of the Lord.
The psalmist promises that the Lord himself will give us
his benefits. And what should we expect?
Nothing less than the coming of the Messiah himself.
That’s what happens when “Kindness and truth shall meet;”
when “Justice and peace shall kiss;” when “Truth shall
spring from the earth,” (when the Messiah is born).
The goodness and blessings that the psalmist speaks of
are fulfilled in Christ. Where else would we turn
to receive real spiritual abundance?
For our Savior is truly “Glory dwelling in our land.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist speaks of, 'Glory dwelling in our land,' and says that
the Lord's salvation is 'near indeed' to those who fear him. These verses
suggest that our Savior is close at hand and accessible to all of us who
fear Him. Describe how our Savior is present to you.
2. The Psalm says, 'The Lord himself will give His benefits.' Tell of the
benefits you are receiving from the Lord.
