Reflections
“The eyes of the Lord are upon those who
fear Him, to deliver them from death.”
The Psalm is praise for God’s providence,
the blessings He gives us. “The Lord fills
the earth with goodness. His works are
trustworthy.”
We may not have the faith of Abraham
(Genesis 12:1-4), but we can be sure
the Lord’s eyes are upon us – “The
Lord’s eyes are upon those who hope
for His gracious help.” As our psalmist
says, “O Lord, we have put our hope
in you.”
In Sunday's 2nd reading, St Paul says
that God has saved us and called us to
a holy life. (2 Timothy 1:9)
The Psalmist confirms this – “We are
delivered from death, kept alive in times
of famine.” We may not be starving for
physical food, but we could face spiritual
death from sin if we were not saved by
our Lord Jesus.
“The eyes of the Lord are upon those
who fear Him, to deliver them from death.”
Remember, the wages of sin is death, and
we are all afflicted. Fortunately for us,
Christ destroyed death and brought life,
as St Paul says (2 Timothy 1:10),
so it is natural that we openly ask for His
help and His protection. He is our shield
in the spiritual battle that we all have to fight.
“Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help
and our shield.”
If we trust in the Lord, His eyes will be upon
us so long as we count ourselves among
those who fear Him, and we can expect
to receive His grace.
Through His goodness we can expect a
transfiguration of our own, and that same light
which shone from Jesus' face that day on
Mt Tabor can be a source of light for us
and those around us. “We have put our hope
in you, O Lord.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. As our psalmist says, the Lord's eyes are upon us, and that is a good thing
because of His saving grace. Speak of how you depend on God's providence
to preserve you as you go about your daily life amidst the world's attractions.
2. The Psalm assures us that God's love and mercy will be granted to us, as we place our trust in Him. Give an example of how you have trusted in the Lord and how you have benefited from His kindness.
2. The Psalm assures us that God's love and mercy will be granted to us, as we place our trust in Him. Give an example of how you have trusted in the Lord and how you have benefited from His kindness.
In my daily prayers, I find myself asking the Lord for His supernatural favor to come down ABUNDANTLY, on my family and on me. And in more ways than I am capable of knowing, I am confident of His power in my life. I am reminded of yet another Psalm... Psalm 77:14 says, “You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples..” (NIV)
ReplyDeleteGod is simply in the business of performing miracles, countless times a day. It may not be a big deal for Him to do so, but each time He does, His entire heart of love is wrapped up in that miracle, big or small. I challenge myself and my children to recount our miracles at the end of each day. How was the Lord present when dealing with that difficult professor? How did the Lord’s saving grace protect me from that reckless driver? How did God shine through my husband’s surgeon hands to deliver healing to a patient? Did I notice the pink tulip trying to say hello through the spring snow... to bring me joy and make me ponder the beauty of perseverance?
During the global frenzy and scare over COVID-19, do I not trust the Lord to keep my loved ones safe? Indeed... as v. 18-19 say, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his merciful love, that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.” (Didache). God’s love and mercy are more alive than ever... when we notice His active hand in our lives. I can fully trust Him to continue to shower kindness upon me as I claim His blessings.
"The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him and to deliver them from death."
ReplyDeleteBecause God is the Lord of creation, the almighty, all powerful, he is worthy of our trust and praise. We should revere him in all we do, even amidst our daily crisis. His word is right, true, faithful, and trustworthy. His intentions and plans never change, while worldly matters always keep changing.
Our psalmist asks God’s deliverance from death when he is faced with harsh realities. He experiences God’s watchful care and provision when he is pleading. For God is good.
I have learned to trust in God's plan for me no matter what. Sometimes I am disappointed because I am worldly blinded by my sins. Whenever I am spiritually blocked, I call for the Holy Spirit to renew my spirit. His goodness and mercy come over me and touch me and heal me. In this way He preserves me. And so in time of my trials I place my hope in Him.
I have realized lately that all my benefits come from his mercy. I shout for joy, giving thanks and praise because he is my deliverer.