“The Lord God keeps faith forever.”
The Psalm tells us that our long journey
of waiting and petitioning the Lord has
come to an end. For us, then, the Psalm
is about the time of Advent, when the
promises of Isaiah and the other prophets
are fulfilled. (Isaiah 35: 1-6, 10)
The coming of Jesus means for us that
we who are afflicted will be set free;
we who are hungry will receive real food.
Why do we trust in God and not princes of
this world? Because, “The Lord God keeps
faith forever; He gives food to the hungry.”
Who among us is not hungry for a closer
relationship with The Lord?
And, “The Lord gives sight to the blind.”
Our eyes are opened when we enter the
kingdom. St James tells us that our patience
will be rewarded. (James 5: 7-10)
And the psalm confirms this, “The Lord raises
up those who are bowed down.”
We are raised up with the Lord Jesus.
Our psalmist sings about God's promises to the
oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind,
and those who are bowed down in one way or
another. We could all benefit by being set free
in the Spirit or healed, so that we are no longer
blinded. Then we too would no longer be lame,
but would be able to leap like a stag as the
prophet Isaiah promises. (Isaiah 35: 6)
And how are the promises of the psalmist fulfilled?
Where else but in the healing ministry of Jesus,
as the Gospel tells us. (Matthew 11: 2-11)
Who else has the grace and the mercy to heal us?
Advent is our time to be joyful. The coming of
the Messiah opens up a new time for us, a time
of promise. We can celebrate with our psalmist,
“The Lord shall reign forever; your God, Zion,
through all generations! Hallelujah!”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm's verses speak of a hopeful time when our God
will come and save us. Tell of what it means to you to trust in
the Lord, to be set free, and to be raised up.
2. Our psalmist promises that the Lord will give food to the
hungry. Speak of your hunger for a closer relationship with the
Lord, and how you expect to receive real food this Advent.
As a highly sensitive and self-conscious person, I suffer from social anxiety and mull over in my mind for hours, the past interactions I have with people. "Why did I say that? Did she understand my point? Did I come across as haughty? Stupid? Superficial? I hope I am not misunderstood..." And the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteI thought that age and experience might alleviate some of this second-guessing of myself. That does not seem to be the case. In some situations, I suffer even more greatly than in my younger years, because I have the added concern of my aging body and face. "How sleep-deprived and wrinkly did I look when I participated in that discussion? Was my menopausal hot flash evident?"
When I feel especially attacked by these negative thoughts, there are two things that help me overcome and achieve some inner peace.
The first is the concept of favor -- both present and retroactive. We can claim God's favor in the midst of any situation and trust him to turn it around so that others only remember good things about our interaction. This is true, even if I put my foot in my mouth or experienced an all-out disagreement with someone. This is true for present, future, and even past events.
The second is embracing a true "hope in the Lord" (v.5) because he is a God who "sets the prisoners free." (v.7). The Psalm is telling us that we can trust a God who is bigger than earthly rules - we can depend on his saving power at all times. And even when an outcome is not what we thought we wanted, His hand can cause good fruit to grow in barren places. I no longer fret or get too upset with a closed door because I know that God has something greater for me. The first reading shows us that the Lord does come to save. At the appointed time, he makes even "the desert rejoice and blossom..." Isaiah 35:1
There is no need to worry or be discouraged. All goodness... or "power to make into goodness"... is in his perfect hands. When I remember this truth, I am instantly set free and raised up out of my circumstances and into holy joy.