Reflections
“Look to God that you may
be radiant with joy, and your
faces may not blush for shame.”
Where does our joy come from?
How do we obtain a joyful spirit?
It comes from repenting and
returning to the Lord, as the
Prodigal son returns to his father
in this Sunday's Gospel
reading. (Luke 15:11-32)
For our part, we too will be
embraced by the Father if we
humble ourselves before Him,
and confess our sins. Then He will
take us back.
Like the Prodigal's father, our Lord
watches for us each day, encouraging
us to lift our bodies out of our shame
and return to Him, to be reconciled,
to be restored, in a right relationship
with the Father.
“My soul will glory in the Lord,
that the poor may hear and be glad.”
The word poor is said to apply to one
who depends completely on God
for his deliverance and his very life.
That’s where we stand even today,
when we are short of endurance
along our own spiritual journey.
The psalmist recounts for us how
he gained deliverance, “I sought
the Lord, who answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.”
Despite the anguish in the psalmist’s
voice, there is also a powerful, joyful
spirit – “Look to God that you may
be radiant with joy, and your faces
may not blush with shame.”
Our Father watches for us each day,
encouraging us. He reconciles us
and restores us, and He provides
the inner strength we need to
complete our own spiritual journey.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist looks to God so that his face may not blush for shame.
Explain how you are overcoming your own shame this Lenten season,
by looking to the Lord, repenting, and becoming radiant with joy.
2. The Psalm's verses talk about those who are poor in spirit, totally
2. The Psalm's verses talk about those who are poor in spirit, totally
dependent on God. Speak about how you rely on the Lord for deliverance
and are saved by the Lord.
ReplyDelete"I feel like I am walking in the desert, mom." Such were the words of my dear adult son, when I asked him how he was doing of late. He was likening his season of desolation to the 40 year meandering of God's chosen people, once rescued from Egypt and before they could enter the Promised Land. I had a little chuckle because I understood the reference all too well. I was at once proud of his Biblical analogy and sad in my heart that he would feel this aimless wandering.
Just a few days later, my adult daughter lamented, "I don't know why God led me here..." My mama heart ached all over again, as I considered that both of my twenty-something kids felt lost. Where was God? Prayers have seemingly been going unanswered, for too long.
As our Abba Father tenderly does, he causes his Word to be dynamic. He speaks. Sometimes, we hear what we need to from a Sunday homily. Other times, it might be through a daily devotional, a friend, or even a passing stranger. Lately, the messages to me have been clear: Endure. Outlast the opposition. Stay in faith. Keep doing the right thing. Consolation WILL come. I have been keen to pass these notes of cheer onto my children.
My favorite piece of wisdom, gleaned this week, was from a calendar. It read,
Remember and Dream with God
"May you pause today, look back over your shoulder, and remember the ways God has been good to you, has come through for you, and has kept his Word to you. May you look ahead in faith with expectancy, as you get a sense of the land He wants you to claim. May faith rise up within you as you take your first steps in that direction. And may you embrace a renewed resolve to walk intimately with the One who loves you and has a beautiful plan for your life. He deserves some sacred space in your day today!"
I resolve to give the Lord sacred space in my every day. Along with my children, I long to say, "I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all of my fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces will never be ashamed." (Verses 4-5)