Prayerful Considerations

Preparing for the First Sunday after Christmas: Three Days before Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 20

Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:15-22

Gospel: Luke 19:41-44

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Prayer

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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Reflection

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;

    he will answer him from his holy heaven

    with mighty victories by his right hand.

Some take pride in chariots and some in horses,

    but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.

They will collapse and fall,

    but we shall rise and stand upright (Psalm 20:6-8).

by Joan Scott

I come today, O God, to share my concerns with you about the state of this my nation, and of this my world. There seems to be so many people willing to tear people’s reputations and actions to shreds; regardless of however right or wrong are their opinions, and their understanding of their leader’s roles and responsibilities! My God and King, we are going through a particularly “sticky” situation just now, and people seem to be delighting in other people’s potential mistakes and/or problems, and ridiculing their deliberately made decisions, made according to advice and their own consciences.

Creative pause: I’m glad I can share all my concerns with God.

The concept of going to pray to God before making any decisions, especially those decisions which affect many people, seems to have been rejected as unimportant, and even as being irrelevant. I am so grateful for wise and considered decisions that in the past, have been made following earnest prayer, and hours of listening to their people’s viewpoints and needs. I give thanks to God that not every leader thinks or acts on the assumption that brute force is the only answer to make people agreeable to whatever policies and programs are proposed.

Creative pause: I thank God for past wise and considered decisions.

The Psalmist stated: “Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the LORD our God.... we will rise up and stand firm.” It seems strange to be “boasting” about God and God’s powers and majesty, and yet if I cannot boast about God and God’s mercy and justice, who else is worthy of that level of praise? The writer of this Psalm knew from personal experience the value and necessity of worshipping God in all of life’s circumstances; that to call on God when in need was to place our lives, our thinking and planning within God’s overview; and to trust always in God’s leading and guidance. This has also been my experience, and the experience of many other leaders, however large or small were their responsibilities, and the tasks that had been assigned to them to fulfil.

Creative pause: The necessity of worshipping God in all of life’s circumstances.

PRAYER: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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More reflections on “The Timeless Psalms” can be found here.