On Reading the Psalms

Grace Church Family,

During this time of high anxiety and fear I am finding the daily practice of reading a psalm a day very enriching. I follow Dr. MarkWhiting on Twitter and he also has an excellent blog here:  https://psaltermark.com  Mark is Anglican OT scholar, a "psalm addict," and encourages this practice of reading a psalm a day and when you reach Psalm 150 going back and starting over again. I love it.

In last week's sermon I mentioned an email conversation I had with our own Susan Garrett about the psalms. Last week I sent out a prayer that was adapted from Psalm 94. I loved it. Susan replied back that while there are many good written prayers being shared today on social media there is nothing quite like the Psalms. She is so, so right.

The wonder of the Psalms is that they speak God's Word to us, especially in times where everything seems to be shaking. They inspire trust and faith and adoration of the living God. They also speak for us. The Psalmist's words become our words. We can pray the psalm ourselves.

Today I read Psalm 32. This verse jumped off the page: "You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance" (Psalm 32:7 NRSV). I could not help but think of Corrie ten Boom as I read this. This passage was a life verse for her. (I've been reading a biography about her lately and so she's been on my mind). If you have not read her book,  The Hiding Place, let me encourage you to do so. It is a classic, one of those books to read every few years. The Lord is our hiding place. He is my hiding place.

Or consider this from Psalm 32: "Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the guilt of my sin" (verse 5, NRSV). God is our hiding place and the one who forgives us! Two promises to hold on to each and every day.

I read the Psalms from the same Bible each day. I find that helpful. My leather NRSV Bible I usually keep in the study at church. I have hardbacks at home that are identical to it so that helps me to remember where things are on certain pages. I also use the RSV, NIV, and the KJV when it comes to reading the Psalms. BibleGateway.com is another resource I use if I am away from my hard copies. I have it on all my computers, iPad, and iPhone. I use it each day.

So, start today with Psalm 1. If you begin and miss a day or two pick up where you left off. Listen for God to speak to you. See Christ in the Psalms. Let the words become your prayer.

Blessed reading!

In the fellowship of our Lord,

Clay+

The Feast of Annunciation

From Luke 1:26-38 Revised Standard Version (RSV):

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 

³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” ³⁵ And the angel said to her, 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; 

therefore the child to be born will be called holy, 

the Son of God. 

³⁶ And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.


By now you know my love for Christmas. I really do love it. The carols, smells, food, time with family, giving and opening gifts, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," special meals, candlelight communion, and so, so much more all say to me that God has come to us in the Holy Child. Christmas begins in March on the 25th which is, of course, today, The Feast of the Annunciation.

We're used to hearing the passage above from Luke during Advent, but it is the Gospel Lesson for today. Imagine the shock and the surprise it was for Mary. She is so open to God, much more than many of us. She receives Gabriel's message, but still has her questions. Without a doubt in my mind she knows this will not be easy, but again, she is open and willing to serve the Lord. 

Gabriel reassures her with these words: "For with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37 RSV). 

What seemed impossible, even improbable, is possible  with God.  This is not the first time we've heard a promise like that. Centuries before this God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would become parents. This was many years after they had received their Medicare cards. They're told this: "Is anything too hard for
the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14 RSV).

We're living in a time filled with much fear. None of us are free of fear of some kind right now. We have our questions. Some are saying we should simply go on with life as normal and are, for example, continuing to hold church services. That is not faith, it is presumption. It is not believing in the God of the impossible it is believing in belief or faith itself apart from trusting in the God revealed to us in Jesus.

Look at Mary. She had to wait and see how God's promise to her would be fulfilled. She had to tell Joseph. They had to travel to Bethlehem. It took months to see how something that seemed so impossible would be worked out in their lives and then throughout her life she saw how God fulfilled these promises in Jesus.

And so we wait in faith. We know the God of the impossible is at work right now. That is one reason we pray for healing and for those who lead us and for those on the front lines of attacking the virus. Right now things seem impossible. But with the eyes of faith we know the God of the impossible is at work. Like Mary we trust and wait.

Grace + peace,
Clay+

Photo above of a fresco: The Annunciation of Mary, located in St Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv Ukraine, c 1037-1044.

Living in Plague Times by Philip Yancey

Here is a blog post recommended by Pastor Clay. It's by author and journalist, Philip Yancey with some perspective and Biblical references for today's pandemic. The post includes some good links for good and accurate information on Covid-19, and perspective on how to cope and handle these times. Please check it out.

Living in Plague Times by Philip Yancey