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Morning Devotion for the Season After Pentecost

June 9, 2023

The Invitatory

The mercy of the Lord is everlasting: O come, let us adore him.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Reading: Psalm 54

 Save me, O God, by your Name; *

in your might, defend my cause.

 Hear my prayer, O God; *

give ear to the words of my mouth.

For the arrogant have risen up against me,

and the ruthless have sought my life, *

those who have no regard for God.

 Behold, God is my helper; *

it is the Lord who sustains my life.

Render evil to those who spy on me; *

in your faithfulness, destroy them.

I will offer you a freewill sacrifice *

and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.

For you have rescued me from every trouble, *

and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.

Meditation: Jo Ann B. Jones

 A friend shared with me that Douglas and his wife just had their first baby together. (His wife has children from prior relationships. ) The baby has significant health issues. Despite this, Douglas declined FMLA leave because of his employment. It may be that he declined the leave because his wife went missing. Douglas works for a landscaping company that provides its services at my friend’s development. The contractor has not been performing well and the Owners’ Association is planning to terminate the contract. Douglas is overwhelmed, though trying to survive. It seems he is battered by new problems on many fronts. If the contract with the landscaping company is terminated, Douglas may be the fall guy and lose his job, even though he is not the problem. He may be ill-suited to the job or the organization, but it is hard to tell with all the problematic situations in his life. Unfortunately, he does have professional support for his own development or for his stressful personal issues. Will the loss of Douglas’ job ultimately visit calamity upon him? My friend likened him to Job. He advised him to concentrate on what is important. Douglas may not have understood, in his effort to do everything and failing to do much. 

Douglas’ story resonated with me, having faced multiple difficulties at once and sensing no way forward. This is a time to which Psalm 40 speaks, or rather, it holds out an amazing other perspective that bears witness to the surprising gift of new life just when none had been expected. At some point one recognizes that one has passed through the storm, thanks be to God, and one has reached a new place. What I found, and what I hope Douglas will find, is that I came to new life and grace — so he will know that despair is not all powerful and tragedy does not have the last word.

I particularly resonate with the psalmist’s statement, “I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation.” .One of the great aspects of the psalms is that often they are written from such a human perspective, easy to share. When placed in a situation fraught with difficulties, with no good end readily at hand, it is difficult to imagine that there will be a good resolution. And yet, when I think back, I know that in due time a better situation presented itself, and that through God’s grace life improved immensely. I had not been forgotten. My prayers had been answered. And this strengthened me for the next time I found myself in similar circumstances.

When we receive God’s help, the “thank you note” that God desires is that we tell others where they, too, can find God.

This psalm, a song of thanksgiving, is a reorientation psalm because it is a song of praise, sung by those who have walked the darkest valleys and experienced life when the bottom drops out. Life will never be the same. But God meets us in the depths of our sufferings. And we have a simple message: God found me. Thanks be to God.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.