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Morning Devotion for the Season of Lent
March 27, 2023
Invitatory
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
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 31:1-8
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Incline your ear to me;
make haste to deliver me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold;
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me,
for you are my tower of strength.
5 Into your hands I commend my spirit,
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols,
and I put my trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy;
for you have seen my affliction;
you know my distress.
8 You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy;
you have set my feet in an open place.
Meditation - Winnie Smith
Psalms speak of frustration, sadness, fear, and longing. No matter what one is feeling, there is probably a psalm to fit the mood. While many psalms were written about specific experiences and moments in history, they all seem applicable to life, generally, and to ours now.
Verses one through four of Psalm 31 convey praise and petition: they ask God to continue protecting the speaker and to be his guide, but through these petitions the words praise God. God is described as righteous, a strong rock, a castle, a tower of strength. As is often the case in the Psalms, requests come through and amid thanks, and the words affirm the greatness and power of God. Verse five is a surrender to God as the ultimate decision-maker and holder of power and is, again, a statement of praise for God’s work: “into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.”
Verse six is where I have to pause: “I hate those who cling to worthless idols, and I put my trust in the Lord.” This sounds simple. We know not to make for ourselves any idols. It’s the second commandment of the ten. Seems important! But it may be the most difficult of them all. We deceive ourselves when we think that an idol is only an alternate God, a stand-in for the one, true God. An idol, in fact, is anything or anyone that pulls our attention from God, that demands priority over God. In reality, everything can be an idol. In our fast-paced, results-obsessed world, there seems to be endless room for idols and little room for God. We seek career success and money, and we strive to be the very best at everything we do. It is exhausting and ultimately leaves us overwhelmed and unsatisfied. This is why carving out an hour for worship on Sunday morning is so crucial: we need that discipline to focus us on God because apart from that hour of corporate worship, we seem incapable of loosing our grips on the idols we have created.
If I could modify psalm 31, I would change verse six: “I hate myself when I cling to worthless idols; God, help me put my trust in you.” During this season of Lent, I have been acutely aware of all the things that occupy my mind and my time. As we near Holy Week, I hope to refocus and fill a bit more of that time with wonder and awe at all God has accomplished in the world and in my life, and I invite you to do the same. God has not “shut me up in the power of the enemy,” but instead has “set my feet in an open place.” The prayer below is a simple but excellent way to start refocusing and to appreciate the freedom God has given us with that open place.
Prayer for Guidance
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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