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Reflection before Compline, 25th Feb 2013
Feb. 26th, 2013 09:39 pmWait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Waiting can be hard work.
Sometimes life seems so troublesome, so fraught. It can be overwhelming, so that we don't know what to do next.
Maybe we don't have enemies, as such. Last time I checked, there were no armies encamped on my front garden. Maybe nobody is trying to hurt us...
Still, life hurts. Even if nobody hurts anyone else intentionally, people do hurt one another. People do fight. People do let one another down.
We can all remember times of feeling out of control, lost, hurt or abandoned.
What is it that we really want?
Do we want victory? Do we want to be able to control every situation, to always have the "upper hand", to win?
Or do we want something more...?
"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, Lord, do I seek.
St Augustine said, "our hearts are restless until we find our rest in thee".
Do we seek a deeper peace, that comes from knowing God is our refuge?
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
From high on a rock, will we see past the struggles and strife, and know where God wants us to go?
If God is the source of our safety, what will that safety look like?
What do we really want?
One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
What will it look like to live in the house of the Lord? What will it look like to invite the Lord to live in our house?
What will it be like to see the beauty of the Lord?
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What will it look like to see the goodness of the Lord, here and now, in the land of the living?
Psalm 27 – Of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh – my adversaries and foes – they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Waiting can be hard work.
Sometimes life seems so troublesome, so fraught. It can be overwhelming, so that we don't know what to do next.
Maybe we don't have enemies, as such. Last time I checked, there were no armies encamped on my front garden. Maybe nobody is trying to hurt us...
Still, life hurts. Even if nobody hurts anyone else intentionally, people do hurt one another. People do fight. People do let one another down.
We can all remember times of feeling out of control, lost, hurt or abandoned.
What is it that we really want?
Do we want victory? Do we want to be able to control every situation, to always have the "upper hand", to win?
Or do we want something more...?
"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, Lord, do I seek.
St Augustine said, "our hearts are restless until we find our rest in thee".
Do we seek a deeper peace, that comes from knowing God is our refuge?
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
From high on a rock, will we see past the struggles and strife, and know where God wants us to go?
If God is the source of our safety, what will that safety look like?
What do we really want?
One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
What will it look like to live in the house of the Lord? What will it look like to invite the Lord to live in our house?
What will it be like to see the beauty of the Lord?
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What will it look like to see the goodness of the Lord, here and now, in the land of the living?
Psalm 27 – Of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh – my adversaries and foes – they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
