Lenten season goes on

As I read Psalm 19 this evening I am touched by the end of verse 4 which reads,  

"In the heavens he has set a tent for the

 sun." 

Its been a day without the sun.  All day the sun has not come out. The sky looks sad and gray and it rained as though it was crying from sadness off and on all day long. I have been feeling gloomy too. And then I read Ps. 19 assigned for today. Now I wonder if the sun was in the tent resting from it's work. Perhaps the sun is getting ready to come out tomorrow  

"like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy" 

as promised in the beginning of verse 5.  

In my mind's eye I see the image of the sun coming out bright, beautiful and happy like the grooms of all the weddings I have officiated.  It's a great image.  So, here I go again, feeling HOPE in this Lenten Thursday of dark sky and no sun.  I pray, I meditate and I read, I write and I am thankful in my heart that God is faithful.  

The Sun will come out tomorrow.  I just love the image of the sun being under a big canopy set by God.  I love that, very much.  The God who set a tent for the sun also created me and loves me and is always with me.  What more can I want in life? 

Psalm 19

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law

To the leader. A Psalm of David.
¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard;
⁴ yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world. 

In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat. 

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple;
⁸ the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes;
⁹ the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb. 

¹¹ Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults.
¹³ Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression. 

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Lent 2012 continues

It's Wednesday again but the 7th of March now.  I came along with Will to Frankfort, KY.  While he is at work in his office my new friend and the financial secretary of the Church, Jo Ellen, taught me a few words and phrases in French in her office.  Jo Ellen was a French teacher in high school here.  My first lesson was fun today as she is a great teacher.  I have always found French beautiful and melodic.   After visiting Taize and Paris a few years ago, I tried learning French by using books and video but did not succeed. Jo Ellen had her first Fench lesson at age 4 from a French lady and went on to get a degree in it and taught it untill a few years ago.  She sounds like a real French lady right here in Frankfort, KY.  She has become a good friend to me.  She is kind, quiet, reserved and very funny all at the same time.  God has been good giving me new friends everywhere I live.  My lesson was for only about 20 minutes and that's all I need for today.  I will practice what I learn.

At about noon I went off to meet with 3 members of church for lunch.  Ann is the one who invited me and there were 2 others. We sat in a dinning room looking out to the trees that are full of little buds ready to show off with leaves.  Against the blue sky the still blackish mostly naked looking branches of trees are stunning.  I sat thinking how marvelous is our God that He makes leaves gorgeous in the fall that all fall away from the trees in the winter and the trees stand naked in the cold.  When it snowed they look gorgeous like they are blooming.  The last time I saw that was 3 days ago.  See the pictures below:

By this morning all the snow has melted and the trees are back to being bare and still beautiful.  See pictures below:

God is good all the time we say. Indeed He is.  In this lenten season I realise that the cycle of life is facinating.  The God who made us and who made the Summer, the fall and the winter also made the spring.  Spring is coming, it's a promise.  Life will be evident again.  LIfe is always there even when the trees are bare and their branches and trunks are dark and looking lifeless they are alive, very alive.  Soon spring will arrive and we will see the trees being clothed with uncountable leaves again. There will be blooms of all kinds of flowers and fruits and all.  

In Lent I feel as though I am in waiting - praying with Jesus long ago, meditating, thinking, being empited out, quiet inside and praying again and again and again.  Soon, Lent will be over.  Then Holy Week awaits and then Palm Sunday and Easter -  resurrection and celebration of life eternal!  So much is gong through my mind today.  This may not make much sense to any one else but to me.  

I ate my lunch listening to the new 3 friends chatting about all sorts of things, getting to know who they are, what they like, who matter to each of them. I looked out the window and saw the naked trees standing tall.  I know there is life in them as much as they don't seem to be alive.  I get so excited.  The fact that I was taught by a new friend and sitting wtih 3 more new friends was a sign of God's promise of new things coming to my life again.  Yes.  Yes. Yes. Thank you Lord for speaking to my heart today.  KY Hot Brown was delicious, so was the tea and the green salad I ate.   Life is good. I give thanks to God.  And then I looked at the Psalm for today.  I am surprised that it is this Psalm. Please read on:

Psalm 105

God’s Faithfulness to Israel

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
   make known his deeds among the peoples.
² Sing to him, sing praises to him;
   tell of all his wonderful works.
³ Glory in his holy name;
   let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
⁴ Seek the Lord and his strength;
   seek his presence continually.
⁵ Remember the wonderful works he has done,
   his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,
⁶ O offspring of his servant Abraham,
   children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 

⁷ He is the Lord our God;
   his judgements are in all the earth.
⁸ He is mindful of his covenant for ever,
   of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
⁹ the covenant that he made with Abraham,
   his sworn promise to Isaac,
¹⁰ which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
   to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
¹¹ saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan
   as your portion for an inheritance.’ 

Lent February 23 & 24, 2012

Ps. 25:1-10 Dan. 9:1-14 1 John 1:3-10

Psalm 25

Of David.
¹ To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in you I trust;
   do not let me be put to shame;
   do not let my enemies exult over me.
³ Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
   let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
   teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
   for you are the God of my salvation;
   for you I wait all day long. 

⁶ Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
   for they have been from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
   according to your steadfast love remember me,
   for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! 

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
   therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,
   and teaches the humble his way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
   for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. 

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O Lord,
   pardon my guilt, for it is great.
¹² Who are they that fear the Lord?
   He will teach them the way that they should choose. 

¹³ They will abide in prosperity,
   and their children shall possess the land.
¹⁴ The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
   and he makes his covenant known to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever towards the Lord,
   for he will pluck my feet out of the net. 

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ Relieve the troubles of my heart,
   and bring me out of my distress.
¹⁸ Consider my affliction and my trouble,
   and forgive all my sins. 

¹⁹ Consider how many are my foes,
   and with what violent hatred they hate me.
²⁰ O guard my life, and deliver me;
   do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
²¹ May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
   for I wait for you. 

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
   out of all its troubles.

Reflection: 

Ash Wednesday- Lenten journey and reflection begins again...

Psalm 51

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
   blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
   and cleanse me from my sin. 

³ For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
   and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
   and blameless when you pass judgement.
⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty,
   a sinner when my mother conceived me. 

⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;
   therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
   wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
   and blot out all my iniquities. 

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
   and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,
   and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
   and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
   O God of my salvation,
   and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. 

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you have no delight in sacrifice;
   if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
¹⁷ The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
   rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
¹⁹ then you will delight in right sacrifices,
   in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;
   then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Reflection of a sort:

Personally I love to beginning the Lenten Season with this Psalm.  It has it all. I read and re-read and meditate upon this Psalm.  Today we begin the observing of Lent with the 40 days and 40 nights of Jesus fasting and praying in the wilderness.  This practice should not be something we do only during Lent but every day.  Anyhow the Lenten journey is certainly a time to reflect upon my own life and to see how I am in trying to live a Christ-centered life.  

First Presbyterian Church members and we had worship service at the South Frankfort Presbyterian Church sanctuary with both pastors leading the service.  It was meaningful and moving. Will as the pastor of South Frankfort Pres. impossed ashes on to the foreheads of the willing Presbyterians saying, "in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".  I am humbled as a cross was made on my forehead with these ashes of last Palm Sunday's Palm branches. This was the first time I received it from Will. I am reminded of Jesus riding the colt entering into Jerusalem as our King with all the people cheering him on with the Palms, their clothes and everything.  And then quietly in my heart I say, "Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.....O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise." Amen.

I looked up during the service and realized that the pastors did not have ashes on their foreheads.  And also only my husband was doing the impositioning of ashes.  I was so puzzled by that.  I knew he wanted a cross marked with ashes on his forehead.  As soon as the service was over I went over to him and I saw that he was walking toward me holding up the container of the ashes.  So, I reached into the ashes saying, "from ashes you come to ashes you shall return, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" and maked a cross on his forehead.  Now we have had an Ash Wednesday service.  (It turned out the other pastor is not comfortable with the imposition of ashes). 

Ash Wednesday is so important to me and most of my Christian friends, I would like to share a story. In 2001 while I was an associate pastor I went to the  Baptist East hopspital after the service to mark a cross on the forehead of Barbara Phillips, one of my perishioners.  She had called earlier on the phone telling me how she would miss the service.  Barbara was so happy as I marked the cross with the ashes on her forehead.  Having heard us and seen us her roommate asked me, so, I marked her forehead as well.  As I was leaving the room a few more people (some were the workers of the hospital) asked me in the hall way, so I did the same to their foreheads.  I felt my feet grow light as my heart filled with gratitude and humility all at the same time.  I felt how good God is to me and to every one.  For which even today 11 years later I say "Thanks be to God!".  I remember this every Ash Wednesday.