What to do when we are all home, waiting for instructions from agencies beyond our control? Listen to God together, of course.
For now, we can’t meet together, but perhaps we can meet here, and share in the words of the Psalmist, the words of Jesus, the words of the Apostles, and other writers of scripture. We can listen to the voice of God together. The ancient Christians called this Lectio Divina, or Holy Reading.
I invite you to read this passage of scripture several times, rolling it around in your mind, speak it aloud, read it again prayerfully, then listen for the voice of God in your heart as you remain still.
As we meditate on scripture, the Holy Spirit attends our reading— Luther called it the Illumination of Scripture.
Dig deep into the meaning of the passage. Imagine yourself in the midst of it. What do you hear, see, feel? How do you react? What emotions surface? What is God’s message to you as a participant in the story?
Perhaps the words on the page bring up something you are concerned about, a memory of something beautiful or painful, a sense of joy or sorrow—simply take those things to the Lord in prayer, make them an offering to Him. Let His love wash over you, His healing penetrate the deep places in your soul. He longs for us to spend this time with Him. Enjoy His presence. He loves us beyond measure.
When you feel you have spent sufficient time with God and the passage, lift up any concerns you still have, and lay them at His feet—the feet that were wounded for you. Offer your thanks to Him, and end in peace.
(You might want to stand up slowly and get your bearings before walking. When meditating deeply on scripture it may take a minute or two to return fully to your usual state of alertness. Drink some water and enjoy the rest of the day.)
Amen.
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
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