Reflection, Day 261
Jeremiah 48-49; Psalm 64; 1 Peter 2
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
preserve my life from the dread enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
from the scheming of evildoers, who whet their
tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like
arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless;
they shoot suddenly and without fear. They hold fast
to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us? Who can search out our crimes?
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”
For the human heart and mind are deep.
(Psalm 64:1-6)
The first verses of Psalm 64 seem particularly relevant in these
days of character assassination, political upheaval, mass murder, and terrorist
activities that cause the slaughter of innocent men women and children
throughout the world.
The chaotic and disastrous political events leading to the
destruction of Jerusalem are frighteningly paralleled by today’s events in the
Mideast and in the increasingly uncontrollable gun violence in
America.
Jeremiah viewed the events of his day to be a direct result of
divine anger at Israel’s continued apostasy. The prophet cries out, “Accursed
is the one who is slack in doing the work of the
Lord.”
The Psalmist assures us that “God
will shoot his arrow”at those who seek to destroy his Kingdom through greed
and violence – “…He will bring them to
ruin.”
1 Peter 2 advises us to “Rid ourselves of all malice and all
guile…to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the
soul.”
How is God perceiving today’s world’s events? Do we like the
Moabites and the other tribes have a second chance? Will God “…afterward
restore our fortunes?”
Will we, who are going astray like sheep “return
to the shepherd and guardian of our
souls?”
May we keep all those who died this week in the wake of violence
and terrorism in our prayers. May we seek, through prayer and peaceful dialogue,
to put an end to the chaotic destruction of our world. May we,
“…like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk – and by it may we know
salvation.”
Rev. Clelia P. Garrity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Jeremiah 48-49; Psalm 64; 1 Peter 2
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
preserve my life from the dread enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
from the scheming of evildoers, who whet their
tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like
arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless;
they shoot suddenly and without fear. They hold fast
to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us? Who can search out our crimes?
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”
For the human heart and mind are deep.
(Psalm 64:1-6)
The first verses of Psalm 64 seem particularly relevant in these
days of character assassination, political upheaval, mass murder, and terrorist
activities that cause the slaughter of innocent men women and children
throughout the world.
The chaotic and disastrous political events leading to the
destruction of Jerusalem are frighteningly paralleled by today’s events in the
Mideast and in the increasingly uncontrollable gun violence in
America.
Jeremiah viewed the events of his day to be a direct result of
divine anger at Israel’s continued apostasy. The prophet cries out, “Accursed
is the one who is slack in doing the work of the
Lord.”
The Psalmist assures us that “God
will shoot his arrow”at those who seek to destroy his Kingdom through greed
and violence – “…He will bring them to
ruin.”
1 Peter 2 advises us to “Rid ourselves of all malice and all
guile…to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the
soul.”
How is God perceiving today’s world’s events? Do we like the
Moabites and the other tribes have a second chance? Will God “…afterward
restore our fortunes?”
Will we, who are going astray like sheep “return
to the shepherd and guardian of our
souls?”
May we keep all those who died this week in the wake of violence
and terrorism in our prayers. May we seek, through prayer and peaceful dialogue,
to put an end to the chaotic destruction of our world. May we,
“…like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk – and by it may we know
salvation.”
Rev. Clelia P. Garrity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
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