41 Lord, let your faithful love come to me—
let your salvation come to me according to your promise—
42 so I can have a response for those who mock me
because I have trusted in your word!
43 Please don’t take your true word out of my mouth,
because I have waited for your rules.
44 I will always keep your Instruction,
always and forever!
45 I will walk around in wide-open spaces,
because I have pursued your precepts.
46 I will talk about your laws
before rulers with no shame whatsoever.
47 I will rejoice in your commandments
because I love them.
48 I will lift up my hands to your commandments
because I love them,
and I will contemplate all your statutes.
Reflection
Happy Pride Month! I am heartened to see all the Pride activities happening – even in small towns like mine. I always seem to be out of town when it is happening, so I am sad to miss it. I know there have been some protests in the past, but everyone has been safe, and I know the Pride community has made the event family friendly and welcoming to all.
Our scripture today comes from the longest Psalm in the Bible that is also a Hebrew acrostic poem – each stanza starts with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet in alphabetical order and has 8 lines. Our particular verses focus on how God saves us. Because of that promise we can rest in the freedom of knowing that we are able to tell others about what God has done for us and how we can trust in God. The NIV says, in verse 45, “I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.” Verse 42 in the NIV says “Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word.” These verses give us confidence to speak boldly about what God has done for us, and we also can proclaim our faith boldly knowing that God will support us!
These verses remind me of Jesus’s ministry and trial. Jesus spoke of what God had done for Him and for all of us, and He proclaimed that people and the leaders who persecuted others were not following God’s guidance.
I had a very interesting conversation with one of the Dads I work with the other day. He proclaims Christianity very strongly. He has some interesting views about the LGBTQIA+ community. He did not speak poorly about people, but it was also clear that he did not want to associate with them. He happens to be an undocumented person so we discussed how everyone should be welcome in this country and fully accepted – as long as they mean no harm to others.
I was very clear about my beliefs to him.
I felt that it was important to do so in that instance because it almost felt like he was making assumptions about my beliefs and I wanted to clearly let him know that we disagreed – even if that means he no longer wanted me to come to his home. I felt at that moment that he needed to hear another Christian’s thoughts about a topic that we all know can be divisive. The thing is that we are not talking about a “topic” or an “issue,” we are talking about people who are God’s people. I know it can be difficult to tell others our beliefs, but it is something we need to practice.
by Janet Waryck
For Pondering and Prayer
Remember a time when you said something boldly and a time when you chose not to speak up. Which one felt worse to you? Every situation is different of course but look to God to guide you!
Prayer: Lord, let your faithful love come to me, let your salvation come to me according to your promise so I can have a response for those who mock me because I have trusted in your word. Amen.
