Today’s Reading: Introit for the First Sunday after Trinity
(Psalm 13:1-4; antiphon: v.5-6)
Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 20:5-25; John 17:1-26
Consider and answer me! (Psalm 13:4)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Desperation, abandonment, hopelessness and sorrow, enemies exalting themselves over me. Are there any words in this psalm that we have not spoken or thought?
Yet the psalm gets real Hebrew, real fast. Psalm 13 teaches us to pray like a Hebrew: Give me an answer! “Consider and answer me” (Psalm 13:4) is the tidy way the English puts it. We like tidy prayers, just tiptoeing, whispering, muttering sheepishly. Oh, that we’d pray like a Hebrew, with a finger pointed to the sky, with ugly tears, with clenched teeth, yelling, screaming, and deep lamenting. Psalm 13 prays about big time problems to a Triune God who is big enough to handle it, gentle enough to stoop down to comfort us, merciful enough to take us up into His arms with our sloppy tears, broken hearts, and words that sound like what we’d hear at a truck stop rather than in church.
Consider me! Hear me, take note of me, notice me! Do it now! It’s nothing other than to pray as God has commanded us. Christ has taken notice of you, He’s taken upon Himself your own sin and become your Savior. He notices you and cares for you because there’s no one else He’d rather pay attention to than you. There’s no need of yours that’s too big, no hurt that His forgiveness and peace cannot soothe.
Answer me! Let me hear what You’re going to do about this! Let me hear your Word, your peace, your care for me. Tell me that I’m not alone, that I’m not the only one to suffer this. Tell me again that You’ll never leave me or forsake me. Answer me in my hour of deepest need, delay not, come quickly!
He considers you: “You are forgiven, by My blood and righteousness.” He answers you: “I, too, have suffered as you do (Isaiah 53). I, too, have known injustice and hatred. I have borne your sin unto death, fulfilled the Law for you. Not only that, but I also weep with you, I abide with you still, today, tomorrow, and forever. Your tears are My tears, your joy is My joy, your guilt and shame I made My guilt and shame. You are the apple of my eye, my beloved, my child, my very Bride.” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Almighty and most merciful God, in this earthly life we endure sufferings and death before we enter into eternal glory. Grant us grace at all times to subject ourselves to Your holy will and continue steadfast in the true faith to the end of our lives that we may know the peace and joy of the blessed hope of the resurrection of the dead and of the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
-Rev. Adam Degroot is pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, NM.
Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch
Come on an adventure with author Eric Eichinger as he unpacks the saga of Jesus’ Hero Journey. You’ll see how aspects of this journey are seen in popular stories, and how God used Jesus to create the most action-packed one with a real Savior for all. Now available from Concordia Publishing House.
