When I was a little girl jumping rope, we sang songs that unknowingly spoke of our economic struggles. Each jump was punctuated by the songs we sang, “Brenda, Brenda, here she comes, trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents. She missed, she missed, she missed like this,” and we’d exit the rope.
I think it could be easy to see this psalm as an answer to whatever problems I’m experiencing. Just pray harder or be a better Christian. God will rescue the perishing.
We are in vulnerable, but faithful, territory here – with the deep willingness of this psalmist to recognize with the ancient Hebrew community – whether in exile or safely in one’s own land – life remains patterned after Love’s creatively unpredictable, yet delightful, design.
God has promised mankind provision, and Jesus underlines this promise that it will be so.
When I first arrived at First UMC Fort Worth, TX. and I was assigned the tasks to perform as an associate pastor; I was given a few words that I will never forget, and I take them with me. “Don’t be afraid to fail.” and “We want you to succeed.”
Jesus’ disciples were people who believed in him and his message and made the decision to follow him when they were called or invited by him.
When I was diagnosed with COVID, the first week was just tiredness, fever, and muscle aches.
When Jesus spoke through parables to refer to the kingdom of God, he would say things like “The wheat and the tares, the ten bridesmaids (5 wise and 5 foolish), the net (good fish and bad fish)” and we can see that one group will be chosen and another will not.
Can you imagine that, from one moment to the next, the temples where we seek God were closed?
Paul demonstrates how worthless the spiritual gifts are when attempted without love for other believers.