Week of February 28, 2010, Psalm 27

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 27 – a psalm about having faith and confidence in God:
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Dear Lord, You are my light and my salvation. You are the stronghold of my life. I am confident in You and I will not be anxious or afraid, no matter the enemies that surround me, or that seem to surround me, that come in the forms of illness, of despairing relationships, of destructive emotions like anger and fear, alienation or rejection. Lord God, I seek Your face, I seek Your presence, to dwell in Your house all the days of my life, to seek Your face, to gaze upon Your beauty, to wait confidently knowing that You are always with me. Thanks for Your promise of keeping me safe, for Your promise that You are merciful and will answer me. Help me, Lord, to listen, to be strong and take heart, and wait on You, and then to listen some more.

Thanks for Your ever-present love, that brings peace, that keeps me aware of Your presence always with each of us. Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and that God is working in our lives each day.