Easter 5
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
-- Psalm 31:5
This verse is most remembered as part of Jesus' prayer from the cross at the end of his life. It is less well known as part of Stephen's prayer at the time of his stoning. The context of the psalmist's words, which were used not only by Jesus and Stephen but also by countless other believers down through the ages, is the firm belief in the covenant relationship between God and God's people. God made a covenant with a particular people beginning with Abraham and reconfirmed this covenant many times with other believers throughout scripture. An aspect of that covenant that is repeatedly made was that God's reputation is affected by the way in which God responds to the needs of God's people. "He leads me in right paths for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:3b). Therefore, throughout their history, the people of God have felt confident that they could cry out to God in times of need as the Israelites did when they were slaves in Egypt. God had made a commitment to hear the people's cry, and God would not fail to be faithful. "Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me."
The experience of Israel, however, which was repeated in the lives of Jesus and Stephen, was that God's timing was different from that of humans. The faithful could be confident that God would deliver them but not when or under what conditions God would deliver them. "My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors" was a prayer of trust and a recognition that the believer was not in charge of God's behavior. There were times when all the believers could do was trust in God's faithfulness and commit their spirit to God's care. "Into your hand I commit my spirit...." This was the prayer of both Jesus and Stephen at the point of their deaths when it became clear that God would not intervene to prevent their dying. This becomes the ultimate prayer of trust for all Christians when they are in a desperate situation that offers no obvious solution.
-- Psalm 31:5
This verse is most remembered as part of Jesus' prayer from the cross at the end of his life. It is less well known as part of Stephen's prayer at the time of his stoning. The context of the psalmist's words, which were used not only by Jesus and Stephen but also by countless other believers down through the ages, is the firm belief in the covenant relationship between God and God's people. God made a covenant with a particular people beginning with Abraham and reconfirmed this covenant many times with other believers throughout scripture. An aspect of that covenant that is repeatedly made was that God's reputation is affected by the way in which God responds to the needs of God's people. "He leads me in right paths for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:3b). Therefore, throughout their history, the people of God have felt confident that they could cry out to God in times of need as the Israelites did when they were slaves in Egypt. God had made a commitment to hear the people's cry, and God would not fail to be faithful. "Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me."
The experience of Israel, however, which was repeated in the lives of Jesus and Stephen, was that God's timing was different from that of humans. The faithful could be confident that God would deliver them but not when or under what conditions God would deliver them. "My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors" was a prayer of trust and a recognition that the believer was not in charge of God's behavior. There were times when all the believers could do was trust in God's faithfulness and commit their spirit to God's care. "Into your hand I commit my spirit...." This was the prayer of both Jesus and Stephen at the point of their deaths when it became clear that God would not intervene to prevent their dying. This becomes the ultimate prayer of trust for all Christians when they are in a desperate situation that offers no obvious solution.
