Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
Preaching
A Journey Through the Psalms: Reflections for Worried Hearts and Troubled Times
Preaching the Psalms Cycles A, B, C
Object:
Steadfastness (v. 1) is not a concept that carries well into contemporary culture. The notion of a love that endures forever would leave many people glancing upward with a cynical eye. It's true. Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. Some studies suggest that in those marriages that do last, infidelity runs, once again near half. Families are scattered far and wide, rendering lifelong enduring relationships difficult at best. Friendships, too, suffer from a world in which all things and people are viewed as disposable commodities.
Aging men dispose of wives and search out younger women in order to stave off the march of time. Women, too, cast off husbands in search of something that seems to be missing. Relationships of all sorts are torn apart by contemporary life. From the stress of ideology to the burdens of economy and back again, relationships are left behind like corpses on the field of battle. It is not merely our interpersonal relationships that are problematic. The civic contract in the larger community is frayed, as well. Government leaders routinely lie, dragging whole nations into war and ruin. Hopelessness and fear mark the rhythm of days as disempowered people stand and watch the hapless erosion of civil and human rights.
In the midst of such fickle human connections, how is it that the claims of a steadfast God can be realized? In the turmoil of human faithlessness, how do we reach for a God who we are told will not go away? Indeed, there are precious few human examples and no ready answer except this. Steadfast love is based on trust, and trust can only form when fear has fled.
It seems that letting go of fear is the primary task. However, it is not likely that such release can be undertaken by any one individual. Perhaps the riddle is answered in the New Testament letter of 1 John. Here, as in virtually no other place in scripture, God is actually defined. We are told that "God is love," and that "perfect love casts out fear." So it is in our brokenness that we are introduced to a new symbiotic relationship. In utter faithfulness God reaches always for us. Some would call this grace. If we respond to such reaching, our fears are relieved and we are launched into a new life of love and trust. Yes -- there is risk -- but in reaching for a God who already reaches for you, such risk shrinks as grace grows and fear recedes. It is at least worth a try.
Aging men dispose of wives and search out younger women in order to stave off the march of time. Women, too, cast off husbands in search of something that seems to be missing. Relationships of all sorts are torn apart by contemporary life. From the stress of ideology to the burdens of economy and back again, relationships are left behind like corpses on the field of battle. It is not merely our interpersonal relationships that are problematic. The civic contract in the larger community is frayed, as well. Government leaders routinely lie, dragging whole nations into war and ruin. Hopelessness and fear mark the rhythm of days as disempowered people stand and watch the hapless erosion of civil and human rights.
In the midst of such fickle human connections, how is it that the claims of a steadfast God can be realized? In the turmoil of human faithlessness, how do we reach for a God who we are told will not go away? Indeed, there are precious few human examples and no ready answer except this. Steadfast love is based on trust, and trust can only form when fear has fled.
It seems that letting go of fear is the primary task. However, it is not likely that such release can be undertaken by any one individual. Perhaps the riddle is answered in the New Testament letter of 1 John. Here, as in virtually no other place in scripture, God is actually defined. We are told that "God is love," and that "perfect love casts out fear." So it is in our brokenness that we are introduced to a new symbiotic relationship. In utter faithfulness God reaches always for us. Some would call this grace. If we respond to such reaching, our fears are relieved and we are launched into a new life of love and trust. Yes -- there is risk -- but in reaching for a God who already reaches for you, such risk shrinks as grace grows and fear recedes. It is at least worth a try.
