#mercy – Life in the Deep End

Silenced by Grace

September 8, 2024Vona Wilson

An encounter with grace overwhelms the soul. It sets the mind at ease with unbelief, as gratitude and awe rush in to fill the gap. You are seen. You are loved. You have not been judged without mercy. Rather, you are being redirected and restored into right relationship that brings blessing and peace.

Undeserved? Yes, and yet still offered.
Unsolicited? Yes, and yet still offered.
Uncontrollable? Yes, and yet still offered.

I am struck by the risk of giving grace. Jesus gave freely, even knowing that Peter would deny him at a pivotal moment on the journey. Jesus washed the feet of Judas even though those feet would soon be making a strategic exit to carry out his betrayal. Jesus shared friendship and fellowship with Mary Magdalene even though others would criticize him and still be analyzing the relationship thousands of years later, as if it could not just be received as good because God gave it.

The Scriptures are full of stories where our weaknesses and darkest struggles rise to the surface and war for a place at the table. Dysfunction, greed, malice, slander, vengeance, lust, and taking on the role of judge. God’s story with the ancients and with us reminds us of how fully we are seen by God, and how graciously we are also loved. Yes, even in full view.

Ezekiel is an ancient prophet who was given the work of speaking judgement against Israel. Because the nation had used the blessings and gifts of God with disregard for their sacredness, and had exchanged their loyalty for temporary pleasures of counterfeit gods, judgement has come. Upon them and upon the land. Judgement with required consequences. Judgement with promised redemption. A verse in this story jumps out at me. It comes after several verses explaining the offense and pending judgement:

⁶²So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶³Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” – Ezekiel 16:62-63

A promised atonement is coming. “when I make atonement..” and silence follows because the act of the Lord is so great and overwhelming. Paul speaks of a similar silence when he writes to the church in Rome, over 500 years later.

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. ²¹But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:19-24

I have been silenced by this grace. In a moment or season of realizing the Lord has literally reached out the hand of Christ and pulled me from the miry clay! Setting my feet on the rock that is higher than I can ever be. Showing me again where the landing place is, where I am safe from my own devices. (Psalm 40; Psalm 61)

So perhaps we can say that there is also risk in receiving grace. Because receiving grace means we are stepping into a holy adventure with our Creator. It means beautiful things will happen that we didn’t anticipate and we can’t manufacture. Our hearts will grow in ways we never imagined could be possible. Receiving the grace of God slowly reframes how we walk through life…one moment at a time. That is a journey of faith.

It’s easy to look in a lot of other places for something that only God can give. It can become exhausting and confusing when those attempts don’t yield the promises we hoped they would bring. AND it is life-giving when the grace of God shows up in our lives and restores us. Whether it comes upon us unexpectedly, or we intentionally turn to the one who created us and is so ready to give…we are often left with silence. Gratitude that is beyond words.

The Psalms hold many prayers that lend words to assist. I offer these brief verses:

“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.
Save me from all my transgressions;
    do not make me the scorn of fools.
I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
    for you are the one who has done this. – Psalm 40:7-9

And as a thanksgiving:

¹Praise awaitsyou, our God, in Zion;
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.
²You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.
³When we were overwhelmed by sins,
    you forgaveour transgressions.
⁴Blessed are those you choose
    and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
    of your holy temple. – Psalm 65:1-4

Prayer
God, we are grateful for your grace! Thank you for revealing yourself in ways that take our breath away. Thank you for allowing us to be silenced by your acts of mercy in our lives. You understand the struggle and you keep picking us up and setting us in safe places. And by your grace, we stand. We stand because of your great love and mercy. Please take our hands and help us to keep moving forward with you. We trust you completely, Lord, and we love you. Amen.

Where do you need God’s grace in your life right now?
How is God inviting you to offer grace to someone else?

Agnus Dei (Instrumental) by Michael W Smith

Looking for You

July 21, 2024July 23, 2024Vona Wilson

We don’t always get what we want, and sometimes we get what we didn’t know we need. We buried my faithful canine companion in the foggy morning sunrise today. My Pincho (sister) and I did it together. It was peaceful; a resting place for his furry body. He was 15 years old, and we had the gift of sharing the last 7 of those years. I didn’t find him online or in a newspaper ad, not even at a shelter. I was looking for something else when he chose me.

Epiphany 2017; a very cold January day, one of the coldest of the year. My sister and I drove to Kentucky in pursuit of a white dog that had been posted online as available in a shelter. We were there several hours before opening time but we were still second in line for this dog. By the time the shelter opened there were 15 cars in the parking lot, all in pursuit of this one white dog. I guess we all thought he was perfect.

“First person in line gets dibs on the dog”, they announced it well before 10am so no one would be disappointed. We took our chances. I’d waited 16 months since Tiki (another faithful companion) died. He was my partner in work, my companion at home. It took a long time to be ready to do it all again. Sometimes we really do have to pace our hearts.

While we waited I let my cousin know we were near, in case we needed a reference. We were crossing state lines to go to KY where this certain white dog was waiting in the shelter. The shelter finally opened. The man that was first in line definitely wanted the white dog, and we accepted our fate. I looked at all the dogs in the shelter that morning; none was the dog for me.

Just as we were leaving my cousin texted me to ask if we’d been able to get the dog we had hoped we could have. I shared the story and that we were soon to be on our way home to TN, without a dog and still glad we tried. And then my cousin said the thing we didn’t expect to hear.
“One of my friends just posted that they are looking for a home for their dog. Do you want to meet him?”

Thinking it couldn’t hurt anything, we headed that way. Within ten minutes we were standing in the kitchen of a family home. There was a mom and three young boys (the dad wasn’t home at that moment), and there was this little dog running around the house. While we were just standing there, hearing their story, this little black & white shitzu named “Oreo” came straight over to me, sat down at my feet, and looked up at me as if to clearly speak, “I am going home with you!”

In a true whirlwind, within five or ten minutes we are loading the truck with a dog bed, food, pee pads, toys, and Oreo. I’d never been “chosen” in that way before by a completely strange dog that had no reason to like me. It was very clear, Oreo was going home with me.

There is always a lot to every family’s story. And no one can ever fully know someone else’s story. In this case the little boys were growing up and playing soccer and all the things. It was a busy family life, and Oreo was showing signs of not being pleased with the competing schedules. They were his third owner…I would be the fourth. His original person was elderly and died, leaving him to a surviving relative. He stayed with them for a year, but schedules were a challenge and a new home was found …with this family of five. It was perfect for about three years. But there is more.

There had been a situation where Oreo was missing for three weeks in the winter. It was cold in Kentucky and somehow, he survived on his own, but went through a very difficult time. He lost all of his hair and a lot of weight. And just when they had given up all hope of ever finding him, someone called. He had shown up at their door and he needed help. He still had on his collar. Soon he was reunited with his family and they began helping him get restored to health. When we met him, he was looking good; his tail was thin and really the only sign that anything had ever happened.

I brought him home to TN. He was not the breed I was hoping for, nor the age or size, or anything else for that matter. But there was no mistake about him choosing me as we stood in that kitchen. He wanted to come home with me and I didn’t feel like I could do anything except bring him home. And for a whole year, I didn’t take him anywhere. I spent a lot of time with him and tried to give him a sense that he wasn’t going to be going anywhere else; he was “home”. We got to know one another. He slowly began to trust that I was going to be “his” and that he was safe. And I slowly began to accept that he was the dog I needed.

So we went to work. Almost every day. Whatever I was doing, I put him to doing it too. And he excelled.

He did all the work and was fabulous at it! He seemed to know his job: encouragement and love.

He also learned to love “us”. He was included in the family gatherings, as most dogs do. He was able to express love and appreciation, even entertain whoever showed up for the “there’s always room for one more” invitation. I was so grateful to see him embrace this life!

There is so much more! For today…I just want to honor what a gift Oreo was to my life and to the work we shared. I’m grateful he didn’t suffer in this life when he was old. I’m thankful we had so many moments to make clear that we knew the blessing we’d been given. I’m glad he chose me on that cold Epiphany in 2017. And by God’s grace I was able to receive what was being given.

Morning Prayer in June

June 4, 2024Vona Wilson

God of Peace and Mercy
God of Wisdom and Grace
We acknowledge you who hold all things and are in all things.
Thank you for the ways you reveal your glory to us and around us.
The stillness of the summer air in June
The watchful eye of a hawk in the morning
The love in households where people are preparing for
the day;
The silence in places where nature is the companion.

Rush in, Holy Spirit.
Rush in Great Redeemer.
Rush in to change the conversations among families and friends,
work teams and leaders,
strangers on the street and whomever is in our path.
We welcome you, Holy God, to turn our attentions where
they need to be
so that we can see your mighty hand at work.
We know and trust, Holy God, that you are indeed present and acting
right
now.
Mold us into what we do not know
Transform us bit by bit or all at once;
we need you.
We trust you completely so we yield
all of ourselves…
to you.
Thank you, Lord, for your steady faithfulness
and for not giving up on any of us.

We love you. Amen.

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter til the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
– Proverbs 4:18-19

Lingering on Good Friday

March 29, 2024March 29, 2024Vona Wilson

We left the church last night in silence, after watching the purple vestments of the Lenten season carefully removed from the altar. Each pastor lifted the stole from the neck of their robes and handed them over, expressing the surrender and darkness of what is unfolding. It was all taken away…the bread and cup, the vestments, the vessels, and the crucifer.

I had a deep sense of pending loss. Of persecution or injury, perhaps, to the church that we know. A time when our practice is rejected. A season in which we are called to face the reality of what we have allowed, or not allowed. Maybe complacency. Or perhaps enjoying the comfort and security of a religion that has largely moved us along in a direction we could all embrace. It didn’t require more than we were willing to give.

But what is this? What is this cross that keeps showing up in the middle of our beautiful practice? What is this pain that keeps emerging? Some discomfort that says something is not quite right. What are these signs that say, “no more”? The cross is part of the redemptive story; we can’t remove it. If it is the way of redemption, why do we treat sacrifice as if it doesn’t belong in the story we are living every day?

Is that our denial? Like Peter, “we don’t know him”, because it doesn’t match anything we expected out of life. What a disappointment it must have been for Peter. He thought he was part of God’s kingdom coming to fulfillment. Instead, the one he has known as Messiah is under arrest and all signs point to crucifixion. It’s messy. It’s awkward. There’s too much mercy in all the wrong places. Peter took such a risk to go down this path, and it’s falling apart. “I don’t know him”.

It feels better when we can point to someone else’s failure or sin as the cause of our disruption. It makes it easier to not see the cross in my own house if I’m peering out at my neighbor’s unkept lawn. I can forget that I may be contributing to the injustice in our world if I keep my eyes focused on the way my colleague, or family, or friend, or enemy is doing life so imperfectly. Ughh…. So many voices were there on what we call “Good Friday”.

Pilate in his role of leadership and order. High priests in their role of religious expertise and upholding the righteousness of God. Disillusioned and disappointed disciples that can’t understand why Jesus is letting this all happen. Crowds that love the drama and the chance to express their anger onto a helpless man whose sheer physical suffering makes them feel powerful. Shouts of cruelty. Physical injury. The sport of condemnation and humiliation. Women who refuse to leave and can’t hold back their tears for what the men are doing to one another and to the one they know is Christ; observers of those in charge. Others who are ready to take advantage of the moment and get what they want out of the situation; making sure their seat in eternity is secure.

So many voices were there. Enough that I can find myself somewhere in the scene, although it would feel much better to imagine I’d be walking through those hours more faithfully than they did.

Sitting with the text of Good Friday, I do wonder, in what ways am I ignoring the part of the gospel that teaches us that sacrifice is included in the way of redemption? The kingdom of God is fulfilled on earth, not by my comfort, but by through sacrificial suffering and living with Christ’s death and resurrection. The invitation Jesus makes is to let our selfishness die, allowing God’s spirit in us to become fully alive.

It really does mean, “not my will, but thine”. It does mean setting aside my pride and desire for success and taking up obedience in whatever way God asks me to be obedient in any season. Like Jonah appointed to Nineveh or Peter being instructed to eat what was once “unclean”, it means Jesus becomes Lord of my life, and I follow him.

It means I need to stop telling myself a story that makes me feel better about the cross I’m refusing to take up to follow Jesus.

So many voices were there at his arrest, while the humiliation and trials take place; the condemnation is secured, as the crucifixion is planned and executed.

Lingering on Good Friday, I am struck silent in realizing how many voices are present right now, doing the same: hurling insults, inflicting injury, making fun, condemning, discounting, and shouting, “crucify!”.

I remember echoes of Jesus teaching something like: “whatever you did for the least of these you also did for me.” And “whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.” – Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)

Is it a misinterpretation to say, whatever I do to someone else, I am also doing to Christ?

I hear a voice speaking through my pondering. It is clear. There is a way we are to live in all seasons. Seasons of war and peace. Seasons of plenty and seasons of famine. Jesus gave the disciples a new command. It has not changed over time. There is no “revised” version. It contains no trademark, logo, denomination, flag or label:

Love one another as I have loved you. This is how they will know you are my disciples.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Lord, on this Good Friday when we tell your story, help us to tell it humbly and truthfully. Lord, on this Good Friday, when we hear the story, help us to receive it fully. Lord, through this Triduum, help us to see the places in our lives where we are denying you and refusing to carry the cross that will lead us into the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We have no good apart from you, Lord, and we are quite helpless to save ourselves. Come quickly Lord Christ to assist. Thank you for not giving up on us. Amen.

Presence

February 14, 2024February 14, 2024Vona Wilson

I live in this holy sacred space
Silence our shared language
Mystery of the morning hours
Returning at night
when dreams make sleep move
over to the other side
Leaving me with scenes
to ponder.

Prayer comes breath
by breath
grounding me somewhere you
Ask me to be.
I don’t always know where
you’re taking me.

Your presence is
Always enough.
Like the sound of the voice of
Someone I love
You almost need to do
nothing except make
me aware
of your
Presence.

“…in your presence there is
fullness of joy
and life everlasting.”

Psalm 16:11
Ash Wednesday, 2024
Vona Rose Wilson 2/14

Morning Prayer in Winter

January 22, 2024January 22, 2024Vona Wilson

Creator of All, you are the Light of morning
you are the comfort in the dark.
Thank you for the way you greet us today.
We are in awe of your mighty hand –
painting the sky and forests for us
sending the river across the rocks
hurling through the bends of current running…
refusing to be stopped, living fully.
We are in awe, Lord, of your strength and mercy
your covenant and forgiveness
your certainty and freedom.
Thank you for loving us
even as we try to make you into
the image that we can comprehend.

We misunderstand your greatness.
Please keep surprising us
with your mighty hand making
all things new.
New in our hearts and minds
New in our communities and in your world.
We love you. We trust you completely.
We yield the day, the week,
our lives…into your hands.
Amen.

A cold winter day in January with lingering snow on the ground is a good invitation for prayer. After a week of pause in yielding to nature’s course, the days may hold too much. It doesn’t all have to be crammed into Monday, or even Tuesday. Faithfulness to a day’s work is enough. The past week is not “lost”, it was provided. Playing in the snow or reading a good book, even dealing with busted pipes, it all “counts” as fullness in living.

Take the day and live it. Fully. With tears when grief is present. With laughter and all out joy if that gift is offered. With strength and mercy, compassion, and wisdom. Carefully. Fully. Humbly. As one deeply loved, even when you don’t know it.

Check Your Foundation

November 20, 2023Vona Wilson

Need a little heaven on earth as you walk into the week? Wisdom given by Jesus is an invitation into the kingdom of God on earth. It is experienced as we put it into practice. This might be a good week to check your foundation.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mind and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on rock. – Matthew 7:24-25

No one wants their house to fall. We don’t want our families to fall apart either. And we don’t want our lives to be meaningless. Quite the opposite! We want a place to be safe and well cared for. We want love and community that brings encouragement and joy into our daily lives. We need to know our lives are with purpose and meaning.

Jesus is offering a powerful teaching about life as God wants us to live it, (Matthew 5-7) https://bit.ly/46rnHq6 that culminates with this statement:

“…everyone who hears these words of mine and put them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

And then he mentions the storms of life. Because there are storms. Whether they come toward us like the rain above, or something that rises and surrounds us like a river, or a wind that blows from a direction we least expected – there will be storms. Life is full of them.

Even though I’m familiar with this teaching in Matthew, I never cease to be amazed and sometimes even shocked at this way Jesus encourages us to be in the world. It’s not “normal” at all. This is a very different way of doing life.

This way of being in the world directs attitudes, actions, relationships, business, discernment, spiritual practices, economy, and even prayer. The teaching is packed full of wisdom for life. No wonder he says, “enter through the narrow gate”; this is a special road to walk. It is even hard to find, which is why we are unable to do it on our own.

We often find ourselves asking for divine assistance. We especially seek God’s guidance to navigate the context of our lives right now. There is a lot of disruption and upheaval. People are grabbing news or priorities from a one-line social media post or the most recent AI suggestion. We all want to “do the right thing” but seem to be struggling with finding what that “right thing” is in a world where our context changes so quickly.

Our mental health is more vulnerable than it has ever been, and spiritual places of rest have, in many cases, become full of the tension in our world. We need God’s help. We need wisdom that is beyond us. We need sacred, ancient teaching that doesn’t fade with changing contexts.

The teaching in Matthew 5-7 offers us that depth. It is humbling and invites us into a space of surrender. Jesus spells out some very practical wisdom. He reorders priorities and clarifies what may have been misunderstood. The way he brings this to a close tells us how important it is: we are not going to withstand the storms of this life without this wisdom. It is not there to burden us or harm us. This is way to live into the abundant life even during the storms and wind and rising waters. There is a way to stay on solid ground.

If we want to create a checklist, we can make one from Matthew 5-7. There is a caution with that, however, because the Holy Spirit doesn’t abide by our checklists. The practice of surrender and seeking divine guidance undergirds everything. Still, if I go through these chapters and make some notes for my journey through life, I’m going to be fully engaged in the simple obedience of practicing these teachings.

It does give me guidance for how I do my work today. It does help me prioritize how I step into this week of Thanksgiving celebrations. It offers a reset and a realignment to what is important in the kingdom of God. This teaching actually invites us to step into the kingdom of God.

As we practice what is here, we experience glimpses of God’s kingdom coming to earth as it is in heaven. Coming into our hearts and into our lives. If you’re feeling as though you’re in need of a bit more of heaven in your life, perhaps finding just a verse or two from Matthew 5-7 will usher that blessing into your heart. What better foundation to hold you up as you begin a new week? You can read the whole text here: https://bit.ly/46rnHq6

Holy God, we are grateful for your teaching. We know you can see us and you already know there are many days we feel overwhelmed by life. It’s easy for us to get distracted, and in instances we may even feel disillusioned. We set up new rules and guardrails, they eventually fail. We grasp for help in so many places and sometimes forget that you have already provided a way for us. You teach us a different way to live. We trust you and we want to walk in a way that leads to life. Help us to let go and ask for your help. We need a little heaven to come to earth. We welcome you in whatever way you reveal yourself to us this week. We love you and we trust you completely. Thank you for giving your wisdom. Thank you for creating us with capacity to experience the fullness of your grace. We are watching for a little heaven on earth today. We know you are already here. Amen.

Falling Short?

May 30, 2023Vona Wilson

I appreciate a Monday holiday so much; it comes like a breath of fresh air. At the same time, it is easy for me to forget to give myself a bit of grace for the remaining days of the week. That feeling of “falling short” comes too quickly as Tuesday morning arrives! It happens in other moments too. Can you relate?

We feel behind before we ever begin.

We review our words and actions, only to find we fell far short of what we intended.

Instant communication preempted a well-timed note or call.

Interruptions prevented the intentional act of kindness.

We experience a “holiday” with no buffer of an added day to “make up” for it.

We go on “vacation” but need time to recover from the travel.

Just stop. Take a deep breath. We are not “behind” on anything; we are simply where we are today. In many cultures time to rest is part of living. In many cultures time spent with family and friends is more important than production.

In the culture of the kingdom of God – there are priorities. Begin with what is most important for the day; the remaining tasks will fill in all the spaces.

Perhaps we step into this week with a pace that trusts our Creator more than we trust our desires and demands of ourselves and others.

This morning my reading included a chapter in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. A particular verse landed on my mind and heart:

For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. – Romans 11:32

Where we fall short, God’s mercy is abundant. This is a human condition that we all share; we all fall short (Romans 3). We are all in need of God’s mercy and grace. How is God’s mercy being made available for you today?

The “doxology” that comes after Romans 11:32 may be a way for us to acknowledge the wisdom and mercy of God as we walk into the remaining days of the week:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
    To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:33-36

Holy God, we acknowledge you and thank you for the gift of life today. For those who grieve and struggle in any way, grant your mercy in abundance. May your peace move into the pace and space of our days so that we walk more humbly wherever we go. Reveal yourself in ways that help each of us and all of us see you. Give us courage to follow you when you make yourself known. We love you, Lord, and we trust you completely. Amen.

Remembering

May 2, 2023May 2, 2023Vona Wilson

Remembering is one of the most powerful practices of our faith. It lifts up our spirits when we are low. It increases our confidence that the Lord is with us. Remembering is prevention; it recenters us in our faith. Remembering reminds us where wisdom and help can be found for daily life. Forgetting leads us into some of the most difficult life situations.

Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,
   did not consider your wonderful works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
   but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
   so that he might make known his mighty power. [Psalm 106:708]

One of the gifts we experience with each new year of our lives is the collective memory. This rhythm of faithfulness is overwhelming if we pause to consider it. Psalm 106 is a long remembrance of God’s acts of faithfulness. The litany is full of humanity; our propensity to forget, rebel, and find ourselves in awful messes. Each time God’s people cry out for help, God responds. Time and time again, we see the kindness of God’s mercy.  We experience redemption and restoring.

Many times he delivered them,
   but they were rebellious in their purposes,
   and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless, he regarded their distress
   when he heard their cry.
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
   and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. [Psalm 106:43-45]

Last night this Psalm came across my reading, and it gave me strength. Like the refreshment of a glass of water after a long hike, this remembering of how faithful God is changes the way we walk through life. Do you need to be reminded?  Do you find yourself leaning on some lesser source for your life situations? Or maybe you’ve forgotten how faithfully God works within our lives. Perhaps Psalm 106 can offer some assistance.

Practices
Start naming the ways God has been kind to you. Just a few words – a sentence that reminds you. Write them down; let it become your remembering psalm. In moments of discouragement or when you feel forgotten, pull out your psalm. Read it with amazement and gratitude.

Read Psalm 106 and notice the rhythm of God’s provision for the people in all seasons. God allows rebellion and forgetfulness to have its course. When we recognize our errors, the Lord hears our cries and restores us to the foundations of God’s love and righteousness. When you read Psalm 106 as a holy practice, you are joining the many generations of God’s people in naming God’s faithfulness. It is powerful and it will change your days! Read Psalm 106 here:
https://bit.ly/Practice106

Prayer
Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise. [Psalm 106:47]

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

The Prayer of Help

April 23, 2023April 23, 2023Vona Wilson

Do you ever feel like your mouth needs to be guarded?
Do you ever feel the pull to be drawn into something that you know is destructive, but you are drawn to it anyway?
Does the luxury of comfort, money, or even an unhealthy relationship beg for your attention and commitment?

Welcome to the life of being human! We often speak without thinking. We are lured into situations that bring trouble into our lives. We want to be safe, comfortable, and loved however that may be offered; even when it’s not good. Paul describes our situation well when he acknowledges our fragility even though we are a miracle of God; it is the “clay jar” of our human vessel.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. – II Corinthians 4:7

Psalm 141 lands on my ears and mind as a balm. It is a helpful grace. It is a prayer that not only calls upon the Lord for assistance, it offers wisdom for the journey as we navigate through life. There is so much beautiful and amazing about this world that God created! There is so much broken and breaking in our world! “Breaking News” is perhaps the headline that tells us that we are breaking. We need divine help and repair.

Psalm 141

I call to you,Lord, come quickly to me;
hear me when I call to you.
² May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

³ Set a guard over my mouth,Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.
⁴ Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.

⁵ Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

⁶ Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
⁷ They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

⁸ But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
⁹ Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
    from the snares they have laid for me.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.

In environments where “evil” is lurking, we see things like the enticement of luxuries or “delicacies”. We hear words and stories that are falsely represented; sometimes even by our own minds! We experience temptation without regard for others; no concern for the impact one action has upon another person. Often all of this looks “good” while we are being drawn into it.

And in those same environments or moments, there is an invitation to tap into something more powerful. It is a higher offer; a gift God offers. Something miraculous is possible when the Spirit of the Lord intervenes. This prayer that we know as Psalm 141 calls it forth.

While we allow the Lord to “set a guard over our mouths”, we are giving space for others to speak. This venting will often reveal its own motivation. Listen for what is behind the words you hear. In another setting it may allow someone to empty themselves of something that is binding and hindering them from healing. Allow it. Let the Lord guard our mouths, not rushing to defend or correct. Give space to see what is really happening. Maybe we have nothing that needs to be said. Whatever this “guarding” may be; silence can be a grace.

The practice of listening before I speak always takes intentional effort for me. I have to practice it. Not jumping to what “I” want to say, but to wait and listen.

The “draw to evil” that the Psalmist mentions might be the lure of argument, judgement, or assumption. It can be the easy path of drawing lines that can keep others out and elevates us to a higher place, where our own temptations or weaknesses are disguised. It may be, surprisingly, jumping in to “fix” something that is not ours to fix; a “rescue” of another person’s needed journey.

The variations and ways “traps and snares” are presented are numerous. But most often they come in the way that we are uniquely enticed or lured. We all have our triggers and inspirations! It may be money, lust, power, excitement, fight, managing someone else’s life; take your pick! In these moments we need people of wisdom who have our best interests at heart to meet us… offering grace, correction, and wisdom.

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

There is a time to speak. Words of honesty are helpful and even freeing. Words of caution spoken in love are the words of a true friend. Wisdom is given when we wait for it and listen. When Jesus was preparing the disciples for their first experience of “being sent”, he knew they were going out into a world that was not “safe”. Jesus offered them exactly what they needed:

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. – Matthew 10:16-20

God did not make their circumstances all safe and without challenge. The Lord provided access to divine help to offer everyone a different experience, an encounter with the resurrected Christ. …the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken. (Psalm 141:6b)

Even when we are not aware, the Lord is intervening to bring forth the kingdom. This is our trust; it is our faith.

Our human experience is a profound grace, a miracle. And we are all broken just the same. We journey with the hope and confidence that the Lord is walking with us; guiding, protecting, correcting, and assisting. Every day. All the time. In every way we can receive. God’s love for us is steadfast and true.

Lord, thank you for the ancient prayers of those who have gone before us. Thank you for the ways you invite us to depend upon and trust you to assist us on the journey. We say and do so many things that we regret! But you, Lord, make it clear that your help and full equipping is accessible and ready to launch. You are amazing! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! We give you the praise! Amen.

I Give You Praise Lord /Chicago Mass Choir