Reading: Psalm 1
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers, but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Reflection Almost a year ago, I adopted a 2-year-old mixed breed from a local pet rescue. Anyone who has ever done so knows that rescue dogs often come with their share of “issues”. Kaia is no exception. She’s what dog people call “reactive”—anything new scares her and so her go-to reaction to such things is to take a defensive posture, one that those unfamiliar with dog behavior often interpret as aggressive. She is, as I often describe her, “a bit much”. It’s not Kaia’s fault. For the first two years of her life, she didn’t get proper socialization and training, so everything outside of her comfort zone is now a threat. She’s not trying to behave reactively; she just doesn’t know a better way to cope. Together we’re working on it, but ingrained patterns are hard to break. But, in those moments when she gets it—when she doesn’t respond to new stimuli in a reactive way—those are causes to celebrate (usually with treats and snuggles)! Such is the nature of our relationship with the Divine. We want to “delight in the Lord”, but our status as saints and sinners means that sometimes we are “scoffers” treading on our brokenness. We don’t live up to who God calls us to be. We respond aggressively when our world feels threatened. If anger is, indeed, fear turned inward, then our fear of the unknown causes us to react negatively to perceived threats. Here’s the thing, though, God in Christ Jesus and through the Holy Spirit is infinitely patient with our brokenness. In our baptisms, we are permanently tethered to God and, as such, we cannot break the bond between Divine and human. God will never give up on us, even when we’re “a bit much”, and gives us ample opportunities to try again and again and again until we have our breakthrough moments. And, in those moments when we get it—when we live in ways that exemplify love and understanding—God celebrates with welcoming arms of grace and the promise and possibility of new life! —Lisa Raylene Barnes Prayer God of saints and sinners, we are sometimes “a bit much”, but we give thanks that you love us in spite of ourselves. Teach us to respond to the unknown with love instead of fear. Guide us to yield the fruits of hope and mercy and grace in the name of the triune God. Amen.
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