Devotional 4-4-14

Nearly 2/3 of the way through Lent, we come across Psalm 130, a lament of one of the poets of Israel in distress.  It has a reflective tone that invites the reader to consider the dark places that come to our lives.  At the same time, it invites a tone of hope that in our deepest, darkest moments, God hears our cries and our prayers.  Why would the poet compose this prayer if there were not a profound belief that God is always listening.

Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord
Lord, hear our common voice
Let your ears, O Lord, be attentive to the voice of our prayers
If you O Lord should take note of our sin, who could remain standing
But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered
We wait for you, Lord; our souls stand watch for you.
In your word is our hope
Our souls wait for you, Lord
more than those who watch for the morning
We call ourselves and one another to find hope in you
 for with you there is steadfast love
In you, Lord, is the great power of our redemption.  We place before you our sin, trusting that you will remove it from us and redeem us all

Ruth Duck has composed a song "Out of the Depths" that captures a modern truth which is that God's loving heart is eternally open to us and that our life within a worshiping community is one in which we find safety with people whom we can trust to hold us together when the depths of pain or sorrow or grief are threatening.  If you want to sing it, the text is modified slightly to fit a familiar tune #623 in the UM hymnal, "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face".  Let this be today's prayer.


Out of the Depths

Out of the depths, O God, we call to you.
Wounds of the past af-fect the things we do.
Fa-cing our lives, we need your love so much.
Here in our church please heal us by your touch.

Out of the depths of fear, O God, we speak.
Break-ing the si-len-ces the truth we seek.
Safe a-mong friends, our grief and rage we share.
Here in our church please hold us in your care.

God of the lo-ving heart, we praise your name.
Dance through our lives; heal us with Spirit flame.
Your light il-lu-mines each fa-mi-liar face.
Here in our church please meet us with your grace.

Words:  Ruth Duck 1988, mod. jwl 2014
Music:  Penitentia, Edward Dearle, 1874

Rev. Jack Lipphardt