June 25: Pentecost 4: Psalm 86: Cared for

 Today is the last Sunday in June. We are four weeks into the Season of Pentecost. Earlier in these posts, I noted that this season is often called “Ordinary Time.” It’s true that these weeks and months are a time of living our faith in ‘ordinary’ ways. The term ‘ordinary’ in this case is derived from the fact that the Sundays are numbered (ordered) rather than named. An ordinal number is one that states where something is in the order of a list. (First, second, third, etc.) This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Pentecost. There are 26 Sundays of Pentecost this year, so we have many Sundays to go.

The Psalm (86:1-10, 16-17) and Readings this week focus on the Care God has for each of us. The Psalmist implores God to hear, watch, be merciful and forgive. When we look at the lessons we see that across the centuries God has cared for all people.

The Hebrew Testament reading is Genesis 21:8-21. It is the rather troubling story of how Abraham sends the slave woman Hagar and her son into the desert at the jealous insistence of his wife Sarah. We hear that he took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away…When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes [and] she lifted up her voice and wept. Into this heart-wrenching scene God comes. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him” …God was with the boy, and he grew up…He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt. In her despair, the Egyptian slave is found and cared for by God.

In the Gospel (Matthew 10:24-39), Jesus tells the crowd, are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. When watching the sparrows and other birds visit the water bowl on our porch or a hummingbird at a day lily, I am reminded of how much God cares for all creation.

The Epistle (Romans 6:1b-11) is also about God’s care for us. Paul notes we, walk in newness of life…no longer enslaved to sin…if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him…consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. In Christ we have new life. We are reborn and live in a relationship with God that was not possible previously.

Even though we are promised a new relationship with God, it is easy to forget or doubt the truth of God’s promise to care for us—for every hair on our head, for every drink of water, for our very lives. Sometimes it is personal problems or family issues that can cloud our thinking. At other times it may be all the tumult and trouble of the world that causes fear.

Probably the Psalmist was facing something difficult when he prayed Psalm 86. He pleads for God to hear. He cries, attend to the voice of my supplications. Then he acknowledges, in the time of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me. At the end of the Psalm he begs, look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child! 

I like the Message translation which ends by asking God to gently and powerfully put me back on my feet. I think that’s what we all long for when we are feeling desperate and afraid like Hagar, or forget we are loved more than sparrows and hummingbirds. We want our loving Abba to come and take us by the hand and help us stand up again.

Which of life’s events make you feel the most distanced from God’s love? It’s OK to call out to God in those times.

Does the image of God’s care and love for even the sparrows reassure you about your importance, and the importance of all creation?

Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 1 Bow down your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and in misery. 2 Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; save your servant who puts his trust in you. 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; I call upon you all the day long. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, and great is your love toward all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, nor anything like your works. 9 All nations you have made will come and worship you, O Lord, and glorify your Name. 10 For you are great; you do wondrous things; and you alone are God.  16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; give your strength to your servant; and save the child of your handmaid. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (Book of Common Prayer)

Bend an ear, God; answer me. I’m one miserable wretch! Keep me safe—haven’t I lived a good life? Help your servant—I’m depending on you! You’re my God; have mercy on me. I count on you from morning to night. Give your servant a happy life; I put myself in your hands! You’re well-known as good and forgiving, bighearted to all who ask for help. Pay attention, God, to my prayer; bend down and listen to my cry for help. Every time I’m in trouble I call on you, confident that you’ll answer. There’s no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord, and nothing to compare with your works. All the nations you made are on their way, ready to give honor to you, O Lord, Ready to put your beauty on display, parading your greatness, And the great things you do— God, you’re the one, there’s no one but you! So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child! Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet. (The Message)