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| Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms (76-150) |
When night falls heavy around me, Your light shines in the darkness + from Psalm 112 | The Reward of Those Who Seek You in Endless Grace
Emmaus City Church (ECC) continues in our series in the Psalms based on the Lectionary Year A Readings that parts of Jesus' Church around the world are using in 2023 during the seasons of Epiphany and Lent, as well as Black History Month (BHM).
This weekend's Psalm is Psalm 112, focused on God's generosity and justice. In Endless Grace: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms, Ryan W. Smith and Dan Wilt have written a targum (i.e. the ancient practice of rewriting sacred text in today's vocabulary; see Psalm 29 | Living Word, Psalm 40 | A Testimony of Salvation, Psalm 27 | Light and Life, and Psalm 15 | Rooted Way for other examples). And while this prayer attempts to follow the structure of Psalm 112, this is not a paraphrase or translation; it is a prayerful response. The title they give 112's targum is "The Reward of Those Who Seek You."
For 2023, phrases that have helped shape my prayers for the year ahead are "Enter the Holy Wild. Pay attention to the Voice in the wilderness. Worship Jesus." My prayer for Emmaus City Church is that our worship would increase in such a way that those who interact with us, whether at a Sabbath gathering, with a City Group meal or mission, at work or at home, would experience God's holy presence in light of how our hearts lean towards worshiping Jesus. We want to rest and risk in light of His holiness (see also "In the Holy Wild with the Lion Who Offers Us the Stream").
Psalm 112 that inspired the targum, "The Reward of Those Who Seek You," helps us worship the One who is generous and just as we continue in the holy wild of this season of Epiphany during BHM.
Psalm 112 | The Reward of Those Who Seek You
Lord,
be glorified in me today.
You are the reward of all who seek You, 1
the prize of the humble heart.
Abundant joy
follows those who follow You.
They lack no good thing. 2
May I walk in faithfulness before You,
that generations after me would call upon Your name.
I am a vine in Your keeping:
florid,
flourishing,
enduring
by Your provision,
Your protection.
When night falls heavy around me,
Your light shines in the darkness;
the darkness has not overcome it. 3
Anything good to me
is the result of Your goodness.
I extend grace
because You have extended grace to me.
I offer mercy
because You have offered mercy to me.
I strive for holiness
because You are holy.
Generosity,
because You are generous.
Justice,
because You are just.
Those who love You
are steadfast, 4
their strength ever renewing, 5
their faithfulness proof of Your faithfulness.
I do not have to fear
heartache,
disappointment,
adversity,
for You will have the last word,
and when all is said and done,
all will be well. 6
No act of kindness will be forgotten.
No selfless deed will be unremembered. 7
Though we are hated for Your name's sake – 8
cursed,
condemned
by those who worship wickedness
and mock righteousness,
their world passes away,
along with its desires –
whoever does Your will
abides forever. 9
3 John 1:5
6 Inspired by the line,
"I will make all things well;
and you will see yourself that
every kind of thing will be well."
+ Julian of Norwich, Showings
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| "Our Church Speaks" featuring Julian of Norwich by Ben Lansing |
Bonus Listen
by Francesca LaRosa
Bonus Reflection
Here are links to other recent City Notes (CN) books:
Red Skies; Story of God in a Sanitation Truck; The Artistry of What's Next; Seeds of Hope in the Rain & the Dark; Wrestling with God in Doubt; I've Seen What Hope Can Do; Baptism as the Way of Life; The Cross and Peacemaking Presence; Being with God; Knowing and Naming True Friends; Listening Closely & Paying Attention; Living and Loving Curiously with Wonder; Praying with Mary and Jesus; Waiting is the Womb; In the Holy Wild with the Lion Who Offers Us the Stream
With wild grace and holy shalom,
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