Faithful Conversations #76
Introduction to Readers:
Simone Biles
American Gymnast
Athletics has been an important part of my life since I was very young. Part of what I truly enjoy about the Olympics every four years are the stories of young men and women who overcome tremendous obstacles and persevere. Prompted, in part, by the inspiring story surrounding gymnast Simone Biles, I have been thinking this week about how we should face adversity as Christians. And also, how that becomes part of our Christian witness, or testimony to others.
Psalm 34 pointed me in that direction as well. The author, King David, a central figure in the Old Testament, faced numerous challenges throughout his life. As a young shepherd, he was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king, yet he had to contend with the reigning King Saul, who saw David as a threat and pursued him relentlessly. Despite these threats, David demonstrated remarkable resilience and faith. He endured hardships, including betrayal by allies and the challenge of uniting a fragmented kingdom. His trials were not only political but personal, marked by moral failures and family strife. Through it all, David’s unwavering faith in God and his leadership ultimately helped him build a united and prosperous kingdom, leaving a lasting legacy.
As always, thanks for visiting this space again this week and I hope that your Lectionary discipline is holding up. After offering a short summary of themes embodied in this week’s readings, my reflections will center on Psalm 34.
And . . a reminder about those four guiding questions:
What is something new you learned from the reading? (NEW)
What is something that caught your attention or made you think? (REFLECT)
What did you read that relates to other reading you have done? (RELATE)
What would you like to discuss from the reading? (DISCUSS)
The Readings for Pentecost 12
1 Kings 19: 4-8
Psalm 34: 1-8
Ephesians 4: 25 – 5: 2
John 6: 35, 41-51
Quick Take on This Week’s Readings
Listen for the following themes as you work through this week’s readings: divine sustenance, encouragement, and the call to embody Christ-like love. In 1 Kings 19:4-8, Elijah receives nourishment from an angel, allowing him to continue his journey, symbolizing God’s provision during times of despair. Psalm 34:1-8 praises the Lord’s deliverance and goodness, encouraging trust in God’s care. Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 urges believers to live in truth, kindness, and forgiveness, mirroring God’s love and forgiveness in Christ. John 6:35, 41-51 emphasizes Jesus as the “bread of life,” offering eternal sustenance and the promise of resurrection to those who believe. Together, these passages highlight the importance of spiritual nourishment, trust in God’s providence, and the transformative power of living a life of love and compassion.
Psalm 34: 1-8: Praise for Deliverance from Trouble
Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant,
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.
Reflections: “Adversity and witnessing”
“King David in Prayer”
by Pieter de Grebber
(1600-1653)
General Background: Because it is part of the Lectionary for the next three Sundays, I want to spend some quality time with Psalm 34. It is one of the seventy-three Psalms attributed directly to King David. He may have authored others as well. His authorship reflects his deep spiritual life and complex personal experiences including various trials, deep repentance, and faithfulness. David’s psalms are cherished for their theological depth and emotional authenticity, and they continue to be a source of inspiration and comfort for believers across generations (i.e. Psalm 23). One other point by way of introduction: Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem, a poetic form where each line or stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This form highlights the psalmist’s devotion to God’s Word and served as a mnemonic device to aid in memorization and meditation. (Sidebar: Psalm 119, the longest Psalm, is the best example of this form in the Bible. In Psalm 119, the poem is divided into 22 sections, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each section contains 8 verses that start with that particular letter).
Historical Context of Psalm 34: David lived roughly ten centuries before the birth of Christ. Psalm 34 appears to be rooted in a particular episode in David’s journey. The short statement of identification (“Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.”) references a harrowing story found in 1 Samuel 21 when David fled from Saul and took refuge with the Philistines. He was afraid of King Achish of Gath, pretended to be insane, and ultimately escaped.
Summary of verses 1-8: This section of Psalm 34 begins with David announcing to the reader that he intends to provide testimony concerning God’s power. The word testimony comes from the Latin derivative testis meaning “witness.” He also invites the community to join him in praising God (verses 1-3). In verses 4-6, David vaguely references WHEN he was saved (the Samuel story). In verses 7-8, he recaps God’s goodness for those who seek refuge in Him.
What should we take away from this reading? Let me return to the notion of overcoming adversity and sharing our story with others (witnessing). In my experience (and granted, it is my experience and may be limited or short-sighted), public testimony (witnessing) is not something we are used to doing within the Lutheran tradition. We tend to associate that more with Baptist-oriented denominations. Psalm 34, however, suggests to me that such testimony — particularly regarding powerful examples of God working in our lives, especially in guiding us through adversity — is deeply rooted in scripture. And it seems to me we need to get beyond our bashfulness about this and realize that BY NOT sharing our story of faith with others in an authentic fashion, we are depriving our brothers and sisters in the faith of good news they need to hear!
Soli Deo Gloria!
** Note: I am indebted, in part, to Eric Mathis, Assistant Professor of Music and Worship at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama for his interpretation of Psalm 34 this week.
from henri nouwen: “let god love you the way god wants”
Dutch Theologian
Henri Nouwen
(1932-1996)
I know that true joy comes from letting God love me the way God wants, whether it is through illness or health, failure or success, poverty or wealth, rejection or praise. It is hard for me to say, “I shall gratefully accept everything, Lord, that pleases you. Let your will be done.” But I know that when I truly believe my Father is pure love, it will become increasingly possible to say these words from the heart. Charles de Foucauld once wrote a prayer of abandonment that expresses beautifully the spiritual attitude I wish I had.
Father, I abandon myself into your hands,
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you;
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father.
It seems good to pray this prayer often. These are words of a holy man, and they show the way I must go. I realize that I can never make this prayer come true by my own efforts. But the Spirit of Jesus given to me can help me pray it and grow to its fulfillment. I know that my inner peace depends on my willingness to make this prayer my own. (Drawn from the Henri Nouwen Society website: 3 August 2024).
and . . . A good thought regarding prayer this week:
If you’re like me, it is often helpful to have a pattern for daily prayer. I lifted this from “God-Pause,” a daily reflection available through Luther Seminary (23 July 2024).
One model outline for prayer is the acronym ACTS—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. In reverse order: Supplication is easy for us. We have no shortage of wants to bring to God. Thanksgiving is not too difficult, as long as our lives are relatively smooth. Confession is sometimes more difficult for us, as the norm for many is to blame others and not acknowledge our own shortcomings. But, with a little self-awareness, we can take responsibility and admit our shortcomings. And then there is Adoration. It’s important to realize that our ever-present God is also always beyond us.
I’m reflecting on the John verses. First, it’s rather funny how the Jews question Jesus being anything special since they know his dad and mom. I could see people saying the same for any of us–“What? Isn’t that Unk and Cathy Rykken’s son, Paul?? And now he thinks he’s something special!” If it was me they’re talking about, they’d interject Weny and Bonnie Elmhorst in there instead of Unk Rykken…
Interesting that Jesus proclaims that no one comes to Him unless the Father calls him. So, is everyone called? Is everyone called but not at the same time (some at 20 years old, some at 50, some a week before dying)? Is everyone called but some never produce fruit (like a seed that never grows from Matt 13:3-9).
If baptism brings us into the kingdom, is it at that point that a seed planted (again like the parable of The Sower from Matt. 13:3-9) and the growth of the seed is dependent on how much the person “waters” their seed with the Living Water (Companionship/Effect of God’s Spirit and His Word) as to whether that seed grows up to produce much crops? Then, also, does God replant seeds if the first seed was planted in rocky ground, eaten by birds or choked out by thorns (again, referring to Matt 13:3-9)? Maybe the seeds that don’t produce much fruit are still in God’s Garden but just never get beyond a seed? How does it go for people who do not have God-fearing parents and are not baptized? All such mysteries!!
I agree that people need to speak out pertaining to the unfathomable Love that our God has lavished on us! If a person often speaks out about their kids, or the Packers, politics, or their love of dogs etc, then truly the Love of our God should be spoken about! If a person is shy about God, asking Him daily for opportunity and boldness helps. I absolutely understand we’re worried people will regard us as vacuum salesmen but God truly does sell Himself!
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Great questions and reflections Kris!
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