The Luther Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 24 November 2015 "God Paue Daily Devotional" Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10

The Luther Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 24 November 2015 "God Paue Daily Devotional" Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10Psalm 25:(0) By David:

(1) I lift my inner being to you, Adonai;

2 I trust you, my God.

Don’t let me be disgraced,

don’t let my enemies gloat over me.

3 No one waiting for you will be disgraced;

disgrace awaits those who break faith for no reason.

4 Make me know your ways, Adonai,

teach me your paths.

5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me;

for you are the God who saves me,

my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember your compassion and grace, Adonai;

for these are ages old.

7 Don’t remember my youthful sins or transgressions;

but remember me according to your grace

for the sake of your goodness, Adonai.

8 Adonai is good, and he is fair;

this is why he teaches sinners the way [to live],

9 leads the humble to do what is right

and teaches the humble [to live] his way.

10 All Adonai’s paths are grace and truth

to those who keep his covenant and instructions.

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This time of year there is so much that wants our attention. We have parties, gift buying, tree trimming, card writing, special events in our congregations, and the list goes on. It can be difficult to decide--what gets our full focus and attention and what we ignore. We can feel dizzy with the possibilities. Focus is also what the psalmist desires--what provides life, security and hope. Our consumer culture bombards us in the Advent season with promises that fullness of life and security can be found in material goods and that our hope comes with a bright red bow attached. Our focus very easily can stray to those falsehoods.
The psalm writer is aware of our human tendency to lose focus on the true provider of life, security and hope: Yahweh. We stray from the path with God, we get distracted by shiny objects and enticed by immediate gratification. Like the psalmist we need constant reorientation, we need to remember that our trust and our hope come from God. To be focused on God is to be truly awake, fully engaged, to "wait all day long" for God. The good news is that God walks the path with us in "steadfast love and faithfulness."
Steadfast and reorienting God, keep us fully awake and focused on your hope and love. We trust in you and we lift up our whole lives to you. You faithfully teach us as we continue on our way with you. We wait to live into the fullness of promises in Christ. Amen.
Brigette Weier
Pastor, Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.
Master of Divinity , 2012
Psalm 25:1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.[New Revised Standard Version]

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