“Precious in the Sight of the Lord…”
Psalm 116 Verse 15
Psalm 116 Verse 15
Have you ever had the experience of participating in
the responsive Psalter reading during worship and wondering a short time later
just what you read? I have. Perhaps my mind was distracted by other thoughts
or concentrating more on which verse was for the leader and which for the
congregation, the pulpit or lectionary side of the church. Members of the choir
can find themselves multi-tasking, reading and opening music for an anthem which
immediately follows. Yet, thankfully, there are times when the words of the
Psalm leap off the page and speak to us as if they were directed just for us.
Such was the case for me several months ago.
The setting was Mother’s Day Sunday and the reading was Psalm 116. Since my mother had died just six weeks before, the feelings of loss were still quite fresh. I contemplated staying at home that Sunday but because of responsibilities, I decided to attend worship and “stay detached.” The Psalm speaks of God’s mercy in hearing our voice, our prayers and supplications. The particular focus of this devotional, however, is simply on verse 15. “Precious in the Sight of the Lord” the verse begins and then takes an unexpected turn. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (The New Revised Standard Version says “the death of his faithful ones.”) What comforting and reassuring thoughts those were to me. Since that Sunday I have pondered this verse a great deal.
Surely God’s ultimate will for us is wholeness, health and well being. Surely God loves all his creation equally with no partiality or favoritism. Still, the passage states that the death of his faithful ones is precious to God: those who have known the Lord, loved the Lord, served the Lord, meditated on his word and tried to walk in his ways. These words certainly described my mother but many others persons, too.
It seems that as a church family we have gathered far too many times this year to celebrate the lives of deceased members and mourn our losses together, sometimes under very difficult circumstances. As All Saints Sunday approaches, we are reminded once again of those who have gone on before us. If we have not encountered a very personal loss this year, we have in past years or will in years to come. Perhaps if we are able to shift our focus slightly from our personal feelings to God’s perspective, precious is the death of his saints, then we can rejoice in their triumphal homecoming.
Prayer: Lord God, one of Thy saints from long ago said that “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” We offer thanks for those dear to us who are now in Thy presence. May we pattern our lives after their example that we, too, may someday join them in a place prepared for us. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Sue Darlington Woods
The setting was Mother’s Day Sunday and the reading was Psalm 116. Since my mother had died just six weeks before, the feelings of loss were still quite fresh. I contemplated staying at home that Sunday but because of responsibilities, I decided to attend worship and “stay detached.” The Psalm speaks of God’s mercy in hearing our voice, our prayers and supplications. The particular focus of this devotional, however, is simply on verse 15. “Precious in the Sight of the Lord” the verse begins and then takes an unexpected turn. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (The New Revised Standard Version says “the death of his faithful ones.”) What comforting and reassuring thoughts those were to me. Since that Sunday I have pondered this verse a great deal.
Surely God’s ultimate will for us is wholeness, health and well being. Surely God loves all his creation equally with no partiality or favoritism. Still, the passage states that the death of his faithful ones is precious to God: those who have known the Lord, loved the Lord, served the Lord, meditated on his word and tried to walk in his ways. These words certainly described my mother but many others persons, too.
It seems that as a church family we have gathered far too many times this year to celebrate the lives of deceased members and mourn our losses together, sometimes under very difficult circumstances. As All Saints Sunday approaches, we are reminded once again of those who have gone on before us. If we have not encountered a very personal loss this year, we have in past years or will in years to come. Perhaps if we are able to shift our focus slightly from our personal feelings to God’s perspective, precious is the death of his saints, then we can rejoice in their triumphal homecoming.
Prayer: Lord God, one of Thy saints from long ago said that “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” We offer thanks for those dear to us who are now in Thy presence. May we pattern our lives after their example that we, too, may someday join them in a place prepared for us. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Sue Darlington Woods
1 comment:
That is a beautiful devotional written by Sue Woods. I still remember what a lovely lady her mother was and how devoted she was to her family and church.
Connie Pappas
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