A prayer from Psalm 146

He made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the Lord! Psalm 146: 6-10 NLT

God, you made heaven and earth! You are an awesome creator and we marvel at all of creation.

You keep every promise forever. You never forget your promises but you do forget our trespasses -- thanks to Jesus!

You free prisoners -- and, God, you know what bars I have been behind in my life. Free at last!

You are one who gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. I am too quick to judge and only want my selfish rights to be acknowledged. But you know true justice and who is truly hungry.

You open the eyes of the blind. Boy, have I been blind most of my life -- open my eyes, Lord, help me to see!

You lift up those who are weighed down. I have taken on so much unimportant stuff that simply bends me over. I am weighed down. Lift up my load, and take it from me! I promise not to grab it back.

You love the godly. I am trying to be among those, Lord.

You protect the foreigners among us. What is that, Lord? You want me to do the same? Does that include illegal immigrants? Oh. Okay.

You care for orphans and widows but frustrates the plans of the wicked. May my plans never be wicked. May my plans be yours -- to care for the orphan and the widow, the helpless and the lost. 

You, God, will reign forever!

Amen.

Copyright 2013 Amelia G. Sims

Where's your confidence?

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. Psalm 146: 1-5 NLT 

As I was typing this verse, the President came on the television (I don’t normally have the television on but my mother-in-law is staying with us -- see yesterday’s blog). Seeing this made me think of how much we put our confidence in our political candidates and our political parties -- no matter which way we swing. 

Yet, the psalmist reminds us that the powerful - from politicians to investors - cannot help us. They are human, too. When they breathe their last, they also become dust. Their power and influence is only skin deep. Their plans often die with them.

But being a follower of God is different. When we put our hope, trust and confidence in God, we know we shall receive help. God will last beyond our own mortal lives. God is infinitely graceful and powerful. God is not just another politician or corporate CEO. God is who God is.

God, help me to put my full confidence in you rather than so-called powerful people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright 2013 Amelia G. Sims

My dying breath

Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. Psalm 146: 1-2 NLT

I have been thinking of a lot of end of life issues lately. My parents just bought into a retirement community -- complete with nursing home if necessary. In addition, my mother-in-law has been living with us for the last couple of months due to her health issues. And the mother of one of my church members has chosen not to go through dialysis. 

So, I have been focusing on housing and health care.

But the psalm tells me that there are other issues.

We are to sing God’s praises up until we draw our last breath.

How many times do we think of that? We are so focused on our bodies that we forget our spirituality. Our discipleship does not end with retirement or downsizing. 

We are to be faithful until we die.

I guess I have thought about patients with Alzheimer's or dementia. What must their relationship with God be like? Do they pray? Have they forgotten God? Has God forgotten them? 

I am not jumping to the end of my life yet. What all this makes me realize is that I need to do a better job of using each breath to praise God NOW and not wait for forty years in the future.

Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord. I will praise you, Lord, as long as I live. I will sing praises to my you with my dying breath. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright 2013 Amelia G. Sims