July 21, 2015: Psalm 14

Psalm 14

¹ Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    there is no one who does good.

² The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
    to see if there are any who are wise,
    who seek after God.

³ They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
    there is no one who does good,
    no, not one.

⁴ Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon the Lord?

⁵ There they shall be in great terror,
    for God is with the company of the righteous.
⁶ You would confound the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is their refuge.

⁷ O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
    Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Reflection

Alan Brehm, The Waking Dreamer, 2013. "It is incredibly difficult to admit that we are the ones who have gone astray, that we are the ones who do wrong, that we are the ones who do not truly seek God. The amazing irony is that when we admit this, we find God's mercy overflowing to give us new life."

Brehm says it better than I could. I like to look out and find the bad guys out there. It is hard to admit that I am the one that has wondered off, the one that has messed up, the one that has not been true to God’s calling. Sadly, the truth is I am the one, and God’s mercy and grace brings be back. God is there for us, even though we do not deserve it. God is there for me, God is there for everyone. So lets avoid the good guys vs bad guys and find way to live into God’s love and show God’s love to others.