Psalm 147:12-20
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs --
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs --
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
The eve of Christmas eve and alongside the story of the birth of John the Baptist and the end of the last chapter of Revelation this Psalm is tucked into the lectionary and it fills me with hope and joy.
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
The images of peace, strength, and fullness of life are scriptures of hope and provide a longing of a time when all of the world will be strengthened, when there is peace within all borders, when all are filled with the finest of wheat, and when all obey the commands that were sent out.
As I prepare a sermon on the 10 Commandments I think about what the world would be if we viewed them as a gift, as ways to live in order to have this world where all are cared for and peace reigns.
I have heard it said many times that my generation is "morally declining" and to an extent I can't argue that the world seems to be a tough place to live in but to say that it is a generation at fault those are strong words. But I know that there are many in my generation who are working for peace, for justice, for equality and we are doing so while unpacking a box that generations before us have place God in.
And so I pray that as all of God's people strive to live together in a world, longing for peace, light, love, hope, justice, equality, and life that we do so not pointing fingers but striving for peace, taking care of one another, and obeying the commands set before us. For that is what Christ was all about and what we are called to be doing today, tomorrow, and everyday.
Peace be within you,
KP
Caption: The picture is of my 3 1/2 month old niece, Bryley. I long for a world that is better for children like her who are coming up behind my generation. I don't want to leave a mess for her to clean up and so I hope people hold me accountable to that.
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