Where are you God?

01Sep
I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord, my good above all other.”
- Psalm 16:2

When I begin a personal attempt to list the good things in the world, like the sweet warmth of a newborn baby’s head cradled next to my own cheek, or watching my middle schooler figure out an algebra problem on his own after we have practiced it over and over, or feeling delight in a cool breeze after a much needed rain-it is inescapable to not notice the Lord’s presence in these breakthroughs of delight, wonder, growth. 

When I am in the good, I see the Divine spark illuminating that goodness around me. 

In these lucky moments of awareness, I could easily see how the psalmist wrote today’s scripture, “You are my Lord, my GOOD above all other.”

But, there are the other moments… When I begin to let my mind drift to the pain or horrors or tragedies in the world, such as the wildfires destroying land and communities, the most recent school shooting on the first day of college, and see children of the world whose needs are unjustly not being met…. it is inevitable for me to furl my brow, close my eyes in frustration, and I hear my interior soul’s cry questioning,“Lord, is this what it is like for your creation to be smudged to shadows, to slip further from the comforting light of Divine Grace?”  

When we wonder, “Where is the GOOD?”, are we really questioning through drained whispers or shouts of overflowing rage, “Where are you God?” 

How often does the world ask, “Is there any goodness left?” “Is there any God left?”

Our Psalmist knew the way of wisdom, to pour our collective prayers back to the Almighty. 

Our scripture’s focus brings us back to a center of direction, eliminating distraction of all else. We can zero in on what it is we want most. To train our sights on the good, on the Godly, on the things that we know deep in our souls, in our connection to the one who gave this world and all creatures within in breath, the Source of Abundance… all of which the Lord our God delights in. 

And when we reattune our spirit with the Holy Spirit, we remember that the good is there. The good around us is surrounded and animated with the Good Above All Other, our Triune God.

The good is there in delight, wonder, and growth.

In the descent of steady raindrops that quench our dried gardens and refill our rivers. 

In the wriggling of the tiniest finger grasping toward my outstretched pinky. 

In the smile that leaps out from the young teens surprise, beaming in becoming more. 

Our God is there. 

Musical Reflection - Hey, Don't Give Up - Michael Franti

Thank you, Lord, our good above all other,  for delighting us, allowing us to wonder, and fostering our growth in the illumination of your unconditional loving grace. Amen.
PsalmsGratitude
Tags
#good

Previous Page

Date
Category
Author
Latest Posts
Tags
#absalomjones, #abundance, #advent, #advent #preparation #waiting, #anger, #antiracist, #archive #crisis #strength, #archive #treasure #heaven, #art, #ashwednesday, #ashwednesday #preservation #labor, #awe #reverence #fear, #bannedbooks, #baptism #discernment #support #covenant, #bathroomfloor #damascus #women, #beatitudes #allsaints, #belonging #america, #beloved, #bible #authority #religious #thinplace, #bible #forgiveness #prodigalson, #blessing #loveyourneighbor, #breathe #silence #love, #brothers #jesus #father #faith, #burden #rest #peace, #camp #loss #death #humble #humility, #change, #change #renewal #growth, #children #education #faith #formation, #children #parenthood #graduation #bittersweet, #christmas #stnicholas, #commandments, #communication #words #voice, #community #welcome #unity, #confession #paul #imperfection #failings, #courage #parable, #creation, #creation #love #space, #crucifix #cross, #david #goliath, #death #allsaints #winter, #death #loss #grief #memory, #discernment #presence, #disciples #evangelism, #division, #divorce, #enemy, #enneagram #grace, #faith #jesus, #fear, #forever, #formation, #friendship, #good, #good #evil, #gratitude #mercy, #gratitude #sing #nature, #halloween, #halloween #allsouls, #healing #leper #miracles, #help, #help #thanks #wow, #history #love #women #justice #friendship, #humanity, #humility, #hymn, #inclusivity #diversity #allarewelcome, #individualism #wealth #camel #excess #humility, #injustice #racism #unconditionallove, #jesus #joy #suffering, #johnthebaptist, #joseph #jesus #prison #forgiveness #family, #journey #pilgrims #companions, #joy #example #light, #joy #faith #perserverance #psalm, #joy #fun #mission #medicalmission, #joy #trials #overcome #faith #endurance, #justinmartyr #civildiscourse #jesus, #keepcalm, #king #judgement #government, #kingdom, #kingdom #disciples, #kingdom #god #life #story, #light, #light #darkness #holyspirit, #light #gratitude #joy #awe #miracles, #listening, #love, #love #gratitude #peace, #love #imperfection #mother #flowers, #love #light #loveyourneighbor, #loveyourneighbor, #lyric #music #harmony #emotions #paul, #mardigras, #martinluther, #mary #joseph #jesus, #mary #martha #jesus, #marymagdalene #resurrection, #matthew #jesus #compassion #labor #suffering, #medicalmission #joy #prayer #healing, #medicalmission #youth #joy #laughter #connection, #memorialday #sacrifice #gratitude, #methodist #episcopal #eucharist, #ministry #work #labor, #miracle #friendship, #mission #medicalmission #healing #pentecost, #mission #medicalmission #serve #perserverance #loveyourneighbor, #missionstatement #inspired #strives #loveyourneighbor #dojustice #walkhumbly #archives, #money #fishing, #muppets #sabbath, #nativeamerican #land #blackfriday, #nature #retreat #moses, #neighbor #love #selflove #greatestcommandment, #painter #sailing, #parent #father #wisdom #family, #paul, #paul #jesus #authenticity #genuine, #paul #voice, #payphone #love, #peace #worry #martha #mary #vietnam #college, #perseverance, #peter #jesus #light #dark, #poetry #thanksgiving, #prayer, #prayer #grief #loss #pets, #prayer #peace, #prepare #crisis #faith #storm #jesus #archives, #psalms #mother #grandmother #gratitude, #psalms #rejoice #blessing, #quiet #retreat, #rage #unfairness #forgiveness #prayer, #rebirth #redemption #reconciliation #psalm #valley, #refuge, #remember #open #cryout #keep, #remembrance #september11, #rest, #retirement, #reward #loss #service #alcoholicsanonymous, #rock #support #foundation, #roshhashanah #judaism, #salvation #trust, #school #love #parents, #seeingjesus #hearinggod #vessel #handsandfeet, #selfrighteous #reconciliation, #serenityprayer #mary #martha, #serve #churchfamily, #solomon #failure, #standrew, #stars, #storms #peace #stainedglass, #story, #taize #prayer #listen, #teep #david #goliath #tlf, #tencommandments #sundayschool, #time #value #patience, #time #value #space, #todo #christmas, #tolerance, #transfiguration #mountaintop, #trees, #truth, #turntheothercheek, #waiting, #walkinlove, #weather #hurricane, #weddings #love #corinthians #patience, #williamtemple #singing, #witness #patience #presence #waiting, #women #mothers, #worry #trust, #worship #manygods #onegod, #wrangling #language, 12 steps, conviction, death, depression, doubt, easter, enemies, envy, eternal, eucharist, faith, female, grace, grief, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, jesus, judgement, love, make a difference, martyrs, medical mission, meditation, mental health, mission, mother, path, paul, pause, peace, peter, plan, power, powerless, presence, psalms, radiant, refuge, service, wisdom, youth

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive news and announcements from Trinity Church.

Sign Up