Looking Forward To Summer

6/16/2021

From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough

Hello Everyone,
I pray this email finds you, your families, and your communities healthy and in good spirits. Blessings as we move into the first day of summer. Let us pray that this drought will let up soon. Let us pray for farmers and all of those who tend to the land and harvest our food. I am also praying that your communities are beginning to open up for worship services and other activities. Do let me know!

Also, please keep in mind that I offer a weekly Christian Meditation session via Zoom every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Drop me a note if you would like the link. I share a reading; we then sit in communal silence for 25 minutes, and then have a short discussion afterwards. We generally finish in under an hour. Our intention is to make room in our hearts and minds for Christ. Christ is always present, but sometimes our mental and/or emotional distractions keep us from the peace that Jesus offers.

Scripture
Psalm 145:1-4, Common English Bible

I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.
I will bless your name forever and always.
I will bless you every day.
I will praise your name forever and always.
The Lord is great and so worthy of praise!
God’s greatness can’t be grasped.
One generation will praise your works to the next one,
proclaiming your mighty acts.

Meditation
Psalm 145 is a Psalm of praise, attributed to David whose reign flourished in 1000 BCE. I often forget how ancient the Psalms are. I have recently learned that the name David can be translated as Beloved One. That means that we could all address one another as David, but then, that would quickly get confusing. Still, I love the idea of everyone going about their day, addressing all they meet as the Beloved One. We can, at least, do that in our hearts.

I am ordained United Church of Christ, and we do not hear much royalty language in our current liturgy. Some of this is probably because we are deeply rooted in the Congregationalists who fled to this country to flee the reign of English royalty. However, if King David did write this Psalm (or someone in his court), he is expressing humility as he refers to God as the true king., the One that he serves. The One to whom all creation must bow. Hopefully, not out of fear, but because God is so completely beyond our comprehension.

No human can understand God, but David, the beloved one, is right. We do continue to praise God generation after generation. I am grateful.

How do we praise God? We can do so through gratitude, daily devotions, even our work. We do so with our intentions, and we can do so by being attentive to the blessings in our daily lives. That includes being attentive to one another because no matter how far we might go astray, there is no one who is not loved by God.

A portion of the sale of this book goes to SpiritCare.

Prayer
This Psalm has me humming "All Creatures of our God and King". The words were written by St. Francis in 1225. According to the notes in the Chalice Hymnal, it was written when he was ill and "unattended in his hut at San Damiano."

The notes go on to say that it is considered the first great religious poem in the Italian language. It really is a beautiful hymn, so I will leave you with the first and last verses. May we always praise God.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.

All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing;  Alleluia! Alleluia!
O burning sun with golden beam,
O silver moon with softer gleam,
O praise God, O praise God,  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

And all forgiven tender hearts,
forgiving others take your part, sing praises, Alleluia!
You who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God, who knows your every care.
O praise God, O praise God.  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!