June 10, 2023 — Psalm 54 

“Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me—people without regard for God. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good. You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.” Psalm 54 

Our G-d longs to be gracious to us; longs to be near to us; longs to hear us and bless us; and longs to be with us. G-d will hear the prayer of the righteous and the Psalms remind us that this is a promise. In Psalm 50:15 we are reminded: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” And in Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he  acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”  

How can we imitate the Psalmist and their lesson that we are to learn to live by the strength of G-d? The answer is:  

1. Live in the light of G-d.
2. Read and obey His word.
3. Have true fellowship with His people.
4. Serve the church well.  
5. Have no confidence in your own strength but depend on the strength of G-d alone.
6. Do not give way to fear. 

In the end, my friends, we have the choice to either depend on our own strength—or to trust in the Lord with all our heart, our mind and our trust. I for one will put my trust in the Lord—for the Lord is merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. 

Prayer

Father, hear our racer and come to the aid of your Church. Mercifully deliver us from evil, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting we may offer you a pure sacrifice of praise; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

June 11, 2023 – Pentecost +2A; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.” Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

When Jesus called his disciples like he called Matthew, he did not call them to come and watch or come and take notes – he called them to live the life of a disciple. And to cement this understanding Matthew and the other disciples were following Jesus to the home of a leader in the synagogue – whose daughter has died. And Matthew witnessed Jesus healing this little girl. In other words, Matthew and the other disciples were forced to see things in new ways – and to see their faith in a new light.

Jesus calls you and me to follow as well. Are we willing to open our homes and our hearts to all Jesus calls us to do? Many of us pray “Come Lord Jesus and be our guest”, but do we live this each and every day. You see, in the long run, people will be able to notice if someone who claims to be a Christian is faking it or not. Jesus says “I desire compassion, not just lip service.” As such, we need to let our light so shine before others that they may see our good works that give glory to G-d every day.

Pastor Dave