Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame. Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay! - Psalm 70:1-5
Can you place yourself in the psalmist’s place? Could these words, crying for deliverance and help, be words that you have uttered at some point? Have you heard the voice of those ridiculing you, cry “Aha, Aha!”?
Or perhaps there are those in our midst that cry out as the psalmist does. Are we too uncomfortable with their lament that we try to find the ways to quickly look past it and keep walking on?
You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
How can we, in these last few days of Lent, rediscover the place of lament in our lives? How can we better understand the relationship between the sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of resurrection Sunday?
"But I am poor and needy..." I read today's prompt after my morning walk. Each morning there are workers everywhere cleaning up the streets. Although I'm not positive, my guess is many are poor, poor, but not necessarily needy. Many greet me and others with a smile and "Buenos Dias." On the beach today many of the vendors are walking up and down the sand with the wears. These vendors seem to be poorer than those cleaning the streets in the morning, but not necessarily needy. The old man from whom I bought the rosary yesterday remembered me and my purchase as did the lady from whom I bought a cover-up for my swimsuit. Both greeted me with a smile. The needy also exist as they do in most places, but poor doesn't necessarily mean needy. Perhaps I once again didn't follow the prompt, but reading it reminded me of the plane ride to Puerto Vallarta. As we landed a girl, old enough to know better although not raised to know better, exclaimed, "You would have to have a swimming pool to live here." Her sister replied, "Are we going to see beggars?" The parent ignored both remarks instead of using it as a learning moment. To me these privileged white girls are more needy than the "beggars" I've met on the beach. Yep, I'm a bit judgmental myself.
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| Today's view was similar to yesterday's view. |
BTW- This trip has not been the best for reading. My first two days I spent most of my reading time in conversation with a group from Canada. Today I did read on the beach, but my plan was to read more after a late afternoon meal. Holy Week is a vacation week for many Mexicans, and the streets were crowded with people and entertainment. I went out for a taco and spent three hours walking around taking in the sights and enjoying the crowds.
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