Contemplative Bible Reading

Psalm 69:5-7 (New Living Translation)

5 O God, you know how foolish I am;
my sins cannot be hidden from you.
6 Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
O God of Israel.

The writer bemoans his foolishness. The writer is sinful and no matter how good he acts, those sins are plain to God.

The prayer of this sinner is one of shame. Those around the sinner knows that he proclaims God but still fails daily. Please God, he asks, don’t like this say-one-thing-but-do-another life cause others to scoff at the belief in God.

People see me. They see what I try to be and they see what I really am. Do they shrug and say, “Told you. That Christianity stuff is phony. Just a bunch of liars, cheats, and con artists who want something from you.”

Still, the writer has good in mind. The writer knows that his actions can do the opposite of what he desires. He still looks to God and asks that he be better.

I guess that is a pretty good thing for me to do each day. Look to God and ask for help. I can’t do this by myself. I need God’s help. That help can come in many forms. It can be a smile of encouragement or the helping touch of a hot cup of coffee in cold arthritic hands. The blessings from God cannot be counted and are often not recognized. Still, they are here. Thanks be to God.