First Week July Devotions

July 1-Ps. 130 is a reading for the day. Anderson, in his study of the psalms, used it for his title, our of the depths. Usually, we reserve the depths for valley times, of anguish, pain, or despair. For what measure of God does “your soul wait?” what have been times when your own self, your deepest self, has found you in the depths? When have you been lifted from that dark place and how? Monday-We just had a local reformed roundtable on the book of the 12 (prophets), the minor prophets, due to their shorter length. It was dispiriting as we did not get ot many texts themselves, but at least we read many sections in worship. the minor prophets have been consigned to minor status, I fear. For me they promote deep consideration of the nature of the divine and other vital spiritual facets such as understanding theodicy. Please consider reading some of the book of the twelve, the last books of the OT as a spiritual exercise. Tuesday-Grief intrudes in our lives in surprising ways. I did not expect to feel the pang of absence of my brother’s death, 20 years later, at his niece’s wedding. She wasn’t a year old when he died. Grief may work in phases, but it often arrives in sharp form unannounced and unexpected. grief can be sneaky. Its sudden appearance is a pointer not at pathology, but at the continuing bonds we share with the departed. In that sense, it is a mark of continuing love. Wednesday the 4th of July is a marvel. John Adams predicted that it would be a celebration with fireworks. Jefferson spoke of unalienable/inalienable rights. they are rights that we cannot give up and remain citizens, not rights that can be taken away from us. They constitute our political being. I try to read at least the beginning and end of the Declaration every year. It is a civic ritual for me, just as the ritual of worship feeds my soul. Thursday-Recently in a Bible Study, I asked those gathered what word hit them in the reading, and a number had a focus on kindness. It could be a good spiritual check-up to note how often one says a kind word or performs an act of kindness during a given week. What acts and words of kindness have touched you over the years? Does familiarity affect your words and acts of kindness? Friday-Rudeness is a social sin. It infects the social body as surely as an invading microbe. it lowers the level of civility and raises the level of frustration. it lowers the bar for decent social behavior and expectations. Some rudeness is a declaration of individual choice against convention, but I am more concerned about it being a declaration of personal immunity from social norms that allow us to live together. Saturday-the Presbyterian General Assembly ends today. It is a heartening spectacle to see people willing to give a large portion of time to the work of the larger church, to act as representatives for around 2.5 million people. Of course we cannot expect to agree or disagree with every decision made by this council of elders and pastors. This day I pray for travelling mercies for all of the delegates and marvel at their commitment to our common life of faith, as they leave Pittsburgh.