I’m awake earlier this morning because we are hosting guests for breakfast. Not my conventional Sunday, but it’s getting my gears ready for tomorrow. Started with 1600+ steps in the bedroom, before heading out and doing the morning chores.
No, really, I’m not usually out and typing at around 7 in the morning. I’d usually still be in bed promising myself I’d get out at 7:45, and then renegotiate to 8:00, and then 8:10 when I see that I was still lying down by around 8:06. So this is nice that I’m actually getting stuff done.
The question must be answered – can I get stuff done, and then breeze through my shift without slowing down? I suppose we’re answering that today.
Psalm 123
Prayer for Relief from Contempt
A Song of Ascents.
1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He has mercy on us.
3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is exceedingly filled With the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud.
According to our brothers and sisters from Oxford, Contempt is defined as:
- the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.
- disregard for something that should be taken into account.
- the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law and its officers.
- Synonyms: scorn, disdain, disrespect, deprecation, disparagement, denigration, opprobrium, odium, obloquy, scornfulness, derision, mockery, ridicule
A people full of contempt is a disrespectful people; Disrespect, in this case, is directed towards the Lord. And I imagine this disrespect is grounded in (1) over-respect in ourselves, and (2) downplaying of who God is and what He does. Or, believing more in ourselves and believing less in God.
Well, I also noticed now that the Psalmist also directs contempt at ‘those who are at ease’, and, ironically, the proud… or, rather, the contemptuous.
Oh, Father, may we be captured by Your grace and glory, always. Do not allow us to be totally overwhelmed by the pain and shame of the world – embrace us and leave us in awe.
Indeed, may we find it in us to remind ourselves, by way of the power of the Holy Spirit, of the Truth of who we are, and who God is. May we always be in awe and wonder, in knowing how insignificant we are before the infinite and eternal power, wisdom and love of our Father. May we always remember our place as creations, reconciled to our Creator, by way of Christ.
May we always bring ourselves to sing out, as the Psalmist did in the 8th Psalm – indeed, ‘Who am I, that You are so mindful of me?’
And, here and now, may we continue to just realize the sheer greatness of our God, and recognize that He is constantly on the move, working even when we don’t see or feel it.
May we always remember, that even in our idle times, and our times of confusion, and even in temporary contempt – that God is constant and faithful; Faithful, that is, to cause all things to work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
May we always be brought to thanksgiving and praise – for this is our default setting as we now live by the Spirit, and no longer according to the flesh. Yes, may we always be reminded of how we’ve been brought from a mindset and an existence rife with ingratitude, selfishness and pride, into a more excellent life of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise.
Give glory to the Father, for He deserves it! Give thanks to our God, for He is good; His love truly endures forever – And may our souls be satisfied with the blessed assurances of our God, and the great promises of our Father, all fulfilled and being fulfilled by way of Christ and His finished work.
Oh Lord, be glorified and magnified in our lives, at every given moment, beyond what we see or calculate or observe. We need You now, Father, more than ever. Cause us to behold the power of Your might, the endless depth of Your wisdom, and cause us, above all these, to see Your everlasting love.
Thank You for everything, Father! Thank You for Jesus, and thank You for Your Spirit.
Thank You, Lord.
God bless you.
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