Psalm 31-2-4: In you, LORD, I take refuge; Be my refuge, a stronghold to save me. or you are my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
Let us contemplate and comprehend the meaning of this passage from Psalms 31. David is a man of war and shed a lot of blood. His life was constantly in danger. He had countless enemies. Even his King, Saul, became his enemy who wanted to kill him, notwithstanding what David did to protect him and His kingdom. But, David calls God his refuge (which is a safe place away from danger and place where one can hide and be safe) "rock" (which shields him from attack) and his "fortress" (which is like a solid castle that protects him from all sides). In truth, God is the refuge and the rock of those who love Him, of those who serve him, and most of all of those who are under attack by God's enemies. 1 Peter 5:8-9: we are exhorted to “Be alert and of sober mind because your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that all believers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." With the kind of life and mission we live in the community, we can’t ignore the reality that we are constantly under attack. At the personal level, we are constantly tempted; our human weakness and frailties overwhelm us many times hindering us from fulfilling our commitment and our covenant with God. There are harassment in our workplace, our livelihood, and our businesses. There are sicknesses and diseases. There are financial problems. At the family level, there are conflicts between husband and wife, challenges with disciplining our children, there are strong influences of the world. At the community level, lack of commitment, dedication, and strained relations; Among the leaders, we are faced with temptations to give up on our difficult household members. So we are constantly in a spiritual battle. So we must always seek God as our refugee and protection. And God will defend us. How? Through his holy name or by his name or for the sake of his name. What is the meaning of this? His name means love. God is love. We will be defended when we write down his most Holy Name in all our actions, in all our being. When we act in love in everything that we do. That is how we will be defended by the attacks of God's enemies. That is our shield. St Paul in Corinthian 13 says Love never fails. Prophecies will cease; Tongues will be silenced; Knowledge will pass away. Only three remain, faith, hope and love. But faith and hope will also come to an end when all that should be believed and hoped is fulfilled. So the greatest of these is love, which is eternal, like God. So let us praise God who is our rock and our refuge. Let us write down his most Holy Name in all our actions, in all our being. Psalm 96:1-2
1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Singing is one of the ways in which we worship the Lord. What is worship? Worship is a form of prayer to express our love for God and recognize his qualities. God is great, God is good, God is wonderful, God is eternal, God is powerful. We don't question that, we know and we believe. But as his children, we need to express our deep appreciation of his being. One way of worshipping God is through singing. Dancing is also another, raising your hand, clapping yours. People in the bible worship God through these expressions and actions. In the book of Psalms, many times it exhorts us to sing to the Lord. In general, the entire bible urges us to sing praise to God. And not just sing but sing with joy and love. According to St Augustine, “The one who sings prays twice”. He that sings not only sings but also loves him of whom he sings. God has gifted man with the ability to sing to express love. The more you love, the more you sing for the one you love. Singing is an expression of love. Since the greatest of all love is the love of God, therefore the most significant purpose or use of singing is to express our love for God. Singing to God is a natural habit. It is man's natural response to the love of God. The book of Psalm is also called the Book of Songs, all composed by David in the old testament. He wrote these songs because he is a man who truly loves God. In the book of Act. Let us learn from David, who sing to God to express his love for Him. |
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March 2024
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