Tuesday, June 16, 2020  

Today’s Scripture Reading  |  Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
   come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever,
   and his faithfulness to all generations. (NRSV)

Reflection
With everything that we have gone through these past few months, I would bet that we are all ready for some emotional reinforcement. It’s difficult to remain upbeat and positive when faced with lives turned upside down, financial stress, the loss of normalcy, and an uncertain future. So I’m glad that Psalm 100 is our thought for today.

It is a song of surety, of hope, of gratefulness, and of love. And it captures something that probably has been missing in our lives—joy. Joy is a powerful feeling that transcends simply being happy. Joy is a fullness of spirit and is inner dwelling. It is not blind optimism but a projection of self-awareness and contentment. We can experience joy by knowing that we are loved unconditionally and that we give our love unconditionally. Even in the most difficult times we face there is always the possibility for joy in our life. Therefore, let’s stop in this moment, right now, to breathe in the joy that surrounds us and that we bring to others. Pause. Reflect. Stop reading this for a minute.

Then let us each exhale a joyful noise! This noise is our affirmation that there is always light and that we are never alone, even when we feel lost and lonely, even when events seem to overwhelm us. Let’s not give up on ourselves or each other; God won’t give up on us. This is the reminder of Psalm 100.

Prayer
God, these have been difficult and life-altering times. Remind me that through it all you are there. You are in the face of those I love. You are in the care and nurturing I witness around me. You are in the hope that I refuse to abandon. You are the joyful noise of my spirit. Amen.

Written by Ken Ohr, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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